Keefe Explains why he Healthy Scratched a Veteran

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Julien Trekker
April 3, 2023 (12:24)

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Since Jake Muzzin had to step away from the ice, many fans were concerned about the Leafs' blue line and how they could possibly win a series against the mighty Lightning.

At the deadline, Dubas made a big move by going for Jake McCabe and Luke Schenn.

In recent weeks, we've seen a new and promising defensive pairing in the McCabe-Brodie duo.

Among defensive duos logging a minimum of 100 minutes together in all situations since February 26th, McCabe and Brodie hold the 8th spot in expected goals against, 13th in on-ice save percentage, 3rd in goals against per 60, and 2nd in expected goals against per 60.

Sam Lafferty commented:

"They see the game pretty similarly. They have similar strengths. They defend so well. They're so good with the puck, breaking pucks out & it seems like they've had instant chemistry. Yeah, it's really nice when they're on the ice together."

Even if he did it involuntarily, McCabe took Morgan Rielly's spot on the top pair, enabling him to assume a more protected role. With those new responsibilities come risks.

We often see key players being out of the lineup right before the playoffs. Whether it's for avoiding injuries or general fatigue, coaches have reasons to do so.

Sheldon Keefe Reveals Why McCabe Didn't Play Last Night

Here's what he said:

"He has done a tremendous job. He's taken on a lot of minutes & done very well. He's a guy that we're going to lean on a lot ..."

McCabe enjoyed a night off with Mitch Marner and Mark Giordano. It wouldn't be surprising to see other players take a break before the start of the post-season.

As seen on Maple Leafs Daily -
Keefe explains why veteran defender was a healthy scratch against the Wings