Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins not being given a fair shake in Toronto

Timmins, a right-shot defender, is entering the final year of a two-year deal paying him $1.1 million per season. Although he has dealt with his fair share of injuries throughout his career, he has not been a regular NHL defender since being drafted by the Colorado Avalanche back in 2017.

Timmins, originally acquired in a deal with the Arizona Coyotes for Marlies pivot Curtis Douglas, has often been a healthy scratch for the Maple Leafs and has not been given a real opportunity to be an everyday player for the team, despite a tremendous pre-season showing in 2023-24, which saw him produce 6 points across 3 games prior to an unfortunate injury derailing his progress.

Last season, Timmins only saw 25 games of action with the Maple Leafs, and yet he still managed to produce 10 points despite missing such a significant length of time to begin the season.

In terms of what Timmins will have to do to create an opportunity for himself this season, staying healthy is at the top of the list. Injuries happen every year and when they do occur, teams need healthy bodies to plug those holes.

The 2024-25 season might be the year we see Timmins more frequently in the lineup. With the Maple Leafs being just one injury away from needing him as a regular, Timmins could have a significant opportunity ahead of him, especially if the Jani Hakanpaa deal falls through.

The Maple Leafs' current defensive pairings are believed to be as follows:

Morgan Rielly - Chris Tanev

Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Timothy Liljegren

Simon Benoit - Jake McCabe

Obviously, it's too early to establish which pairing will be classified as the 2nd pairing and which will be classified as the 3rd pairing, but the ice time will tell us all we need to know come October.

While the Maple Leafs' defensive corps underwent a significant overhaul this offseason, Timmins could yet prove to be a valuable piece on the back-end for the Leafs, especially if he can continue to produce when his number is called.

Source for stats: HockeyDB
Conor Timmins Statistics

Source for Timmins trade details: Maple Leafs Hot Stove
Analysis: Conor Timmins traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs