Hunwick is our #6 not sure where you get he's our most reliable, Z and Rielly and Gard's are all 2nd pairing type D so hopefully we can find at least 1 top pairing right handed D plus replacing Hunwick should make us a lot better next year.
Go Leafs Go
- Garnie

Garnie, sorry I forgot to put the word "I" in there about Hunwick. I believe he has been the most reliable defenseman Toronto has had since he makes far less mistakes than all of his other counterparts back in the defensive end. Less of a liability than the others...however, he has made some glaring mistakes in recent games, more notably the two in game 5. One at the tail end of regulation with the game 1-1, and the other with Rielly who is a still a major liability defensively which cost the game and probably the series.

The club will need more than just one solid, experienced defender to help its chances of becoming a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

I also do not trust Freddy Andersen in goal either. He is still the #1 goaltender heading into next season and has brought some respectability to the Toronto net, but still isn't the elite #1 like many others (especially in Anaheim) thought he was or would be. In Chicago here, I recall watching him allow very bad goals when the Ducks led the Western Finals 3-1 but ultimately lost because of Andersen's poor play in games 5-7.

I don't think Toronto needs to really look far for a backup. I would like to see them give either Bibeau or Sparks a chance to challenge Andersen a bit. Andersen was given the keys to the city upon the trade from Anaheim and signing the 5-year deal. He knew all season long he would be the guy and the organization has gotten what they deserve, a very up and down roller coaster season from him. The Leafs need for him to be more consistent and some competition from some youngsters behind him won't hurt...or shouldn't hurt. Andersen needs to be pushed next season to try and get him to that next level. Right now, he isn't nearly as good or as steady as Quick, Rask, Price, Lundqvist, Crawford, Rinne just to name a few. And you are going need a guy who is that good.

A good example of what I mean: In Chicago I never thought I would put Corey Crawford in the same class as Quick, Lundqvist, Price, Rask and Rinne, but the Hawks had guys like Antti Rantaa and Scott Darling (both excellent backups, but have shown capable of handling a #1 job for at least an extended period of time) push Crawford towards reaching that level when he stood on his head and helped the out of gas Hawks in 2015 beat Tampa Bay in a very low scoring series that should have been anything but low scoring. Andersen needs that push from either Bibeau or Sparks or both...or else he will never be good enough to win a Cup either.