Toronto Maple Leafs: 3 Questionable Moves

The Toronto Maple Leafs made three major moves this summer.

First, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Patrick Marleau. Then, they signed Ron Hainsey. Finally, they signed Dominic Moore.

The question is why?

Now, first of all, there is nothing wrong with any of these three players. Hainsey is a decent enough bottom pairing defenseman, Moore is a perfectly adequate press-box ornament, and Marleau is still fast and offensively dangerous. Signing any single one of these player on their own wouldn’t have raised any eyebrows, but as a package, it’s an extremely curious set of moves.

It’s obvious when you sign three guys in their mid to late thirties that you have a clear mandate to add age and experience to the club. But beyond that, the signings are strange because the Leafs don’t really need the extra players. If anything, the Toronto Maple Leafs have too many players.

Extra, Extra…….Extra

The Leafs have Ron Hainsey playing his off-side on the so-called ‘top pairing’ with Morgan Rielly. (Though any reasonable person would tell you that the ‘top pairing’ is whatever line Jake Gardiner plays on). This is obviously a horrible way to start the season. Ron Hainsey is not a top-four NHL defenseman. Full Stop. Objective Fact. Ron Hainsey is certainly not capable of playing the top pairing and it’s a disaster waiting to happen.

But at least if you ever wondered if Sportsnet, which is owned by Bell, which owns a part of the Maple Leafs, is maintaining their objectivity, you can always read a positive spin on Ron Hainsey, Top Pairing Defenseman and draw your own conclusions.

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The Leafs, who have JVR, Bozak, prospects that don’t fit on the team, Salary Cap room, and all their draft picks have a ton of tradable assets. They also have Gardiner, Rielly, Zaitsev, Carrick, Marincin, Dermott, Borgman, Rosen, Neilson and Liljegren – so basically, no real need to bring a guy who probably isn’t significantly better than whoever is the worst player in that group. (It’s not Marincin).

And the same goes with Marleau and Moore: They are players for whom there really isn’t a roster spot for. Marleau is bumping Brown the fourth line, which is ridiculous. If I had to guess who is a better player in 2017 I’d say Connor Brown, and I wouldn’t be guessing.

As for Moore, he’s already on the outs, with Miro Aaltonen appearing to be a lock at this point to open the season as the fourth line centre. Should he faulter, the Leafs still have Guathier, Smith and the option to put Bozak or Komarov at 4C. All options superior to dressing the 109 year-old Dominic Moore.

Like I said, it would have made some sense to sign one of these guys. But signing three old players for whom you have to demote superior players in order to get them in the lineup? That seems crazy.

Next: Top Five Leafs Ready to Crack Lineup

Paging Kyle Dubas.

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