The Toronto Maple Leafs experienced a significant cultural shift when former general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas was let go, and Brad Treliving, the former Calgary Flames GM, was brought in along with new head coach Craig Berube. This transition marked a departure from the “Dubas Era,” which focused on highly-skilled players, to Berube’s philosophy of playing hard and physical—a system that helped him win a Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019. This season, we saw a significant change in how the team was constructed and how they played.
Newcomers Chris Tanev, Jani Hakanpaa, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and recently-acquired Brandon Carlo are all big physical players who aren’t afraid to throw their bodies or step in front of a shot, but can also distribute the puck efficiently. Treliving is similarly altering the team’s approach to drafting defensive prospects, aligning it with how he and Berube envision defensemen functioning within this team’s future.
The Maple Leafs have frequently traded their first and second-round draft picks to improve their roster and increase their chances of competing for the Stanley Cup. As a result, they have had to excel in drafting players during the later rounds to secure the best prospects available. Being able to almost “copy” the current group of defenders by drafting players with a similar defensive style but more offensive upside would help the team focus on their forward group, ensuring a well-rounded group ready for the playoffs from the top to bottom lines.
Treliving’s Draft Strategy
Although Treliving has only had two drafts with the organization, his selections have already provided a clearer picture. Players like Ben Danford, Victor Johansson, Matthew Lahey, Nathan Mayes, and Noah Chadwick are all defensemen over 6-foot-2. They are also mobile, physical, two-way defenders who aren’t lighting up their leagues in scoring but are efficient contributors known for playing physical, blocking shots, and working the penalty kill.
The most notable outlier in the group is Chadwick. Drafted in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, he stands at 6-foot-4 and serves as the captain of the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the Western Hockey League (WHL). During the regular season, he finished fourth in scoring and is currently leading his team in scoring during the playoffs, where they are competing in the second round. Additionally, he is recognized for his strong defensive skills.
The Maple Leafs have six picks in the upcoming draft. Although they no longer have their first-round pick (which Treliving traded to acquire Jake McCabe from the Chicago Blackhawks), their new focus on scouting defensemen gives them an advantage in the later rounds. This is especially true if they can secure a promising forward in the earlier rounds.
Recent Free-Agent Signings Improve the Team Short-Term
While the team’s future looks promising, we likely won’t see many of the recent draft picks playing for the Maple Leafs or the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Toronto Marlies for some time. This situation underscores the NCAA’s crucial role in signing college free agents. These “overagers” are offered one- or two-year entry-level contracts and eventually continue their development with the Marlies. Alongside the recent draft picks, this trend of signing players from college is expected to benefit the Maple Leafs in the future, whether by providing starters or injury call-ups.
Cade Webber and John Prokop are recent signings out of the NCAA. Both are left-shot defensemen who excel at playing a strong, physical game. Prokop is more of a two-way defenseman, while Webber focuses on shutting down opposing players. Both have flaws in their game, but they excel in their areas of expertise, and that’s what the Maple Leafs need — “older” prospects who don’t need three to four years to develop what they have but come in and excel at what they can do to help the team now.
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The organization also recently signed Blake Smith from the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League, a 6-foot-5, left-shot, two-way defenseman. Smith is an overpowering physical presence and a fluid skater. He has a profound, clean stride and powerful crossovers that close distance on opponents quickly. At 20 years old, he has plenty of room to grow with the Marlies, and he is another large defenceman capable of moving the puck and playing heavy minutes while being strong defensively.
Defensive Mindset Could Be a Key To Future Success
The Maple Leafs need to shift their philosophy regarding how they draft and develop prospects, as well as how the team is structured and plays its game, to achieve playoff success. They have had numerous issues in the playoffs, making it difficult to identify just one problem. However, it is crucial for defensemen to not only distribute the puck effectively to facilitate the offense but also to play a strong, defensively-minded game. This includes blocking shots and playing physically along the boards to disrupt opposing plays. Such a defensive approach can lead to more offensive opportunities and reduce the workload for their goaltender.
Treliving and Berube are placing the building blocks of a strong back end comprised players who can do a little bit of everything well while ensuring the team can win with their core group of players. The Leafs still have some promising forward prospects like Easton Cowan in their system, but when it comes to what the team’s future structure looks like, look no further than how they are drafting defensive players and what they are hope to get out of them in the future.
