Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson have joined the Toronto Maple Leafs, joining Morgan Riely, Jake McCabe, Timothy Liljegren, and, presumably, Jani Hakanpaa.
Three new players have joined the Toronto Maple Leafs, joining three returning players, including Simon Benoit, who played in 65 games the previous season and might not be replaced by Hakanpaa after all.
The three new players will take the place of TJ Brodie, whose fall from star to supporting cast member dealt a serious blow to the team last season; Benoit, who would be better suited as a seventh defender; Giordano, who appeared in 46 games; and Lyubushkin, Edmundson, and Klingberg, who were all busts and won’t be returning.
I want to talk about two guys today: one who is new and the other who is leaving. It’s probably obvious who it is, but I’m going to keep their names a secret until the very end so you can compare them objectively. (Every statistic is from naturalstattrick.com).
Comparing a New and Old Toronto Maple Leafs Defenseman Let’s start by talking about Player A.
Position: Left-side defender on a rival team, third pairing.
Scoring in a 5v5 game consists of 3 goals, 17 total points, and 0.9 points for every 60 minutes of ice time.
On-Ice 5v5 Statistics:
56% of Pucks Are Possed; 56% of Shots-For Chances of Scoring: 55% chance of High Danger: 52%Goals anticipated: 54%
Real Objectives: 55% of the goals were 49–40.
Pay: $2.25 million for a contract of one year.
Let’s Do Player B Now.
Position: Left-Side Defenseman in the third pairing of a rival.
Scoring: 3 goals, 0.76 points per 60 minutes of ice play, and 5 vs. 8 Total Points.
On-Ice 5v5 Statistics:
Shots-For: 56%; Puck Possession: 55% Chances of Scoring: 58% Chances of High Danger: 57% Goals anticipated: 54%
Real Objectives: 32–25% was the goal for 56%.
Pay: a one-year contract of $900,000 (cap info puckpedia.com).
In summary
As you can see, on the exact same type of squad, Player A and Player B each performed the exact same duty. Although Player B does a better job of limiting risky opportunities, Player A does score slightly more. Though they were not the best players, they were both on their team’s PK.
The primary distinction is that Player A received three times the amount of money while playing 40 more games and having greater PP time.
Player B had marginally higher overall stats, although he missed half of the season due to injury or scratching. He also didn’t play PP. Still, I believe you would always choose player B because he is three times less expensive.
Despite Player A having a more stable position on his squad and playing with a better (at least by reputation) partner, the numbers are very close.
Then explain to me why the Toronto Maple Leafs gave Player A, also named Oliver Ekman-Larsson, a three-year contract and a 56% rise. while declining to sign Player B—that is, Mark Giordano, who will probably retire—again?
New Faces on the Blue Line
Three new players are set to join the Leafs: Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and the potential signing of Jani Hakanpaa. They will be replacing TJ Brodie, who struggled last season, Simon Benoit, who might be better suited as a seventh defender, Mark Giordano, Ilya Lyubushkin, Joel Edmundson, and John Klingberg—all of whom won’t be returning after disappointing performances.
Comparing New and Old Leaf Defensemen
To provide a clear picture of the changes, let’s compare two defensemen: one new and one leaving. We’ll keep their names hidden until the end to maintain objectivity.
Player A:
- Position: Left-side defender on a rival team, third pairing.
- Scoring in 5v5: 3 goals, 17 total points, 0.9 points per 60 minutes of ice time.
- On-Ice 5v5 Statistics:
- Puck Possession: 56%
- Shots-For: 56%
- Scoring Chances: 55%
- High Danger Chances: 52%
- Expected Goals: 54%
- Real Goals: 55% (49-40)
- Salary: $2.25 million for a one-year contract.
Player B:
- Position: Left-side defender on a rival team, third pairing.
- Scoring in 5v5: 3 goals, 5 total points, 0.76 points per 60 minutes of ice time.
- On-Ice 5v5 Statistics:
- Puck Possession: 55%
- Shots-For: 56%
- Scoring Chances: 58%
- High Danger Chances: 57%
- Expected Goals: 54%
- Real Goals: 56% (32-25)
- Salary: $900,000 for a one-year contract.
Analysis
Despite similar roles and statistics, Player A and Player B had different impacts on their teams. Player A scored slightly more but at a significantly higher cost and with more power play time. Player B, although playing fewer games due to injuries or scratches, had better overall defensive stats and was more cost-effective.
Player A is Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who the Leafs signed to a three-year contract with a 56% raise.
Player B is Mark Giordano, who was not re-signed and may be retiring.
