The Maple Leafs could get their own Matthew Schaefer if the stars align
Photo credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs may get themselves their own Matthew Schaefer if they'e lucky enough, as Chase Reid looks like he's the next elite blueline prospect.
As the NHL season ticks down, the Maple Leafs are going to have three more games to play and hopefully lose, giving them the best possible chance at seeing their 2026 first-rounder go to them and not the Boston Bruins.
It's not guaranteed, and the team needs to get lucky but has done it before when they brought in Auston Matthews. A decade later, the team is in the same position as when they drafted their captain, and the focus now shifts to improving the blueline.
On Thursday they were able to get one last look at Matthew Schaefer and get an up close and personal look as to why not only was he a first overall pick, but someone who has proven that a catalyst on the blueline can drive success —and at only 18 years old.
The Chase Reid obsession and why he is the perfect Matthew Schaefer clone for Toronto
Toronto would love themselves a Schaefer, and while they may not ever be lucky enough to get him, there's a great consolation. If the team manages a top-three selection somehow, they need to focus on taking Soo Greyhound defender Chase Reid.
Reid, 18, is an elite playmaking defenceman already and his vision and skating ability is already top-tier.
In 45 games this season, he has 48 points (18 goals, 30 assists) and for his career has amassed 88 points in 84 games (25 goals, 63 assists) in a brief two years in the OHL.
He can take the puck from his own zone, skate with ease into the offensive zone, then find his teammates for a scoring chance.
He prefers to pass however has a very smart shot, and prefers to aim for deflections than pure power, though is more than capable of wiring the puck.
Plus that speed allows him the ability to pinch a lot more often, and he doesn't get trapped easily on the return. He also loves to battle for pucks and uses all of his 6'2, 187-pound frame to disrupt opponents so the defence isn't slacking either.
How landing Chase Reid can finally fix the Maple Leafs blueline in 2027
But what's so great about Reid is that he would not only give the Maple Leafs hope for the future but for the now. Instantly able to slot into the lineup, he could replace Morgan Rielly as early as next year, and be the offensive leader for the next 20 years.
As we've seen with Schaefer, all it takes is one player to completely change the fortunes of a franchise. Reid would give Auston Matthews his first real offensive blueliner but also one who can step in and fill his shoes should he leave.
With an overhaul expected, Toronto is hopefully getting faster, younger, and more offensively minded. That fits perfectly for Reid, and the team needs a fresh faced, near-generational talent to usher them into a new era.
Granted, this all depends on whether or not the Maple Leafs even end up picking in the top-five, and they have a lot of work to do and a heck of a lot more luck to depend on in order to do so.
But if they end up lucking out and nabbing Reid (or really any of the elite talent available) then it's going to finally give Maple Leafs fans something they've been desperate for — hope.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
The Maple Leafs' pursuit of local star TJ Hughes ends as the Hamilton native chooses Colorado instead
The Maple Leafs' pursuit of local star TJ Hughes ends as the Hamilton native chooses Colorado instead
Previously on Hockey Patrol
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 11|789 ANSWERS The Maple Leafs could get their own Matthew Schaefer if the stars align Should the Maple Leafs draft Chase Reid if they get a top-5 pick? | ||
| Yes | 626 | 79.3 % |
| No | 163 | 20.7 % |
| List of polls | ||