Quoting: palhal
This "first pair" is really an urban legend. Take this year. Reilly plays the most, mostly because he's good at he has lots of PP time. Hainsey is his partner 5 on 5. Zaitsev plays with Gardiner, although he seems to be better without him. Zaitsev plays lots of PK on the right side with Hainsey on the left. So who is the Leafs first pair? So really the change that might happen for the Leafs next year...is Gardiner and Hainsey are out, Muzzin and Rosen are in. Yep Gardiner is hole to fill. But in my post, I really only made change to forwards (Nylander gone). If necessary the Leafs could trade a forward and their cap for defence help if necessary....even if it's only short term help.
Actually if we want to get in who is first pairing etc....I would have Ozzie paired with Reilly, five on five. Ozzy looks like he can fill the Hainsey role. Ozzy a rookie and Dermot who is playing in first full NHL season, were starting to gel and really getting NHL competent.
The other urban legends, the "Toronto's been pathetically bad on the defensive end". Don't think any team could be pathetically bad on defence and have the record the Leafs have. But of course there is this illusion that any other teams defencemen are all better than the five of six Dmen.
I'm with you on this one Pal - the leafs D aren't as bad as they're made out to be. Let's see what we have when healthy..
Left Side
Reilly - top D goal scorer, will likely get a nomination for the Norris this year. Legit top pairing guy
Muzzin - legit second pairing guy in LA and only "questioned" when he started playing for the leafs. Will be a 40 point D this year. PKs and PP2 duty. Hits like a train.
Gardiner - love him or hate him the leafs sure are missing him right now... 40/50pt Dman PP2 duty
*could be one of the best left sides in the NHL
Right side
Hainsey - slowing down with age, but dependable. 20 mins a night, heavy PK duty, plus 30 (for what its worth..) ideally a very good 3rd pairing guy.
Z - not quite a love him or hate him guy, more like hate him or meh guy.. but a serviceable 2nd paring RH guy, nonetheless. 20 plus min a night, heavy PK duty. Actually hits..
Dermot - analytics darling that meets the eye test. Definite top 4 potential
*the right side is an obvious weak spot on the team, but its not like its made up of a bunch of AHLers.
All that said, our D in their own end can be absolutely painful to watch. Is it the skill level of the D? Maybe to an extent. Is it the D coverage and break outs that the team uses? Probably, to most certainty part of the problem... how did the Islanders turn around their D woes so quickly from last year?