What Maple Leafs’ Woll & Benoit Trade Says About Their New Approach – Hockey Writers – Toronto Maple Leafs

The biggest surprise about the Toronto Maple Leafs’ June 16 trade with the Philadelphia Flyers wasn’t that Joseph Woll was traded. Once Anthony Stolarz established himself as the team’s starter and Dennis Hildeby continued to seek NHL time, a move always seemed possible. What caught my attention was another part of the deal.

Toronto sent Simon Benoit and Woll to Philadelphia in exchange for Emil Andrae, Sam Ersson, and a third-round pick. Most of the conversation naturally focuses on Woll, but the Benoit-for-Andrae trade part tells us more about how new general manager John Chayka wants to build this program.

How do you compare Andreae to Benoit

The question is simple. Who is the better defender? At first glance, many fans might say Benoit. He’s big, tough, and very knowledgeable.

Benoit has appeared in over 350 NHL regular season games and has experience playing. At 6-foot-4 and over 200 pounds, he’s exactly the type of old-school hockey defenseman that people tend to appreciate. He blocks shots, throws hits, and generally makes life miserable around the crease.

The numbers certainly back up that reputation. In his professional career, Benoit accumulated over 1,300 hits and over 700 blocked shots. Those are striking numbers and directly reflect the style of game you play.

Andrae couldn’t be more different. The 2020 second-round pick stands at 5-foot-9 and 189 pounds. In some NHL locker rooms, that’s considered small for a forward, never mind a defenseman. He will not physically threaten anyone, and no one will mistake him for harm by shutting down.

The Difference Between Andreae and Benoit in Production

But hockey is not played by size alone. On pace for 82 games, Andrae sets himself apart offensively. Benoit averages nearly nine points in a full season. Andreae’s projects are close to 15. That’s not Norris Trophy territory, but it’s a reasonable distinction for players expected to fill deep roles.

Then you get to analytics, and the gap gets even more interesting. Almost every major category of puck possession favors Andrae. His teams generate more scoring chances, more dangerous chances, more shot attempts, and better expected goal numbers when he’s on the ice. Meanwhile, Benoit’s base numbers remain below the break-even in most of those same categories.

What Are Maple Leafs Fans Learning From The Trade?

This is where the tension in this work really shows. For years, the Maple Leafs seemed to gravitate toward size, grit, and physicality when filling out their defensive linemen. Benoit fits that profile perfectly. Yet Chayka has often talked about building a data-driven organization, and Andrae seems like the type of player that philosophy would find irrelevant.

That doesn’t guarantee that Andrae becomes a better NHL player. Statistics don’t win every argument, and hockey is always incredibly good. But when traditional scouting, offensive production, draft pedigree, and basic numbers all point in the same direction, it’s hard to ignore.

This time, Andrae gets the edge. That’s not because Benoit doesn’t have value. Every team needs players who are willing to block shots and fight physically. But if you look at the overall picture, Andrae seems to bring many aspects to the game.

Takeaway for Fans How Maple Leafs May Change

The biggest takeaway, however, is not about any player. It’s about the Maple Leafs and how this trade sounds like the first indication of how Chayka intends to operate. The team didn’t end up getting a young defender. They found the type of defender that modern math departments love.

If that’s the direction for Toronto, this deal could end up being remembered as more than a simple program move. It may be remembered as the first clear sign of a philosophical revolution.

[Note: I want to thank long-time Maple Leafs fan Stan Smith for collaborating with me on this post. Stan’s Facebook profile can be found here.]