Brett Pesce of the Carolina Hurricanes is a player that the Toronto Maple Leafs hold in high regard. Pesce profiles as a right-shot, possession driving defenseman who can skate and move the puck well.
Since Pesce entered the league in 2015-16, he is one of only three defensemen in the NHL to have over 150 takeaways and have more takeaways than giveaways. Alex Pietrangelo and Jaccob Slavin are the other two players on that short list.
Pesce represents a luxury for the Hurricanes who have an excess of right-shot defensemen (four in their defensive top six) and could fill an area of need for the Leafs, as Nikita Zaitsev is currently the only right-shot defenseman in the Leafs top six.