Maple Leafs to Trade Bryan McCabe?

The latest news regarding Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Bryan McCabe, is that he is now open to waiving his contract's no movement clause. Reportedly, he has been asked by Maple Leafs General Manager Cliff Fletcher to prepare a list of teams he would be open to accepting a trade too. If this is true, the Maple leafs will hopefully be able to avoid a standoff with their veteran blue liner. Until now, McCabe has been unwilling to waive, despite the fact that Cliff Fletcher has publicly voiced the Maple Leafs desire to move him.

In my opinion, a trade would be a good resolution for both parties involved. Bryan McCabe will get a fresh start in a new city, while the Toronto Maple Leafs will be able to move forward with a younger defense. Also, this would most likely mean that Pavel Kubina would be staying on with the Maple Leafs. Some speculation has been rampant that Fletcher would seek to move Kubina, if he was unsuccessful in convicing Bryan McCabe to accept a trade. Kubina was one of the Maple Leafs top defenseman last season, and new head coach Ron Wilson has expressed his desire to keep him on the roster.

A Maple Leafs defence without McCabe?
So what exactly would the Toronto Maple Leafs defence look like without Bryan McCabe? In my opinion, better. While McCabe has had some great offensive seasons with the Leafs, he has also been infamous for making costly turnovers, and playing mediocre in his own end. His new replacements seem to be the opposite. Jeff Finger and Jonas Frogren are the newest additions to the Maple Leafs blue line. Both are defensive minded players who might not put up many points, but play solid physical games in their own end. Finger also brings to the Maple Leafs a remarkably low turnover rate. It looks like their defensive unit might finally focus on playing defense!

With Bryan McCabe gone, the Toronto Maple Leafs defensive lineups may look something like this:

Pair 1: Thomas Kaberle/Pavel Kubina - I believe this pair will serve the Toronto Maple Leafs well. Kaberle is one of the better offensive d-men in the league. Kubina on the other hand, is solid defensively and can be a physical presence. If Ron Wilson can get him to throw all of his 244 pounds around, he can punish opposing forwards and make them think twice before crossing into the Maple Leafs zone.
Pair 2: Jeff Finger/Carlo Colaiacovo - Should be an interesting pair. The big question mark for this one though, is Colaiacovo's injury history. Can he finally stay healthy? If so, he can be a very physical player that can wear down the opposition, and may turn out to be one of the Maple Leafs best defenders. Jeff Finger doesn't have much offensive upside, but he is very consistent in his own end. If this consistency can help keep the puck out of the Maple Leafs net, his much criticized contract will be worth the price.
Pair 3: Jonas Frogren/Anton Stralman - Personally, I am looking forward to watching this pair the most. Frogren is a newcomer to the Toronto Maple Leafs, but was a top veteran in the Swedish Elite League. He says he likes to hit, and if so, will be a welcome addition for Maple Leafs fans, who have been hoping for a more physical defense. Stralman is one of this team's top young players, and could potentially evolve into a very talented puck-moving defenseman. These two also have experience playing together as part of the Swedish National Team.

I like the look of this defense. Under the guidance of defensive guru Ron Wilson, look for the Maple Leafs blue line to surprise alot of people this year. Provided of course, Bryan McCabe agrees to waive his no movement clause, and depart from the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Toronto Maple Leafs News Ticket will have more updates on the McCabe situation.