The Biggest surprise of this year’s Toronto Maple Leafs training camp is Rasmus Sandin.
It’s not that he’s a virtual lock to make the Toronto Maple Leafs that is so surprising – we called it in the summer, afterall – it’s how good he’s been.
Sandin hasn’t just made the team, he’s forced his way onto it.
It’s one thing to send a player back to the AHL even though he’s already succeeded, but when he’s dominating games against NHL players, and has already been a near point per game playoff performer in the minors, it gets increasingly difficult.
Add in the fact that he’s on a near-league minimum entry-level contract, and this is a great situation for the cap strapped Leafs.
Toronto Maple Leafs and Rasmus Sandin
Drafted 29th overall just two years ago, Sandin has exploded since his draft year.
He was among the best defenseman in the AHL last season, even though he was only allowed to play their because of a quirky rule that allows European players under 20 to play but bans their North American equivalents.
Sandin was among the best defenseman all season, then in the playoffs he scored 10 points in 13 games. A forward who scores a point-per-game in the AHL stands a good chance of NHL success.
A defenseman coming close to that goal in the playoffs projects as a star player.
So far in three pre-season games, Sandin has an other-worldly 65% possession rating. By far the best on the team – when Sandin has hit the ice, the Leafs have 52 shot attempts for vs 28 against.
They’re also gettng 65% of the shots and 75% of the goals. Sandin’s expected-goals, which more accurately reflect future performance than anything else, are at 61%. Keep in mind this is just from three pre-season games, so the sample size is small and it could all be a mirage, but it’s never the less impressive. (all stats from naturalstattrick.com).
In the last game he played, when Sandin was on the ice, the Leafs put 18 shot attempts on net while allowing just 2. That is COMPLETE DOMINATION.
Oh, and he can play the right-side comfortably, despite being a lefty.
While of course there is always the chance that Sandin plays nine games and gets sent to the AHL, to avoid having his contract start, it’s unlikely that will happen if he is good enough to play.
If Sandin can be replaced with say Jordan Schmaltz with no real loss to the Leafs, then he maybe they send him down. But if he’s as good as he has been, once those nine games are up, there’s no chance.
Not only could the Leafs blue line use the bump, but they are playing to win now. Additionally, there could be a lot of turnover next year, and it would be beneficial to have at least one of the young players who will be asked to fill in for the departing Muzzin and Barrie to have some experience.
Additionally, if Sandin is as good as he has show, when Travis Dermott returns, the Toronto Maple Leafs worst defenseman will be Cody Ceci, and he makes $4.5 million on a capped out team.
Being able to move Ceci would allow the Leafs an easy solution to fitting Dermott and Hyman back into the lineup.
Either way, Rasmus Sandin making the team has to be the best story in training camp.