Brought to you by Cade Webber Toronto Marlies – Hockey Writers – Toronto Marlies

Given General Manager Brad Treliving’s moves to add size to the Toronto Maple Leafs depth chart, the Cade Webber trade made sense. Boston University lists him as a 6-foot-7 defender, and when you look at him, he looks the part. He commands space. The Leafs traded him, giving up a sixth-round pick in 2026 in a deal that caught many off guard. Drafted in the fourth round by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, the BU senior’s stats have been less than impressive, with zero goals and just six points in 32 games.

Related: Maple Leafs’ Niemela in Breakthrough Season Following Prospect Showdown Performance

In his 123-game career with BU, he has scored just one goal and allowed 16 points, resulting in a career goals-per-game average of 0.13. You can’t expect him to play like Shea Weber out there, but what can we expect from him this season with the Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League (AHL) or the Maple Leafs one day?

Demolition Game Webber

Webber is a pure defender and one of the best at his position. He was named the Best Defensive Defenseman in Hockey East, marking his first achievement during his college career. Last season, he helped BU win the Hockey East title by playing a key role in shutting down a team led by Lane Hutson and Domenick Fensore on defense.

Compared to Hutson, who is known for his incredible puck skills, Webber primarily receives defensive zone assignments. These activities may not appear on the score sheet. However, he has been instrumental in Boston’s success over the past few seasons, leading the team in blocks while averaging 19 minutes of playing time per night.

His long reach and large frame help him cut plays and limit opponents’ time and space. Webber skates well in straight lines and has above-average skill in open ice. His cuts in the small area and the turn away are predictably smaller players. His most offensive trait is going sideways, which the team could use right now, especially without a rush. Although Webber is a big player, he does not depend on the body. He avoids trying to knock people down because he knows that because of his size he might be punished. Instead, he uses his strength to easily move opponents out of the way, which is often beneficial.

His Potential Impact with Marlies

Webber will join a defensive core that includes Topi Niemlea, Marshall Rifai, and William Villeneuve. As of this writing, Marlies camp hasn’t started yet, and we have no guesses as to what the defensive pairings and lineups might look like. However, as a left-handed shooter, he could be paired with the likes of Niemela, Villeneuve, or veteran Tommy Miller. The options are there, but a sensible scheme that fits both players is pairing Niemela. He can help facilitate the offense, run the power play, and focus on moving the puck, while Webber can help move the puck offensively with his skills. However, he can be very reliable in defense and help alleviate Niemela’s defensive holes in his game.

Much like the Maple Leafs this season, with the potential pairing of Morgan Rielly and Chris Tanev, the latest additions in free agency. Growing up in Toronto, Rielly showed his ability to run the offense with stars like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner but showed defensive holes in his game. The organization tried to help him by bringing in players like TJ Brodie and Jake Muzzin to help fix that hole, but it didn’t work. But now, with Tanev, it might be the best partner Rielly could have with the Maple Leafs.

Webber’s style of play is very similar to Tanev’s, including his ability to contribute on the penalty kill, which will further benefit the Marlies’ already strong penalty kill program. The Marlies killed 84.2% of their penalties last season, ranking third in the Eastern Conference and fifth in the league. He did this very well, including his time at Boston University. Last season with the team, they finished with the best penalty kill in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), allowing 16 goals in 145 chances, a solid 89.0%.

Webber’s Future with a Map Leafs

Is there NHL potential, though? The truth is we don’t see many players like Webber these days. If we look at the tallest skaters in NHL history, only four — Zdeno Chara, Tyler Myers, Brian Boyle, and Hal Gill — were long-time, full-time NHLers standing 6-foot-7 or taller. Others have come and gone, usually to bring power and reach, but we’ve seen a shift to smaller, more advanced defenders playing as fourth forwards.

Webber will never be that type of player. He will always be the type of player you put on the ice to kill penalties or shut down the other team’s stars (at least in the NCAA). He can move, but he doesn’t have NHL-caliber speed. You don’t expect a player of his size to be quick, because he won’t rush to try and score a goal; it’s all about shutting things down on the blueline or moving the puck.

Although Webber is a big player, he has a balanced body. He does not intend to fight his opponents harshly because he knows that due to his size there are many chances of him being punished. However, he uses his strength effectively to move opponents out of the way with ease, which often works to his advantage.

One thing Webber excels at, he does very well. However, the time for one-dimensional defensemen to become full-time NHL players has passed. At 23 years old, Webber is not a teenager. He is older than Matthew Knies and Nick Robertson and a year younger than Timothy Liljegren, who is entering his sixth NHL season. What we saw from Webber in college is probably what we should expect when he turns pro, but that may be what the Marlies and Leafs want to see from a player of his size and skill.