Options for the Leafs

As we get ready to watch the RIP tourney—I'm not too fond of that title for obvious reasons—the Maple Leafs have a lot to talk about. There is little doubt that the Leafs have a significant hole in their defence. 

I don't know how many times I have said this, but this is not all on the defence. The forwards have to fight for the puck to help out the d-men and give them targets to pass the puck to. 

The question on the minds of all Leafs fans is whether Timothy Liljegren and Rasmus Sandin are NHL quality defencemen.

Timothy Liljegren
Smooth puck-handling combined with superb skating skills make him a very highly regarded prospect.  But a high prospect does not equate to an NHL defenceman.  I really like Timothy, but he might be a little green in the defensive zone.  He will make his share of mistakes as most rookies do, but he will be a future number 2 or 3 defencemen for sure.

Rasmus Sandin
I love what Rasmus has shown me this season.  He is a fantastic skater; his speed bails him out in times of trouble. Rasmus distributes the puck with great vision. He is adequate in the defensive zone bit still needs to pay attention to where he is. Rasmus has tons of potential.  He should be on the Maple Leafs for years to come.

Last word

I have heard Leafs fans discussing the possibility of trading Nylander.  I can see both sides. The Leafs' defence is weak, and Nylander would be the best option for bringing in a defenceman.  At least one that is NHL caliber.  We all know that Marner, Tavarez, and Matthews are going nowhere, so Nylander is the next best choice. If they do trade Nylander, are Nick Robertson and Jeremy Bracco ready?  If they are, then, by all means, go at'er.  Bracco and Robertson are the two prospects closest to being prepared.

The other option is to hold onto Nylander and insert Timothy Liljegren and Rasmus Sandin, hoping they develop into NHL-ready defencemen. 

I am going back and forth on this choice. On one hand, I love Sandin and Lilejegren. Both are going to be very good. On the other hand, there will be growing pains, and the Leafs will resort to outscoring their opponents.  I lean toward keeping Nylander and bringing in a cheap veteran defenceman. What do you think?

Until next time.