As the Toronto Maple Leafs bounce around sloppily and slide down the Atlantic Division standings, much of fan and media focus and frustration has centered around defenseman Justin Holl. By all accounts, on a personal level, Holl’s teammates are fond of him, and he’s still a better blueliner than 99+ -percent of the world. And yes, Leafs fans have been known to direct their ire at the wrong target – with the usual invoking of Hockey Hall-of-Famer Larry Murphy as an example.
But I’m old enough to have seen Larry Murphy. I know Larry Murphy. And Justin Holl is no Larry Murphy. I don’t blame Leafs fans for being unhappy with his performance, but I also have empathy for the guy, as unfortunately for him, he’s being asked to do too much. He isn’t a top-four D-man in hockey’s best league, and that’s not a slight on his character or determination to win. He just doesn’t have the same attributes you look for in your top two defensive pairings.
-
Ep 51: Stanley Cup Playoff Bubble Teams; Connor McDavid On WBC Successby Full Press Coverage on March 22, 2023 at 11:54 pm
Jim and Chris are back and are talking about the playoff races in the East […]
The other problem for the 30-year-old Holl is the amount of money he makes: at a salary cap hit of $2 million per season, he makes far less than the NHL-average payday of $3.196-million-a-year, but on a cap-strapped team like the Leafs, every dollar counts in large amounts, and many would prefer seeing Leafs coaching and management install currently-injured youngster Timothy Liljegren in Holl’s current spot on the second pair when Liljegren is healthy again. The 20:17 of ice time Holl has been given on average thus far this season is about three or four minutes too much. I’d be much more comfortable if Holl was put with veteran Mark Giordano on the third pair.
Certainly, this is not to excuse the rest of the Leafs. Holl hasn’t been helped by his teammates in Toronto’s recent losing skid. An offense that is generating approximately two goals per game isn’t bailing out the Leafs’ defensive mistakes. Stars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have not been generating nearly enough points. The goaltending has been sub-par on occasion. There are other holes in Toronto’s dam.
Around Full Press Hockey
NHL: Preseason Takeaways: New-Look Jets Have Much to Prove
NHL Rumors: NHL Rumors: Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils
NHL: NHL Training Camp Preview: Can Sharks, Blues Return To Cup Contender Status?
NFL: Best Bets For 2022 NFL Defensive Rookie Of The Year
Full Press Bets: Early 2022 NFL MVP Odds: Bills’ Josh Allen Favored
PODCAST: Full Press Hockey Weekly Ep 38: NHL Season Preview: Golden Knights, Maple Leafs, Johnny Gaudreau
Unfortunately for Holl, the Leafs apparently do not believe there’s any better answer on the second pair than him. Veteran Jake Muzzin is out of the lineup for the foreseeable future, and even when he’s back, he’s not the player he once was. Again, this is no negative comment on Muzzin as an athlete or his legacy as an NHLer; rather, it’s an acknowledgment that time takes its toll on everyone, and before you know it, we all find ourselves running to stand still. Muzzin is closer to that truth than ever, but there’s no question the chemical composition of the second pair is fundamentally changed with Holl as the anchor, and it’s not for the better. Holl has been making too many wrong guesses, too many wrong readings of the play, too many unfinished rushes on offense. You can say he’d be a better player on a better team, but that’s not the reality of the situation. He’s on this Leafs team, and it’s not working out.
If Holl were providing adequate numbers, Leafs GM Kyle Dubas would’ve signed him to a contract extension by now. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in the summer, and ideally, you never want to have an asset leave your organization and not get another type of asset in return. But the fact is Toronto can pay another, younger player with more upside, and pay them less money than they’re paying to Holl to give them this type of output. In their cap crunch, they need more from less of an expenditure of money and competitive opportunity, and they’re not getting it.
Perhaps Holl figures it out with another team. So be it. His ceiling has been pretty well-established now, and it doesn’t fit in with the Leafs and where they are in the grand scheme of things. Dubas should be looking for a new home for him. It feels best for the team and the individual at this point. He’s a square peg in a round hole on the second pair, and the sooner he’s asked to do less – at which point, he may look highly improved – the better for all involved.
-
Ep 51: Stanley Cup Playoff Bubble Teams; Connor McDavid On WBC Successby Full Press Coverage on March 22, 2023 at 11:54 pm
Jim and Chris are back and are talking about the playoff races in the East […]
-
Ep 50: Tampa Bay Lightning, Calgary, Playoff Races, Deadline Final Thoughtsby Full Press Coverage on March 11, 2023 at 12:40 pm
Jim and Chris discuss the Lightning's struggles, the Calgary Flames, and […]
-
The Battle for the Final Wild Card Spots in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is Onby Full Press Coverage on March 24, 2023 at 12:00 pm
Jim is back once again joined by Vox Media AM/FM NHL Analyst Bruce Zeman […]
-
Trip Around The NHL - Trade Deadline Reaction, Expansion and Stanley Cup Playoff Talkby Full Press Coverage on March 16, 2023 at 12:00 pm
Jim is back once again joined by Vox Media NHL Analyst Bruce Zeman to […]
-
Ep 80: Bruins Acquire Orlov, Hathaway; Pastrnak's Contract, Toronto Tripby Full Press Coverage on February 24, 2023 at 4:50 pm
Ian and Chris react to the Bruins acquisition of Dmitry Orlov and Garnet […]
-
Ep 79: Bruins Are A Wagon, Pastrnak Contract, Krejci, Trade Deadlineby Full Press Coverage on January 18, 2023 at 6:35 pm
Ian and Chris evaluate the red-hot Bruins halfway through the season. In […]
-
S4Ep22 - Stanley Cup Playoff Wild Card Racesby Jim Biringer on March 13, 2023 at 12:00 pm
Jim is back for a fourth season of the Final Word of Hockey as he looks at […]
-
S4Ep21 - NHL Trade Deadline Winners and Losersby Jim Biringer on March 6, 2023 at 1:00 pm
Jim is back for a fourth season of the Final Word of Hockey as he brings […]
-
Jets at Ducks - Sharks at Canucks - Golden Knights vs Flamesby Broken Controller Media on March 23, 2023 at 7:00 pm
Stack the Pucks gives a breakdown of every NHL Game on the card. For more […]
-
Blues at Red Wings - Kraken at Predators - Penguins at Starsby Broken Controller Media on March 23, 2023 at 5:00 pm
Stack the Pucks gives a breakdown of every NHL Game on the card. For more […]
-
Rangers at Hurricanes - Lightning at Senators - Leafs at Panthersby Broken Controller Media on March 23, 2023 at 3:00 pm
Stack the Pucks gives a breakdown of every NHL Game on the card. For more […]
-
Wild at Flyers - Blackhawks at Capitals - Canadiens at Bruinsby Broken Controller Media on March 23, 2023 at 1:00 pm
Stack the Pucks gives a breakdown of every NHL Game on the card. For more […]
-
Episode #132: The Playoffs Craicby Full Press Coverage on March 17, 2023 at 2:28 pm
On this edition of The Calder Farmstead, it’s a special St. Patrick’s […]
-
Episode #131 - The Trade Is One For None: Rapid Fireby Full Press Coverage on March 11, 2023 at 6:33 pm
On this edition of The Calder Farmstead, Sean and Sarah wrap up the AHL […]
-
Renegades Of Puck Ep 734by Charlie Saunier on March 24, 2023 at 8:27 am
Ep 734 The Renegades Of Puck Recap 2-1 OT/W Vs Kraken Preview Kraken & […]
-
Full Press Kraken - Thursday, March 23rdby Full Press Coverage on March 23, 2023 at 6:00 pm
Today we preview tonight’s game in Nashville and look at the playoff […]
-
Full Press Islanders - Thursday, March 23rdby Full Press Coverage on March 23, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Good news on the Nelson injury front a look at the Penguins and the […]
-
Full Press Hurricanes - Thursday, March 23rdby Full Press Coverage on March 23, 2023 at 3:45 pm
A preview of tonight’s fourth and final regular matchup of the season […]