Toronto Maple Leafs: 3 Defensemen to Pursue Instead of Alex Pietrangelo
The Toronto Maple Leafs blue line could look very different next season
The defensive core of the Toronto Maple Leafs has been put under a microscope for the past couple of seasons with some warranted criticism, and they could finally be getting a big change coming this offseason.
Throughout the entire 2019-20 season there were tons of signs pointing to the fact that the St. Louis Blues would be preparing to let their captain Alex Pietrangelo walk away in the upcoming free agency period.
One of the more notable moves that stirred some conversation around Pietrangelo’s future in St. Louis was when the Blues signed Justin Faulk to a seven-year extension in September after trading for him in late September.
There are definitely some cases to make in favour of Pietrangelo coming to Toronto in the event he does leave, but history says that the likelihood of that happening is pretty slim. While being able to play in your hometown can be perceived to some as a dream come true, for others, it can be hard to deal with the pressure.
This scenario is especially important to take into account when it comes to Pietrangelo’s mindset during this offseason. Considering that the fans and the media surrounding the Maple Leafs would definitely paint him to be the saving grace of the Toronto defence, if there happen to be no immediate results, there could be some brutal repercussions facing the reputation of Pietrangelo as a player.
With all of this being said, there are no guarantees, and who’s to say that he is the type of player the Leafs want to go after? Kyle Dubas will have to find alternative options to build this defensive core this summer, and there are tons of players who could help out.
Tory Krug
Yes Leafs fans, I went there. While this is probably the last person who would decide to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Torey Krug is the next best option on defense for the Maple Leafs to acquire.
While he doesn’t provide the size that Leafs fans seem to believe is the be-all end-all element of success in the NHL, Krug has handed out some pretty massive hits in the past despite being 5’9, and also provides an edge to his game that someone like Kasperi Kapanen has.
Krug also has a number of offensive aspects to his game that could result in a lot more wins for this Leafs group. He’s fourth on the Bruins in points with 49, and is also tied for second with Marchand in power play points (28), which is something the Leafs struggled with for a good portion of the season.
While it should be in Boston’s best interest to re-sign Krug at some point, the contract negotiations between the two parties has been mulling over for quite some time, and it’s looking more and more likely that Torey Krug will become a free agent.
He will likely be asking for less money and term than Pietrangelo due to his age, which may be an issue as they want to lock someone down for multiple seasons, but if that is the only major issue, Krug is far too talented to pass up on.
Dubas will definitely have to work his magic if he wanted to get this deal done, and his defensive capabilities are something to worry about at times, but there’s no doubt Krug would help this Toronto Maple Leafs group out tremendously.
Erik Gustafsson – Calgary Flames
Erik Gustafsson was drafted in the fourth round in 2012 to the Edmonton Oilers, and in typical Oilers fashion, failed to assess his talent correctly. Gustafsson joined the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 where he would eventually breakout as one of the best defensemen in the NHL for the 2018-19 season, posting 60 points in 79 games.
While Gustafsson seemingly came out of nowhere, his point production has dropped significantly for this season.
With just 26 points in 59 games in Chicago, he was criminally undervalued and traded to the Calgary Flames for a 3rd round pick, likely due to the fact that they were not planning on re-signing him this summer.
Just one season ago he led the Blackhawks defense in points as well as takeaways (generated turnovers), while also placing third in hits and blocked shots. In comparison to Torey Krug at 5’9, Gustafsson provides a bit more size at 6’0 and has a much more well-rounded game.
With Gustafsson’s contract being so low, along with the amount of points he has put up this season, his expected salary could drop significantly despite his previous stats and would make him extremely affordable.
Despite being one of the most overrated defensemen in the league, Kevin Shattenkirk is one of the only other defensemen that would be worth pursuing before you get to the point of re-evaluating the decision to prefer re-sign Tyson Barrie.
Shattenkirk was one of the more consistent offensive talents in the league between 2013-17 before dropping off the map when he joined the New York Rangers in 2017.
Due to his role as a top pairing defensemen in St. Louis, and his experience on Team USA, teams have always gotten excited when they have had the chance to acquire him, including the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Shattenkirk is currently on a one year team-friendly deal worth $1.75 million with Tampa, and if there’s one thing that the Toronto Maple Leafs would love, is a team-friendly deal.
While Shattenkirk will likely ask for a lot more when this summer comes, the fact that he has a mindset to win rather than get paid is a huge bonus for teams like Toronto who would love to build a championship group.
P.S, He’s right handed.
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It’s safe to say that this is going to be yet another exciting off-season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and to even just be loosely associated with someone as talented as Alex Pietrangelo is already a positive look for the franchise. Expect big things from Dubas and company.