The Toronto Maple Leafs have nothing to fear following the Connor Hellebuyck trade with the New Jersey Devils.
The bottom line is that the trade has not changed the balance of power in the Eastern Conference. It’s not like suddenly the Devils will sweep out the rest of the regular season and go 16-0 in the playoffs.
Hellebuyck won’t change the question marks surrounding the team, even if it did improve a glaring weakness.
Think about it this way: Igor Shesterkin has been one of the best goaltenders in the NHL over the last three or four seasons. And it has made zero difference for the New York Rangers.
The Devils will still need to play defense in front of Hellebuyck, while also scoring.
That will be the biggest issue for New Jersey. They’ll need to give their new goalie run support. If they can’t do that, the deal might not work out nearly as well as intended.
That’s why the Maple Leafs have no reason to lose any sleep over Hellebuyck landing in the Metro Division. While it would have been more concerning if he had landed in Buffalo, the bottom line is that the Leafs should be just fine with the way things turned out.
Connor Hellebuyck Might Only Really Matter in the Playoffs
Because the Devils are in the Metro Division, the Maple Leafs only see the Devils three times during the regular season. Toronto will host the Devils on November 8, presumably with Hellebuyck in tow. The two sides will play one another on December 17 and March 20 in New Jersey.
Depending on how the two clubs are faring in the standings, the games will have more or less of a material impact.
Otherwise, Hellebuyck would only really become a concern for the Maple Leafs if they faced the Devils in the playoffs. With the way the postseason is set up, that would only happen if the two teams made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final.
Needless to say, that possibility seems a little distant at this point.
If anything, the Devils need to convince everyone that they’re ready to become serious contenders. And until they do, no one in the NHL needs to run for the hills.
Maple Leafs Just Need to Do Their Own Thing
As much as it sounds like a cliché, the Maple Leafs just need to do their own thing. They can’t get caught up in what other teams are doing.
At the end of the day, the only thing that the team can do is play its best and win its games. That’s it. And when the Maple Leafs eventually face New Jersey, with Hellebuyck in the crease, the Buds just have to do their best to ensure they’re up to the task.
If and when the Leafs and Devils meet in the playoffs, that’s another topic entirely.
There is a word of caution that seems to have flown unnoticed in this entire ordeal: Hellebuyck missed all of training camp and hasn’t played a game in months. He will still need plenty of time to adjust to his new team and get back in the groove before he can really impact the Devils’ roster.
And that’s a major red flag at this point.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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