3 Toronto Maple Leafs Who Should Be Worried About Job Security
The Toronto Maple Leafs have had a few injury concerns recently, but it hasn’t slowed them down.
Although we’ve yet to see this Toronto Maple Leafs team 100 percent healthy yet, they’ve been firing on all cylinders. Regardless of which 20 players dress, the team typically finds a way to win.
The Leafs were one of the most active teams at the NHL Trade Deadline this year, despite being the best team in their division. Instead of being complacent with a winning culture, Kyle Dubas traded for four players who could help their depth and make them better.
Nick Foligno was clearly the biggest transaction and one that will help the team the most, but the other three deals shouldn’t go unnoticed. Riley Nash and Ben Hutton may have to play important playoff minutes, while David Rittich is a much better option than Michael Hutchinson.
Rittich may have played one of the worst games of any goalie this season against the Vancouver Canucks last week, but that’s not his typical performance. He’s not a netminder you want to relay upon during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, but he’s much-added depth, which is important to have.
Since the team added, without subtracting many roster players, it bunched up the entire depth chart. As such, it’s going to potentially restrict some playing time for those who previously thought their job was secure.
As a player who wants to be a difference-maker come playoff time, that’s a scary feeling, but for the organization, it’s a great problem to have. Toronto has 15 forwards, eight defenseman and four goalies that could all play regular minutes in the NHL, so there’s going to a logjam once everyone is healthy.
As a result, here are three players that should be very concerned about their job security, come playoff time.
No. 1: Pierre Engvall
Who’s Out? Pierre Engvall
Who’s In? Adam Brooks or Riley Nash
I know that Engvall can contribute in other ways than points, but three goals and eight points in 37 games isn’t enough. Those point totals look even worse when Adam Brooks, who’s fighting for Engvall’s job and has only played in five games, has two goals and three points.
Brooks played in Toronto’s last three games, and although he’s only averaged roughly nine minutes of ice-time per night, he’s been efficient. At 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, he’s way smaller than Engvall, who’s 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, but Brooks seems to play bigger than him.
He’s been all over the ice and has looked very good on the penalty-kill, even scoring a short-handed goal.
If the Leafs don’t want to go with Brooks, because of his inexperience, they could turn to Riley Nash as the fourth-line centre instead. Health is obviously a concern (currently on Long Term Injured Reserve), but if he’s ready to go in the playoffs, he’d be Toronto’s best option.
He only has eight points in 32 career playoff games, but he’s been known to be a pest to play against. Engvall, on the other hand, is proving that he’s just another depth player, so Brooks and Nash feel like better options when the team’s fully healthy.
No. 2: Travis Dermott
Who’s Out? Travis Dermott
Who’s In? Rasmus Sandin or Ben Hutton
The Toronto Maple Leafs defensive pairings were the most consistent part of this roster until a week ago. Due to a Zach Bogosian freak injury, Toronto had to switch up their pairings and call up Rasmus Sandin to fill the void.
After going through a foot injury earlier in the season with the Toronto Marlies, it felt like Sandin’s Leafs hopes were done for the year. It seemed that he’d nurse that injury, continue to play in the AHL to develop and then compete for a job at training camp next fall.
However, the Bogosian injury, and quick rehab from his own injury, changed that path in a hurry.
Sandin has only played in three games since the Bogosian injury, but it’s clear he’s an NHL caliber defenseman. It’s crazy to think that people were putting Sandin in hypothetical trades a few weeks ago, because he’s the real deal and should be apart of this blue-line for a long time.
No mater how well Dermott and Sandin play in Bogosian’s absence, the veteran is still likely to get his job back as the right side’s third-pairing defenseman when he returns. As a result, it’ll leave one spot open for two defenseman.
Even though Dermott has more experience than Sandin, at this rate, it feels like Sandin could steal Dermott’s job away from him.
Dermott is obviously a fine defenseman, but as the sixth best defenseman, Sandin can provide more upside. Both are great skaters, but Sandin is able to quarterback a powerplay and walk the line beautifully, which is something Dermott doesn’t do.
As a result, Sandin could find his way into meaningful games for Toronto, after it looked like his Leafs hopes could be finished this season.
No. 3: Alex Galchenyuk
Who’s Out? Alex Galchenyuk
Who’s In? Joe Thornton or Ilya Mikheyev
Once Zach Hyman returns from injury, the left-wing position is going to get very crowded. As such, it could mean an end to the Alex Galchenyuk experiment in Toronto.
In 18 games, Galchenyuk has two goals and seven points. Although Mikheyev (three goals in last 21 games) and Thornton (one goal in last 28 games) aren’t contributing much offensively either, they provide more intangibles than Galchenyuk .
Galchenyuk is a top-six winger, and nothing more. If he’s not contributing offensively, he’s kind of useless in every other asset of the game.
Mikheyev may not score much either, but he’s active. He seems to get a scoring chance every night and is very effective on the penalty-kill.
Thornton may be a shell of himself offensively, but his last two games against Winnipeg proved exactly why you want him in the lineup. He showed leadership through his fiery words in the penalty box and seemed to have a lot more gas in the tank, than normal.
Although Galchenyuk may have more scoring upside, Mikheyev and Thornton are better suited for the bottom-six and can contribute in other ways than scoring.
Next. Jack Campbell is Modern Day Version of Grant Fuhr. dark
With a handful of games left until the playoffs start, let’s hope Jumbo was conserving his energy all season, because if he can play that same style he did on Saturday night, he’ll be a very effective player for the Toronto Maple Leafs this postseason.