Brad Treliving's best move this season is the one nobody's talking about
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Brad Treliving's choice to add Troy Stecher off waivers has paid huge dividends and it seems to have slipped under the radar during Toronto's recent stretch.
When Toronto claimed Troy Stecher off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers earlier this season, it was seen as a savvy move on behalf of Brad Treliving as he was able to get a veteran puck-moving defenseman for essentially free.
He's been solid so far, and though he hasn't exploded offensively, his transition offense and relentless engine has helped Toronto start to turn things around, and he even logged the most ice-time of any Leafs defenseman on Saturday against Pittsburgh.
The small details in Troy Stecher's game that are saving shifts for Toronto
There weren't massive expectations around the 31-year-old Stecher when he arrived, but for someone who has over 570 career NHL games, he clearly has carved out a career for himself even if he's not the flashiest name on the ice.
But it's that reserved nature that has really started to shine a light on him. While he is not the focal point of the Maple Leafs offensive options on the back end, his ability to control the puck and wait that extra second for the right pass has been crucial.
His possession numbers are great, he's on the ice for more goals for than he is against, and so far with Toronto has a very good 4.89 xGF as opposed to only 2.2 xGA according to Hockey Reference's publicly available data.
Also he's been a minutes machine in Toronto, logging nearly 24 minutes against Pittsburgh, and has logged an average of 17:27 TOI - nearly four minutes more than he had in Edmonton.
While Stecher hasn't reached the offensive numbers that he had earlier in his career, he has still managed to help the forward group even while not appearing on the scoresheet due to his ability to start things, not necessarily finish them.
He still has 260 points in 572 games thus far over a 10-year career while appearing for Vancouver, Edmonton, Arizona, Detroit, Calgary, Los Angeles and Toronto so the offensive potential is there still.
What Brad Treliving's quiet win with Stecher says about his next move on defense
If Stecher's inclusion in the lineup is any indication, this team needs a primary puck-mover on offense who is quick on his feet and able to spark the forward group.
The team already has a lot of slower and heavier players on the back end and it's been hard for them to keep pace in their own end. Having someone who can play defense, but is also savvy enough with his hands to keep the puck and start a breakout could help the entire lineup, not just the stars.
It also shows that players like Stecher are all throughout the league and often times don't get the attention or playing time deserving of their talents. If Toronto can't afford a big splash, then being on the lookout for another waiver pickup or a fringe top-4 puck mover could work out well.
That may be the direction Toronto needs to go given they don't have a ton of assets to offer and acquiring those elite names will prove to be harder than not.
If Brad Treliving can find a way to turn some of his less-productive depth pieces into an upgraded version of what Stecher is, then it might be the key to turning the season from disappointing to successful.
With the trade deadline chatter heating up around bigger names, Stecher is the quiet reminder that value adds don't always have to cost first-round picks.
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