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 defenceman, and when you watch him, he looks the part. He commands space. The Leafs traded for 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 are less than impressive, with zero goals and just six points in 32 games.
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Throughout his 123-game career with BU, he has only scored one goal and earned 16 points, resulting in a career point-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 even the Maple Leafs one day?
Breaking Down Webber’s Game
Webber is a pure defensive defenseman and one of the best in his position. He was named Best Defensive Defenseman in Hockey East, marking his first personal achievement during his college career. Last season, he helped BU win the Hockey East title by playing a crucial shutdown role for a team that Lane Hutson and Domenick Fensore led defensively.
Compared to Hutson, who is known for his incredible puck skills, Webber mainly receives defensive zone assignments. These tasks may not stand out on a scoresheet. However, he has been a valuable asset to Boston’s success over the past few seasons, leading the team in blocks while averaging around 19 minutes of playtime per night.
His long reach and massive frame help him cut down plays and limit opponents’ time and space. Webber skates well in straight lines and has above-average agility in open ice. His small-area cuts and turns are predictably longer than those of smaller players. His most uncomfortable position is moving laterally, which a team could exploit right now, especially off the rush. While Webber is a big player, he doesn’t rely on physicality. He avoids trying to knock people over because he knows that, due to his size, he would likely be penalized. Instead, he uses his strength to easily move opponents out of the way, which is often beneficial.
His Potential Impact with the Marlies
Webber will join a defensive core that includes Topi Niemlea, Marshall Rifai, and…
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