I’m assuming his agent had a convo with Dubas about finding a team where he’d get regular minutes

It was to do a solid for a depth player, like Dubas has done before with Leivo. Lehtonen needs games to show he can play in the NHL before he signs a contract next season and he wasn't going to get them in Toronto. Doing this helps keep the Leafs positive image among European free agents as a place to go to be given an opportunity to play in the NHL.

This is pure speculation on my part, but it kind of feels to me like they might just have been trying to do right by Lehtonen. Signed with the Leafs over places where he had an all but guaranteed lineup spot and he's been sitting on the taxi squad...

we could've given him a spot tho cuz Dermott isn't any better

The underlying numbers would disagree. Lehtonen was the worst defenseman who has played any minutes for the Leafs so far this season. He needs time to grow into a NHL defenseman.

Lehtonen deserved regular minutes on a team. I would’ve played him over Dermott, a bit more, but obviously I’m not the coach nor the gm, so I don’t have a say in those things.

Either the team is obsessed with Dermott even though he brings nothing or they want to give ice time to Sandin/Liljegren

lol ok. Dermott is an excellent skater who denies zone entries really well and consistently posts great defensive numbers. But if moronic Leafs fans dont want him, we will be mpre than happy to take him in VAN

Vehvilainen has a solid potential imo. Just came over too quick and lost what he was doing. He had a 1.53 GAA and a .933 save% in Finland 2 years ago. He was also passed up on the depth chart recently by Tarosov, who is now being pegged by the team as the future goalie.

Lehtonen: 9 games, 0 goals, 3 assists, +1 rating, 10:26 average TOI
Dermott: 24 games, 1 goal, 0 assists, -1 rating, 12:20 average TOI plus numerous brutal turnovers last game, one that lead to a goal

Tell me why Lehtonen didn't deserve at least a chance in that spot. What has Dermott done so well that cemented his spot in the lineup over the previous KHL dman of the year. and it's gonna have to be more than a corsi chart

Dermott plays good defense, Lehtonen plays trash defense. +/- is a trash stat. Dont use it LOL. Just shows how low your hockey IQ is

Where is that good defense? His turnover that lead to a goal?

He has been in the league for 3 years, and all you think of was one bad play.. smh, Leafs fans are so ungrateful. Cant you guys just appreciate the elite team you guys have?? Instead of nitpicking about a mistake a young 3rd pair DFD made

I'm allowed to criticize what I think is a bad move. If they gave him a shot and he sucked fine, but they never did that

he wasnt bad in the few games he played, but he also wasnt better than Dermott

I don't really understand how you could make this argument. He might have been better pushing the puck up, but he was like a really bad Reilly. And that's saying something since Morgan is bad defensively. At least Dermott understands what a gap is. In the end, the coach did not trust to play the guy, and the GM probably already made a promise to help him get to another spot where he could play.

People still throw +/- out there. And even using it for a 9 game sample of 10 TOI. Wild.

Show me one hockey player who hasn't had a turnover lead to a goal. And this after you use +/- and then tell someone they need more that "a corsi chart"... If you're this reactionary it's no wonder you are so low on Dermott. Dermott is a competent puck mover who skates well and generally makes the right decision. He's solid defensively and is a known commodity on the Leaf. Lehtonen appears to be more offensive but worse defensively... on a team trying to be better defensively. The problem with Lehtonen was he came over during COVID. He didn't get a proper camp, he didn't get pre-season games, and he missed time in his season prep because of quarantine. He really wasn't terrible in his nine games but he wasn't highly impressive, either. Should he have gotten a better shot? Maybe. But, when he did he was just okay. The Leafs moved him because he was their 7th D, they have Sandin and Liljegren waiting in the wings, and they had clearly promised him playing time they couldn't give him. It's a shame, but sometimes things work against you. I'm sure he'll be fine in CBJ but fiddling around with your 6th D isn't worth it. And if they sit Dermott for two weeks for Lehtonen to find out he is trash, then what? You have to get Dermott back up to game speed. Not worth it at this stage.