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Losing Luke Schenn Would Be A Big Loss For the Toronto Maple Leafs

By Cristian Battaglia

TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 2: Luke Schenn #2 of the Toronto Maple Leafs waits for action to resume against the Florida Panthers during Game One of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 2, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Panthers defeated the Maple Leafs 4-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 2: Luke Schenn #2 of the Toronto Maple Leafs waits for action to resume against the Florida Panthers during Game One of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 2, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Panthers defeated the Maple Leafs 4-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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15-years-ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs drafted Luke Schenn fifth overall in the 2008 NHL draft.

He was expected to become the next big thing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but things did not work out for the young defencemen.

On June 23rd, 2012, Schenn was dealt to the Flyers in exchange for James Van Riemsdyk in one of the most lopsided trades ever to occur in the Leafs favour.

However, 11-years later, Schenn was re-acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs, but this time it felt different.

Losing Luke Schenn Would Be A Big Loss For the Toronto Maple Leafs

Since his time away from the Leafs, Schenn matured as a defencemen in the NHL.

He spent time with several different organizations in both the NHL and AHL, but really made a home with the Tampa Bay Lightning, winning two Stanley Cups as part of the back-to-back Lightning squad that lifted the NHL’s biggest prize in 2020 and 2021.

During the 2022-23 season, the now 33-year-old became a hot commodity for contending teams. With his physical style of play and defensive awareness, there were a few teams calling his name around the NHL trade deadline, and luckily for Leafs fans, the Vancouver Canucks sent Schenn to Toronto for a third round pick.

“Actually pretty surreal, Still hard to believe. I got the chance to start here – just young and probably naive to a lot of things. You figure out more things with experience and age and maturity.” Said Schenn once arriving in Toronto.

You could feel his presence whenever he had a shift on the ice throughout his second tenure with the Maple Leafs. Head Coach, Sheldon Keefe shuffled him around in the lineup, but the two-time Stanley Cup winner found a home on a paring alongside Morgan Rielly that shined throughout the Playoffs this season.

Rielly was having a down season, due mostly to injury, and you can’t credit Schenn for his resurgence, but the pair did compliment each other.

Schenn plays a very physical style, something that the Leafs need, especially on their blue line. Personally, I loved what Kyle Dubas did this season when it came to adding more to their defence. He made them tougher, and harder for other teams to get around, Schenn being a big reason for that.

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I think letting him walk in free agency would be a big mistake. Players like Luke don’t come around often, and although he is 33, his experience and style of play suits what the Leafs are trying to build for the future.

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