We Need Defence!

[Bust]

I don’t care if there’s a similar thread already - this point needs to be discussed individually.

We have 3 signed dmen worth their salt. Rielly, McCabe, Benoit. Where they slot is debatable. We need another 3 or 4 solid dmen if we want to have a shot at the cup (I understand goaltending is an issue). Bargain binning half the d-core just isn’t it anymore.

I liked both Boosh and Ed and it would be cool to see them return - but look at what Zadorov is doing for Van right now. There’s familiarity with Tre there and Zadorov expressed interest in Toronto during the season. We need this guy. Even in a bottom pairing role I would pay 5mil without question. He’s big, tough, solid first pass and decent offensively for his skill set.

I was probably one of the biggest Muzzin fanboys out there - us not replacing him when he went down was criminal. He was easily our best dman IMO; and was probably the most impactful, non-replaced, player this team has lost since Sundin. All situation, tough, good first pass, true leader, experienced cup winner, Muzz had it all.

We’ve got all these developing forwards (Robertson, Knies, Mcmann, Minten, Cowan, Tverberg, Greybyonkin) we need to play these guys to get the cap savings to pay the D and G. Enough of the forward signings (pls bring Domi back). Invest in some Dmen!

Now that I’ve got the word vomit out of the way - who would you like to see added to our D core? Does Cade Webber get a shot? Do we bring back Boosh/Eddy? Do we sign Zadorov? What are your thoughts leaf nation?

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[djdev]

yes we need to focus on defense, saying we need 6 or 7 dmen is jokes though lol.

give me montour, tanev and zadorev and im in heaven, even 2 of those guys and im over the moon. im also fine with bring either boosh or edmondson back along with a few FA signings.

 

[Bust]

yes we need to focus on defense, saying we need 6 or 7 dmen is jokes though lol.

I guess I worded it oddly.

But we do need 6/7 dmen if we want to win; we have 3 already in Rielly, McCabe, Benoit and need to bring in 3-4 more capable bodies.

 

[thewave]

We need to be able to draft and develop D and Tenders. Right now we are shamefully bad for such a rich franchise.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I don’t care if there’s a similar thread already - this point needs to be discussed individually.

We have 3 signed dmen worth their salt. Rielly, McCabe, Benoit. Where they slot is debatable. We need 6/7 solid dmen if we want to have a shot at the cup (I understand goaltending is an issue). Bargain binning half the d-core just isn’t it anymore.

I liked both Boosh and Ed and it would be cool to see them return - but look at what Zadorov is doing for Van right now. There’s familiarity with Tre there and Zadorov expressed interest in Toronto during the season. We need this guy. Even in a bottom pairing role I would pay 5mil without question. He’s big, tough, solid first pass and decent offensively for his skill set.

I was probably one of the biggest Muzzin fanboys out there - us not replacing him when he went down was criminal. He was easily our best dman IMO; and was probably the most impactful, non-replaced, player this team has lost since Sundin. All situation, tough, good first pass, true leader, experienced cup winner, Muzz had it all.

We’ve got all these developing forwards (Robertson, Knies, Mcmann, Minten, Cowan, Tverberg, Greybyonkin) we need to play these guys to get the cap savings to pay the D and G. Enough of the forward signings (pls bring Domi back). Invest in some Dmen!

Now that I’ve got the word vomit out of the way - who would you like to see added to our D core? Does Cade Webber get a shot? Do we bring back Boosh/Eddy? Do we sign Zadorov? What are your thoughts leaf nation?

We don't need 6 or 7 D, we need 2, MAYBE 3.

Rielly and McCabe need partners, and then you might need a 3rd guy depending on what happens with Lilly.

That's between 33-50% of the defense that's a lot but It's not 7 guys.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Use the Marner money for D.

 

[djdev]

I guess I worded it oddly.

But we do need 6/7 dmen if we want to win; we have 3 already in Rielly, McCabe, Benoit and need to bring in 3-4 more capable bodies.

ye the wording is what threw me off, as it sounded like you were saying we needed that many ADDITIONAL players. but yes in total we need 3 more i believe. i still havent given up on lily.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

We need forwards who can score in the playoffs more than D.

Now that Keefe is gone Timmins can slot in at RD3 and Liljegren can go for... whatever, anything you can get, it's not like replacing him will be hard.

 

[Buds17]

We do need defence...and some forwards...and a goalie to pair with Woll.

 

[JKG33]

I like the idea of Benoit-Liljgren as a bottom pair. Need to add a top pair RD (Jones, Weegar, Pulock, Parayko) to ideally play with McCabe. And then someone like Tanev (or cheaper ideally) to play with Rielly

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

How many years have fans been saying this exact same thing.

Since Kaberle left at least. This team, which fancies itself a contender, keeps trotting out a roster with the likes of Morgan Rielly as their best defenseman. After that it's a steeeeeep drop off.

Some fans were even celebrating the trades for Lyubushkin and Edmundson.

Those guys are useless turds. Add Benoit into the mix and three out of six defensemen are number sixes. You can always find room for a guy like that on the team.

So long as there's only one of them.

Any more is getting into a hoarding situation. Cornering the market on cruddy hulking defensemen is something they can do AFTER they get someone good. It's pretty much a given that a Norris caliber defenseman is a requirement to win the cup.

The Leafs have never had anyone like that on the team.

 

[Tak7]

There's a semi-decent list of mid-tier Dmen that will likely make it to free agency this summer - you hope that the Leafs can grab one or two of them without entering a massive bidding war, to help upgrade a blueline that needs massive help.

I know he's pretty popular amongst some folk here, but I'd also look at packaging Liljegren into something that nets you back a decent hard nosed Dman with a bit of term. I've been done with the Liljegren experiment for a while now, and hope they're able to leverage his first round pedigree, age, and cost-controlled nature into something tangible.

 

[Bust]

We don't need 6 or 7 D, we need 2, MAYBE 3.

Rielly and McCabe need partners, and then you might need a 3rd guy depending on what happens with Lilly.

That's between 33-50% of the defense that's a lot but It's not 7 guys.

Sorry, wording was odd on my behalf. I edited the thread.

We need 6 or 7 good dmen in total - we already have 3 in Reilly, McCabe and Benoit.

 

[bodechek]

This has been an on-going issue since Burke made the comment describing the Leafs game 7 performance against Boston is like driving a Mac truck off a cliff. The Leafs desperately need good defence minded people that are capable of passing the puck forward (not necessarily carrying it forward). I do hope Lyubushkin and Edmunson are back, but I do not have much faith in Liljegren. I know he is a right handed shot, but I wish they would of kept Sandin over him. I don't think Tiny Tim is capable of being a full time player in the NHL

 

[Larcos_Unal]

Montour is a perfect fit, only problem is he's gonna ask for a ridiculous cap number. It all hinges on what happens with Mitch this offseason.

 

[daveleaf]

I wonder if Reily survives the summer. He had a poor playoff and he played pretty well last year.

 

[Action Jackson]

Montour is a perfect fit, only problem is he's gonna ask for a ridiculous cap number. It all hinges on what happens with Mitch this offseason.

Atleast Montour is worth the cap hit.

 

[CapspaceKiller]

I think this will be solved if they move Marner out.

More capspace + anything they can bring back in the deal for him.

There's a good group of free agent defenceman this summer.

 

[nuck]

Drafting is the way to do it. Boim!

TORONTO — In the Leafs’ 1981-82 Fact Book there’s reference to a check handed out by Fred Boimistruck. Leafs’ rookie defenseman, who was playing for the Cornwall Royals at the time. According to the fact book, Boimistruck knocked down an opponent who was heard to mutter: ‘Boim, a truck hit me.’

 

[nuck]

Montour is a perfect fit, only problem is he's gonna ask for a ridiculous cap number. It all hinges on what happens with Mitch this offseason.

I don't think he can ride that 73pt season to a big payday. It feels like kind of an anomaly. What sort of money were you thinking he might draw? Given what he did prior to Florida it seems like he owes them more than they owe him. I agree he looks like a fit but they should be grabbing guys like this before they break through.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

If Treliving concentrates on D as a #1 priority, if he can get two of Zadorov, Tanev and Montour, and one of Skjei or Gostisbehere for some additional offensiveness from the back end, I'd be thrilled.

 

[sunstersun]

We need a guy who can shoot the puck and move it.

 

[Menzinger]

It's the area where I expect Tre to be the most aggressive..during his first week media blitz when he took the job he's gone out of his way to talk about doing this.

Montour would be ideal to target.

I also expect Tre to go hard after some.of his familiar Calgary names....

Whomever they get, they need some puck skills on top of toughness. They can't continue having only 1.5 guys be able to make a basic pass

 

[seanlinden]

I like the idea of Benoit-Liljgren as a bottom pair. Need to add a top pair RD (Jones, Weegar, Pulock, Parayko) to ideally play with McCabe. And then someone like Tanev (or cheaper ideally) to play with Rielly

Pretty much this. McCabe is a "poor man's #4" and a rich man's #5. Put him alongside a bonafide #1 or #2, and you've got a very, very solid top 4 pairing.

As for Rielly, to be honest I wouldn't be opposed to bringing Lyubushkin back.

If, you could do something along the lines of Pesce and Lyubushkin I think that's a respectable offseason for the D; with Liljegren as #6 and even Timmins as #7.

If you can sign a Zadorov as well, and probably Timmins goes in trade, then all of a sudden you're talking about a really, really deep group.

 

[LeafEgo]

Leafs D program is now solid. Just need to inject some skill/$ to activate the forwards. An upgrade.

Pretty much this. McCabe is a "poor man's #4" and a rich man's #5. Put him alongside a bonafide #1 or #2, and you've got a very, very solid top 4 pairing.

McCabe is very solidly a second pairing defenceman when it matters, always has been. A luxury third.