The Toronto Maple Leafs will enter training camp for the 2018-19 season with a big-time addition in center John Tavares; however, the club failed to make any upgrades on defense, and will rely on players already within the organization to improve what is widely considered the weakest aspect of the roster.
A key component to that improvement will be the maturation of NHL sophomore Travis Dermott. The 21-year-old had 13 points in 37 regular season games for the Leafs in his rookie season after being called up from the American Hockey League in January, while also playing in all seven games of the first round loss to Boston.
After the Maple Leafs were eliminated, Dermott returned to the Toronto Marlies and played an integral role in their first Calder Cup Championship.
The #CalderCup tour crosses the Atlantic and lands back on Canadian soil as @Travis_Dermott celebrates with family.#MarliesLive pic.twitter.com/7Di4xtVboG
— Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) August 5, 2018
While he now has that experience under his belt, the speedy defenseman hopes to learn from the hard lessons he received in his first taste of Stanley Cup competition.
“I wasn’t too happy with my (performance), but it was my first NHL Playoffs, so I wasn’t too worried about it," Dermott said at the MasterCard Centre on Tuesday. "You watch some video and break it down and you try to move forward and that’s what I think I’m doing going into next season
"You understand the level you have to play at. To be on the ice every day and be successful. You try work towards that and surpassing that.”
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Entering his third professional season, Dermott is penciled in on the Leafs bottom pairing but could earn a larger role with veteran Ron Hainsey, pending unrestricted free agent Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev in Toronto’s top four.
“I’m expecting myself to have a good showing here and (continue) where I left off last year and try to keep going, keep learning (and) keep getting better," he acknowledged. “We know in this room that we can do what we want to do and we have the assets to be successful. Everyone just has to come in and do their job every day and keep working and moving forward.”
Leafs head coach Mike Babcock keeps tabs on many of his players and provided a bit of off-season guidance to the young blueliner over the summer.
“(Babcock has) been following up with me, just kinda seeing how my summer is going and see how I’m feeling, see how workouts are going," mentioned Dermott. "I see him (at the practice facility) every now and then, and it's good to talk to him and see what's up with each other's lives. Once we start (training camp), he’ll probably be in everyone’s ear and pushing each other a little bit more”
One advantage that could give the left-handed defenseman a leg up in moving into a larger role is his ability to play on the right side. While Morgan Rielly and Gardiner occupy the left side of Toronto’s top four, the right side has a 37-year-old Hainsey playing his off-side in the final year of his contract and Zaitsev coming off a disappointing sophomore campaign.
“Playing the right side is a good asset to (have) and I learned that the last couple years with the Marlies and a little bit in the OHL," the Newmarket, Ont. native said. "It’s good to have that in your back pocket to play the off side and if things unfold that way, you just try to be as comfortable as you can with your situation.
“There are definitely some hiccups and it feels awkward sometimes, but the more you play it, the more comfortable you’ll be.”
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It is expected that general manager Kyle Dubas will continue to explore trade options before the NHL Trade Deadline thanks to plenty of available cap space and young assets to exchange. But with the prices for NHL defensemen as rentals, or even those with some years remaining on their contract, continuing to escalate the Leafs GM is likely to look at every option within the organization before going outside of it.