Banned
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 24,997
Likes: 7,855
Several things here.
1) Faulk isn't that good, he's Jake Gardiner but right handed and even worse and boxing guys out infront of the net. Don't believe me? Look at Faulk's shot heat maps and notice the bright red directly to the right of the goalie, the guy leaves the front of the net wide open a tonne.
2) Kapanen has scored 8 points this season and everyone is going nuts for him. He isn't pricing himself or Nylander out of TO, at least not yet.
3) Sandin may have been Toronto's best defenceman in the preseason, I think the Leafs want to take a wait and see with him.
4) The problem isn't so much the defence but the team defensive play. When the forwards are half way down the ice all the time, the defence gets hung out to dry. Faulk nor anyone else would be able to affect this much by themselves. Forwards need to commit to playing defence.
Reacting to situations is one thing, but over reacting should be left to desperate teams with real flaws. (exhibit A: Edmonton)