Can the Leafs’ defence hold up in the playoffs? That’s for GM Kyle Dubas to decide

Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas and coach Sheldon Keefe have two weeks left to figure out what they have on their blueline.

And Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks was as good a places as any to continue to measure Conor Timmins’ progress.

He scored a goal, his second as a Leaf and first in Toronto, in a 5-2 win over the Blackhawks. He also took two penalties and played 18 minutes, nine seconds, the fourth most among Toronto defencemen.

“That was pretty cool (to score),” said Timmins. “It was my first one at home. Matty (Auston Matthews) made a nice pass and I was just lucky enough to get it through a screen.”

It was his first game since Jan. 27, sitting four in a row as a healthy scratch.

“I just had to stay patient,” said Timmins. “Obviously, we have a super strong team and there’s so many guys that can come in and do a good job in the role. So I was just trying to work on things I can improve on.”

Keefe liked what he saw.

“I thought he was good. Great goal. Moved the puck well,” said Keefe. “I didn’t like the penalties, but I thought he did a good job for a guy who hasn’t played (in a while).”

The Leafs have a fair bit now invested in the offensively gifted but defensively lacking Timmins, who just signed a two-year, $2.2-million (U.S.) extension.

“To be playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs for another two years is pretty exciting,” said Timmins. “I’ve really enjoyed my time here. I think the system really fits my game and the coaching staff and development staff have really put in a lot of time with me and helped my game grow.”

Timmins missed a lot of hockey since turning pro, due to injuries, and hasn’t had the development time others his age have had to grow their game defensively.

At age 24, Wednesday’s game was his 142nd game as a professional. By comparison, Timothy Liljegren – drafted 15 spots ahead of Timmins in 2017 — has 118 games at the NHL level alone, and another 169 in the AHL. He acknowledges it will take time to catch up in that department.

“There’s no timeline,” said Timmins. “Some guys hit their peak at 27, 28, some guys it’s 21, 22, but every guy is different. So I think for me, I’ve just been trying to make it up day by day and really put in extra work with the coaching staff, the development staff, the gym. And so I think as long as I’m just continuing to improve each day and it’ll come.”

On Wednesday, Timmins was inserted ahead of Justin Holl – scratched for the first time this season – an interesting coincidence. At six-foot-two and 202 pounds, Timmins is the most likely candidate to replace Holl (six-foot-three, 197 pounds) if he leaves as a free agent in the summer.

But the move is really about the here and now as Keefe sent a clear message that he intends to see players compete for time, compete for assignments, and generally raise their game through the final stretch of the regular season.

“You need to play as good as you can because we have seven or eight defencemen,” said Rasmus Sandin. “So obviously there is a competition. I don’t think that’s the main focus of every guy. I think everyone just wants to play as good as they can and help the team in any way they can.”

Timmins, a 24-year-old right-handed shot, and veteran Jordie Benn, a 35-year-old left-handed shot, represent the Maple Leafs current blue line depth.

“There’s a ton of competition throughout our lineup,” said veteran Mark Giordano. “But as far as defenceman go, we know right now we have eight healthy guys I believe who can all step in any position really and play. We’ve proven that all year. So it’s good for a team to have a lot of depth and we know we have that here for sure.”

If there’s been a weakness to the Maple Leafs in the Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner era, it’s been the blue line, one that Dubas has left himself repeatedly trying to address in-season. Last year, it was Giordano and Ilya Lyubushkin who were acquired before the trade deadline.

In the playoffs, Keefe has preferred experience – when he’s had it – over youth. Last year, Timothy Liljegren only got into two games against Tampa. Sandin didn’t play at all. Liljegren plays a more robust game now, with Sandin – like Timmins – sometimes withering against tough opponents in their own zone.

Benn is in the twilight of his career, appearing in just 12 games for the Maple Leafs but has been very effective in those small doses. At six-foot-two and 201 pounds, he can provide the kind of physicality that is often required in the playoffs that would normally be provided by Jake Muzzin. Muzzin’s neck injury – due to be reassessed before the deadline – likely means he won’t play again this season.

The Leafs have been linked to all kinds of defencemen on the trade market, such as Vancouver’s Luke Schenn and Colorado’s Vladislav Gavrikov, either of whom would probably play ahead of Sandin, Timmins and Benn.

But the Leafs also believe they have depth elsewhere, namely veterans Carl Dahlstrom (shoulder) and Victor Mete (shoulder).

And with Holl heading for unrestricted free agency in the summer, it’s not a bad idea to see what Timmins can do, both for this year and into the future.

“He possesses a really heavy shot,” said Giordano. “But his No. 1 asset that I’ve seen is his ability to move pucks, get pucks over the zone and break out. He’s just a good, all-around young defenceman. A lot of depth in our organization, he’s another young guy who can step in and play whenever we need him.”

Kevin McGran is a Star sports reporter based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @kevin_mcgran