Bruce Harte Ashley: Simon Despres
Toronto Maple Leafs should sign Simon Despres.
I recently did a piece on why the Toronto Maple Leafs should sign Simon Despres. He is a 6’4, 225lb., fleet of foot puck moving defenceman. He is a lefty but moved to the right side meshing with Cam Fowler during the rest of the 2014-15 season and the playoffs.
Not every lefty is comfortable on their off side however Despres is. Due to his physical strength and skating abilities, Despres is comfortable playing on the right. He would look great alongside Jake Gardiner.
Despres has had some injury problems and was recently bought out by the Ducks. Nevertheless, if healthy, he is a perfect stop-gap option for Lamoriello.
While Despres is not known for his offensive prowess, from my observations, his greatest strength is his skating and mobility which is excellent for a man of his size. He is a beast at preventing shots. That is the Leafs major weakness.
Above all, Despres has a high hockey IQ. He thinks the game fast and well. While not a physical presence, his skating allows him to recover quickly and break-up zone entries, separate opponents from the puck while turning the play quickly up ice. Using a quick stick and positioning to defend, Despers has a knack for closing down lanes and disrupting the oppositions cycle. Think of a faster, younger Cody Franson.
The Leafs greatest weaknesses are Simon Despres greatest strengths. His style of play works well with the Leafs up tempo possession driven play of the Toronto Maple Leafs..