Toronto Maple Leafs Roundtable: This Season’s Most Pleasant Surprises

Welcome back, everyone. It’s time for another edition of Toronto Maple Leafs Roundtable!

This week, the EIL Staff put their heads together in an attempt to answer one burning question:

Which Toronto Maple Leafs player has been the most pleasant surprise this season? 

After hours upon hours of self-reflection, and a few breakdowns, the staff was able to formulate their own answers. So, without further adieu, let’s jump right in.

Mike Stephens

Despite the Leafs recent skid, they’ve given us a ton of pleasantries to take away from the first half of the season. In fact, I even wrote about them recently.

Although, in terms of the player who’s pleasantly surprised me, it would have to be none other than Andreas Borgman.

Now, I know that you’re thinking. A rookie third pairing defenceman? There’s a distinct reason I chose Borgman. Allow me to explain.

Unless you were an avid fan of the Swedish Elite League, chances are you had no idea who Borgman was when the Leafs signed him in the summer. I know I certainly didn’t. All I knew was that the 22-year-old towering Swede had been previously awarded the distinction of the SHL’s Rookie of the Year and that his scouting report was limited.

By all accounts, he was expected to hone his craft in the AHL, before challenging for a roster spot next season. We could not have been more wrong.

The biggest adjustment for any European player to make upon coming to North America is undoubtedly the smaller ice surface. The rinks are bigger across the pond, and for a defenceman, it completely alters your sense of gap control and positioning.

So far, Borgman’s adjustment has been velvety smooth.

Despite being paired with the absolute boat anchor known as Roman Polak, Borgman’s been able to thrive. He’s shown an ability to rush the puck that went unmentioned in any of his previous scouting reports. Not to mention, he’s been the distributor of some seriously deadly hits.

10 points in 43 games is perfectly respectable production for any first-year defenceman. Yet, it’s downright impressive for one who has not only been forced to adjust to the NHL game but learn his way around a completely altered playing surface.

Borgman’s poise and success have blown me away this year, and I am ecstatic to see what he can bring to the team in the years to come.