Leafs look fast and ready on defence
Good selection beyond top six
Travis Dermott joined a group of Leafs defencemen – mostly AHLers and prospects – Friday during a day of drills and skating.
In fact, Dermott was about the only regular from last year’s defensive corps on the ice at the MasterCard Centre in west Toronto where the team practices. First round pick Timothy Liljegran, who has a strong chance at an NHL job this season, and Igor Ozhiganov, newly signed from the KHL, were the only other two blueliners in the group who could be considered as potentials for Leaf jobs this season.
But the pressure of job hunting, which will ratchet up significantly after the final holiday weekend of the summer, seemed a million miles away as Dermott and about 20 players enjoyed a hard work session.
It’s much of the same attitude and feelings, when Dermott is asked about expectations for the Leafs blue line this season.
After a momentous summer, crested by the signing of John Tavares, the Leafs blue line remains essentially with the same lineup as it did a year ago. Toronto put up a solid regular season, but bowed in the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year, leaving questions about whether the defence is strong enough to carry the team deeper into the post season this year.
Dermott strongly believes the current blue line roster is more than good enough to carry the team deep into the playoffs.
“You try to not think of that stuff much,” Dermott said, standing outside the Leafs dressing room, still half in his uniform and pads.
With his usual, relaxed smile, Dermott added that “its like a little question every time, who should the team pick up, and they (critics) start handing out names … I think if there’s improvements to be made, then we can do it ourselves.”
By ourselves, Dermott meant himself, along with projected partners that include Ozhiganov and Connor Carrick. The top four should feature a repeat of Morgan Rielly and Ron Hainsey as the top pairing, followed by a kind of 1-B pairing of Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev.
There will be a battle for the seventh spot, featuring Liljegren, and who ever doesn’t start as Dermott’s partner. Another raft of defencemen – including Justin Holl, Andrew Nielsen, Andreas Borgman, Calle Rosen, and Martin Marincin, could crack the starting lineup if they have incredible camps, or if the Leafs go with eight defenceman to start the season, or if injuries occur early.
Defenceman Jordan Subban (brother to NHL players Pernell and Malcolm) looked tremendous at the BioSteel camp this week, and will turn heads in camp – which opens Sept. 13 with medicals – if he continues on that wave.
As it looks at the moment, it will be a mostly young blue line, with plenty of excellent skaters who can move the puck, make passes, and generally help an excellent group of forwards control play.
Size and physicality are not in abundance, but Dermott believes those two details have waned in significance in the current NHL.
“You look at the way the league is evolving, and the big, six-footfive defenceman is not what everyone is looking for anymore,” Dermott said.
“With our forward group this year, you are gonna want to get the puck to them as quick as possible. They will be quick, and they can score, so our defence is going to be mobile, and make those first passes as quick as possible, get the puck to the forwards.
“I think we did a good job of that last year, but as good as we were, you can always get better. The more we get the puck to the forwards, the more chances they will get to score goals.”
Part of the equation for the Leafs blue line is the fact all of them, save for Ozhiganov, have had a year or two under defensive coach Denis Smith, who was voted in a player’s pole as one assistant coach who would make an excellent NHL head coach.
Dermott even turned the analysis onto himself, saying he is a good example of how the defence can improve.
“For me, the main thing is when it comes to the playoffs, just be ready to go,” Dermott said.
“In the playoffs (against Boston last spring), I had a tough time finding my game. I came around, but you have to make sure that doesn’t happen, in the playoffs, and at the beginning of the season.”