Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving told reporters on Tuesday that defense is an area he’s looking to upgrade. He pointed out that he prefers “long D,” meaning defensemen with a long reach to break up plays and defensemen that can move the puck up ice effectively.
The Toronto Maple Leafs GM began to address this need by signing 6’3, 190 Lbs John Klingberg. Klingberg is good at moving the puck and getting it up ice.
He registered ten goals and 23 assists for 33 points in 67 games last season. Klingberg started in the offensive zone 64.1% of the time last season, compared to 35.9% in the defensive zone. However, he is not good defensively, so I think Treliving is still looking for a defensive defenseman. Treliving is known to like big, physical defensemen. (Stats from hockey-reference.com)
With Toronto already being $8.8 million over the NHL salary cap limit, adding another defenseman might have to come from the trade market.
Many defensemen fit the mold of what Treliving is looking for, but it depends on what it will cost to acquire them.
The off-season has only just begun, so there is still plenty of time. As the old adage goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
(Salary cap info from capfriendly.com)
If, for whatever reason, Treliving is unable to address all of the team’s needs during the off-season, he can try again at the NHL trade deadline.
For now, the rest of us sit and wait to see what happens. Here is a look at a few defensemen that fit the mold that Treliving is looking for.