The Forgotten Defenseman

The Toronto Maple Leafs have an asset that has been generally obliterated from the minds of the media and sports critics.  This asset is easily the secret weapon and season changing player that all teams long for.  He goes by the name of Mike Van Ryn!

Can you vaguely remember this name?

Yes, he's the one who had ridiculous amounts of injuries, and yes barely played even a quarter of the season last year.  All the same as it stands for the Maple Leafs he's the one that pushes them over the top.

Just bare with me as I explain how.

First of all he's a top notch defender with offensive upside.  In the last three healthy years he played he accumulated 37, 37, and 29pts. respectively.  Now think what has Brian Burke been up to.

Well for one it looked straight up like he had traded away in Kubina Toronto's only other puck moving defenseman in return for a defensive specialist.  And oh! he signed Mike Komisarek a hard hitting hard playing (you guessed it) defensive defenseman.

But what about this guy Van Ryn?  He can't be all that bad, after all he put nearly 40pts. in a season no small feat for a d-man in the big time NHL. 

Hmmm!  Maybe if they do trade Kaberle they won't have a bare cupboard?  Oh and what does Burke do now...sign Francois Beauchemin a very skilled puckmoving d-man, who although might not be as sexy or earth shattering in points by defense is still a consistent 40pt. man.

So all of a sudden the Leafs have two solid puck moving d-men that aren't named Kaberle.  So what does this leave for Burke to do for the rest of the off-season?

One he can afford to trade Kaberle and get a legit top lie scorer that can play for them now.  A very plausible option, but what about option number two?

Option number two is keep Kaberle, and all of a sudden Calgary and their dream defensive squad is not so far ahead of everyone as they originally thought. 

And all this comes about from someone everyone's forgotten right now.

Mike Van Ryn, and he will be a key factor for this Leafs team.  Not only will he be a key, I will predict right now that Van Ryn will be considered as the Leafs MVP (or at least by the players) and he will be recognized by all as irreplaceable!

So who is this Van Ryn guy?  Possibly the most key instrument to this years Maple Leafs squad!