TSN: Chris Johnston on if the Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking for a defenseman as well as a center before the March 7th NHL trade deadline.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Bryan Hayes: “I still think this Defense Corps. I guess what I’m getting to CJ is, for years leading up to the deadline, it was defense, defense, defense. I’m not convinced we’re not still going to be attacking that position come the trade deadline, when it comes to the Leafs.
Johnston: “I wouldn’t agree. I mean, it’s still probably a secondary priority at this point. I mean, lots of time, a lot can change. You hope no one gets injured between then and now. But you know, injuries could, could blow up the whole plan, or force a shifting of the plan, still between now and March 7.
But you know, the other part of it too that we haven’t really got to is, you know, Jani Hakanpaa and he was back at practice . But you know, the guys played two games all season with the Leafs, two more at the Marlies. You know, he, he was signed as a potential player that, you know, I think could help out the third pairing. But, you know, I don’t know where everything stands with him. And so he was like, if it doesn’t look like you can rely on him to play when it matters, even as a seven, eight kind of guy, and then you’re looking at some of the injuries that are there. I mean, sure, I think it’d be perfectly reasonable for them to go out and try to get another defenseman.
I don’t know what’s going to be out there yet. I mean, you know, probably guys like David Savard and Montreal as a rental. You know, a few other sorts of that nature that probably makes sense.
But, you know, I think that clearly they tried to do the biggest work in the summer. I mean that the (Chris) Tanev acquisitions gone great. I think , you know, by and large has been a good signing so far. He’s been a good part of this blue line.
But you know, I’m with you I still think it’s a work in progress, and wouldn’t surprise me when we get to March 7th if we’re talking about a couple of acquisitions for this team.
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