There has been some loose talk about the Toronto Maple Leafs looking into RFA blueliner Simon Edvinsson.
At the moment, none of the usual insiders have hinted that this may be a possibility. But let’s be real for a minute. Toronto is looking for a blueliner. It’s just that Edvinsson may not be the guy.
A comment by insider David Pagnotta confirmed one thing: The Maple Leafs are looking for a defenseman.
“They’re fishing around for a second pair defenseman; more defensively focused than anything.”
Edvinsson would count as a second-pairing blueliner on a team like the Colorado Avalanche. For the Maple Leafs, however, Edvinsson would be a top-pairing guy. And if that’s the case, he’s just not the right fit.
But beyond that, there are various reasons why Edvinsson is just not the guy for the Leafs.
The Maple Leafs Cannot Afford to Overpay for Edvinsson
There is certainly a world where Edvinsson looks perfectly fine playing alongside Darren Raddysh on the Maple Leafs’ top unit.
The problem is what Toronto would have to give up to make it happen.
Edvinsson would require a significant contract, and the acquisition cost could also be substantial. The Red Wings may reportedly be willing to take futures for the young defenseman, which makes a trade more feasible for Toronto, but that does not solve the bigger problem.
The Maple Leafs would still have to find a way to fit Edvinsson into their lineup.
Even with the roughly $7 million in artificial cap space created by their current situation, Toronto has a mountain of contracts to navigate. Adding a significant new salary would almost certainly require moving money elsewhere.
That makes little sense for a player who does not address Toronto’s biggest need. Edvinsson is more of a long-term solution, but that might have been a better question to address in the offseason, not on the fly once the season has already begun.
What Toronto Really Needs Is More Defensive Help
What the Maple Leafs appear to be looking for is much simpler.
They need a defensive defenseman who can play alongside Jake McCabe and give Toronto a legitimate shutdown pairing.
That is a different player from Edvinsson.
Chris Tanev has looked all right so far, but Toronto cannot simply assume its current blue line will remain healthy for an entire season. If one of its key defensemen goes down, the depth behind them could become a serious problem.
That is likely where John Chayka’s focus should be.
The Maple Leafs need insurance. They need someone who can kill penalties, win battles, clear the crease and make life miserable for opposing forwards.
Edvinsson would undoubtedly improve the defense. But improving the defense and solving the defense are two different things.
Toronto should be looking for the latter. Ideally, the Maple Leafs should be looking for a guy who can cover various spots throughout the blue line. That’s why someone like Ryan Pulock or Adam Pelech of the New York Islanders has been mentioned in conversations.
Such blueliners fit the mold much better and would come at a substantially much lower cost than Edvinsson.
Whether such a deal happens at this point depends on the going rate for several of these players.
Maple Leafs Fishing for Defenseman, But Edvinsson May Not Fit