Luke Schenn brings missing edge to Maple Leafs D-Core

Luke Schenn is making a strong case to be in the lineup when the Maple Leafs take to the ice for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 33-year-old defenceman was traded from Vancouver ahead of the NHL trade deadline and has added an extra physical edge to Toronto's blue line. Schenn, drafted by the Leafs in 2008, leads the NHL this season in hits (296).

Video Transcript

- Luke Schenn is everything advertised. Everything the least-wanted in Luke Schenn, he has literally provided on the team. It's funny that he actually hasn't played as many games in home a legitimate home Leafs blue and white jersey. He's played in the same Pats jersey. He's played in the Rivers Justin Bieber jersey.

But in all of those games, he has been quiet. He has been steady, but at the same time, he's been physical and defensively physical and doing that thing we all want our defensemen to do, boxing out players. There's that one moment against Ottawa, where literally he was chasing Brady Tkachuk around the net and making sure he wasn't getting anywhere close to the crease and staying on him.

He's doing that with other players as well. There are players who try to hit him, and literally, it's like they're running into a wall. He's laying big hits on stars. He's getting in little scraps after whistles and stuff. So literally, Luke Schenn is everything that the Leafs needed in Luke Schenn. Hopefully it continues because if they can have some success with Luke Schenn in the lineup, it will obviously be like the story is kind of coming first full circle as far as how he was and his importance to the organization way back when he was initially drafted.