The Leafs are in a tough spot this offseason if they don't plan on moving one of the big 4. They need to find a way to upgrade their defence but don't have a lot of cap space to work with. Most likely Andreas Johnsson AND Kasperi Kapanen will need to be traded and replaced with cheaper guys in order for the Leafs to bring in a solid top 4 option like Dylan DeMelo, Radko Gudas, MacKenzie Weegar, Damon Severson or Erik Cernak.

Another issue that they will run into is deciding whether to keep Travis Dermott or Justin Holl. Both defencemen are going to command a cap hit of around 2 million next season and have shown the ability to play on the right side. Before the playoffs started, I would have certainly preferred to keep Holl since he was having a great season on the top pairing with Jake Muzzin. However, now, I'm not so sure as Holl had a difficult playoffs and Dermott is younger and will have the higher upside moving forward.

Both defenceman are pretty good from a statistical point of view as they rank above the 75th percentile in expected goals per 60, plus are pretty good in transition. Holl generates more chances offensively, but perhaps that has more to do with the fact that he sees more time with the team's top forwards. In terms of weaknesses, I would say that Dermott can be prone to making a bad turnover or pinch that leads to an odd-man rush while Holl had trouble keeping up with the opposition's speed in the neutral zone. In their own end, both have done a fine job at preventing the opposition from generating quality scoring chances and are above average at stopping the cycle.

In my opinion, keeping either defenceman would be fine. I'd lean a bit more towards Dermott because I feel he has the potential to become a full time top 4 defender. We have to keep in mind that it is not uncommon for defencemen to establish themselves at a later age. If Toronto can find an upgrade over Dermott/Holl, keep 1 of them and add a few aggressive forecheckers to the forward group, that would be an ideal offseason in my opinion. I made a potential lineup for next season based on this scenario:

Hyman (2.25) - Matthews (11.634) - Marner (10.893)
Robertson (.85) - Tavares (11) - Nylander (6.9)
Mikheyev (1.7) - Kerfoot (3.5) - Sheary (1.5)
Engvall (1.25) - Spezza (.7) - Barabanov (.925)

Rielly (5) - DeMelo (3.75)
Muzzin (5.6) - Holl/Dermott (2)
Sandin (.894) - Lehtonen (.925)

Andersen (5)
Campbell (1.85)

Martin (.7)
Marincin (.7)

80.6/81.5 Million

@aadoyle @TheLeafsSeason @draft_em_sign_em_trade_em @leafs_and_sens_fan @palhal @leafsfanforsomereason
@mhockey91 @Miles_Togo @MG1986 @leafs_fan13 @leafs101 @onex @Trickster @leaflet @NR1203 @mmxd @jamiepo @edeangel84 @SammyT_51 @KakkoForMauriceRichardAward @PleaseBanMeForMyOwnGood @EnvironmentalTwister @ZachArmel @RangerWall92 @Rodzikhockey93 @Kukas26 @Boomer125 @TheresAlwaysNextYear @firezfurx @Daryl @gordon_bombay @KileDoobis @kams @byrr @kous @keep_ups12 @KoneDome @TONY135420 @DOUGIEGILMOUR @BigBrainDubas @MAKEMARNERACENTRE @JDUBS44 @TERRY_AKISAUCE @LEAFSFANATIC

What'd you guys think of this scenario? Who'd you keep between Dermott and Holl?

DON'T QUOTE THIS POST, PRESS REPLY AND PLEASE VOTE.

Holl all the way. I’m not that big on Dermott

I would keep Justin Holl over Dermott
1. Dermott will probably get a better return then Holl. I think they are both similar in skill. Dermott is more of a puck mover and Holl is a defensive defenseman
2. Dermott is LH and wasn't great on the right side. Holl is decent on the right side
3. Holl kills penalties way better. Dermott does but isn't that good
4. Holl fits in with Muzzin. We could keep him on the bottom pair, but if we ever need him to we could push him up

Overall I think Holl is the one to keep over Dermott. However, I would try to keep both

My preference would be keep Dermott. Holl has always been a bottom pairing d man. He’s infuriating to watch and at his age, he’d be the better option to move.

Holl is good but away from Muzzin his flaws show. Still he is a solid depth guy and should a team require a cheap RD he could be dealt. Dermott is younger and is showing signs of becoming a solid top 4. He can play both sides well which is an added bonus. His stats are also comparable to many of the best defenseman in the NHL when they were his age. So if Holl is moved I could see Muzzin-Dermott or Muzzin-Lehtonen being a pairing.

Overall i see Dubas keeping both than Holl probs gets taken by seattle unless a deal of a lifetime is offered.

Dermott>Holl and it’s not close. His skill level and hockey IQ are both way above holl’s. I like Holl but if it comes down to those two I would be keeping Dermott. Holl isn’t getting any better, Dermott is.

We have guys who can play Dermott’a game in TL and Sandin. We don’t have guys like Holl

Dermott. Holl looks like garbage when he isn't carried by Muzzin

I’m keeping Dermott

Definitely Dermott, Holl is solid with Muzzin but looked lost without him.

So if I understand you correctly... we have people to replace Dermott but Dermott for some reason can not replace Holl... even though he is better in both ends and transition....because... no reason at all?

Holl is useless without Muzz. He makes horrible decisions in his own zone and in the O zone. Bottom pairing defensman all day.Put Muzz with Dermott and I bet you see a real shutdown pairing.

My words from December 2019, when Dubarelli gave him 3 x 2M

I don't get it. Unless we have to trade him to make room for the perfect fit D, Dermott is everything we could ask for. Decision making is just okay, but that comes with experience and with playing with a guy like Muzz at such a young age. Plays with speed, offensive ability, heart, and grit in the D zone. Has all of the tools to be a top 4 stud with a little bit more experience and learning from a guy like Muzzin. I think it should go:

Rielly (5M) - Shutdown D (3.5M) (trade or UFA)
Muzz (5.6M) - Dermott (1.2M)
Sandin (874k) - Vet D (2M) (UFA)

Even your vet D could be holl yes I know he’s no vet But sheltered minutes withvavquick agile Dman like Sandin would be good for him. Sandin could also be used to rest Rielly on OZ faceoffs with your vet or even Dermott to rest muzzin.

3 x 2m is a fair enough contract for any nhler. Holl may not be great but he doesn’t take a lot of cap.

More craziness about how bad the Leafs defence is? Nashville gets knocks out in the first round and next year they have 20m spend on their top 3 Dmen next season.
San Jose doesn't make the playoffs with three Dmen making 26.5m
I'm all for improvement but at what cost to the cap, and without decimating the forward position.
If the Leafs hadn't hit a few posts in game 5, maybe all would be rosy in LeafLand.

Couldn’t agree more!

I don't think the vet D should be Holl. I think it should be a guy with real NHL playoff experience, not Holl who was basically a rookie this year and was garbage when he wasn't with Muzzin. I'd love them to go for a guy like Braun or even Mike Green on the third pair to play with Sandin.

The original question and poll assumes that Leafs can acquire that very particular D that Rielly requires to be better. That's a pretty big assumption right now.

Dermott is better and will get even better whereas Holl kinda is what he is. Right now I can't see Leafs trading Dermott for alot of reasons but the biggest being that getting the right D partner for Rielly just isn't easy and trading Dermott or Holl will not get the Leafs said D.

If it were a vet that we could save money Hainsey cough* I would be okay.

I'd take Hainsey back but he's 39. I don't know if that's the smartest thing to rely on, regardless of how well he has aged as a hockey player. Maybe as an extra

We gotta keep both right now and add a RD.

I see pairs as this for next season :

Rielly and ???
Muzzin and Holl
Dermott and Lehtonen


Most names thought are Weegar, Murphy, Severson, and Manson.

I'm not sold on any of those players. Manson from 3 years ago would have been the choice, not now tho.