3 Toronto Maple Leafs Who Need to Play Better to Start Game 1

TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 17: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes is knocked to the ice by Luke Schenn #2 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on March 17, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Hurricanes 5-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 17: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes is knocked to the ice by Luke Schenn #2 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on March 17, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Hurricanes 5-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
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Toronto Maple Leafs
TORONTO, CANADA – MARCH 17: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes . (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

No. 3: Luke Schenn

It was really fun when Schenn returned to the line-up.

Seeing him wear his No. 2 sweater and have his family watch him at home was something special but his game thus far would suggest that he deserves to be in the press box.

Schenn has a big opportunity to take over Justin Holl’s and be a bottom-pairing defenseman.

His size and ability to hit should make him a strong candidate in the playoffs, but if he’s on the ice for too many goals against, his size isn’t going to outweigh his plus/minus.

He’s only played a few games so far and he’s been noticeably bad, big hits aside.

Nobody expected him to join the Toronto Maple Leafs and look like a Norris Trophy winning defenseman, but it’s tough to see what Toronto saw in him right now.

He still has time to turn it around with a few games left, so if he can play more defensively-sound for the last few weeks of the season, he could show that he’s valuable enough to start in Game 1. However, all signs would point towards Schenn starting the postseason in the press box.