The Toronto Maple Leafs Blue Line of the Future Looks Amazing

The Toronto Maple Leafs are constantly criticized for their blue line.

Because the Toronto Maple Leafs use Ron Hainsey and Nikita Zaitsev in their top-four, this criticism is warranted.

The Leafs blue line, however, is better than its reputation suggests because Morgan Rielly is a legitimate Norris Trophy candidate, Travis Dermott is a rising star, and both Jake Muzzin and Jake Gardiner are heavily underrated #2 defenseman.

While the blue line is better than generally thought, it’s still the team’s major weakness – at least for now.  The future promises a blue line every bit as good as the Leafs forwards.

Defense of the Future

I think that we can safely assume that Jake Gardiner is going to be the Leafs second major cap casualty.  Gardiner is unlikely to sign the kind of $4-5 million short-term extension that the Leafs could use to bring him back, so he’s probably gone.

Ron Hainsey is unlikely to be re-signed (he certainly shouldn’t be, but never say never), and the odds that the Leafs will trade Nikita Zaitsev in the summer are extremely high.  Some say his contract is unmovable, but his top four minutes and right-handed shot will attract someone willing to take a shot.  You’ll never lose banking on the stupidity of NHL general managers.

That leaves the Toronto Maple Leafs with three of six guaranteed spots for next year’s roster: Rielly, Muzzin and Dermott.  That’s a good start.

Competing for the final three spots will be rookies Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren, along with Andreas Borgman, Calle Rosen (who will join the Leafs later this week) and maybe someone like Holl (signed) or Igor Ozhiganov, or Martin Marincin (both unsigned).

Training Camp

At this point I think it’s safe to say that the Leafs will definitely only be using those three players in seventh D/back-up roles.

There are also recent NCAA signee Joseph Duszak, and prospect Mac Hollowell to consider.

Overall, the Leafs have six decent defensive prospects all signed for next year (Sandin, Liljegren, Rosen, Borgman, Hollowell and Duszak).  It’s impossible to project who might make next year’s roster, but given that all three returning players are left handed, you’d have to think Liljegren will get a long look.

In a vacuum, Rosen, Borgman, Sandin or Liljegren could all probably play in the NHL next year, but the Toronto Maple Leafs are probably unlikely to dress three rookies (or near rookies, as the case may be) let alone five or six left handers.

It is almost a guarantee that the Leafs will search outside the organization this summer for veteran defensive help. Should that transpire, the Leafs will be in a great spot to have four NHL ready players competing for one or two spots.

It’s a good situation.

But best of all, the Leafs blue line problems appear on their way to being over.  Rielly, Dermott, Sandin, Liljegren figures to be an excellent core of a blue line for a team that compete every year for a Stanley Cup.