Toronto Maple Leafs: Rosen and Borgman Solid So Far

Following Wednesday’s loss at the hands of the New Jersey Devils, it was clear that the Toronto Maple Leafs defence has work to do.

By now, discussing the implications of a shaky blue-line is like flogging a dead horse for writers and fans alike. Toronto has portrayed a higher level of skill and synchronization as a unit this season. However, as does every team in the NHL, the Toronto Maple Leafs have things to work on. Today I will focus specifically on the players who, in my opinion, could use some guidance, and the various aspects of their game that may require further development, but who have been very effective so far.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Rosen and Borgman

Toronto lost to the New Jersey Devils by a score of 6-3. Their first three games, in comparison, were played to a level of skill that Leafs fans had been promised. As the rebuilding stage ends, a developmental phase is beginning for many young players. Two in particular cracked Toronto’s roster this season, but are getting used to playing at a professional level. I will be discussing the following two defensemen; Calle Rosen and Andreas Borgman.

Calle Rosen

Calle Rosen is one of the Toronto Maple Leafs new-found defensemen, a 23 year old from the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). In 2016-17 he tallied 19 points in 41 games, and 0 points in 6 playoff games. Toronto signed Calle Rosen to a two year entry level contract, introducing him into the spotlight of the National Hockey League.

Rosen performed well at camp, and secured his spot on the Maple Leafs third defensive pairing. Over the three regular season games he has played, Rosen has recorded one assist and a 59% CF.  He has been fantastic so far.

The are a few areas of his play that can be improved, mainly in relation to Wednesday’s game. Rosen portrayed a relatively timid style of play. He is cautious for an NHL level defensemen and seemingly unable to make split second decisions.  That’s my eye test, anyways.

Furthermore, a couple errors on his part led to two goals against the Leafs on Wednesday. Situations like these often leave fans wondering if Calle Rosen really is ready to be a part of the Maple Leaf’s main roster. The fact is, every player makes mistakes, rookie or not.  When you are a rookie, they compound and appear to be worse than they are.  The other 98% of his game, as evidenced by his great stats, is effective already NHL level.

More from Editor In Leaf

• Toronto Maple Leafs: Nick Robertson Healthy and Ready
• Ryan Reaves Will Have Zero Impact on Toronto Maple Leafs
• Toronto Maple Leafs: Playing Max Domi In Top-Six a HUGE Mistake
• Top 10 Scandals in the History of the Toronto Maple Leafs
• Toronto Maple Leafs: Results from the Traverse City Prospects Tournament

Andreas Borgman

Similarly to his linemate Calle Rosen, Andreas Borgman joined the Toronto Maple Leafs from the SHL. The hard hitting defensemen recorded 15 points over 45 games in 2016-17, but had a playoff breakout when he scored 10 points in 14 games. Toronto signed Borgman to a two year entry level contract in May, 2017.  So far, he leads their team with a 65% CF rating.

Andreas Borgman may have had a better game than his partner, but there are areas of his play that require improvement. He  can hit, as we saw against the Chicago Blackhawks when the 22 year old hammered Alex DeBrincat into the boards, but he could probably pick his spots a bit better. This, however, earned him serious points in the confidence department, a trait that he channels out on the ice (and through his victims when he hits them).

Solid Debuts

Overall, for two rookies transitioning from Sweden and being dropped in together on the same pairing, you have to like what they have brought to the table so far. They are dominating possession, and the Toronto Maple Leafs have been getting close to 70% of the scoring chances while they’ve been on the ice so far.

Next: NHL and Toronto Maple Leafs Predictions for 2017-18

Sure, they’re have been some glaring errors, and of course they can get better, and we need to remember that so far it’s a very small sample size……..but there is no way to not be impressed with these two so far.  The 2017-18 season has only just begun, which equates to a ton of time for the Swedes to progress.