On the Deffensive: Why the Toronto Maple Leafs Need To Add a Defenseman

The Toronto Maple Leafs just seven games ago were a 7-2 hockey club which for the first time in a long time were the Vegas Odds favourites to win the Stanley Cup. Fast-forward seven games and the Toronto Maple Leafs are now 9-7, while allowing 27 goals in that seven game stretch (3.9 Goals per game) and only scoring 18 (2.6 Goals per game). Sure the goaltending has not been up to par as Frederik Andersen owns a 3.42 GAA, but the most blatant area on this Leafs team which doesn't pass the eye test is the defense.

Front of the Net Defesne

The Maple Leafs have been absolutely allowing their opponents to dominate the front of the net in the defensive zone. Of the 27 goals allowed by the Maple Leafs in this seven game stretch, 18 goals have been scored inside the defensive zone face-off dots. That is a clear sign that the Toronto Maple Leafs are losing the battle in front of the net. There are two ways to go about this issue. Either a coaching change needs to be made by Head Coach Mike Babcock to put more emphasis on net-front defense, or the Leafs need to make a personnel move in order to get players who can make a difference. Currently, the Leafs do not have those types of defensemen.

The Offense Can't Do It All

As much as the Leafs would like to believe that Auston Matthews and the rest of the forward crew can carry this team to a title, the reality is, they can't. With the pace the Maple Leafs have been on in their last seven, the team would consistently have to score five goals a game to make up for the defensive woes. When the playoffs roll around, players are dealing with ailments and goals are harder to come by. The Maple Leafs, or any team in the league can't possibly sustain a five-goal a game pace. In order to fix this, the Leafs must add some quality depth to their back-end.

While the offense has been good for the Leafs, the defense of late has out-weighed their potency. If the Toronto Maple Leafs want to make a push and be a real contender in the NHL, the defense needs to be good enough.