Brandon Duhaime wasn’t the splashiest name in the Maple Leafs’ offseason haul, but he may end up being one of the easiest for fans to embrace.
That’s the view from former Leaf Jay Rosehill, who thinks Duhaime’s style is exactly the kind that can catch on fast in Toronto. On Leafs Morning Take, Rosehill pointed to the winger’s gritty, physical approach as a real asset for a team that has plenty of offensive talent but could use more edge.
“Duhaime for me. He can play gritty, with a chip on his shoulder.
Talk about a guy who dumps and does something. We've talked a lot about the building being quiet...sometimes you're lulled to sleep.
[Playing] physical, nasty, rugged - they haven't had guys willing to do that. I think he has a chance to win some hearts of some fans over this season.”
That kind of game has long played well with Maple Leafs supporters. Toronto crowds have always gravitated toward players who bring more than scoring, the sort who stir things up, land a hit, and make life miserable for the other team. Tie Domi, Darcy Tucker, and Colton Orr all built their followings that way.
Duhaime isn’t being asked to become Domi or Tucker, but he does bring the same general ingredients: energy, agitation, and a willingness to live in the tough areas of the ice. He has averaged more than 140 hits per season over his NHL career, a clear sign that contact is part of his identity, not an occasional add-on.
The physical side is only part of the package. Duhaime’s 23.20 MPH ranked in the 92nd percentile for max skating speed, which makes him even more difficult to deal with when he’s coming hard on the forecheck. At 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, he can close quickly and make defenders feel him in a hurry.
There’s also the personality piece. Duhaime is known as someone who can lift a room, and Rosehill pointed to the humour he brings away from the rink as another reason he could connect with teammates and fans alike. That blend of lightness off the ice and intensity on it is the kind of thing that tends to stick in Toronto.
The opportunity is there, too. The Maple Leafs’ bottom six doesn’t have many players fans are likely to latch onto right away for their style alone, which opens the door for Duhaime to carve out a role as an energy driver. Steven Lorentz earned that kind of appreciation in his first season, and Duhaime gives Toronto another player who can change the mood of a game.
That matters in a market like this. Fans want someone they can count on to bring life no matter the score, whether the Leafs are rolling or chasing the game. A hard hit, a relentless forecheck, or a fight can flip the temperature in the building in a hurry.
That’s the lane Duhaime is walking into, and it’s why Rosehill thinks he could win people over quickly.
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It is the kind of broad roster makeover that can change the feel of a team quickly, especially for a club coming off a year that fell short of expectations. On paper, the mix gives Toronto more options up front, more stability on the back end and a new look in goal, which is enough to make the Leafs appear far more dangerous than they did a season ago, even if the real answer still has to wait for the games to start. [Read more 🡒]