D is fine

I'm sorry but you're on crack if you think this D is fine. Hainsey is 36 on the top pairing. Dermott and Gardiner are identical players that need a steady, defensive-minded partner to play with. Zaitsev isn't making 4.5 to be on the bottom pairing. The offense looks great, hope they can put up 6 goals a night.

Gonna doubt that O can put up 6 a night? Kadri put up 30+ last season and is on the third line lol. Hainsey is 36 but was the most Defensively responsible D on the leafs last year and allowed MR to do what he does best, and he MR had a career year last season as did Gardiner. Dermott and Gardiner as very similar but Dermott Defensive game greatly improved over the year as he got use to the NHL speed. Dermott finished the year with a +16 sounds like a responsible D to me that also has offensive upside. The leafs also have Liljegren, Borgman, Holl, waiting in the pipe line that are NHL ready or close to it. All I am saying is there is no need to give up a large asset for a top 4 D when there are so many pieces already in place. Who were the 6 Dmen of the last 3 cup champs? Nothing better then what the Leafs currently have.

Great looking team and agree with you 100% that the Leafs defence will be fine.

The emergence of Dermott is a GAME CHANGER for the Leafs management and allows the Leafs to slow cook the rest of their defensive prospects which is the best way to build a quality defensive core in today's NHL. Think Borgman and Ozhiganov will also be competing for defense positions this year and Grundstom will win 4rst line left wing position and Ennis will be moved to 4rth line centre. Liljegren is comming and is a potential 1rst pairing power play right handed dman and may be up with team before end of season so Leafs just need to stick with Shanaplan and follow the Tampa and Sharks player development model and let their young prospects develope in the AHL..

Yeah, you definitely need Ian Cole. Obviously he was the key to Pittsburgh’s two cups. A dynamic duo of centers + Ian Cole = B2B Cups. Marner to Colorado for Cole. Book it.

I'll agree with Jordan. Fact is the Leafs have no cap to add significantly at least at the beginning of the seasons for a upgrade on defence. Later in the season has non contenders selling maybe the Leafs buy an upgrade.
Actually the defence doesn't look that much different than last year when the Leafs finished 13th overall in GAA.
So it's Reilly, Gardiner, Zaitsev, and Hainsey. Dermot has proved to be NHL good. That's five. Borgman played OK in his rookie year should be back, then it's kinda crossing your figures with Carrick, Holl, Ozhikov and Rosen.
Just about all teams have questions of their bottom group. Why are the Leafs any different?