Leafs continuing to look for upgrades on their blueline

Expectations for the Toronto Maple Leafs coming into this season were mixed, to say the least. Some saw a team with many of the same flaws as last year that would struggle in the competitive Atlantic Division. Others saw a team that made all the right changes under new general manager John Chayka this offseason to get right back into the playoffs after a one-year absence.

One thing we do know, however, is that the Leafs themselves expect to win. So far, the results have been just ok, as they have 12 points through 11 games to sit in fifth place in the Atlantic. Toronto is a team with clear needs, especially on the bluline, where an aging defense corps has already shown to be inconsistent and injury prone.

On Wednesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, hosts Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton were joined by The Fourth Period‘s David Pagnotta to discuss which moves Chayka could make to patch up the holes on the Leafs’ roster.

Carter Hutton: We need a Leafs update. Where are they at? What do they need to add? They’ve kind of got the goalie three-man rotation going on. What’s your take in Toronto right now? Any updates there?

David Pagnotta: The same thing that they’ve been looking for since preseason is what they’re still looking for now, and it’s been amplified a little bit more because they’re carrying those conversations, and that’s defense. I mentioned this two or three weeks ago at the start of the season, they’ve been looking for a second-pair caliber defensive-minded defenseman. Somebody that can control the zone, control the puck, and exit the zone nicely with it or at least get it out of there and let the other guys do their thing, and help your netminder, whoever it is. I like their little situation now on back-to-backs, not having to have Bob (Sergei Bobrovsky) travel. It’s not necessary, he wasn’t going to back up anyway, or you have the luxury of him not having to back up. So you give him a little bit of extra rest and a little bit more comfort, because he’s got to play the Rangers tomorrow.

But Toronto’s looking for D, they have for some time. If you want to the (Simon) Edvinsson’s or (Alexander) Nikishin’s, you’re going to have to give up Easton Cowan, and I don’t think Toronto wants to do that, and I don’t think the fans want to do it. But you’re going to have to pay a premium to get either of those types of guys, so those might be out, and then there’s the financial burden tied to it. Toronto’s not in a pretty situation cap-wise because of the amount of contracts and dollars that are tied to next season, so it’s almost a money in, money out situation, or a contract in, contract out situation, I should say, for the Maple Leafs. Unless they move out a couple of bodies that are tied to next year’s cap and beyond in seperate moves and just kind of give guys away, whether it’s a Miles Wood, Dakota Joshua, or whomever. There’s a few variables in play there, but what they want is to improve that blueline.

You can catch the full discussion and the rest of Wednesday’s episode here…