Quoting: jaok3
Has Peeke been hurt this season? He has played 4 games and is listed as 4th on the depth chart for RD. How does that make him a top pairing RD on the leafs?
A bit of a risk no doubt, but Rielly has shown that he pairs best with players like Peeke come playoff time. CBJ's backend currently consists of two 8th overall defensemen on the top pair, 7th and 6th overall defensemen on the 2nd pair, and 13th and 3rd overall selections on the bottom pair. Peeke was essentially tied for the team lead in TOI and defensive zone starts last year with Gavrikov, who's stats were very comparable despite Peeke only being 24 years old (Gavrikov went on to be an important piece for a strong defensive team in LA). He brings the physicality, size and defensive acumen that best compliments a player like Rielly, and showed well when paired with a similar player in Werenski. He has good mobility and puck moving ability, and is ahead of where Lyubushkin and Schenn were at this stage in their careers. He also has the pedigree of being an early 2nd rounder, and would benefit from playing with a better defensive group of skaters in a better defensive structure.
Also, I think Larsson and McCabe would lead the pairings in ATOI come playoffs, and would replicate the defensive shutdown pair we had in Muzzin and Brodie, freeing Peeke from the defensive burden that was placed on him last year.
The pairing of Larsson and McCabe would free up Rielly and to a lesser extent Timmins for more offensive opportunities, with prototypical defensive defensemen to support them, both of whom are not a huge sacrifice as far as puck moving and mobility like I mentioned. Worst case we still have 4 capable top 4 D beyond him in Rielly, Larsson, McCabe and Seeler, with Gio, Benoit and Lagesson as potential depth or 2.3 mil in cap space to add another defenseman if the latter 3 are sent to the minors.
Overall, this D core is bigger, more mobile and better offensively than what we entered the playoffs with last year, and IMO all 4 forward lines have improved since then along with the goaltending. I think this team would be more than capable of winning a cup and would provide us more cost certainty for the future.