The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the deepest teams in the NHL.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are also guaranteed a spot in the Playoffs, and with only about ten games to go, it’s time to start thinking about the opening round roster.
For this exercise, let’s just assume that the Leafs have a 100% healthy roster to start the Playoffs.
The Leafs have only dressed Matt Martin in two games since Janurary 22nd when he played his last game before becoming a regular scratch. It makes no sense to play him, considering that Hyman, Marleau, JVR, Komarov and Andreas Johnsson are all clearly better LW options.
So why am I even writing this when he never plays anymore and the Leafs have (minimum) five better options? It’s because once the Playoffs start, you have to listen to that old-school BS about the games getting rougher, and tougher, and harder. Do I trust Mike Babcock to ignore this dogmatic chestnut about the Playoffs and stick with a high skill, low-grit lineup? I do not.
I fear that the Leafs will decide Matt Martin’s game translates well to the playoffs and decide to play him. Or that they’ll lose game one and overreact and put him in for game two.
The best way to avoid this: Get him off the roster all-together.
Polak
Polak is even worse. Unlike Martin, he still plays almost every game, despite being acutely terrible. His 37.6 shots against per 60 minutes of ice time is 2nd worst in the NHL among defensemen who have played over 500 minutes.
Considering the Leafs main problem is that they allow too many shots against, their regular deployment of Polak makes no sense.
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The only defenseman on the Leafs with a worse possession rating is Zaitsev, but Zaitsev is at least a faster skater and can provide some offense.
Polak allows 3-5 more shots per hour than anyone else on the Leafs blueline, but the really bad thing is that the player who mostly sits so that Polak can play, Connor Carrick, allows only 28.55 shots against per 60 – a difference of almost ten shots.
It is insane and it doesn’t make any logical sense. The Leafs give up too many shots, but they constantly sit their best shot suppression player for their worst? What the hell?
And guess who wouldn’t concuss their goalie by pushing a player needlessly on top of him? Connor Carrick, that’s who.
Conclusion
Matt Martin and Roman Polak are bad players who are no longer effective in today’s NHL. They are a throwback to an era that (like it or not) no longer exists. You don’t need fighting or bone-crushing checks to win. You need skill, not toughness.
If the Leafs want to make it far in the playoffs, they need to ice their best team and their best team does not include either Martin or Polak.
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The coach, however, based on the evidence, does not agree. That is why the management of the Toronto Maple Leafs needs to take away the things which are Mike Babcock’s biggest weakness: an affinity for the old school, manifested in the likes of Polak and Martin.
Neither should be on the Leafs playoff roster.