4 Players Who Could Surprisingly Make Toronto Maple Leafs Line-Up

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 5: Nick Robertson #89 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Vancouver Canucks during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on March 5, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Canucks defeated the Maple Leafs 6-4. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

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MONTREAL, QC – APRIL 19: Jordie Benn #8 of the Minnesota Wild skates against the Montreal Canadiens d . (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Jordie Benn

Maybe this one isn’t too surprising, but if you asked Leafs fans during the offseason if they’d want Jordie Benn in the team’s opening line-up, they’d probably say “no, thanks.”

However, Benn brings a lot to the table that a few young prospects can’t, with his most important asset being experience.

With 595 NHL games under his belt, Benn has been a steady NHLer for the past decade. He’s never been one to provide much offensive output, but his size is always a welcomed sight on the blue-line.

At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Benn’s size is always an advantage. Although, he’s not a huge physical defenseman, that reach and size in front of the net is important to help clear pucks.

You probably don’t want Benn to stay on the roster all year, but at the end of the day, he is a NHL defenseman. He’s not going to make huge mistakes like a young prospect could, but instead will be a solid professional.

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