Leafs GM Brad Treliving Urged to Target Key Defensive Free Agent

While there's a lot of potential with Toronto's young defensemen like Cade Webber, Noah Chadwick and Ben Danford, there's always room for some more potential standouts on the blue line.

So they could do themselves a favor and add a beast on the blue line and look to sign University of North Dakota defenseman Caleb MacDonald.

Though the Maple Leafs have a slew of defensemen in the system, but he certainly deserves a look and could potentially sign an ELC, much like fellow NCAA defender John Prokop; who the team signed earlier this week.

Standing at 6'4, 224 pounds, MacDonald is a behemoth on the ice. While he is capable of some offense, he's definitely bringing a huge presence to the ice.

This season, he had 10 points in 35 games and though he hasn't hit the numbers he hit as part of the AJHL, he still put in a respectable season.

He does have a bit of a discipline issue, as he has 309 PIM over the last four seasons in the AJHL and college hockey.

The 22-year old would be a great addition to a young defensive system in Toronto and could offer a great replacement for Simon Benoit or Philippe Myers down the line.

He blocks a ton of shots, which is now almost a mandatory trait to play for the Maple Leafs, and could evolve into a Brandon Carlo-type player.

There are other teams interested in the defenseman including the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins, and given that the defender's favorite team is the Pens; they could hold a distinct advantage.

If Toronto can add him to their ranks, and join the likes of Prokop as well as new forward Borya Valis, it could spark a youth movement in the coming years.