"In this busy time of year one of my favourite traditions is to a few moments to discuss the Leafs defensive depth situation. It didn't seem likely that there would be any need to understand the depth beyond Dakota Mermis, but thanks to his injury on Monday night, here we are discussing who replaces Mermis on the Leafs roster."
"There are a lot of similarities in Stecher and Benning's games that there should be some hope that he too could work well under Craig Berube and Mike Van Ryn. At the very least, Benning is comfortable as a minute eater, and that's not necessarily something that Craig Berube would want from Thrun, Villeneuve, or even Rifai at this point. Benning understands the safe, low event ask of him that Berube also trusts in Stecher and Mermis."
An injury to Dakota Mermis creates an immediate need for a defensive recall. Marshall Rifai could be an option but likely requires a conditioning stint after missing time. Henry Thrun and William Villeneuve present promising, youthful alternatives but lack experience. The team may prefer an experienced, reliable presence in a parity-driven NHL environment. Troy Stecher's emergence suggests that a similarly undersized, hardworking veteran can succeed in that role. Matt Benning offers right-shot depth, minute-eating capability, and a safe, low-event style. Benning could slot onto the bottom pairing to limit Philippe Myers' minutes and stabilize the defense.
Read at TheLeafsNation
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