Breaking down how the Toronto Maple Leafs can improve their blueline

Regardless of the team’s current struggles, the Toronto Maple Leafs have long earned doubters thanks to their lack of a true top defenceman. While Morgan Rielly finished fifth in Norris Trophy voting in 2018–19, and 11th in 2021–22, most would concede that this is a championship element the Leafs have always lacked throughout the Auston Matthews era.

At the same time, heading into the season, many considered this to be the most skilled and balanced blueline the Leafs have iced over the past decade. Though these statements might seem to contradict each other, both are true.

With the exit of Mitch Marner, the Leafs lost a lot of talent up front, which has only seemed to increase the demand elsewhere. All of a sudden, this Leafs blueline looks to be old and insufficient instead of a strength to the team. The defensive structure as a whole has been lacking, an effort that includes the forwards, but the need on the blueline has begun to rear its head.

How can the Leafs improve their blueline? Is a Norris Trophy defenceman necessary? Let’s take a closer look at the Leafs blueline and how efforts to improve it might unfold.

As it is

It is worth mentioning that things have taken a dire turn with Chris Tanev out. Arguably their best defenceman, Tanev is a right shot who excels defensively. On top of his reckless abandon for blocking shots and taking on physical battles, Tanev is a very effective outlet passer. Any injury to a top defender is difficult to overcome, especially so for a right shot. Tanev is joined by Brandon Carlo on the injured list, which is very concerning, as they are the Leafs’ only right-shot regulars.

Philippe Myers has a lot of NHL traits, with the size, skating, and skill to be effective. Still, he has had issues translating his talents into consistent play. Though he can do better, his cap hit is low enough that there is little risk from his employ. The same might be said of Troy Stecher, recently claimed off waivers. Stecher is somewhat opposite, lacking the physical prowess of Myers, but able to leverage his strengths more consistently. Both are fine injury replacements, but hardly upgrade the full-strength lineup outright.

Decline on the horizon

Instead, the Leafs seem poised to decline. Along with Tanev, both Morgan Rielly and Oliver Ekman-Larsson are in their mid-30s. Jake McCabe is not far behind, meaning the best days of the Leafs top-four defencemen are behind them. Simon Benoit has been a great project, paying off the Leafs waiver claim tenfold, though he is not a threat to push his veteran teammates for minutes.

While the defensive coverage issues might have more to do with the execution of the team as a whole, the Leafs’ limitations on the blueline come from the offensive side as well. Neither Ekman-Larsson nor Rielly is a true high-end power play option, and the team as a whole has struggled to break out of their zone.

Between a legitimate right-handed top-four option and a true power play threat, the Leafs have two very defined deficiencies on the blueline. To upgrade the current group, addressing either hole would be significant.

Trade for top-four help

Without many trade assets, the Leafs might be hard-pressed to find an immediate upgrade. Acquiring legitimate right-shot defencemen is a pricey game, as evidenced by the steep cost for acquiring Carlo last season. While Carlo is not perfect, fans should remember that he is a stable and known commodity in a position that is not abundant league-wide.

Rasmus Andersson

The main option in the rumour mill at the moment is Rasmus Andersson. While Andersson can play both special teams and plays with an edge, his impact on control of play is limited. In a top-four role with heavy defensive usage, his current situation on the Flames does not help. That said, if the Leafs acquired Andersson, it might not impact their control of play that much. Undoubtedly, he would improve the team, and might even challenge Tanev for the mantle of the Leafs top right defenceman.

Acquiring Andersson, or a similar player, would improve the Leafs blueline, but it might not be enough to truly put the Leafs defence corps among the league’s elite. It would give the Leafs a chance at three strong pairings, which would be a help to all involved. Of joy this season, signing Andersson as a UFA this coming offseason might be an option. That said, the Leafs will have to give a reason for high-end free agents to choose them over other contenders.

Bowen Byram

Meanwhile, adding a left shot might help as well. Bowen Byram, an elite talent who has had trouble finding a spot, comes to mind. The Buffalo Sabres lack a lot on their roster, but high-end left-shot defencemen are not missing. Byram might easily be the Leafs best power play option, and he has consistently been blocked from that role in his career.

The overall impact on play is debatable, which is the only reason Byram would be available, but his skill set is undeniable. There is a chance that Byram can fully blossom with a bigger role, but at the very least, he would upgrade the skill level on the back end.

That said, the Leafs do not necessarily have the assets to trade for Andersson, Byram, or a defenceman of similar stature. As an older team without many draft picks, the Leafs need to be very cautious of trading away young talent, too.

Leafs internal options

That said, the Leafs do have some potential help within the system. Players closer to the NHL, like Cade Webber, might be worth mentioning in the short term, but the Leafs brightest hopes on the blueline are further away.

Ben Danford, thought of as the Leafs best defence prospect, is a defence-first right-shot playing in the OHL. A trade to a contending team will help his numbers, and a trip to the U20 World Juniors should help increase his stock as well. While not possessing the profile of a future Norris Trophy candidate, Danford has value as a right-shot with top-four upside.

Victor Johansson has taken off in recent seasons, progressing well. The left shot has some offensive upside, likely the most amongst the Leafs defence prospects. For now, it is a positive that both Johansson and Danford are progressing towards the NHL. It is unlikely either will figure into improving the Leafs’ blueline this season or next.

While there are certainly others worth mentioning, the Leafs might have some reinforcements en route as the likes of Tanev, Rielly, Ekman-Larsson, and McCabe reach their mid to late thirties. If this current blueline cannot figure things out, the Leafs will have to be creative to improve their group.

If the Leafs keep their pick…

The quickest path to a true upgrade is unsavoury. Having traded their first-round picks in 2026 or 2027, the Leafs only path to acquiring a blue-chip defence prospect comes with the top-five protection on their pick in 2026. While the Leafs have flirted with the bottom of the standings this season, ending in this position is unlikely, a lottery win included. The Leafs do not want to miss the playoffs, but the reward of this path is significant.

It is still too early to be definitive, but the 2026 class is topped by a trio of Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, and Keaton Verhoeff. McKenna and Stenberg will garner much of the attention as high-scoring wingers.

Verhoeff, though, is a right-shot defenceman who would solve a lot of issues for the Leafs. With NHL size and skating, the floor is high for Verhoeff. That said, his offensive talents are notable as well. Verhoeff might be the best option for improving the Leafs. With so much invested into this season, this would likely come at a garish cost. Still, the Leafs have forced fans to look into the abyss.

Verhoeff would bring balance to the Leafs handedness, and combine with Danford to give the Leafs a great future at one of the most valuable positions. It is entirely likely that Verhoeff is the best defenceman the Leafs could acquire.

Other teams around the league will be more likely to look to the future than the Leafs, meaning attrition and conviction alone might keep the Leafs from this reality. The Leafs are expected to keep pushing for a playoff spot until the bitter end, and are likely not even considering this a desirable outcome.

Shuffling the roster

Already a manoeuvre that the Leafs have gone to, it might be possible to upgrade the blueline at a lower cost. Stecher was picked up off waivers, representing a high-floor option. Perhaps veteran players of this ilk can be a slight upgrade, if only circumstantially.

Instead, the Leafs might have to look for bigger gambles on the trade or waiver markets. This means taking chances on unproven players being cast off from their teams. Finding a true core player by this method is extremely unlikely, though Gustav Forsling of the Florida Panthers stands out as an example of an outlier. Forsling was a former second-round pick cast off from a weak Chicago Blackhawks team.

In order to pull something this bold off, the Leafs will have to trust in their scouting staff, as well as distrust another team’s evaluation. Trying to identify a young, talented player on a bad team can be difficult. The Leafs might have done this already with Henry Thrun, a puck-moving left-shot cast off from the San Jose Sharks, just as they did with Simon Benoit, cast off from the Anaheim Ducks.

Is Helge Grans an option?

Without going over every potential player in this situation, someone like Helge Grans stands out. A right shot with his second organization, Grans is a 23-year-old in his fifth AHL season. His production has stalled over his AHL career, though clearly Grans is not a high-flying offensive talent. Instead, one might bet on his all-around game flourishing with an opportunity.

Grans played six games with the Philadelphia Flyers last season, though he remains in the AHL this season. The Flyers have been searching for blueliners, and Grans might have fallen out of favour with younger options pushing up in the Flyers organization. While by no means a guarantee to upgrade the Leafs blueline, the Leafs do not necessarily have the luxury to do anything else. While it does not have to be Grans specifically, this type of bold move could pay off in the short and long term.

In house

As usual, the simplest answer to the Leafs problems comes internally. This team has the pieces to be a much better defensive team, with an effort and attention to detail that extends beyond the blueline itself. The Leafs can play up to, or beyond, their defensive potential.

Injuries do not help, of course, but the adversity is an opportunity for the Leafs to step up. The team has more in them and can start to build a new identity amidst the attrition. One might hope that some more stability can be found with all the injuries, setting the stage for a legitimate improvement when the likes of Tanev and Carlo return.

Is it really enough, though? Most of the true contenders around the league have a true Norris Trophy candidate on the roster, or a few defencemen just outside that stature. It is unlikely that anyone on the Leafs blueline ever receives a Norris Trophy vote again. If the group wants to punch above its weight, there needs to be synergy, cohesion, and support.