I hope Carlyle plans on playing 7D starting next game. We have Columbus and NYR and I honestly hate playing against those two teams. I don't think we've faired well against them (especially against Columbus this season who has thoroughly humiliated us on two occasions already).
Yeah I'd prefer that we sit McLaren/Orr and roll with 11 forwards and 7 defenseman.
Dion Phaneuf: 24-25 mins/g, burning candle at both ends two-way D (point-man/shut-down D)
Gunnarsson: big minutes shut-down D
Gardiner: big minutes puck-moving D
Franson: point-man relief for Phaneuf
Gleason: shut-down relief for Phaneuf
Rielly: secondary puck-moving D support
Ranger: secondary shut-down D support
The 7 D set-up makes more sense for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Because we have three defenseman who are a total liability defensively (Morgan Rielly, Cody Franson and Jake Gardiner). And none of these guys are good enough (yet) to play with Dion Phaneuf on the 1st pair. Phaneuf-Gunnarsson is the only 1st pair that makes sense at this point.