After being acquired at the deadline from the Hurricanes, the Maple Leafs signing of Webber could pay off down the road
When it comes to desiring players, those that most likely pop into the mind first are offensive-minded. Players that can put the puck in the back of the net, or make fancy plays in the offensive zone and create are those that draw fans out of their seats.
With that being said, players who manage the puck well in their own zone and can negate scoring chances are as critical to a team's success.
Look at a player like Niklas Hjalmarsson. Beloved by Blackhawks fans for being an important part of their Stanley Cup winning teams, Hjalmarsson played a critical role when it came to defensive play during their runs.
While that is by no means a player comparison or how he will turn out (as no one can predict the future), the Leafs signing of Cade Webber has the chance to be a worthy gamble.
Exploring what Webber brings to the table
A 2019 fourth-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes, Webber spent four seasons playing for Boston University. After spending over four years in the organization, the Hurricanes decided to move on from Webber - trading him to the Leafs in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick at this year's trade deadline.
While it is not his bread and butter, it is important to mention Webber's offensive stats. In the four years he played with the Terriers, his highest output over the course of a season was six points. Throughout his NCAA career, he had 16 total points in 123 games played.
As Kyle Cushman of theScore pointed out, Webber's production is lower than players such as Eric Gryba and Andrew MacWilliam. While some may look at that and hesitate a little, it is clear the Maple Leafs see something in Webber.
One stat that sticks out with Webber is how he set the new NCAA single-season shot blocking record in 2023-24. As the tweet below shows, Webber beat the previous record by 24 shots. He also beat Hunter Sansbury of Sacred Heart this season by 35 blocks to lead the country.
As a defender, Webber has the ability to recognize shooting lanes as they are developing, stepping up to deflect the shot into the corner with his long reach or using his body to negate the puck from reaching the net.
While the game continues to get faster and more skilled, the importance of shot blocking is still important to negate scoring chances and Webber does that better than almost anyone.
Another strong suit to Webber's game is his ability to use his reach to his advantage. He does a great job angling players towards the outside of the zone when defending the rush while also protecting the puck with ease when in the corners, making it difficult for the opposition to knock the puck loose.
For his size, Webber also has good mobility. While acceleration can be a struggle at times, he has a nice fluid stride and pivots well. He uses his edge work to spin off and evade checks, which is a great sign as he transitions to the professional level where time and space will be less than what he already deals with.
At the end of the day, while it is normal when looking at his stats to have a little concern, Webber has a lot of solid tools NHL teams look for in defenders, Mix in his size and it is easy to see how Brad Treliving is intrigued with Webber.
Webber will most likely start next season with the Toronto Marlies but if he can translate well to the next level and add a little offense to his game, he could be an intriguing option to earn a call-up mid season.
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