The Toronto Maple Leafs defense has been unfairly criticized this offseason. Early season results have done nothing to assuage fears.
Fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs are irritated to see a former first-round pick play important minutes for an Eastern Conference rival that is currently in playoff contention.
Last February, the Leafs released restricted free agent defenseman Rasmus Sandin because the acquisition of Jake McCabe left him with no place to play as a left-side defender.
The Leafs received a late first-round pick in exchange, something they had lacked in many recent drafts. It wasn’t a game-changing deal for either the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Washington Capitals.
The Sandin trade for the Toronto Maple Leafs hurts right now, but it could lead to a windfall in the future.
After the departures of former Leafs defensemen Justin Holl and Luke Schenn in the offseason, questionable replacements, and an early season injury to Timothy Liljegren, one could argue that the Leafs should have kept Sandin.
After all, the Leafs’ most obvious flaw is their porous defense, which has dropped significantly in the league rankings since last season.
In the short term, it’s difficult to imagine a former first-round pick playing significant minutes elsewhere.
Many Leafs fans are hoping for the return of preseason sensation Connor Timmins, a previously unproven bottom-of-the-roster depth piece.
Yes, the situation is that bad.
Perhaps Timmins has not reached his ceiling and will develop into a regular, dependable defenseman, but clamoring for his return confirms the Leafs’ defense’s dire state.
That is a problem that is likely to be solved only through a trade for outside assistance. It’s difficult for Leafs fans to swallow given the defensive standard set last year, as well as the back end’s performance in last year’s playoffs.
While it won’t solve the team’s defensive issues this season, the Leafs and their fans can take solace in the fact that the return from the Sandin trade is a potential boon.
Many in the hockey community were outraged by the selection of Easton Cowan last summer. It was considered a stretch.
Predicting the future development of young teenagers is, at best, an educated guess, but based on the early returns, the Leafs appear to have hit a home run.
Cowan performed so well in preseason that the Leafs kept him and postponed his return to the London Knights. He performed admirably and was rewarded with more games rather than the usual one-game cameo for high draft picks.
Cowan has dominated since his return to junior. He’s averaging nearly two points per game and has put himself in contention for the upcoming World Junior Tournament.
As mentioned, prospect projections can be tricky, but it is not hard to imagine Cowan playing a regular role with the Leafs as soon as next season.
His gritty, two-way play, could bring the Leafs something they haven’t regularly had in the lineup since former Knight Nazem Kadri.
With free agent forward additions, Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi signed to 1-year deals, Cowan and fellow preseason surprise Fraser Minten could provide depth at the crucial position of centre, with the bonus of being on entry-level deals.
The Leafs commitment to their stars and expensive contracts make draft picks on entry-level deals a key component for success.
A forward group led by Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander during their prime years, with Matthew Knies, Cowan, and Minten supplementing them is a mouth-watering proposition.
It should give pause to the Toronto Maple Leafs if they are considering moving one of the prospects for immediate help on defense.
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