Toronto Maple Leafs: Need to Risk It to Get the Biscuit

The Toronto Maple Leafs need to risk it to get the biscuit.

I want the Toronto Maple Leafs to succeed as much as the next guy, but I think they should explore every option available.

And how’s that for a Canadian saying, eh?

Anyways, back to the topic at hand, risk it for the biscuit, right.

So far, this team has risked a lot in order to succeed without sacrificing patience and time, something we can all agree with as being the proper direction.

Well, what are some risks they’ve recently taken?

Signing Patrick Marleau
Resigning Curtis McElhinney
Signing Ron Hainsey
Drafting Timothy Liljegren

That’s from highest to lowest, by the way.

You might look at that list and disagree with one or two of them being risks that the team has taken, but at least give me some time to explain myself.

Patrick Marleau

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Okay, I think a lot of us can agree that the signing of Marleau was a pretty big risk.

I mean, how could you not think that?

He’s soon to be a 38-year-old veteran that’s spent his entire career with the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference.

Don’t forget to factor in that beautiful California weather and the frigid Toronto winters and yes, that plays a role in the quality of life for someone.

Also, how could you think that this is a risk?

The soon to be 38-year-old is coming off a fantastic point production season, scoring 27 goals and 46 points in a full 82 games played.

Let’s not even bring up his iron man streak.

In the end, I think it’s safe to say that signing Marleau to the term and price the Leafs did was and is a risk, one that we all hope works out.

Curtis McElhinney

This one’s tricky because I don’t see it as a huge risk, but I know a lot of people do.

Look, he’s signed for two seasons at less than $1 million per.

If McElhinney can step in for 20 games and steal half of those, then that’s a positive result for one season.

Add in a few overtime/shootout wins and that’s a stellar backup goalie performance.

The risk, which I do understand, is that he might not be able to perform that well at all.

A backup goaltender plays a rather important role in the success of a team or it’s downfall and we’re obviously all hoping for the former of the two.

However, we can all agree that McElhinney isn’t the greatest goalie of them all and that’s okay.

If he does well, then this risk pays off and the Leafs received quality goaltending for a cheap cost.

Ron Hainsey

The only reason that I value the McElhinney signing over the Hainsey signing as a greater risk is that a goaltender could really make or break a game.

Yes, Hainsey could have a terrible game one night, but he’s one of two defensemen on the ice at all times.

If the goalie couldn’t even stop a beach ball one night, he won’t get pulled until a few have gone in, really hurting the team’s chances that night.

Still, the Hainsey signing was pretty risky because of similar circumstances in regards to the Marleau signing.

Yes, I’m talking about term and cost.

Signing a player at 36-years old can be risky, but it also comes with acquiring a lot of experience.

Although this was a risky move, it could pay off big time.

As a lefty that can naturally play the right side, who knows what this could mean for some players in the Leafs development system.

Timothy Liljegren

Last but not least is drafting Liljegren at 17th overall.

This is barely a risk, but the fact that he had mononucleosis during his draft year obviously hurt his stock.

Sometimes something as simple as that can really damage a player long term.

Now, I really doubt that it will and I firmly believe that this pick was an absolute steal, one of the very best I’ve ever seen.

We’ll still have to wait a number of years before confirming that statement, though.

Remember that long before the draft took place, I wrote that out of all the players available, Liljegren was the one I wanted most.

I’m proud of that one.

Reaffirming

The statement that you have to risk it to get the biscuit carries some weight, but what I don’t want anyone to confuse here is that the Leafs need to risk more to be successful.

They could go out and make a risky move to acquire a top pairing right handed defenseman, or trust the somewhat risky moves they’ve already made.

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In the end, they’re shaping up nicely.

Lastly, turn on your television and tune into the Canada v. Sweden World Junior Summer Showcase game to catch Liljegren in action.

The game starts at 1 PM (now).

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