Several Leafs newcomers are excelling in Toronto, but one unsung hero deserves a ton of credit for how well he's played
The Leafs were one of the most active buyers at this year's trade deadline and, in large, most of their moves have paid off. The impacts of Ryan O'Reilly have been obvious. Noel Acciari and Sam Lafferty have become cogs for the Leafs in the bottom six, driving play in the right direction and playing solid two-way hockey, on top of the level of physicality they bring to the table.
On the back end, Jake McCabe has been a defensive stalwart for the club, forming a strong pairing with T.J. Brodie that has eaten the toughest minutes against Tampa. McCabe has also landed a number of big hits and blocked some heavy shots for the Buds. Gustafsson hasn't played yet for the Buds in the playoffs, but his time may yet come if the Leafs go on a lengthy run.
And then, there's Luke Schenn. The veteran blueliner has not only been a veteran leader who has helped lead by example, he is also what Jake Muzzin was before he went down - the conscience of this team. He isn't the most offensive-minded player you'll find, but he is a team player who lays it all on the line each and every night, laying the body, playing solid defense, killing penalties, blocking shots and doing all of the little things that a team needs players to do in order to win games.
Schenn was never brought in to be the guy on Toronto's blueline, just a guy who helped fill a need and checked a few boxes that needed checking. If you're not aware of the type of impact that Schenn has had on the Leafs' blueline, just check out these impressive statistics and then tell me he hasn't been as important or more important than most of the Leafs' pre-deadline acquisitions:
Schenn has been into the deepest waters and has two Stanley Cup rings to his credit. The experience that he has gained throughout his career, especially in the postseason, is really helping to propel the Leafs in their series against Tampa.
There were mixed reviews on Schenn when Dubas traded for him. Plenty of fans and analysts were of the mindset that Schenn was best used as a depth option and a guy who could come in and out of the lineup as needed. Sheldon Keefe, however, values what Schenn brings to the table - all of the intangibles and the veteran savvy from a guy who has reached the highest of team plateaus twice in very recent years (2020 and 2021). So far, Keefe betting on Schenn has been paying off, much to the delight of Leafs Nation. Hopefully Schenn can continue to have this type of an impact moving forward. He's been a real treat to watch.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 25 | 1028 ANSWERS Several Leafs newcomers are excelling in Toronto, but one unsung hero deserves a ton of credit for how well he's played Should the Leafs consider extending Luke Schenn this summer? | ||
| Absolutely | 734 | 71.4 % |
| It won't be necessary | 16 | 1.6 % |
| If they can get him at a decent price, why not? | 269 | 26.2 % |
| No, this is a fluke and he's up there in age | 9 | 0.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
