"Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev haven't been the lockdown duo they were last season. Brandon Carlo's adjustment to being a Leaf is still at best a work in progress and while Morgan Rielly doing what Morgan Rielly does best is a positive outcome, it does mean that his partner (Carlo) has likely been left with some defensive work he might not be capable of handling."
"That being said, Tanev's injury (his placement on the IR points to him missing 3 or more games) creates a shakeup situation on the blueline and the Leafs can benefit from that. Similar to Max Domi playing on the Auston Matthews line against New Jersey, Brandon Carlo playing with Jake McCabe looks like he might be failing upward but not in a bad way."
"Logic would dictate that Carlo is better suited to moving down the lineup and not facing the competition that he would see alongside Morgan Rielly, but there is also logic in seeing what Carlo can do in a top four role with a more defensively minded partner. McCabe is that guy and this duo has the potential be very difficult to play against and very punishing in their own zone."
The defence has not looked great this season despite a slight reduction in shots against per game from 29.3 to 28.8. Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev have not been the lockdown duo they were last season. Brandon Carlo's adjustment to being a Leaf remains a work in progress, and Morgan Rielly's offensive role can leave his partner with difficult defensive responsibilities. Oliver Ekman-Larsson has delivered steady third-pairing play with Simon Benoit and added offence. Tanev's IR placement suggests he will miss three or more games, creating a blueline shakeup. Carlo skating with McCabe has shown promising, punishing potential.
Read at TheLeafsNation
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