Toronto Maple Leafs Have No Need for “Stud” “Elite” Defenseman

The Toronto Maple Leafs defense is in better shape than most people seem to think.

Every time I open up Twitter or the comments section on this blog, I see people saying that the Toronto Maple Leafs biggest priority should be to acquire a first pairing #1 defenseman.

But this is wrong.

The Leafs defense is not nearly as bad as its been made out to be.  Their biggest problem last year wasn’t even their blueline – it was the defensive capabilities of their forwards.  Nazem Kadri has been my favorite player since Mats Sundin retired. (He’s receiving some serious competition from my boys Gardiner and Rielly, but I digress). But regardless of how much I like Kadri, he’s miscast as a ‘shutdown centre.’

Don’t get me wrong – he’s done a really good job. But he’d be more valuable to the team if he was allowed to let loose and focus (mostly) on scoring.  If the Leafs had Jordan Staal or Riely Nash, they wouldn’t need Kadri to play the other team’s best line (at home anyway).  This would lead to a drop in shots allowed and make the blueline look better.

But back to the defense.

The biggest problem there is not a lack of a #1 guy (Rielly and Gardiner are both legit #1’s, though maybe not of the ‘elite’ varity).  The problem is Ron Hainsey is in over his head on the top pairing.  If he’s brought back at all (he shouldn’t be) it can not be in anything more than a bottom pairing role.

The other problem is Roman Polak, who allows more shots against per minute than almost any other player in the NHL.

Eliminate those two players, replace them (even internally with Holl and Carrick) and you’re suddenly icing a much, much better team.  (Especially if you upgrade the defensive ability of the forwards).

Yeah, but Also…..

The other reason it makes no sense to go crazy paying for a top pairing ‘elite’ option on the blue-line is because the Leafs already have Morgan Rielly, Timothy Liljegren and Travis Dermott.  That’s a pretty great start to building an elite defense corps.

If you have three players, the oldest of which just turned 24, and the rest of your team is also young, why spend the assets needed to get the kind of player people think the Leafs need?

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Drew Doughty, Erik Karlsson – these are pipe dreams.  If you could somehow get one of them, then I’m not going to say no.  But the realistic answer is someone in the second tier.  When people say the Leafs need a #1 D, they aren’t thinking it through.  There’s no #1 available better than Rielly.  The truly elite are next to impossible to get.

So, do the next best thing – stick with what you have, and look for solid value adds like the Coyotes got last year with Jason Demers.  Another good option is Chris Tanev.  Brett Pesce or Josh Manson are the ideal acquisitions, but the cost for those guys is Nylander at minimum, so you have to pass.

Next: Dubas Should go Shopping in LA

The best approach to fixing the Toronto Maple Leafs blue-line is improving the team defense, and promoting from within.