NHL Analyst Claims Maple Leafs’ Biggest Need Is A Third-Line Center

What’s the biggest hole that the Toronto Maple Leafs and their general manager Kyle Dubas must fill this off-season?

On Tuesday, NHL analyst Kris Versteeg joined “Good Show” (with Ben Ennis & JD Bunkis) to discuss the Maple Leafs’ desperate need for a third-line centre following another devastating end to their season and another early playoff exit.

The Question: What Do the Maple Leafs Need to Add This Offseason?

NHL analyst Kris Versteeg was asked during “Good Show,” what he believed the Maple Leafs needed at this point in time to push over the edge toward playoff success. His answer was confident and redundant. Versteeg said it twice in fact – the team needs “a third-line centre number one” then he repeated “they need a third-line centre.”

Versteeg then went on the qualify that he meant “one that they’re gonna play.” He noted that, obviously they don’t wanna play Jason Spezza there.” Instead, he noted that “they need one that they can consistently roll out that can protect the top guys.”

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How Could a Third-Line Center Have Helped?

Versteeg noted that, during Game 7, to start the third period you should have started that period with a trustworthy third-line center and not Auston Matthews. The result, he claimed, would be that it would take “the pressure off putting Matthews against them (the Canadiens). Versteeg also noted that a third-line center the coach could trust would also allow the team “to map out the minutes better.”

Although it wasn’t obviously leveled as a critique against Maple Leafs’ head coach Sheldon Keefe, Versteeg noted that “You gotta be more willing to change in game” and make “in game adjustments.”

Would Versteeg Trade Mitch Marner?

Versteeg’s take is that he “would not blow it up.” Specifically, he noted that “I would not trade Mitch Marner.” He gets it that the Maple Leafs have to sign a number of players who are on expiring contracts, but he clearly stated that “at the moment I wouldn’t get carried away and think of trading Mitch Marner.”

Instead, Versteeg suggested finding a strong third-line center who could come in and reliably chew up some minutes while, at the same time, protecting the star players like Matthews.

So, Assuming Versteeg Has a Point, Now What?

If Versteeg is correct, and the Maple Leafs’ agree, who might the team bring in? Or do they value the center they already have in Alex Kerfoot enough to give him more solid minutes?

There’s no doubt – in my eyes – that as offensively powerful as Marner and Matthews are that they played a ton of minutes and (I believe) were both physically and mentally tired by the end of the series.

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