(Nathan Denette, The Canadian Press)
By Lukas Hardonk (@LukasHardonk)
Trade rumours about Luke Schenn heading out of Toronto began the moment the Maple Leafs drafted the young defenceman fifth overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. A strong, talented and big blue liner, Schenn entered the league with plenty of potential and has since developed into a solid every day NHLer, or has he?
Schenn, 22, has had a solid career with the Maple Leafs thus far. He has 70 points and 205 penalty minutes, 170 of which have resulted from fighting majors, in 295 career games. Outside of statistics, Schenn has been used in some of the most pressure-packed situations and often sees plenty of ice time against the opposition’s top players. But this season has been different.
Under Ron Wilson, Schenn sat out of the lineup as a healthy scratch on multiple occasions. Now under new head coach Randy Carlyle, nothing has changed. He played just over 12 minutes against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday and was once again a healthy scratch on Wednesday when the Leafs faced the Pittsburgh Penguins.
One might pin the contract he signed in the summer of 2011 as the main reason for Schenn’s struggles. That could easily be true, as there is no doubt a player in his situation would be feeling some pressure to succeed fresh off signing a five-year, $18 million contract in market such as Toronto. However, that is no excuse.
The above, as well as what appears to be somewhat of a stint in his development, has fuelled more trade talk involving Schenn than there has ever been including an earlier rumour that saw him headed to Philadelphia in exchange for Flyers forward James van Riemsdyk. That’s certainly understandable, which is all the more reason why Leafs general manager Brian Burke and his staff must address the current situation in the near future.
That situation is, of course, where Schenn currently fits in with the Maple Leafs. He doesn’t appear to be anything more than an inconsistent fifth or sixth defenceman at this point although many still believe that he could turn out to be a regular top-four guy in the future. But will he ever achieve that level with the Leafs?
If things continue to go the way they currently are for Schenn, the answer to that question is likely no. Not helping the situation is the fact that Carlyle recently scratched Schenn and lowered his ice time, which surely can’t impress the native of Saskatoon.
A new coach, his current play and a rather expensive contract for an under-performing player all contribute to the belief that Luke Schenn doesn’t seem to fit quite right on the Leafs’ roster at the moment and it’s clear that Burke isn’t willing to make a move to help the youngster, nor should he.
Does this mean that Schenn will be moved, though? Not necessarily, but that doesn’t mean it’s not something the Leafs shouldn’t consider either.
Despite the trade rumours being just that, ‘rumours,’ it’s obvious that there are teams in the NHL who have plenty of interest in Schenn and perhaps enough to surrender a rather large return to the Maple Leafs in exchange for him. Of course what everyone would like to see headed back to Toronto is either a top-six forward─something Burke and his staff has long coveted─or a goalie to hold down the fort, something that James Reimer and Jonas Gustavsson have failed to do this season.
So yes, it does appear that Schenn’s time with the Maple Leafs is coming to an end. And why not move him while you can get the most value?
Lukas covers the Toronto Maple Leafs for The Hockey Guys. You can follow Lukas on Twitter @LukasHardonk for more Maple Leafs coverage and contact him at lukas.hardonk (at) gmail (dot) com.
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