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The Toronto Maple Leafs Shake Things Up with New Defensive Pairings

By Nick Barden|
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 21: Tyson Barrie #94 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Columbus Blue Jackets during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on October 21, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jackets defeated the Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 21: Tyson Barrie #94 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Columbus Blue Jackets during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on October 21, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jackets defeated the Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

After losing five games in a row, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mike Babcock finally decide to change up the defense pairings.

Really, it took losing five games in a row for the Toronto Maple Leafs to try this?

It’s not like Morgan Rielly has looked horrible defensively from the start of the season, or that Cody Ceci should not be getting top minutes against the best players in the NHL.

Even the fact that Justin Holl has been one of the Leafs best defensemen as of late. It took Babcock a whole season to see that and it’s taken 22 games this season to decide that this defense isn’t working, right now.

But the new pairings, they might just work:

It’s not much, but subtle changes could be what’s needed for the Leafs to succeed.

Can Barrie with Dermott and Muzzin with Holl actually work?

Keeping Rielly and Ceci together was a surprise for me. Every game I watch them in — they look like they’re getting worse and worse.

According to Natural Stat Trick, both players sit first and fourth in terms of HDCF% among Leafs defensemen this season. Rielly at 53.74% and Ceci with 46.96% through 22 games.

There are two players in between them — Tyson Barrie and Travis Dermott, who are now together on the third pairing.

The reason Barrie was moved was to get his game back on track. The 28-year-old only has six assists all season playing with Jake Muzzin and putting him alongside Travis Dermott could change his game drastically.

Muzzin is now paired with Justin Holl, who’s last among Leafs defensemen in terms of HDCF%. But, the two lead the team in HDGF%. Both similar stats, but I can see why the coaching staff placed them alongside each other, for now.

Both are 2nd and 3rd on the team in that category, and if they can get going together, it could be a new look defense that actually produces.

And even plays defense too (I might be going too far).

As a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, I believe changing up lines and putting different players together could work. If it does, Babcock looks like a genius, and if not, more people will be calling for him to be fired.

If these new pairings start producing at both ends of the ice, the page could be turned and it may feel like the season is starting all over again.

For now, the new defense pairings look like they could work. But will they work against teams like Vegas, Arizona and Colorado? We’ll find out, starting tonight.

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