The Leafs had their perfect 3 LHD 3 RHD this season and they were/are a pretty bad D-core. This was done to please Babs, who was the one who was hung-up on the LHD-RHD even though many of his years in Detroit it was almost entirely LHDs.
Take for instance 2011/12 (Detroit D in order - RHDs are bolded)
Lidstrom
Kronwall
White
Stuart
Ericsson
Kindl
Quincey
Smith
Commodore
Janik
1 D in their top-6 was a RHD. Their other RHD was #9 on the depth chart.
I think that the Leafs' will try to acquire another RHD, but Dubas has always said that he is about finding efficiencies - RHDs are currently well over-priced and the exact opposite of finding efficiencies. I think if you are a young D who wants to either make the roster or move up in the lineup you better show you are can play the right side.
I suspect Sandin (and Liljegren) will spend another year in the minors. If he is I hope they leave him there for the season instead of bouncing him around.
Take for instance 2011/12 (Detroit D in order - RHDs are bolded)
Lidstrom
Kronwall
White
Stuart
Ericsson
Kindl
Quincey
Smith
Commodore
Janik
1 D in their top-6 was a RHD. Their other RHD was #9 on the depth chart.
I think that the Leafs' will try to acquire another RHD, but Dubas has always said that he is about finding efficiencies - RHDs are currently well over-priced and the exact opposite of finding efficiencies. I think if you are a young D who wants to either make the roster or move up in the lineup you better show you are can play the right side.
I suspect Sandin (and Liljegren) will spend another year in the minors. If he is I hope they leave him there for the season instead of bouncing him around.