In An Injury-Ravaged NHL, Maple Leafs’ Depth Is Crucial To Their Success

As the Maple Leafs come off a strong win over Philadelphia Thursday afternoon in Toronto, they’ve got a new member of the walking wounded – young defenseman Rasmus Sandin didn’t play in the Leafs’ final pre-Christmas break game, against the Flyers Thursday. Veteran blueliner Jordie Benn, who has been sidelined since Nov. 23, replaced Sandin in the lineup.

But this depleted situation is something Toronto, like just about every NHL team, will have to continue to deal with the rest of the regular season. The Leafs have been the most injury-ravaged club in the league – the website ManGamesLost.com says that, as of Dec. 16, Toronto had the most man-games lost this year – and it will be a small miracle if the Buds have all of their best D-men in a game at the same time.

The good news is that Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe has been able to keep things simple for whatever group of defenders on any given night: push shots to the outside, prevent second-chance opportunities in close, and quickly move the puck up the ice to Toronto’s skilled collection of forwards. The Leafs are rarely a bigger group of defenders than their opposition – six-foot-four veteran Justin Holl is the only D-man who is taller than six-foot-two – but they’re making life for goaltenders Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov much easier these days.

The other good news is that, soon enough, they’ll have star blueliner Morgan Rielly back in his spot as Toronto’s top defenseman. And blossoming youngster Sandin will likely be back in the lineup after the Christmas break. That means there’s going to be legitimate competition for players like Jordie Benn and Conor Timmins at the bottom of the Leafs’ defense corps. Benn and Timmins (and currently injured youngster Victor Mete) will become insurance policies in case Toronto suffers additional injuries.

And dealing with multiple injuries seem to be the new normal for NHL teams. Most teams almost never get to throw out their complete lineup for any meaningful stretch of time. Health problems are a constant. Maybe it’s the speed of the game that’s causing so many players to go down and be sidelined; perhaps players’ bodies are so tightly-tuned now, they’re more susceptible to injuries. When you treat yourself like a hockey machine from your very early days, eventually, the wear and tear is going to catch up to you.

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In any case, this is why quality depth is so crucial for elite NHL teams. When Rielly was hurt, veteran Mark Giordano stepped up his game and brought a sense of calm to the Leafs’ back end. Holl – a player who has had a roller-coaster season – also has made meaningful contributions. Sandin and Timothy Liljegren have brought improved results. And, after he was hurt and returned to the lineup, veteran T.J. Brodie has been his reliable, no-fuss, no-muss self.

We also have to continue to give credit to Keefe for managing this constantly-changing lineup. Toronto’s coaching has been excellent this season, and Keefe and his staff have kept the members of the group confident in one another, no matter who is missing in action.

Certainly, there are Leafs stars who simply can’t be replaced as the driving force of the team if they’re knocked out of the lineup. If Toronto loses difference-makers Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares for any lengthy stretch, the Leafs’ understudies in the American League won’t be able to make the impact the stars do.

That said, the Leafs have been resilient as hell. They’ve still only lost seven games in regulation time, and they’ve got the NHL’s second-best defense, averaging only 2.37 goals against per game in 34 games. That’s incredible, given the obstacles injuries have put up for them.

So, enjoy the Leafs’ status as one of the NHL’s top teams thus far this year. The Christmas break will be good for Toronto’s overall health, but it’s no small comfort to know the Buds can withstand a large bite from the injury bug and continue to thrive.