Two former members of the Toronto Maple Leafs have recently found themselves going through a series of hardships. Specifically, we’re talking about the New York Islanders Pierre Engvall and the Detroit Red Wings Justin Holl.
Some time ago, both players were integral parts of Sheldon Keefe’s lineup. The Toronto Maple leafs Leafs management utilized them while they were cheap and effective, then moved on when it was time to pay them.
Since signing their new deals, thinks have not worked out so great for Engvall, or Holl. In fact, this week’s developments proved that the Leafs decision to move on from each player was the correct one.
Unfortunately, Holl and Engvall have fallen on hard times this week. Both players were cut from their respective teams, making them expandable despite their substantial contracts. In hindsight, the Leafs were right to avoid signing either player to long-term deals, which makes sense because their entire strategy when they signed the Core Four to big contracts was to consistently turn over the bottom of the roster by refusing to pay or commit to mid-range players.
Hindsight is 20/20 for the Toronto Maple Leafs decisions on Engvall and Holl
Honestly, I was disappointed when the Leafs traded Engvall. I thought he had the potential to morph into a solid middle-six player who could skate, play defense, and score 20 goals. However, Engvall became a cap casualty during the 2023 trade deadline.
The Leafs needed cap space and the Islanders were willing to take Engvall. The Isles liked Engvall, so they gave him a six-year deal with an AAV of $3 million. That decision is one the Islanders would like to have back.
Engvall did what Envall does last with the Islanders: play solid defense and win his minutes. Unfortunately, for a $3 million cap hit, the expectation is that you also score, and Engvall only managed 10 goals in 74 games.
Like many players who are effective in the aggregate but do not hit or score very much, Engvall ran into a coach who didn't appreciate what he brought to the team. He didn’t fit into Patrick Roy’s system in New York, so off to the AHL Engvall went. Hopefully, he can get his career back on track and make a return to the NHL at some point, which he almost certainty will because despite being a boring player who doesn't make exciting plays, he does post consistently solid numbers.
As for Holl, he became the default whipping boy in Toronto following Jake Gardiner’s departure. It seemed that every time something went wrong, it was somehow Holl’s fault. Holl took so much flak that it wasn’t a surprise when the Leafs let him walk in free agency.
Then, inexplicably, the Detroit Red Wings signed Holl to a three-year, $10.2 million deal. At the time, the talk was that the Wings saw something in Holl that the Leafs had missed. That move backfired. Last season Holl notched five points in 38 games. This season, he was among the training camp cuts leading up to the Wings’ final roster.
Like Engvall, hopefully, Holl can bounce back and hit NHL ice again. He’s a bit on the older side at 32. Still. Holl has more than 300 games of NHL experience and could potentially become a depth defense option for a rebuilding team.