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Toronto Maple Leafs: The Weekly Takeaways

By Eduardo Razo

Oct 20, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock looks on during the third period against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild defeated the Maple Leafs 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 20, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock looks on during the third period against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild defeated the Maple Leafs 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 2, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Arturri Lehkonen (46) is hooked by Toronto Maple Leafs ddefenseman Martin Marincin (52) during a preseason hockey game at Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs beat the Canadiesn 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Arturri Lehkonen (46) is hooked by Toronto Maple Leafs ddefenseman Martin Marincin (52) during a preseason hockey game at Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs beat the Canadiesn 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Please, no more Martin Marincin on the top pairing

Don’t you see something and wonder how it got there?

Well that’s the case when Martin Maricin hops over the boards and plays top pairing minutes alongside Morgan Rielly. Look, Marincin is a fine defenseman who is better slotted in a bottom-pairing role. However, when Mike Babcock has him on the top pairing then that’s when there’s a problem.

Take a look at Wednesday’s game versus the Winnipeg Jets, Marincin does not even check nor try and pry the puck away from Patrik Laine. Instead he allows Laine to spin around and go top-shelf to score the first goal of his eventual hat-trick.

This type of situation is all too familiar for Maple Leaf fans, the miscast of a defenseman. From Mike Kostka to Korbinan Holzer, these are just a few names that were miscast and played on the top pairing with then Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf.

It’s déjà vu all over again, except this time it’s with Rielly. I never really understood this love affair Babcock has had with Marincin, but if Saturday’s healthy scratch tells us anything, Marincin’s days as a top pairing defenseman might be over.

Hopefully this ushers in Nikita Zaitsev’s chance to play on the top pair with Rielly. I love Connor Carrick, but he should not be playing on the top pair. Zaitsev is second on the team in time on ice, so why not make it official and pair him with Rielly and go from there.

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