How will Lou/Shanny fix our defensive woes?

[DWest89]

I'm a big fan of the new management team, and have loved every decision they've made. I'm very happy with the rebuild so far and love having these elite offensive prospects. My only concern is defense.

Any time I see these future lineups (with or without Stamkos or Matthews) the offense looks unreal and very exciting. My concern is on defense. How are we going to address our lack of defensive talent?

Rielly is one great piece. He has shown he has top 2 potential, and I'm hoping Babcock turns him into a number 1. Besides him... I've always liked Gardiner, but I think his max potential is a second pairing defender. We have Zaitsev coming over... But he is far from a lock to be part of our future, (I hope he is) but he doesn't fix our lack of talent back there. Dermott and Neilsen look like solid pieces but not elite top pairing potential.

This year we'll most likely pick another forward with our top pick... Because you can't really pass up on any of those high end pieces if were picking top 5. I love Hunter and hope he finds a defensive gem outside the first round.

I'm hoping Lou is targeting a defensive prospect and can flip one of Bozak or Kadri (as much as I like him) in a package for a defensive stud.

Is drafting a defender with late picks and crossing our fingers that they pan out the best way to obtain an elite back end? I hope Lou and Shanny have another big move up their sleeves.

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[dubey]

23 players that buy into Babcock's system is more important than a couple prospects that know how to play defence

 

[A1LeafNation]

We are okay on the left side.

Rielly _______
Gardiner Demers
Hunwick Zaitsev
Cowen Corrado
Marincin Lindgren
Dermott
Nielsen
Percy
Harrington
Valiev
Loov

Going to have to find a stud RHD with our draft picks, because any other way will cost assets or cap space.

 

[mikebel111*]

There is lots of time left to find some.

 

[Quarter]

Trade from a position of strength. Simple as that... they just have to find the right dance partner.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Via the Draft.

 

[Eb]

Via the Draft.

More than likely we are selecting a forward with our first pick.

After that, I am fine with selecting majority of defence men and a goaltender in the fifth round and on.

 

[Fogelhund]

We are okay on the left side.

Rielly _______
Gardiner Demers
Hunwick Zaitsev
Cowen Corrado
Marincin Lindgren
Dermott
Nielsen
Percy
Harrington
Valiev
Loov

Going to have to find a stud RHD with our draft picks, because any other way will cost assets or cap space.

Pretty much this.... plus this years draft... We should be able to develop 5-6 quality NHL D men out of this list, and this coming draft haul. Plus, the forwards learning and buying into a better system.

Really the answer in this rebuild, and any other one, is time....

 

[Leafidelity]

Considering our AHL B-team just beat the Canucks last night, I think strong systems are going to play a big role in the success of this team.

 

[PJJ]

You could trade for defensemen with the surplus of offensive players that we could potentially have

 

[A1LeafNation]

You could trade for defensemen with the surplus of offensive players that we could potentially have

I don't think there are a surplus of forwards. I think we barely have 5 notable prospects for each wing and about 5 notable centers prospects; that should be the norm for a rebuild.

If anything we have a surplus of LHD right now, and we should:

1 draft RHD
2 trade a LHD for a RHD
3 sign a UFA(for the d-core, not a placeholder)
4 sign Zaitsev.

 

[Menzinger]

Rielly and Gardiner will like be the main anchors in the top 4 moving forward.

I think a combination of Marlies graduation and Zaitsev will help fill out the rest.

A big ticket UFA is not going to solve anything - the Leafs will need to rely on the draft.

 

[Dwolf63]

Much worry over nothing. The defence is not a situation that needs to be resolved this year or even next year.

Too much is made of needing a #1 defenceman and whether or not Reilly is that d. However there's nothing wrong with a defence made up of two #2 type first pairing guys and two good #3 type second pairing guys.

Gardiner and Reilly are at the very least both #2 first pairing guys.

There's reason to hope Dermott will be a good #3 second pairing guy.

There's enough in the system where we should be able to get a couple of #5's to play on the 3rd pairing.

Keep drafting the best player available and if another good D turns up great, and if not, package a couple of forwards together and one of our lesser d to get an upgraded defenceman. It's entirely doable.

 

[thewave]

Likely with Development and trade. We may have an abundance of offensive forwards on the way and not all will play. Some of those prospects can be packaged down the line.

 

[BlueBaron]

Lot's of time. Our D will be resolved the same way other teams do everything, a combination of Trades, Drafting and Free agents. Our number 1 RD ? Tough thing to get, we'll probably have to draft him unless a Jones type trade becomes available and we have excessive forward depth, which it is too early to say we do.

 

[Mad Brills*]

They do need a top 4 RH dman badly.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Draft Chychrun. He shoots left, but I'm sure he can switch to the right.

 

[Bullseye]

It really is a great question. Prolly the biggest question going forward. So many promising d-men just don't pan out.

The challenge is to find the best players regardless of the scouting services lists. It's picking the tree out of the forest. Chychrun or Joulevi are top 10 picks but that does not guarantee success.

It's squarely on Hunter's shoulders to draft and up to Lou to fleece another team in a trade.

Happy with the Corrado pick-up so far!

 

[Babcocks Marner]

Drafting is the obvious answer, but it's also not that easy. Those D can be tricky, and it also may take 5 years to see any results.

You could trade prospects/players, but you will not get a young stud for anything short of at least Marner/Nylander/Rielly

I wonder when the next Dougie Hamilton type of situation will occur? That would cost us a few prospects, but B prospects.

Maybe there is a player that Hunter loves and is a bit under rated. Also wouldn't cost us a ton.

It's so hard to land a #1 DMan, no mater how you do it, even through draft, always a gamble.

 

[Steve]

23 players that buy into Babcock's system is more important than a couple prospects that know how to play defence

Not that I disagree but McLellan is a very good coach too.

The Leafs do need some more defense help. Our best prospects are all forwards and it looks as though we will get another this draft. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled and I believe Shanny etc.. will address the issue but we really need some more help back there.

 

[Rude Dog]

If there is a chance the Peg moves Trouba, Leafs should be all over that. I just don't know if the Jets need another D back. something around JVR perhaps. Jets have a lot of prospects. They are likely looking for someone who can help now

 

[Cor]

Dubas has already told us.

They gather the best players who have the best combination of skill and IQ, develop them into the best players they can be, and the. You trade from your areas of strength to fill your weaker areas.

 

[wc17]

Maybe they try to move up with the Pitt pick this year to snag one of Chychrun/Juolevi/Sergachyov....

Maybe Zaitsev (if he comes here) turns into a legit, 2nd pairing RD (don't know what kind of player he is)...

Maybe Trouba does become available (I don't see how this would ever happen) and the Leafs trade some of that offensive talent and picks for him?

It's not like they're gonna need a stacked D for next season so they need to be patient and it'll come...

Now, onto goaltending! lol

 

[Canada4Gold]

Drafting and trading.

If we don't win one of the lottery spots then A.Nylander, Tkachuk, Dubois, Chychrun, Juolevi, Sergachev, McLeod, Gauthier are all pretty close. I could see us taking one of the D men at 4 or 5, or trading down to 7 or 8 and taking 1.

Also the Pens pick if Fabbro is available he's a good RD prospect.

We're not ready yet obviously, there will be more drafts, if BPA isn't D and your D doesn't work out in the later rounds then you can go the trade route, god knows if we keep picking forwards it'll quickly become an area of strength if it's not already. Just gotta find the right trade partner.

 

[leburn98]

I think it's too early to be worried about our defensive woes just yet. With the trade deadline not even finished yet, we don't know what this management has in store. In a full year, did you fully expect to have the contracts of Clarkson, Kessel (1.2M exception) and Phaneuf off the books? I sure as heck didn't.

I firmly believe that this team should continue to stockpile picks and continue to draft best player available at the draft, regardless of positional needs. The thing is, especially in a cap world, there are always going to be opportunities to acquire a quality defensemen. In the last year we've seen two young potentially stud d-man traded in Dougie Hamilton and Seth Jones. Rumors suggest that Jacob Trouba could very well be the next to go after the Jets resigned Byfuglien.

The Leafs need to continue to stockpile picks and prospects so that when that d-man does becomes available, the Leafs have the assets to do so. If throughout those picks we acquire a stud of our own, then that's a bonus.

If all goes well, I look at our forwards as a position of strength, throw in Matthews, possibly even Stamkos in a group of Centermen that already includes Kadri, Nylander, Marner, Bozak, etc. a position that we deemed a weakness a few short years ago, suddenly becomes a position of strength. We need the assets to deal from a position of strength.