Toronto Maple Leafs: Drew Doughty Is Not a Good Fit

Drew Doughty is exactly the type of player that the Toronto Maple Leafs need, but he is not the right player for this team.

Here we go, another article about how the Toronto Maple Leafs need to improve their defense… Well, not exactly. The Leafs absolutely could benefit from the addition of a legitimate top four defenseman. One that shoots right, eats up big minutes and is defensively responsible. A player that fits this mold would complement their current defense and give the team a better shot to compete for the Stanley Cup immediately.

Doughty fits that description to a T. He plays big minutes (averaged over 27 minutes/game last season) against the other team’s best players. He contributes to both the power play and the penalty kill. He consistently puts up points while playing an extremely solid defensive game. Doughty has won two Stanley Cups, two Olympic gold medals, and the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman. Oh, and he also shoots right.

It appears that Doughty would be a perfect fit for the Leafs. Although he would make the Leafs a better team, there are reasons why adding Doughty doesn’t make sense.

The Cost

For starters, the cost to acquire Doughty would be absurd. There isn’t even a comparable for us to work with here as these types of players are basically never traded. P.K. Subban was moved, but that was for Shea Weber. Recently, Travis Hamonic was traded for a package of picks (a 1st + two 2nds). Hamonic is nowhere near the defender that Doughty is, so you can likely rule out a trade like this.

Adam Larsson cost the Edmonton Oilers Taylor Hall. This may have been a lopsided trade, but it has affected the market for defensemen.

If the Leafs were to make a move for Doughty, they would try to trade from an area of strength. For Toronto, that is up front where they have an abundance of NHL quality wingers and prospects. JVR wasn’t enough to land Hamonic. There is no way you even get a conversation started unless you include William Nylander or Mitch Marner in the deal. And that would only be the starting point. To have any chance at making this deal happen you would likely have to put together a package of Nylander, Connor Brown and a 1st round pick. That sounds insane, is insane, and will never happen.

The Salary Cap

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Doughty already has a cap hit of $7 million and will become an unrestricted free agent in two years.

With Connor McDavid’s new deal raising the bar for salaries around the league, Doughty will be getting a raise in 2019.

At that time, Auston Matthews, Marner and Nylander will all be on their second contract and there is no way the team will be able to afford Doughty.

Even if the Leafs wait to pursue Doughty as a free agent, he is not a good fit for this team.

Homegrown Talent

The Leafs have a number of prospects that will soon fill the existing holes on this team. Trading for or signing Doughty could result in a crowded blueline down the road, preventing a more affordable option from cracking the lineup.

Andrew Cheng shared his thoughts, suggesting that the Leafs defense is not as desperate as you might think. I tend to agree.

Prospects like Travis Dermott, Andrew Nielson, Calle Rosén, Andreas Borgman, and Rinat Valiev all have a legitimate shot at cracking the Leafs as early as this season. The Leafs also had Timothy Liljegren fall to them in the entry draft. Liljegren has a ton of upside and could easily turn into the right-shot defender they are currently looking for. Eemeli Rasanen, recently drafted in the second round, is a huge right-shot defender with potential.

Prospects take time to develop and don’t always make the transition to the NHL. But if one or two of these players live up to their potential, the Leafs defense could quickly become a position of strength. Not only that, but homegrown talent will be a much more affordable option than an established superstar.

Conclusion

Doughty is an amazing player but is not a good fit for the Leafs. Toronto would have to give up way too much to acquire him via trade and Doughty’s cap hit will not work moving forward.

Next: Trade Targeting Justin Faulk

The best option for the Leafs is to continue developing their own defensemen, improving the team from within. If the Leafs do make a trade to improve their blueline, it will not be for Doughty.

*stats from hockey-reference.com, nhl.com, capfriendly.com