The Toronto Maple Leafs still need secondary forward help. However, the emergence of two fourth liners have led way to one potential scratch.
It's no secret that the Maple Leafs need some extra help in the bottom part of their lineup offensively. While some players have come in and done well, it's been a rotation of various names with a mix of rookies and veterans.
However, the fourth line has turned into a solid defensive contingent with Connor Dewar and Steven Lorentz being a great shutdown duo that plays aggressively and keeps opponents on their toes.
Ryan Reaves needs to sit to help Maple Leafs
That does leave Ryan Reaves as the odd man out, and while the enforcer ends up throwing his weight around, he doesn't offer much in the way of defense.
With how much Brad Treliving values defense, he could look to other options in order to replace Reaves.
There's David Kampf, who is returning soon and whose defensive grit would fit perfectly alongside Dewar and Lorentz. Not to mention, he offers a wider skill set and is a better defensive option than Reaves.
Or if Bobby McMann returns before Kampf, then Toronto can use someone like Pontus Holmberg to fill Reaves' spot and bring that offensive potential with defensively sound fundamentals.
Reaves already missed five games this season due to a suspension, and the Maple Leafs went 4-1-0 without their enforcer, and though he does offer a bit of aggression on the ice, Reaves' main job is to fight; something he hasn't done in months.
Toronto signed Lorentz to a PTO this summer, and he translated a solid defensive play into a contract and it's paid off for the Leafs.
To go along with his work in the D-zone, Lorentz has five points so far, and while it's not a number that explodes off the page, it is more than Nick Robertson, Dewar and Reaves.
It's a great sign that the Leafs are able to get these kinds of contributions from their bottom line, and with players like Kampf returning, they have more than enough options if they wanted to sit Reaves.
It'll be up to Craig Berube, however, and given he loves to play Reaves, it might be a tough ask for the Leafs head coach.
But if the Leafs want to succeed and play their best on any given night, it might be best to let their enforcer take a back seat as the fourth line enforces through grit, hard work and defense.
