The Toronto Maple Leafs need to upgrade their defense this off-season but they shouldn’t do it by signing Alex Pietrangelo.
Ask any fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs and they’ll tell you they need to upgrade their defense. It’s the biggest misconception of a team that is a so close to a Stanley Cup and Alex Pietrangelo isn’t the savior.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see Pietrangelo in a Leafs jersey. I’d also like to see Brent Burns, Carey Price and Connor McDavid, but they’re unrealistic dreams. Although it’s much more of a reality that the current captain of the St. Louis Blues could dawn the blue-and-white, it isn’t practical.
The Leafs had the most unlucky qualifying series in the history of hockey. First, they couldn’t score a goal to save their lives and second, one of their top-pairing defensemen, Jake Muzzin injured himself in a freak accident. If Muzzin is in the line-up and the Leafs shoot at five percent, instead of two percent, the Leafs defeat Columbus.
Pietrangelo is a top-five defenseman in the NHL but the Leafs are committed to a process of skill up-front. If they acquire him, they’ll have to trade one of the best offensive players in the entire NHL. Either William Nylander, John Tavares or Mitch Marner is going to get traded and general manager Kyle Dubas has already mentioned that Marner isn’t going anywhere.
Tavares also has a “no-move clause” and you know he didn’t leave New York to get traded two years later. Tavares is going to retire a Maple Leaf and he wants to do it with a Stanley Cup ring on his finger.
That means that Nylander would have to get traded and if you ask me, that’s stupid. He’s the one player on the Leafs with a great contract and 30-goal scorers don’t grow on trees. Nylander is one of the most underrated players in the NHL and will help this team win.
Commit to the process and keep the core-four for another year or two and don’t waste your money on Pietrangelo. Speaking of which, here are 10 other defenseman the Leafs should pursue instead.
#10. Dustin Byfuglien
Imagine a 6-foot-5, 260 pound right-handed defenseman who’s had multiple 20-goal seasons on the Leafs blue-line right now? Well, he’s an Unrestricted Free Agent and his name is Dustin Byfuglien.
The former Winnipeg Jets and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman didn’t play last season which means one of two things: Either he’s out-of-shape or completely refreshed. Based on his past routine, I’d put my money on out of shape, but that doesn’t mean the Leafs shouldn’t take a crack at him.
It’s unsure if Byfuglien wants to return to hockey, but the Torotno Maple Leafs should be monitoring this situation closely. If ‘Big Buff’ wants to play one more season, he would be the perfect player in Toronto. With his size and ability to score and move the puck, he would change the whole landscape of the Leafs blue-line.
Like every player in the NHL, his contract is the biggest concern. Coming off a $7.6M cap-hit, there’s no way he’s going to get that same type of money in the open-market, but if he’s willing to take between $3-5M, the Leafs should jump on it. Byfuglien is a rare player with a very unique set of skills that is worth the risk, no matter what happens.
#9. Tyson Barrie
“But, Barrie is terrible!” – Leafs Twitter
Every season for as long as I remember, there’s always been a whipping-boy in Toronto. Whether it was Jake Gardiner or Phil Kessel, fans love to hate on players who are actually very good. Tyson Barrie is now that player.
If the Leafs signed him for $5M or more, I’ll jump on the bandwagon and yell about it too, but if they’re able to secure a one-year deal for $4M or less, I’d love to see Barrie back in the line-up. The Victoria, B.C., native is a very good defenseman and although he was pretty awful defensively in a five-game qualifying series, he was awesome once Sheldon Keefe took over.
Back in July, I wrote about Barrie and how underrated he was. As I mentioned in that piece, Barrie averaged 0.68 Points Per Game under Sheldon Keefe, which is actually higher than his career average. How could a player that many thought would sign an 8-year X $8M per season contract have a better year offensively than his career average and fall off the face of the Earth?
As I mentioned before, I thought his defensive game was weak but offensively he’s very gifted and there aren’t many players that can create scoring opportunities like him. If Barrie is smart, he would sign a one-year contract in Toronto to bet on himself and then hopefully sign a huge contract somewhere else afterwards.
#8. Radko Gudas
People seem to love Radko Gudas and I don’t particularly know why. Personally, he just reminds me of a younger Roman Polak, which is fun because he can make huge hits, but will that really help your team win a Stanley Cup?
Averaging 18:13 minutes of ice-time per night in his career, Gudas isn’t going to provide top-line minutes but instead would be a steady second-pairing defenseman. Coming off a $3.35M cap-hit, he would most likely garner a similar contract, if not a raise, in the open-market.
The only reason the Toronto Maple Leafs should go after Gudas is if they want to change the philosophy of the team. They currently have Jake Muzzin who can provide bone-crushing hits, but if they added Gudas they would now have two scary blue-liners that would be tough to play against in the corners.
As much fun as it would be to watch Gudas deliver big hits, it’s not the way this team is constructed and he’s not the type of player that they want. So for anyone out there who is praying that Kyle Dubas signs Gudas, you can just look elsewhere because I don’t think it’s going to happen.
#7. Travis Hamonic
With positive puck-possession numbers for most of his career, Hamonic would be a good addition the Leafs blue-line, but it would have to come at a cheap price. His game is a lot less physical than it used to be and he doesn’t provide much offense.
Instead, Hamonic is a very steady NHL defenseman who isn’t going to show up on the score-sheet, but can provide 20-plus minutes per night. He’s the type of player that if you didn’t notice him, he had a good night and the Leafs need a player or two like that.
Based on his offensive production, the Leafs could be able to grab Hamonic for $3M or so, which would be a great find. With so much money tied up to their top players, signing someone like Hamonic would be a good boost to the blue-line, without having to move a player like William Nylander to clear cap-space.
Hamonic is right handed and would add a steady veteran presence to the Leafs blue line.
#6. Ryan Pulock
The New York Islanders have a salary-cap issue and although re-signing RFA Ryan Pulock is near the top of their to-do list, it may not be something they can afford. Since Kyle Dubas and Lou Lamoriello has such a great friendship, maybe they should look to make a deal.
Maybe it’s because I live in Toronto and he’s not talked about, but Pulock is one of the most underrated defenseman in the NHL to me. With double-digit goals in two of his last three seasons, Pulock can contribute offensively, while playing sound defense.
Averaging over 22 minutes of ice-time per night, he was a crucial part of the Islanders defense during their long Stanley Cup playoff run this season.
At 6-foot-2, the right-handed defenseman not only provides size but can eat up minutes. He’s only 25-years-old, so you have to imagine that his game is only going to improve, so I’d expect his offensive numbers to grow in the next few seasons and he would be a tremendous pick-up for the Leafs.
This one may be a bit on the unrealistic side, because Pulock is potentially a very high calibre player and the Islanders will do what they can to retain his services.
#5. Chris Tanev
It’s time for the Leafs to bring an UFA right-handed defenseman home. No, not Pietrangelo, but Chris Tanev, instead.
If you think of the Vancouver Canucks defense, you think of Quinn Hughes, Alex Edler and Tyler Myers before you think of Tanev. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t just as valuable as the other three I mentioned. The Canucks have bigger fish to sign (Jacob Markstrom) and with Hughes and Elias Pettersson set to become RFA’s in the next few years, singing Tanev may not be something they can afford.
Tanev played his entire junior hockey career in Toronto and didn’t go too far for his collegiate hockey, playing at RIT (Rochester Institute Technology). Now that he’s played in Vancouver for the past decade, he may want to come back to his roots and play for his hometown team. As everyone knows, the Leafs need a right-handed defenseman and Tanev fits the mold.
He’s not going to provide a ton offensively, but will be a solid second-pairing defenseman alongside Morgan Rielly or Jake Muzzin who can provide a ton of defensively stability. If the price is right, Tanev would be a great signing for the Leafs.
Tanev has been rumoured to be coming to the Leafs for years, so who knows, maybe this time it will finally happen. He’d provide a solid defense-first option that arguably the Leafs are currently missing.
4. Kevin Shattenkirk
If we made this list in June, 2017, Shattenkirk would have been number-one. The right-handed defenseman signed a four-year $26.6M contract with the New York Rangers that off-season, but it didn’t work out according to plan. Two years after signing the deal, the Rangers bought him out.
Currently making $1.75M on a one-year contract, Shattenkirk has played himself into a significant raise for next season, but it may not be with Tampa Bay. The Lightning are tight to the salary cap and already have big money invested into two defensemen and a number-one goalie, so don’t expect him to get a raise in Tampa Bay.
Based on Shattenkirk’s style of game, he would be a great fit in Toronto. The offensive defenseman had eight goals and 34 points in the regular season and has chipped in 10 points in 21 playoff games. He’s proving that he can be a reliable second-pairing defenseman and someone who can still quarterback a power-play.
If the Leafs don’t re-sign Tyson Barrie, Shattenkirk would be a perfect replacement for him and someone who should be able to fit into the Leafs system very easily.
#3. Matt Dumba
I’ve written about this a few times now, but Dumba to Toronto is a no-brainer in my opinion. After the Jonas Brodin signing, that gets closer to becoming a reality everyday.
It was only two seasons ago that Dumba finished ninth among all NHL defenseman in Point Shares. That season, Dumba scored 14 goals and had 50 points, while playing almost 24 minutes per night. Stuck on a terrible Minnesota Wild team, Dumba hasn’t been able to shine like he would in a market like Toronto.
Currently making $6M per season, Dumba has a reasonable contract until he becomes an UFA in 2023. In order for the Leafs to afford him, they would have to trade a roster player or two, a prospect and most likely a draft pick to clear space but the team desperately needs a right-handed defenseman.
Unless he’s troubled by injuries, I can’t see a scenario where bringing in Dumba doesn’t make this team significantly better, so the Leafs should seriously consider making a trade with the Wild to acquire him.
#2. Colton Parayko
Why sign UFA Pietrangelo for $8.5M when you can potentially get a younger version for only $5.5M?
With a 51.5 percent career Corsi Rating, Parayko fits what Toronto is trying to do. The Leafs philosophy is to control the puck as much as possible, which is a good mentality. The more you have the puck, the less chances your opponent has to score.
In five NHL seasons, Parayko has been brilliant. Rarely missing a game, Parayko provides 23 minutes of ice-time per night and can step in as a top-pairing right-handed defenseman. He not only can provide scoring support with a blistering slap-shot that helped him to back-to-back double-digit goal campaigns, but at 6-foot-6, 230 pounds, he’s plays a physical game, which the Leafs lack.
Parayko would be a best case scenario, but if the Blues are intent on bringing back their captain, with the recent additions of Marco Sandella and Justin Faulk, along with the rise of Vince Dunn, the Blues may be forced to make a move they otherwise wouldn’t.
The 27-year-old was a corner-stone on the Blues defense that won a Stanley Cup last season and would be a perfect addition the Leafs blue-line.
#1. Aaron Ekblad
If the Leafs added Ekblad, it would give them three number-one overall picks on their roster (Auston Matthews – 2016, John Tavares – 2009, Aaron Ekblad – 2014). They’re bound to win a Stanley Cup with that amount of talent!
Joking aside, the former Calder Trophy winner is the prototypical number-one defenseman. At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, he has size and can contribute offensively. After signing Sergei Bobrovsky to a monster contract, the team may look to move on from Ekblad to clear space for some offensive help.
The Panthers on the verge of losing a few of their top-scorers to Free Agency, so if that happens, they’ll need to rebuild their forward depth. The Toronto Maple Leafs have a few forwards they could part with, if it meant acquiring a defenseman like Ekblad. Although he has a $7.5M cap-hit for the next five seasons, he’s going to be in his prime for the entire contract, so it’ll worth the money.
While no team actively wants to trade a young, former first-overall player on the verge of superstardom, the Panthers were in financial trouble before the NHL shutdown, and they will be looking to cut costs in the upcoming off season.
Pietrangelo and Ekblad are similar height, weight and play a similar style of hockey. Ekblad actually has a better upside from a goal-scoring perspective, so trading for him may be a better option long-term for the Toronto Maple Leafs than signing Pietrangelo, who will be past his prime by the middle-to-end of his contract.