Sandin or Dermott?

By the way, saying BOTH is going to get you one of those raspy buzzer sounds like game shows play when the contestant says Peru is a city in Australia.  That's Perth.  Problem here is, they can't fit both their cap hits, and when Hyman's back, you need one of Holl or Marincin in the lineup in order to stay under the cap.

So do you keep Sandin in the NHL?  He seems already ahead of Dermott, and is on a steep learning curve that could see him playing top four in a year or two.  Dermott seems stuck as a bottom-pair defender with slick skating skills.  Sandin also strikes me as a low-error guy, who stays calm, and makes the right play when it matters.  His pass over to the bench works, as long as the notoriously ice-happy Leaf bench stays off the ice until it's time.  Dermott gives the puck away too often.

Could Sandin be better with more time in the minors?  Not if he's already at NHL speed.  He needs to adjust to playing top-tier NHL players, and you don't see them much in the AHL.  Remember the old adage that nobody ever became an all-star after spending a whole season in the AHL?  Partly that was because most players were from the junior leagues, so they couldn't play in the AHL until they were 20, by which time if you're not NHL ready, you're not going to be an all-star.  Sandin has a Euro-exemption from that rule.  But he's advancing so quickly, you wonder what the value is.

After that decision is made, with both being lefties, you ask whether Marincin or Holl stays with the main club.  My vote is Holl, even though Marincin is great with his stick, especially at blue lines.  Marincin cracks under pressure, and coughs up the puck.  Holl is a righty, and seems comfortable staying back where he belongs, or skating with it when needed.  Thoughts?