Troy Stecher didn’t hold back about his time with the Maple Leafs

When the Toronto Maple Leafs claimed defenseman Troy Stecher in November, they were desperately searching for reliability on the defensive side of the puck, while adding some speed and skill to their depleted blueline.

Luckily for the Maple Leafs, Stecher filled these boxes and excelled during the early part of his tenure. Stecher was looked at as one of the Maple Leafs best blueliners, consistently playing up to standards night in and night out. The veteran defenseman reflected on his time in Toronto on the TSN show Overdrive on Monday.

Troy Stecher reflects on his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs

"There was an opportunity. When I came in, there were a lot of injuries, especially on the backend. I stepped in right away and just played. I felt like I played well in the first three or four games, and from that, you get confidence. I ran with it for six or eight weeks there at the start," Stecher said.

The 32-year-old acknowledged his game took a dip in performance as the team continued to slide down the standings.

"My game definitely dropped off at a certain point, too. There was a lull. Not to make excuses for myself, but it was kind of like everybody on our team. It seemed like everybody hit a rough patch at a certain point during the season."

Understanding the privilege of being a Maple Leaf

Stecher later spoke about his time with the Maple Leafs this season, and what it meant to him to wear the blue and white, as well as the accolades you receive when playing for the Maple Leafs.

"First and foremost, how the organization treats you as a player… We’re very fortunate. You are not treated that well across the league in many spots, if any. It is a real privilege to be a Maple Leaf in that regard. I felt very fortunate. There is obviously a lot of uncertainty around the organization right now. Would I like to be back? Yeah. I really enjoyed playing there. It was a great group of guys with a lot of good players. We had injuries to our captain and our best defenseman; not to make excuses, but those are two important people in our lineup.

"It is the little things. You have a player-only bus on the road, before the game and after the game, regardless of the result. It is just the guys there together talking. On the road, you stay overnight in a lot of cities because they feel there is a benefit in you getting a better night’s rest instead of hopping on a flight and getting into a hotel late. If you really want to get into it, a lot of teams wouldn’t do that just on their budget alone. They do everything they can to try to maximize and get the best out of every single player."

What the future may hold for Stecher with the Maple Leafs

Troy Stecher's season with the Maple Leafs was filled with lots of ups and downs, like every player on the roster. Stecher is a puck-moving depth defender that likely won't show up on the stat sheet; however, at times made an impact that many did not see coming from a waiver addition in the middle of November.

The Maple Leafs should look to keep Stecher on the roster heading into next season, as he provides depth at a low price that a team needs to go on a long playoff run. Stecher clearly enjoyed his time with the Maple Leafs over the past 58 games, understanding the privilege of being part of the organization.

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