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Roster Changes Pay Off: The Toronto Maple Leafs Are Better in 2022

By Mike Jack

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 22: Zach Hyman #18 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring a second-period goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during their game at T-Mobile Arena on October 22, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 22: Zach Hyman #18 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrates with teammates on the bench after scoring a second-period goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during their game at T-Mobile Arena on October 22, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Feb 18, 2020; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin   Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Toronto Maple Leafs 2020-21 Defensemen

Rielly – Brodie
Muzzin – Holl
Bogosian – Dermott

Toronto Maple Leafs 2021-22 Defensemen

Rielly – Brodie
Muzzin – Holl
Sandin – Liljegren/Dermott

This season, the Toronto Maple Leafs have provided a great opportunity for two of their former first round picks to develop as defensemen at the NHL level.  Both Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren have taken great strides this season.

The only real loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs defense core has been Zach Bogosian.  Bogosian provided the Leafs with some size and experience on the back end last season, but honestly, I sometimes forget that he was even with the team last year.

That’s many because of the play of Sandin.  He’s an exciting player to watch, and he’s only going to get better.  He has made a few rookie mistakes, but considering he’s only 21 years old, he’s done well enough to stick on the roster of a contender which is an achievement on it’s own.

Offensively, Bogosian had zero goals and four assists in 45 games with the Leafs last season while Sandin has a goal and nine assists in 36 games so far this season.

A big reason why Bogosian was brought in last season was to add size to the Leafs blueline and provide insurance if Jake Muzzin went down with injury.  Bogosian didn’t seem to help much when Muzzin went down in the playoffs, but Bogo was coming back from his own injury issues as well.

At first, when Muzzin went down with a concussion this season, it seemed like the lack of size on the Toronto Maple Leafs blueline was starting to show, but the team seemed more solid on defense game after game.

When Muzzin returns, it’s not certain if Travis Dermott or Lilijegren with sit out, but it will most likely be Dermott.  It’s not a knock on Dermott. I actually think Dermott has improved this season.  It just shows how far both Lilijegren and Sandin have come this season to pass Dermott on the depth chart.

Zach Bogosian has two goals and four assists in 23 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning this season on a $850,000 contract.  I liked him with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he hasn’t really been missed.

The loss of Bogosian has been worth the experience gained by Sandin and Lilijegren.  There are a lot of rumours about the Toronto Maple Leafs adding a defensemen with size and experience at the trade deadline, and if they do, it will be someone better than Bogosian anyway.

Finally, let’s have a look at the changes made to the Toronto Maple Leafs forward group:

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