Could The Maple Leafs Use a Little More Youth on Defence?

Toronto's blue line is experienced, but it isn't getting younger. That's not necessarily a problem today. Veteran defencemen can still be extremely valuable, particularly for a team trying to win now. But NHL seasons have a way of changing plans.

Players get hurt. Players slow down. A young player surprises everyone. Suddenly, a team that thought it had everything figured out in September is looking for something different by November. That's why Troy Stecher was so valuable for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. The team picked him up off waivers, gave him an opportunity, and he ended up making a real difference.

Two names stand out as possible PTO candidates: Nick Blankenburg and Adam Boqvist. Neither would require Toronto to promise anything. That's the beauty of a tryout. Bring them to camp. Let them play. See how they look beside the players already on the roster. Then decide.

Blankenburg Might Give Toronto Something Different.

Blankenburg is 28, which isn't exactly young in hockey terms, but he would still make Toronto's blue line a little younger and more mobile. He's undersized, but he has shown that he can play regular NHL minutes. That might actually make him an interesting fit.

The Maple Leafs don't necessarily need another big defenceman who plays the same kind of game as everyone else. They could use somebody who moves well and can keep up when the game starts speeding up. A PTO would allow Toronto to see whether Blankenburg's game works in its system without committing to a roster spot or contract in advance.

Boqvist Is the More Interesting Gamble.

Adam Boqvist might be the more intriguing name. He was once the eighth-overall pick, and the offensive talent that made him such a highly regarded prospect hasn't completely disappeared. The problem is that injuries and inconsistency have kept him from becoming the player many people expected. But this is exactly why a PTO exists.

Toronto doesn't have to believe Boqvist is going to suddenly become a star. It simply has to wonder whether there is still something useful there. If Boqvist can move the puck, add some creativity and give the Maple Leafs a different look from the back end, he might be worth keeping around.

A PTO Doesn't Have to Solve the Problem.

Toronto doesn't need Blankenburg or Boqvist to arrive and immediately take over the blue line. It simply needs to give itself options. The Maple Leafs have spent much of this offseason getting older and more experienced. There is logic in that. But if they are going to turn younger at some point, they might as well start looking now.

A PTO is a pretty cheap way to ask a simple question: What if one of these guys still has more hockey left than anybody expects? Sometimes you don't find an answer until you invite the question to training camp.