The Leafs have dealt with more injury issues this season than in years past - especially when it comes to the blueline. Going long stretches without Jake Muzzin, Morgan Rielly, T.J. Brodie, Timothy Liljegren and Jordie Benn, the Leafs have still managed to put up 44 points this season, good for a 3-way tie for 3rd in the overall NHL standings.
With the poor injury luck the Leafs turned to the trade market to address a need, acquiring Timmins, the deal felt like a temporary fix and just some additional depth on the blueline. However, when Kyle Dubas spoke about the acquisition and called Timmins a piece that fits into both the team's current AND future plans, it became clear that he was a bigger piece than originally expected. Now, through six games with the blue and white, Timmins has proven to be so much more than additional depth.
Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe was asked last week about Timmins and was very complimentary of the 24-year-old's play, stating that he has been a real nice addition to the team's blueline and that he has made a difference for the team offensively He also sees no reason to remove him from the lineup.
Through six games with the Buds, Timmins has posted six assists while averaging 17:09 of ice time per game. Since arriving, he has been earning the coaches trust more and more each game. In his first three games with Toronto, his ice time was in the 13-16 minutes per game range. In his last three games, however, Timmins' ice time has not dipped below 18 minutes.
