Luke Schenn - Hockey Career - Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs

Early reports from the Maple Leafs training camp in September 2008 indicated Schenn was likely to be returned to his junior club for the 2008–09 season. On October 7, 2008, he signed a contract with the Maple Leafs, with a base salary of $850,000 per season, and performance bonuses that could raise the value as high as $1.25 million per season. After training camp, Schenn was chosen for the team roster at the start of the 2008–09 season, making his NHL debut on October 9, 2008, against the Detroit Red Wings. On October 29, 2008, Schenn recorded an assist for his first NHL point against the New Jersey Devils. Later in the season he scored his first goal against Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price. In January, 2009 Schenn missed 12 games with a lower-body injury, the only games he missed during his rookie season. Schenn played for the Rookie YoungStars team in the 2008–09 NHL YoungStars Game. On March 14, 2009, he recorded his first multi-point (2 assists) game in an 8–6 win against the Calgary Flames. The NHL named Schenn to the 2008–09 All-Rookie Team on June 18, 2009, along with fellow 2008 draftee Drew Doughty. The award acknowledged Schenn's defensive prowess and physical play, as he led all NHL rookies in blocked shots and all rookie defencemen in hits. Schenn finished his first season in the NHL with 2 goals and 12 assists in 70 games played.

Expectations for Schenn were high heading into the 2009–10 NHL season. Early in training camp, Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson named him as one of the team's top four defencemen. As the season progressed, Schenn's play was disappointing, and Wilson kept him out of the lineup for a game in October and again for a three-game stretch in December. Towards the end of the season Schenn and some of his younger teammates improved their play. In a game against the Ottawa Senators, Schenn posted his first career two-goal game, helping him finish the season with new career highs in goals with 5, and points with 17 in 79 games played.

Schenn had a strong start to the 2010 season, playing with veteran Tomas Kaberle. Prior to a game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Wilson assessed Schenn's play as "great." When Kaberle was traded to the Boston Bruins in February 2011, Schenn was briefly named an alternate captain in his place, until Colby Armstrong returned to the lineup after an injury. Wilson felt that Schenn had made significant strides in his third NHL season: "He's learned a lot...He's not on the ice for as many goals against any more." At the end of the season, Schenn had tied his career high for goals with 5, and set new personal records for assists with 17 and total points with 22, while playing in all 82 games for the Maple Leafs.