How Signing Defenseman Mikko Lehtonen Impacts Maple Leafs’ Roster Makeup

BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA – MAY 26: #4 Mikko Lehtonen of Finland looks on during the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey … [+] World Championship Slovakia final game between Canada and Finland at Ondrej Nepela Arena on May 26, 2019 in Bratislava, Slovakia. (Photo by RvS.Media/Monika Majer/Getty Images)

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In some much welcomed non-COVID-19 news, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed defenseman Mikko Lehtonen to a one-year entry-level contract on Monday.

The salary details haven’t been confirmed yet, but CapFriendly notes that the maximum cap hit for Lehtonen would be $925,000. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reported that the deal doesn’t include any performance bonuses.

Signing Lehtonen, 26, is exciting for the Maple Leafs, given that he posted 49 points in 60 KHL games last year and was named KHL defenseman of the month three times. When you have a chance to add talent for minimal cost, you do it.

But the addition of Lehtonen — yet another left-shot defenseman, a position in which the Maple Leafs are already well stocked — is a reason to pause and think. What does this say about how Toronto plans to move forward with its back end?

For starters, it lessens the likelihood of free-agents-to-be Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci returning to the fold — which wasn’t all that likely to begin with.

As for the defensemen under contract, Morgan Rielly and Jake Muzzin have the top two left-side spots locked down. That’s not going to change, which leaves Lehtonen competing for one spot with incumbent Travis Dermott (a restricted free agent) and up-and-comer Rasmus Sandin.

At minimum, that means some lineup realignment is in order. But it could also signal a trade on the horizon.

Let’s start with potential lineup shuffling first, since it’s a little easier to conceptualize.

In order for all five aforementioned left-shot defenseman to remain in Toronto next year, one or more will have to shift to the right side. And again, it won’t be Rielly or Muzzin doing that.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie noted that Lehtonen played on the right side for Finland in the 2019 IIHF World Championship (in which the Fins beat Canada in the prelims on their way to gold). So he’s a candidate to make the move.

But McKenzie believes Dermott possesses the most “experience/aptitude” to play on the right side. It’s safe to assume Sandin, who just turned 20 in March and has the least hockey experience of three, is least likely to be asked to step out of his comfort zone and play on the right.

The Maple Leafs prefer to keep lefties on the left and righties on the right, a luxury they were afforded the entire 2019-20 season in spite of injuries.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Look no further than the lefty-stacked Bruins or righty Alex Pietrangelo on the left side of the Blues’ top pairing for examples of strong teams that make it work.

Assuming the Maple Leafs want to keep Rielly, Muzzin, Dermott, Sandin and Lehtonen (the safest assumption right now), something will have to change. And doing so shouldn’t be viewed as too big of a deal.

TORONTO, ON – FEBRUARY 22: Rasmus Sandin #38 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Carolina … [+] Hurricanes during the first period at the Scotiabank Arena on February 22, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)

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Now, let’s think about a trade for a moment.

Honing in on the Dermott, Sandin and Lehtonen trio, there’s one trade candidate that sticks out — Dermott.

Sandin, the Maple Leafs’ 2018 first-round selection, had a quiet rookie season (28 games, eight points) that burned through Year 1 of his coveted entry-level contract. With a sub-$900,000 cap hit, on a team with its back against the cap wall, it would be difficult to envision Sandin being shipped elsewhere.

With Lehtonen, do I have to spell it out? They just signed the guy. Immediately flipping him would be a confusing move — and it wouldn’t help their reputation with international free agents in the future.

So that leaves Dermott, a 23-year-old headed to restricted free agency for the first time. He’ll certainly command a higher cap hit than his current $863,333 total — the question is, how much higher?

Dermott disappointed offensively in 2019-20, with just 11 points in 56 games. In his third NHL season, he was supposed to take a leap and he didn’t.

There’s still plenty of promise for Dermott, but it’s reasonable to think there’ll be a discrepancy between what he and the Maple Leafs feel he’s earned. And he’s not eligible for arbitration, which could’ve helped solve that problem.

OTTAWA, ON – FEBRUARY 15: Toronto Maple Leafs Defenceman Travis Dermott (23) waits for a face-off … [+] during third period National Hockey League action between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators on February 15, 2020, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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So, maybe Dermott’s asking price is too high and the Maple Leafs look to make a deal. Or maybe he and Lehtonen both swing to the right side.

If the latter happens, Toronto might be forced to ship out one of its incumbent righties: either Timothy Liljegren, who has the same inexpensive contract situation as Sandin; or Justin Holl, who signed a three-year, $6 million extension on New Year’s Eve.

Maybe Toronto nabs big-ticket free agent Alex Pietrangelo this summer and everything changes.

The point is this: for now, Toronto added a cost-effective defenseman who thrived overseas. That’s a positive. As for the questions that move created, they’ll have to be addressed over time.