Dubas reveals why the blueline was his main area of focus
There are some who believe that, by fixing the Leafs' defense, the team's goaltending would begin to improve organically. Others believe that the team should have gone out and landed a goaltender at the trade deadline.
At this stage, nobody really knows whether how the Leafs approached the deadline was smart or lacked the right vision. What we do know is that there were four holes that the Leafs needed to fill over the last month - and Kyle Dubas found a way to fill 3 of them.
The Leafs needed two defensively sound defensemen, and they found those in Ilya Lybushkin and Mark Giordano. They also needed to find a way to improve the team's fourth line and they did that by bringing in Colin Blackwell. The other thing that they'll get from having Blackwell in the lineup is another defensively aware forward, which, in turn, can help improve team defense during his minutes - even if they end up being somewhat limited.
The only hole that was not filled was the one in net, but the organization seems to really believe in Jack Campbell. His tenure in Toronto has been, at large, very good. However, for one reason or another, this season has been a real struggle for the 30-year-old former first round pick. The Leafs do believe that last year's Jack Campbell is the real version of himself and they're betting on him returning to form.
Following Monday's trade deadline, GM Kyle Dubas had spoken with several media outlets, providing some insight on the moves he made and revealing some of the factors that prevented him from completing some additional moves.
One of the things that really stood out was Dubas' vision for his blueline. Now, obviously Sheldon Keefe is responsible for how his defensemen are deployed, but I'd imagine that Dubas and Keefe have had lengthy discussions on their shared vision for the Leafs after last year's collapse against Montreal.
It was not a coincidence that the Leafs targeted two defensive defensemen in the final month leading up to the trade deadline. Dubas knew that the opposition would be loading up with offensive firepower, or perhaps it's something they already possessed. Well, the Leafs also have a potent offense. With Giordano and Lyubushkin now in the fold, the Leafs have a better chance at stifling the opposition's offense and break up plays.
One of the smartest ideas that Dubas has as the Leafs march towards the postseason is to ensure that one of Morgan Rielly, T.J. Brodie, Mark Giordano or Jake Muzzin is on the ice at all times. Each of these players is at a different stage in their career.
Each of them has experienced varying levels of success, individual or otherwise. By the end of this season, Morgan Rielly will likely have banked his 2nd career 70+ point season. T.J. Brodie breaks up odd-man rushes better than almost anyone in the league. Mark Giordano has captained two NHL teams and won a Norris Trophy in 2019. Jake Muzzin has a pair of Stanley Cup championships to his credit. These are all players who can help the Leafs win. They're all experienced veterans who excel at something.
Rasmus Sandin, Timothy Liljegren, Justin Holl and Ilya Lyubushkin represent the other half of the Leafs' blueline. Lyubushkin is the most experienced of this group, but has played less than 200 NHL games. Holl is the oldest of this group and has played slightly less than Lyubushkin. Sandin and Liljegren represent the next generation of Leafs defensemen.
The Leafs would be well served to partner each of their veterans with one of the younger players and mix and match until they find something that works for them before the playoffs begin. The idea of having one of Rielly, Brodie, Giordano or Muzzin on the ice at all times could be integral to any postseason success that the Leafs might have.
| POLL | ||
MARS 22 | 335 ANSWERS Dubas reveals why the blueline was his main area of focus Is this the best defense corps that the Leafs have had in the last two decades? | ||
| Yes | 183 | 54.6 % |
| No | 60 | 17.9 % |
| It has to be close | 92 | 27.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
