Luke Schenn's Time to Shine?

Luke Schenn has had it rough.

Selected 5th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2008, he was expected to become a high class shut down defence man for the team. Everything was going according to plan (even ahead of plan) at the beginning as he made the team right away. Not a tough thing to do considering the abysmal quality of defenders, the Leafs had at that point in time.

He put up a good rookie season, which increased the hype. Since, then it has been an up and down, turbulent type of situation for the young man. Emphasis should be placed on YOUNG because too many people are treating him like a washed up veteran defender, who can't hold a stick any more.

Let's have a look at his stats up to now.

2008-09 -- 2g, 12a & 71 PIMs
2009-10 -- 5g, 12a & 50 PIMs
2010-11 -- 5g, 17a & 34 PIMs
2011-12 -- 2g, 20a & 62 PIMs

It has been a pretty static type performance offensively. He has stayed around the same region in terms of points. The majority of his critics have not pinpointed his offensive game, but his defensive game. There were far too many mishaps by the young defence man over the year. It got so bad at one point, Ron Wilson was benching him for major chunks of games.

A big fall down for a young man who was being called a possible #1 defence man after his first year.

Here is where my opinion comes into play. Ron Wilson's system was that of a run and gun style and he was never shy to express this. There was minimal structure to the defensive side of the game, some of which was his fault and the rest being associated to his assistant coaches.

Randy Carlyle will assist in tightening up the defensive aspect of things. His system once implemented fully will go a long way in improving Schenn's game. Luke Schenn has always shown signs of strong play, the talent is there, it just has to come out now.

A better goal tender will help, as well. Will Burke fix things on that side? Only he knows what direction the Leafs are heading in net.

However, Schenn will have to put in the hard yards to improve his skating. This is a young man with a lot of years ahead of him (health permitting). Don't give up on him just yet!