Jake McCabe's Return to the Toronto Maple Leafs Proved Why He's the Best Defenseman on the Team
After two weeks of absence due to an upper-body injury sustained in a fight against Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe returned against the New Jersey Devils.
His performance showed during the game he returned just how much the team missed him during their three-game losing streak where they were outscored 13-4.
Jake McCabe shines in his return to the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup
Jake McCabe's stats from the game were nothing but excellent with 2 assists, 2 hits, 5 shots, 5 blocked shots, a plus-3 rating and a 24:16 TOI.
His big game helped the Leafs to have a 4-3 victory which is including an assist on Auston Matthews' game-tying goal in regulation and another one on William Nylander's overtime winner.
His ice time exceeded any defenseman on the Devils' roster by nearly two minutes.
Jake McCabe has quietly built an impressive campaign this season with the Leafs with 13 points in 37 games, a plus-13 rating, a 20:57 average TOI, 73 blocked shots, and 74 hits.
He also ranks among Toronto's most reliable blueliners and he's second on the team in blocked shots, hits and plus-minus.
The Maple Leafs felt his absence when they had a horrible stretch these last games, especially during some home losses that frustrated the fan base.
Jake McCabe's return brought an immediate stability to the defensive unit since they had struggled without him.
His physical presence, his ability to block shots and to play a heavy load of minutes against top competition are invaluable for the Leafs
Jake McCabe's presence will be crucial in the next games against tough opponents like Montreal, Columbus, and Tampa Bay, who are all on fire right now.
As the team try to build some momentum, we can expect him to continue helping Toronto's defense.
