Luke Schenn opens up about how important and special his second stint with the Leafs is to him
Luke Schenn, a former 5th overall pick from the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, played for the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2008-09 to 2011-12 until he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. Now a veteran of 15 NHL seasons with 2 Stanley Cups to his credit, Schenn has returned to a brand new Toronto Maple Leafs team and he's extremely excited about it.
In his first 4 seasons with Toronto, they missed the playoffs and actually got back on track shortly after the trade. The playoffs have alluded him throughout his career as he has only made 4 postseason trips - 1 with Philadelphia, 1 with the Los Angeles Kings, and 2 with the Tampa Bay Lightning - but after being coveted by several teams ahead of the trade deadline, he has a chance to make an impact where it all began.
When asked by Mark Masters about what it means to put the Leafs jersey back on, Schenn replied with:
"It means a lot, I mean obviously it's where it all got started. I think, I probably didn't have as good an appreciation as I do now. Coming into the league at 18 years old, you're not really sure what you're getting into, obviously you appreciate it, but this means a lot now and it's real special. I didn't know it would ever come full circle like this and I'm pretty proud to have this logo on."
When posed a question about being back with Toronto he continued by saying:
"I never got the chance to play on a successful team there... I've had some ups and downs throughout my career too so when you come back and get this opportunity... you definitely don't take it for granted."
"It would be wild in this city. There's no question. What a market. What a fan base. I never got a playoff hockey game in Toronto, nowhere close. It was always a rebuild.... This is what you play for as a hockey player."
A journeyman of sorts, Schenn has played 7 different clubs throughout his career. He was an important depth piece for the Lightning when they won back to back Stanley Cups and was relied upon for his defensive acumen, body checking, veteran leadership, and blocked shots.
Schenn has had a pretty good season to date. He is 1 point away from tying his career high in points that he set all the way back in 2010-11, he's 2 goals away from tying his career high that he set 3 different times, and he's racked up 258 hits, 81 blocked shots, and averaged 17:11 so far this season.
His role will be slightly diminished in Toronto than it was in Vancouver but he will have ample opportunity to impress his second-time around and will be surrounded by immense talent all throughout the lineup - something he was used to during his 2 years with Tampa Bay. However, he is extremely happy to be back and is excited to have a chance to win some meaningful games in a Leafs jersey.
