Confirmed deal : Toronto Maple Leafs Should Trade For Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren

 

The Toronto Maple Leafs defensive depth issues could have been solved if they kept Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren, but the team decided to move on from them early.

Both Liljegren and Sandin are 25 years-old or younger and have been strong contributors to their new team’s after leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sandin has been excelling with the first-place Washington Capitals, while Liljegren is a consistent top-four defenseman in San Jose.

 

 

When the Leafs traded Liljegren near the start of the season, it didn’t make sense to me. Besides Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev, who are a legitimate top defensive unit, the rest of the team’s defensemen are poor. You may be in love with Morgan Rielly for his longevity and ability to turn it on in the playoffs, but he hasn’t been any good this year, and in my opinion, has one of the worst contracts in hockey.

So instead of developing their young defenseman, who were making little money and can out perform their contract every single night, the team decided to trade them iand use Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Simon Benoit, Philippe Myers and Conor Timmins intead.

 

The Leafs are winning games and are near the top of the Atlantic Division right now, but at this rate, they may slip out of a playoff spot if they don’t upgrade their defense. Joseph Woll had to play the game of his life last Saturday night against the Edmonton Oilers, or the team would have lost 10-4, and the defense continues to get exposed every night