If Zdeno Chara is going to be on the move, the Leafs should be calling the Isles
With just 33 days until the March 21 NHL Trade Deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to weigh their options when it comes to additions and subtractions to their roster that can improve their chances in the playoffs.
When it comes to the Leafs, there's no question that their greatest deficiency -- both this season and in previous ones -- is on defense. With Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, William Nylander and even surprising rookie, Michael Bunting, the boys in blue have no shortage of players who can put the puck in the net. Defensively, however, they aren't nearly as deep.
Morgan Rielly and TJ Brodie have been their usual steady, reliable selves throughout this season. Beyond the top pairing, however, there remain some uncertainties.
Veteran Jake Muzzin has been injury prone the last couple of seasons, including this one, and he seems to have lost a step or two or three. His long-time partner, Justin Holl, has dropped off considerably this year from last and has drawn a lot of wrath from Leafs fans on social media.
Rasmus Sandin has had somewhat of a coming out party this year, impressing with his ability to move the puck out of his own zone while defending it well, too. There's no doubt he's got a bright future in the organization and he's shown great progression this season, but he is still just a 21-year old kid with only 77 regular season and five post season games to his credit and it shouldn't be expected that he shoulder more than his progress would allow come playoff time.
Timothy Liljegren has even less experience (44 NHL games, zero playoff familiarity) but has, too, managed to improve his game enough this year to be a regular in the lineup. As for Travis Dermott, the Leafs' seventh defenseman most nights, it seems like his ship has sailed and he's expected to be part of a package that GM Kyle Dubas leverages to acquire new players at and leading up to the deadline.
Long story short, the Leafs most certainly could use some help on their blueline. Who knows if Muzzin will be healthy enough come playoff time or if he'll revert to his former level of play if he even is? Which version of Justin Holl -- if not traded himself -- will show up during the rest of the season and beyond? The keep-it-simple, stay-in-his-lane Holl who blocks shots and uses his size to his advantage or the Holl who tries to do too much, misses obvious assignments and struggles to move the puck? And how much can the Leafs really expect of the inexperienced Sandin and Liljegren, improving as they might be?
I want to go on the record by saying that I'd like to see Zdeno Chara added at some point. Listen, save it: I know he's lost three steps himself and that he's old but he's still Zdeno Chara and he can be had for next to nothing. He's probably in his last year and 'Isles' GM, Lou Lamoriello is going to move him somewhere where he can have one more chance at a championship.
Lamoriello has history with the Leafs and Dubas. Chara can play third-pair minutes and adding him wouldn't be with the expectation that he'd be the savior defensively. It would be with the certainty that his reputation, achievements and the respect that the entire League has for him would help to galvanize a young team who has done nothing but fail in the playoffs. It would be with the certainty that if the opposing team wanted to get physical and cross the line with players like Matthews and Marner and others as we've seen so often this season, they'd do so with the understanding that they may have to answer to Chara. In fact, they might not even cross the line at all knowing Zdeno Chara is on the team.
Imagine the outcome for Pierre-Luc Dubois or Neal Pionk as a result of their antics against Matthews and Sandin in the Winnipeg game earlier this year (the "rematch game" is on March 31st). Instead, Jason Spezza and Wayne Simmonds had to stick up for the younger players. It also bears mentioning that my interest in the Leafs acquiring Chara's physical presence is in no way meant as disrespect to Simmonds, who has been great at sticking up for teammates throughout his entire career. But, if you gave me the choice of answering to he or Chara..
Chara or no Chara, there needs to be a shuffling of the deck on the Leafs' blueline and the player or players need to be experienced, physical and -- most importantly -- defensively sound.
Earlier today, Jonas Siegel of The Athletic shared his thoughts on the Leafs' options. You can read about them below:
