Rumors suggest that the Toronto Maple Leafs are interested in Dylan Strome, so why not go after his brother Ryan as well?
The Toronto Maple Leafs could use help at left-wing and centre and there just happens to be two brother’s who are pending free agents that play both of those positions.
If you’re unfamiliar with either player, Ryan Strome is a 29-year-old centre/right winger who was previously playing for the New York Rangers, while his younger brother Dylan is a 25-year-old centre/left winger who just finished his fourth season with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Both players understand what it’s like to play in a big market and both are pending free agents, so Toronto should look to bring both home.
The Strome brothers grew up in Mississauga, ON but played in the GTHL growing up and were both famously Leafs fans as kids. I mean, if you’re from the Greater Toronto Area and aren’t fans of the Leafs, what are you even doing?
Toronto Maple Leafs Should Reunite the Strome Brothers
Winning a Stanley Cup and making the most amount of money possible is the number-one priority for a hockey player. However, if you had a brother in the NHL with you, wouldn’t you want to find a way to play together at some point in your career too?
Also, wouldn’t it be way better to do this while you’re still young and also have a chance to win a Stanley Cup on your hometown team as a kid?
Well, if both Strome brothers came home, Toronto could give them that opportunity.
Although David Kampf is a nice third-line centre, he would probably be better suited playing fourth-line minutes because he provides zero offense. He’s great defensively, but that skillset could be better suited in a shutdown fourth-line role and on the penalty-kill.
Toronto is also lacking at the left-wing position, as they currently don’t have a great second-line or third-line left-wing player at the moment.
Depending on how Toronto wanted to do their lines, Dylan Strome could play left-wing on the third-line, while Ryan Strome could centre the third-line. The two of them could get the opportunity to play together every night and be a solid duo.
Ryan Strome is coming off a 22 goal and 54 point season, while his brother Dylan is coming off a 22 goal and 48 point campaign (stats: capfriendly.com). Both are 20-goal scorers which is impressive and playing together could even spark them to score even more, as that brotherly-chemistry never goes away.
Toronto has always been known to bring hometown kid’s in for a cheaper deal and they almost always seem to out-perform their contract.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Strome brothers to play together in front of their friend’s and family, so the Toronto Maple Leafs need to do whatever they can to make sure they sign not just one, but both of them.