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Toronto Maple Leafs Bring Back an Old Friend as We Await Big Move

By James Tanner

CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 28: Toronto Marlies defenceman Calle Rosen (48) controls the puck during the third period of the American Hockey League game between the Toronto Marlies and Cleveland Monsters on November 28, 2018, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 28: Toronto Marlies defenceman Calle Rosen (48) controls the puck during the third period of the American Hockey League game between the Toronto Marlies and Cleveland Monsters on November 28, 2018, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a unique position.

After losing to their own Zamboni driver the other night, the Toronto Maple Leafs are facing a crazy amount of pressure to do something.

Anything.

The heat is turned up to 11.

But………

…….Everyone acts like it’s nothing to be missing arguably your two top left wingers and your #1 defenseman from the lineup.

In reality, hype and mass hysteria aside, a team with Tavares, Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Rielly and Andersen is always going to be a Cup Contender.

We all hope the Leafs make a big move today, but even if they don’t, adding Morgan Rielly to the team that beat the Penguins last Thursday will be a bigger addition than anyone else in the league makes.

Toronto Maple Leafs Make Minor Trade

In the department of I DID NOT SEE THAT ONE COMING, the Toronto Maple Leafs have re-acquired Calle Rosen from the Avalanche.

Rosen was traded to the Avs in the Barrie/Kadri trade last summer.

Rosen is 26 and at this point he is nothing but a depth player, however getting an asset you (presumably) know very well is a decent enough move considering its for a guy you had on waivers last week, and who you’d ideally never want to play on your team ever again.

This move won’t really have an impact, but it’s at least a  move……..something that, as of yet, we are yet to see the Leafs make.

Barrie is rumoured to be out there, but it only makes sense to move him if you’ve lined up a second trade that upgrades on Barrie.

It’s unlikely you’d trade Barrie for anything that would improve your team now, and despite media-meltdowns, the Leafs are not “selling.”

Whatever each of us might think, the team with an 11 person analytics department isn’t going to panic over the results of one game, no matter how bad.

Especially when their record with Sheldon Keefe coaching Morgan “I skated this morning” Rielly is 15-6-2, which is nearly a .700 winning percentage and good for being the best team in the NHL over a full season.

It seems to me that those 23 games – 30% of an NHL season – should count more than one game against the Hurricanes (arguably the best team in the NHL if you ignore goalie performance). (All stats naturalstattrick.com).

Another reason to be positive about the Leafs team: that insane run with both Keefe and Rielly in the lineup includes their goalies putting up the 20th best stats in the NHL.

Next. The Leafs Best Trade Chip. dark

No matter what Kyle Dubas does today, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be in good shape when Morgan Rielly comes back.

If Freddie Andersen picks up his game, they’ll be in great shape.

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