Insider reveals the issue between the Leafs/Sandin, says it may force one of their current LD's out
The Leafs have already brought back six of the eight defenseman who finished last season with the team, with the exception of arguably the most important piece on the left side of their blueline and a player who represents the future for the Buds' D corps.
Many had speculated that shortly after Timothy Liljegren had signed his 2-year, $2.8M extension, that we'd see a similar deal for 22-year-old Rasmus Sandin. Well, it hasn't quite worked out the way anyone would have hoped, least of all Sandin, who is beginning to feel like he does not have a spot on the roster to start the season in Toronto.
The concern is a valid one for Sandin, who has certainly played well enough to warrant a full-time roster spot. The problem that the Leafs have is that Sandin is up against the likes of veterans Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin and Mark Giordano for playing time and he does not seem too fond of the idea of playing on his weak side like T.J. Brodie tends to do.
It's tough to fault Sandin in this one because not all left shot defenseman are built to play on the right side. For some, their body mechanics and the reps they've taken on their strong side throughout their careers just don't allow them to thrive or be as effective on their off side.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman made an appearance on Real Kyper and Bourne on Monday and he touched on the situation that Sandin and the Leafs are in. He revealed that the Leafs have communicated to Sandin that if he plays well with the opportunities he's given, there will be a spot for him, while Sandin is trying to look of for his own best interests as a left shot defender and realizing that the opportunities the Leafs speak of are either inconsistent ones where he'll be in and out of the lineup or forced to play on the opposite side.
There has been a lot of talk about Rasmus Sandin potentially signing an offer sheet this summer or that the Leafs could trade him in a package to upgrade elsewhere in the lineup, but Friedman does not believe that will be the case. One thing he does think, however, is that the Leafs could trade another player to provide Sandin with a better opportunity to play on his strong side.
The Leafs just signed Morgan Rielly and Mark Giordano to contract extensions, so by process of elimination, Friedge must be alluding to Jake Muzzin, who has two years remaining on his deal at $5.625M per season. He also has a full NTC this season, which does not become a modified NTC until next summer.
Basically, if Sandin isn't comfortable with waiting a year for his opportunity, the Leafs may have to get creative, much the way the Lightning did to move Ryan McDonagh. For those who may have missed it, a report came out from Kypreos on the same program that the Lightning asked McDonagh to waive his NTC for a trade to Nashville. If he had refused, the Bolts were going to place him on waivers and had worked out a deal with the Blue Jackets to claim him.
Truthfully, Muzzin has lost a significant step and with injury issues piling up for the 33-year-old with his hip, knee, groin and a pair of concussions last season, his best days are almost certainly behind him. I get wanting to be loyal to a team leader and a well respected guy in the locker room, but if the goal is to win a Stanley Cup, the Leafs and GM Kyle Dubas may need to adopt a more "whatever it takes" attitude to get them there.
