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5 Ways to Make the Toronto Maple Leafs a Better Hockey Team

By James Tanner

DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 12: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates with teammates Nazem Kadri #43 and Morgan Rielly #44 after scoring a goal against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center on February 12, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 12: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates with teammates Nazem Kadri #43 and Morgan Rielly #44 after scoring a goal against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center on February 12, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 22: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Tyson Barrie (94) in warm up before a game between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 22, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

#3 Unleash Tyson Barrie

The Toronto Maple Leafs made an astoundingly good trade to acquire two quality NHL players for one.  In addition, the Leafs genius GM somehow got the Avalanche to retain half of Barrie’s salary.

It was a great trade, but it’s being sabotaged by stupidity.

If there is one thing we know about Mike Babock, it’s if you give him a Ferrari, he’ll take it off-roading and then try to use it transport a quart of firewood.

What he is doing with Tyson Barrie should be against the law.

You need to unleash this thoroughbred and let him play like the fourth forward he is.

You don’t shackle Barrie and force him to play into a system designed to prevent goals instead of scoring them.

You give him the keys to the team and tell him to go nuts.

Tyson Barrie has a much better shot that Morgan Rielly.  He should probably get some time on the team’s top unit.

But beyond that, Tyson Barrie should get more ice time with the big boys, and have the freedom to roam.

On the TSN broadcast earlier in the week there was a graphic showing that Tyson Barrie last year at this time had 11 slot-shots to the zero he has so far on the Leafs.

UNLEASH THE BEAST.

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