Toronto Maple Leafs: 3 Defenseman to Target Not Named Josh Manson

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GLENDALE, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 20: John Klingberg #3 of the Dallas Stars skates with the puck during the NHL game at Gila River Arena on February 20, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Stars 3-1. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

No. 2: John Klingberg

I’ve talked about John Klingberg a lot and it’s for good reason. He’s a really good defenseman and he doesn’t make a ton of money.

Top-four defensemen are hard to come by and I’d 1000 percent rather have Klingberg than Manson, who was recently traded to Colorado.

As stated a number of times prior, Klingberg can eat up minutes, has Stanley Cup Finals experience and can more importantly move the puck up the ice quickly. I know many fans want a player who stays at home and hits everyone in sight, but they already traded for that player.

His name is Ilya Lubushkin.

You obviously need players who are physical in the playoffs, but more importantly, you need to score. Having another player like Lubushkin’s doesn’t help the offense and doesn’t get the puck out of your zone quickly.

Instead, Klingberg can help create offense and get the puck out quickly and efficient, which is a more important skillset.

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