T.J Brodie
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman T.J. Brodie sure looks like he is getting long in the tooth.
As per his performance in the second-round of the playoffs against the Eastern Conference Champion Florida Panthers, Brodie has skated passed his better years of hockey.
Then again, he is coming off a fairly great season and his overall playoff numbers were not bad.
Brodie also counts for $5M towards the Leafs’ cap hit. He’s a 33-year-old who appears steady at times, but does not perform the one function the Leafs sorely need: he is not an intimidating presence.
He rarely takes the body and could be looking at a major age related decline any time, if it hasn’t already started to happen.
Brodie has been worth his cap-hit in all three seasons he’s played with the Leafs so far, but if they aren’t confident that he can continue to perform at a high level, then his cap hit is too much and he needs to be moved.
Brodie might get a decent return from either a rebuilding team, for his veteran presence, or a contender, who might believe they can turn his game around. Treliving let Brodie walk into free agency, where he signed with the Leafs four years ago, so it is not a stretch to think he may part ways with him, again.