Do the Toronto Maple Leafs Need More Enforcers?

There were a couple of incidents that took place with Leafs prospects last season that prompted me to raise this discussion concerning Leaf enforcers heading into the upcoming season.

In the very first game for team Sweden at the 2016 World Junior Championship against the Swiss Junior team, the Leafs‘ fan base was sickened to witness William Nylander getting blindsided by Swiss forward Chris Egli, leaving the 20-year old prone and dazed near centre ice midway through the first period.

Nylander suffered a concussion and his tournament was over, he was out for over a month. Meanwhile, Egli received a match penalty and a three-game suspension for his illegal hit to the head, but nothing took place on the ice in terms of payback from any members of Team Sweden.

An eerily similar incident took place in early May during a Toronto Marlies AHL playoff game against the Albany Devils, when Andreas Johnson took a vicious blindside elbow to the head from Albany’s Dan Kelly. In this case, Zach Hyman immediately dropped the gloves and went after Kelly. (Johnson’s season was over at that point, as a result of a concussion.)

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It could be argued that the difference between this incident and Nylander’s mishap is the difference between IIHF and North American professional hockey.

When the Leafs’ emerging young talent make their way to the NHL level, they will inevitably be targeted by the other team’s agitators and physical players.

My question is this:

Who on the team will take it upon themselves to discourage this type of activity?

There are so many roster decisions to be made during the Leafs’ upcoming training camp that it is almost impossible to have a clear picture of exactly what this team will look like on opening night.

We can be reasonably certain however, that we will see some of the Leafs’ highly touted rookies in the lineup at some point in the early season.

As these rookies gain NHL experience, they will be subjected to some rough play and intimidation tactics, especially when they find themselves playing any games that matter.

For argument’s sake, let’s say that rookies Mitch Marner, Connor Brown, Austin Mathews and Nylander have all made the forward corps playing positions from the first to the third line. On defense, relative newcomer Connor Carrick and rookie Nikita Zaitsev have earned regular spots, joining the incumbents from last year.

If I am an opposing coach, how do I play against a team that is now sporting this kind of speed and skill with new and inexperienced faces at so many different positions?

Especially when only two of the players I’ve mentioned in Mathews and Zaitsev, are over six feet. With the remainder all being relatively smallish in stature?

My first instinct would be to hammer the body, finish all checks, get in their faces and rough them up to throw them off of their games.

It is obvious isn’t it?

So obvious that we can be fairly confident a version of this conversation took place in the corridors of Leaf power leading up to both the 2016 NHL entry draft and the beginning of free agency on July 1st.

At the very least we can say that actions taken by the Leafs at both of these important player acquisition events reflects the need to counteract this obvious game strategy. One that is likely to be played out against them over and over again as this upcoming season progresses.

As countermeasures, the Leafs added size at all positions during the entry draft and then signed 6.03 and 220lb Matt Martin at the opening of free agency. Martin, a 27-year old fouth line forward from the Islanders, who drops the gloves as frequently as anyone still does in the NHL these days, can also play a little hockey.

If Mike Babcock was not instrumental in the Leafs acquiring some toughness, he at least endorsed the Martin signing by saying: “He’ll keep the flies off our younger guys.”

“He’ll keep the flies off our younger guys.” … MIke Babcock speaking about Matt Martin

To many in Leaf nation, this move seemed out of character for the rebuilding Leafs, frivolous even and was inexplicably widely criticized. A 10 million dollar commitment over a four-year term for a fourth line player may seem a bit rich and maybe it is, but what is creating the space on the ice for the talented youngsters to do their thing worth?

Once we accept that grit was a glaring team need, aptly identified and then addressed, we begin to look more at the player obtained in an attempt to determine how he will fulfill this role. Martin’s job description could very well be: Keep doing what you have always done in the NHL, hit everything that moves and discourage anyone from abusing our emerging young talent.

But can he do this alone?

When we scour the Leafs list of emerging prospects, returning players, PTO’s and other roster hopefuls, we don’t see much in the way of another player to help Martin with his enforcer duties.

• Perennial middleweight contender Rich Clune has re-signed with the Marlies on an AHL contract, which all but eliminates any chance he will skate with the big club this year.
• There is Brandon Prust, a player known for his grit coming to camp on a PTO, but the odds are stacked against him securing a roster spot.
• Depth defenceman Roman Polak can be an ornery character to deal with, so he would help a bit when called upon.
• Colin Greening has the size, the necessary disposition and some pugilistic abilities, with the added bonus of being able to play a little hockey as well, but will he even make the team this year?

Throughout the rest of the depth chart we find ourselves looking at some size here and there, a handful of prospects known to be able to take care of themselves. However, there is really no one who is known for gritty play or for dropping the gloves to give remedial lessons to any opposing players taking liberties with teammates .

As a matter of fact, the only other player who could be described as somewhat of a scrapper with NHL experience and currently under contract with the Leafs is Greening. His suitability for the role of back up enforcer might be his one differential advantage to secure playing time with the Leafs amongst so much competition at all forward positions.

A fair question to raise at this point would be is this enough in today’s NHL?

In just the past few years we have seen the NHL enforcer role undergo changes where any player assuming that mantle must also be able to play hockey. The fighting specialist, or goon as we once referred to them, with no other contributing hockey skills, is a relic of the past.

Next: Big Chance for Morgan Rielly to Prove Himself

In a league where fighting is on the decline, how many capable fighters does an NHL team need? Should the Leafs add more toughness to their lineup?