History Reveals Good News For the Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Aspirations

There is Hope For Leafs Defense

The Maple Leafs defense has been their biggest weakness in recent years.

With the sudden retirement of Jake Muzzin and the shocking decling of TJ Brodie, the Leafs blue-line has been in tatters recently.

Last year the Leafs brought in reinforcements like Joel Edmundson and Ilya Lyubushkin, but the Leafs were then so bad at moving the puck that they didn't score more than two goals in a single game in their entire series against the Bruins this year.

Aaron Ekblad, Alex Pietrangelo, Cale Makar, and Viktor Hedman have anchored the defense for recent championship teams. Morgan Rielly, for all his positive attributes, is not in the same class. He needs help.

Through trades, draft picks, or free-agent signings, the Leafs have tried to support him with players such as Jake Muzzin, Timothy Liljegren, and T.J. Brodie. Their next attempt comes in the form of the free-agent acquisition of Chris Tanev.

That signing brings hope that the Leafs now have a defenseman who can fill the role vacated by Muzzin and elevate Rielly's game in the process.

Tanev and fellow free agent Oliver Ekman-Larsson provide the Maple Leafs with more depth and versatility than they've had in a few years.