As the Maple Leafs try to put a disastrous 2025-26 defensive season behind them, the blue line is going to be one of the biggest storylines heading into next year. Toronto allowed 295 goals last season, second most in the league, and the 32.4 shots it gave up per game ranked dead last in the NHL.
That kind of damage leaves no room for guesswork. If the Leafs want a better result in 2026-27, the pairings have to make sense from the start.
The cleanest shutdown option remains Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev. That was Toronto’s best defensive duo in 2024-25, and it should have been the same story last season if not for Tanev’s injury issues, which limited him to 11 games.
McCabe ended up next to a rotating cast that included Troy Stecher, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Simon Benoit, Brandon Carlo and even a bit of Morgan Rielly, but none of those looks matched what he had with Tanev. At 5-on-5, McCabe posted a respectable 48% CF% with Tanev, while his CF% never climbed above 46% with any of the other partners.
If Tanev is healthy again, Toronto should want that pair back in the heavy-lifting role against top lines.
The more interesting fit may be Oliver Ekman-Larsson with Darren Raddysh. A lot of people would naturally point Raddysh toward Rielly, but that could create problems in Toronto’s own zone because both are puck-moving defensemen without much of a physical edge.
Ekman-Larsson brings a steadier blend of veteran presence and subtle physicality, and that could give Raddysh the freedom to play more aggressively and grow into his game. The 35-year-old was arguably Toronto’s best all-around defenseman last season, so he gives the newcomer a far safer runway.
Morgan Rielly, meanwhile, looks best when he has a defensive-minded partner beside him. That has shown up before, with Ron Hainsey serving as the obvious example from Rielly’s best offensive season in 2018-19.
For next season, Emil Andrae or Troy Stecher would fit that mold. Andrae, at 24, could benefit from Rielly’s experience while also bringing active stick work and gap control that helps cover for Rielly’s defensive shortcomings.
Stecher is just as logical, especially after the two posted Rielly’s best CF% and expected goals at 54% together at 5-on-5 last season. If Toronto is going to get a better version of Rielly, one of those two partners could be part of the answer.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs May Have A Veteran Winger Gamble Worth Watching
The Maple Leafs have already spent the offseason reshaping their roster, bringing in names like Sergei Bobrovsky and Darren Raddysh as they look for a better blend of depth and experience. Even with those additions, there is still room for another veteran forward to fit into the mix, especially one whose track record suggests he can handle a useful role without needing a long-term commitment.
One option being floated is a short-term, low-risk look at a winger with plenty of NHL mileage and a championship rsum. Toronto does not need to make a splash here so much as find a player who can stabilize the forward group, and the appeal is obvious if the price and term stay modest. The real question is whether the Leafs decide the fit is worth bringing him into camp at all. [Read more 🡒]
Bruce Boudreau Just Raised A Familiar Maple Leafs Fear
The Maple Leafs spent the offseason trying to harden the roster, adding Brandon Duhaime on a three-year deal and bringing in players such as Darren Raddysh and Colton Sissons as part of a broader push for more physicality, depth and defensive reliability. It is the kind of makeover that suggests a team trying to answer some of the same questions that have followed it for years, especially once the games get tighter and the margin for error shrinks.
Bruce Boudreau still sees one of those old concerns hanging over Toronto, and he framed it in familiar terms for a club that has long been judged by how well its back end can support the rest of the lineup. He also pointed to Duhaime as the sort of player who can help in the right role, while noting there are still questions about consistency and decision-making around the roster overhaul, which leaves the Leafs with a familiar test as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]