Okay, this one made me laugh...

Ceci is a much better player than most fans realize and the Leafs were playing much better defensively when he was in the line-up. Leafs fans should be careful what the wish for because the Leafs were a much better team with Ceci in the line-up.

Ceci wasn’t horrible. But he certainly wasn’t great either. He isn’t going put this team on his back and drag us to the promised land.

Defense is by far the hardest position to play in the NHL and it is can take 3 or 4 years for a young defenceman to figure out how to play the position. The Leafs basically are now going with a very inexperienced defensive core which includes Sandin, Dermott , Lillegren and Holl which are 4 young defenceman with limited NHL experience who are learning on the fly and making alot of mistakes which is hurting the team in big time. The Canucks had the same problem last year which Benning addressed in the offseason and upgraded the Canucks defence.

Ceci for all his critics has alot more experience than these 4 defenceman and really think the Leafs are stronger with him in the line-up instead of one of these 4 players.

Hardest position after goaltending is Centre.

Agree that goaltending is hardest position as all mistakes are magnified and alot of pressure put on player. Alot of people also do not realize that goalies are often the most athletic players on a team.

I think you are right about centre being harder than defence to play as you need to be a great skater and play a 200 foot game. However, errors by a defenceman are magnified when compared to errors by a centre iceman. Maybe this is part of the Leafs problems in that not really sure that their centres other than Gauthier know how to come back and play in their own zone and Kerfoot is just not strong enough to handle the bigger opposing centres.

They only take more heat when being observed by a dummy. Even a few of the less drooling colour commentators will pick up poor support down low by a centre. They are also depended on for crucial face offs and driving a line offensively.

Only in Toronto do we pick on a single player for everything that goes wrong.

One of favourite centres in the NHL is Jonathan Toews because I think he can do everything in terms of offense and defense required of a centre in the NHL and with his added leadership skills which are second to none.

I don't know you are the first Leaf's Fan I've heard say nice things about him.

maybe if the forwards actually played defense that would help. Just saying.

I'm the another. It's really a CapFriendly thing. Ceci was a Leafs whipping boy by so many back in July before he was played a game. Fact is Barrie has probably the Leafs worse Dman this season.