The Toronto Maple Leafs revealed a five-year contract extension for defenseman Jake McCabe, valued at an average annual value of $4.5 million. While the extension was anticipated, it did catch some attention.

Considering the current market for second-pairing defensemen, the contract seems reasonable. However, there are various concerns regarding the deal that lead to doubts from the Maple Leafs’ viewpoint.

First, there are concerns about the length of the deal. Signing a 32-year-old player for five years is inherently risky, as longer contracts typically carry more uncertainty.

Second, the average annual value is relatively high for McCabe, who is a traditional, one-dimensional defenseman. While he brings toughness and grit—similar to a Craig Berube-type player—his overall potential appears limited, especially given his age.

The signing of Jake McCabe suggests that Robidas Island might become more populated soon.

While these concerns are valid, the deal seems favorable in the short term. However, it raises alarms for the long term, as the Leafs have now committed to four defensemen who will be 32 or older by the time this contract begins.

The Leafs are positioning themselves for a short-term playoff push, anticipating the possibility of several contracts landing on LTIR in the future. This suggests that Robidas Island could become quite crowded in a few years.

Currently, the top candidates for LTIR include Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Jake McCabe. The primary concern is that older, physical defensemen tend to be more injury-prone as they age. It’s not that these players lack the desire to play; rather, their bodies struggle to handle the demands.

If the Leafs were to place all three on LTIR, it would free up nearly $13 million in cap space, which could be used to acquire two solid top-four defensemen.

If two or all three of those defensemen remain healthy as their contracts expire, the Leafs could end up with an aging yet serviceable blue line, potentially sidelining younger, more promising players.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are extending veterans at the expense of their prospects.

It’s evident that the Leafs are in win-now mode, with the current core’s competitive window closing. Consequently, they can’t afford to let young players develop and gain experience.

In my view, Brendan Shanahan and Brad Treliving are focused on immediate success, even if it means delaying tougher decisions for the future. Eventually, the team will have to confront these challenges and make difficult choices.