The Toronto Maple Leafs are on a tear at the moment and are looking like one of the best teams in the NHL.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are now 1st in the league in Goals For. On the other hand, defensively they can be a mess at times.
If it was not for Frederick Andersen, who was selected for his first All-Star Game, the Toronto Maple Leafs would most likely not be sitting 8th overall in the league.
This season the defense has been a work in progress and has seen different parings been used to various degrees of effectiveness. Before the Muzzin injury, Holl and Muzzin were by far the best pairing the Toronto Maple Leafs could send out when it comes to shutting down the opposition.
The Rielly, Barrie experiment has been very successful. Two defensemen that like to join the rush and let their defensive responsibilities be an afterthought.
Toronto Maple Leafs should go all-in for Ellis
Ryan Ellis was drafted 11th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and has been a defensive workhorse for the Nashville Predators.
He is currently having a career year with the Preds and has managed to put up 6 goals and 28 pts in 39 games played which is a 60 pts average over a full season. (NHL.com).
Although Ellis is only 5’10 180lbs that shouldn’t be a reason not to go for the Hamilton native. He is currently averaging 23:23 TOI and constantly blocks shots and helps his teammates to be defensively aware. He can also bring his veteran leadership and the fact that he’s been in multiple high leverage playoff games.
Morgan Rielly currently holds a CF% of 52.25 whereas Ellis who would be his partner currently holds a CF% of 53.33.
Now, this is not a massive difference and might make you wonder if he would bring anything to the team. But Rielly has not been playing with a defensive partner in which Ellis would slot in and take that pressure off of his shoulders and let him join the rush with not having to think that he has to hold off.
So if Ellis were to slot in beside Rielly than Barrie would have to be in the package going the other way which could look something like this:
To TOR: Ellis, Saros, 2020 2nd rd pick ( if Barrie resigns), 2021 4th rd pick
To NSH: Barrie, Kapanen, Bracco, Hutchinson
The Toronto Maple Leafs would be gaining a top RHD in this deal along with a goalie who can take some games from Andersen so that he is not playing every game.
One of the biggest things that comes with Ellis is that you have cost certainty with him. He will be making $6.25 mil until the 2025-26 season.
Nashville, on the other hand, has always been a defense heavy team looking to gain forwards.
They would be getting Barrie who would be filling the role of Ellis and a top-nine forward in Kapanen on a team-friendly deal. Also, they would be getting Bracco who is still on his entry deal and would also fight for a top-nine role.
Hutchinson would merely be thrown in to balance the money for the transaction.
At the end of the day, both teams would be winning. Toronto would get the RHD they are looking for with a backup goalie and Nashville would be getting a defenseman back with two forwards to help them offensively.