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The pros and cons of the Maple Leafs running 11 forwards and 7 defensemen — and whether it’s a sound approach at playoff time

Truthfully, it looked a bit awkward. The Leafs were flush with NHL defensemen, but when they traded away Rasmus Sandin and acquired a first-round pick in the process, most people – myself included – assumed Kyle Dubas would then try to flip the pick (or perhaps be more comfortable flipping other picks) in order to acquire a forward as the Leafs really lack NHL experience beyond their top 12.

If one forward falls injured, their current options are Pontus Holmberg, Bobby McMann, Alex Steeves, and eventually, Knies. Those four players have a combined 51 games of experience and 14 points to their names collectively.