Just How Are the Toronto Maple Leafs Supposed to Sit Conor Timmins?

The Toronto Maple Leafs have the problem of having too many good players.  It’s a good problem to have.

The Toronto Maple Leafs traded for Conor Timmins at the end of November during a particularly harsh stretch of injuries to their defenseman.

In exchange for Timmins the Leafs sent Curtis Douglas to the Coyotes, and it took all of about ten seconds of seeing Timmins play to know they won that deal.

But now that they have him, and now that he’s playing so well, what are they supposed to do?

Scratch him?

The Toronto Maple Leafs Very Good Defensive Problem

Prior to this season, the most obvious place to upgrade the Leafs blueline was Justin Holl.  Then he was forced into top pairing minutes, and currently is second on the Leafs in total ice time per game (*5v5) and has posted a very strong 52.51% Expected Goals Rating while his Actual Goals Rating is even better *(56%).

In other words:  The Leafs supposed worst defenseman was forced into a #1 role, and he won his minutes.  Not only did he win his minutes, but his team was the best team in hockey for the entire time he was the #1.

So Justin Holl is incredible value as a large, right-handed defender making $2 million annually.

Mark Giodano is even cheaper, even better, and even more valuable.

Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren are both right back into the 90th percentile of NHL defenseman even though their roles have grown.  They are putting up elite results on very cheap contracts.

Finally you have Morgan Rielly and TJ Brodie.  They used to be the top pairing, now they’re just two of six guys all capable of being on the top pairing.

If that’s not the best blue-line in the NHL, it’s only because the NHL is a “reputation league” and reality never really enters the picture in discussions of who is the best.

A healthy Leafs blue-line is scratching Connor Timmins.

11 games played, 57% Puck Possession, 60% of the Actual Goals, 60% Scoring Chances, 62% High Danger Chances, 61% Expected Goals.

In other words, Timmins has been deployed in such a way that when he is on the ice, the Leafs are at their very best.

I am not saying he is their best defenseman.  Far from it. I am saying that when he has played, the Leafs have destroyed the opposition. That is indisputable.

So, here is where that leaves us:

They go out and make a trade, spend assets, and then sit Timmins and Holl, which is really unfair based on their play to date.

Or they stand pat and have to sit Connor Timmins.

Or they go go way outside the box and start actually thinking about trading Brodie, because his $5 million might let you get Patrick Kane.

Being good gives you options, but it also makes it harder to choose.  The Toronto Maple Leafs are at a branch in the decision tree, and there are no good answer, only risks.  It will be interesting to see what they do, but it is a good problem to have.