Who Should the Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire?
If there is any player the Leafs should go after for Rielly’s next partner, it’s Dylan DeMelo.
There are a myriad of reasons but one of the biggest selling points is his contract. DeMelo is 29 and is signed until 2024, with a cap hit of only $3 million. That’s a bargain deal for his abilities, which I will get to later.
First, let’s look at why the Leafs might choose to upgrade that position.
Assuming Muzzin returns next season, which based on his end of season press conference, it sounds likely. This means if the combinations at the end of the season and playoffs are any indication, him and likely Brodie play together. As well, with the emergence of Sandin and Liljegren, it would make the most sense for them to get a regular spot in the rotation.
Since they have a history as a pairing at both the AHL and NHL levels — with amazing results — they will likely pair up. This leaves Rielly and Holl as the only other blueliners currently under team control to play together.
It could be a coincidence but they’ve never really been a pairing for any length of time. They only played together for 45 minutes all of last season over 48 games. In their time on the ice together, they’ve had positive results but the sample size is hardly large enough to come to any big conclusions.
If Keefe’s reluctance to use them as a pairing isn’t just a coincidence, this would make upgrading on Holl an important issue.