With the Toronto Maple Leafs gearing up for coaching camp subsequent week, it’s the proper time to dive into our ideas on the crew’s regular-season lineup. On this complete evaluation, I’m teaming up with my common writing accomplice, Stan Smith, to investigate the Maple Leafs’ roster from prime to backside.
We’ve damaged down our evaluation into three detailed sections. On Saturday (Sept. 7), we targeted on the highest six forwards. On Sunday (Sept. 8), in our second put up, we assessed the underside six forwards, their roles and the potential impression they might have on the crew’s total efficiency. Lastly, right now, we’ll shift our consideration to the Maple Leafs’ defence, evaluating its strengths, potential pairings, and the contributions it may make to the crew’s success.
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Collectively, Stan and I’ll discover what this Maple Leafs crew would possibly appear to be because the common season approaches.
The Maple Leafs’ High Defensive Pairing: Morgan Rielly & Chris Tanev
Morgan Rielly is the Maple Leafs’ number-one offensive defenceman. He scored within the prime ten for defencemen over the past ten years. Final season, he was eleventh in scoring by a defenceman. There isn’t any competitors on the Maple Leafs concerning the primary defenceman on the left facet. It’s Rielly.
Chris Tanev was signed because the primary right-side defenceman on the Maple Leafs. On the age of 34, it’s questionable how lengthy he can maintain on to that. However for now, this was why he was acquired. The power of his sport is his defensive play. His job can be to maintain the defensive finish to permit Rielly to play to his offensive strengths. Whereas it’s nonetheless to be confirmed, he could possibly be the most effective accomplice Rielly has ever had.
There isn’t any doubt proper now that that is the Maple Leafs’ number-one pair on defence.
We all know it is a cop-out. At this level, we’re positive of 1 factor and one factor solely: Jake McCabe can be on the second pair. He’s quantity three on the depth chart for the Maple Leafs. He was third in ice time for the defence final season (second within the playoffs), and he can be third in utilization this season behind Rielly and Tanev. With McCabe being 4 years youthful than Tanev, he would possibly even threaten Tanev for second in ice time. It simply gained’t be enjoying alongside Rielly a lot. There’s additionally the truth that McCabe can play both facet equally effectively, which performs in his and the Maple Leafs’ favour.
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Ideally, we will see the Maple Leafs beginning every sport with McCabe and Oliver Ekman-Larsson collectively. Ekman-Larsson (or OEL as he’s generally identified) was one of many NHL’s finest defencemen in his prime, garnering votes for the Norris Trophy in 4 straight seasons from 2012 to 2016. He was in a position to signal an eight-year deal for $8.25 million again in 2019. Sadly, OEL’s play slipped as he entered his 30s to the purpose the place the Vancouver Canucks bit the bullet and purchased him out initially of the 2023-24 season. The Florida Panthers subsequently signed OEL to a one-year, $2.25 million deal, and he performed a task within the Panthers’ Stanley Cup win final season, averaging 15 ½ minutes per sport on the third pair.
Equally to Rielly in his prime, OEL was identified extra for his offence than his defence. He had two 20-goal seasons and averaged about 50 factors in his mid-20s. His defence was enough and possibly a bit of higher than Rielly’s, however his play with the puck was his bread and butter. Whereas OEL has needed to relearn easy methods to play now that he’s 33, his power stays in his play with the puck.
That’s the reason McCabe is an efficient accomplice for OEL. He can do for OEL what Tanev is predicted to do for Rielly, giving that pair offensive and defensive stability.
If, for no matter purpose, OEL struggles, Liljegren may transfer a step up onto the second pair, with McCabe nonetheless giving that pair some stability. Whereas Liljegren doesn’t have the pedigree that OEL has, he has youth at 25 years previous and a robust sport with the puck. Liljegren is perhaps higher defensively than OEL at this level of their respective careers, however his Achilles heel appears to be a psychological error, generally on the worst instances. Like Rielly and OEL, Liljegren additionally advantages from enjoying with a robust defensive accomplice like McCabe.
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If the Maple Leafs want a shutdown pair for sport conditions, the perfect pair is perhaps McCabe and Simon Benoit. Regardless that McCabe did present some offensive flare final season, Benoit and McCabe have related strengths. They each play a tricky, bodily, in-your-face type of sport. They mixed for over 550 hits within the common season and playoffs final season. With OEL or Liljegren, McCabe would play on his mistaken or proper facet, no matter you need to name it. He would transfer over to his correct or left facet when paired with Benoit.
The Maple Leafs’ Second Defensive Pairing: Third Pair (or Second “B” Pair) Simon Benoit – Timothy Liljegren
If McCabe and OEL make up the second pair to begin video games, Benoit and Liljegren can be left for the third pair, or what we might name the second “B” pair. This may give the Maple Leafs stability on all three pairs. A powerful participant with the puck, in Liljegren, and a robust participant with out the puck in Benoit. As talked about above, McCabe and Benoit may crew up in defensive conditions. Then again, if the Maple Leafs had been behind and wanted extra offence, Liljegren and OEL may pair up, giving the crew two robust gamers with the puck.
We confer with the underside two pairs as second “A” and “B” as a result of all 4 gamers can play top-four minutes. The defenceman’s utilization isn’t as lower and dry because the forwards’. We may see numerous mixing up on the underside two pairs, particularly early within the season.
The Backside Line for the Maple Leafs Defence
In conclusion, the Maple Leafs’ defence heading into the season affords nice flexibility, notably after solidifying the highest pairing. The crew seems to have extra offensive firepower from the again finish than in earlier seasons, mixed with a stronger total defensive presence.
One lingering query is what the crew plans to do with Conor Timmons. Regardless of being considerably neglected, he has proven promise each time he’s been given ice time. Defensively, he holds his personal, and offensively, he shines with a fast breakout move and the power to create scoring alternatives, typically racking up assists. The rumours of him being moved to clear area for different signings, corresponding to Max Pacioretty, appear shortsighted, given his potential worth.
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What is definite, although, is that the Maple Leafs will want depth on defence, as accidents are an inevitable a part of the season. Traditionally, the crew has needed to depend on American Hockey League (AHL) Toronto Marlies call-ups to plug holes on the blue line, which is able to possible occur once more this season. Depth and suppleness can be important because the crew works by means of the lengthy grind of the common season.
[Note: I want to thank long-time Maple Leafs fan Stan Smith for collaborating with me on this post. Stan’s Facebook profile can be found here.]
