Sheldon Keefe healthy scratches T.J. Brodie for game 1 against Boston

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Julien Trekker
April 20, 2024 (12:42)

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The Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe healthy scratched the veteran defenseman T.J. Brodie for the first game of the series against the Boston Bruins.

Even if he's one of the most experienced defenseman on the team, Brodie will watch the game from the stands.

While this decision is causing mixed reactions in the fanbase, his inconsistency this season forced Keefe to make that decision. Morgan Rielly, Ily Lyubushkin, Simon Benoit, Jake McCabe, Joel Edmundson and Timothy Liljegren will be on the lineup, while Cade Webber, Conor Timmins and Mark Giordano will join Brodie in the press box to watch the game.

"T.J. Brodie appears to be the odd man out on D.

Rielly - Lyubushkin
Benoit - McCabe
Edmundson - Liljegren"

This decision led to a few debates on social medias:

"Brodie is an intelligent player. Even though he's fallen off pretty hard, he's still better than Lyubushkin, Edmondson and Benoit.

Dressing all three of those guys is extremely stupid and will come back to haunt the Leafs. If you scratch T.J., Timmins should be the one to play."

"No, it won't. Brodie needs to watch game 1 from the sidelines and he will come back in game 2 or 3 with more intensity and a cleaner game. He is important to the team but this is necessary."

"Lybushkin over Brodie is a crime"

"Are you serious? Brodie has done nothing of late. He bring zero jam. He couldn't check his jacket in at the Hilton. There is a reason why they traded for Lybushkin."

Do you like Sheldon Keefe's decision to scratch Brodie for the first playoff game against the Boston Bruins?

Source: The Hockey Writers - Brodie Doesn't Make Cut for Maple Leafs First Playoff Game