With a full training camp and his first career AHL game under his belt, Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Cade Webber is learning quickly what it takes to become successful in professional hockey.
The towering defenceman spoke with reporters following a Marlies practice on Tuesday and was asked what the biggest difference is between what he is used to in college and at the pro level. Webber said the speed is a major contrast to what he has seen during his time with Boston University.
“The game’s faster, guys are stronger, everyone’s smart out there,” he said, “So you got to be ready, you have to have an active stick and just kind of anticipate plays. Every player is good, there’s no drop-off and you can’t take a shift off. I think that’s the biggest adjustment as in college, you can get away with that a little bit but now you got to be ready each shift and just take it shift by shift and kind of build on that.”
There were certainly some growing pains for Webber in his pro debut on Saturday afternoon against the San Diego Gulls as he was a -1 in the game. That came as a result of a defensive breakdown where Nick Abruzzese lost the puck near the blueline to Gulls forward Ryan Carpenter who came flying in on the right side to make a play. Webber tried to get his stick in the lane to either poke the puck away or block the pass, but mistimed it, which allowed Carpenter to get it to Carson Meyer for the goal.
There is always an adjustment period for younger players making the jump to the pros because the pace of play is vastly different than what they are used to. Luckily for Webber, he has the support of the Leafs’ development staff which he is grateful to have in his corner to prepare him for what lies ahead.
“They’re amazing, they’re the best that I’ve seen,” he said. “They have everything for you whatever you want to work on, and there’s a ton of them too. Skating, puck-handling, anything you want. That’s that’s a big thing here and they develop players and obviously try to push them to the next level.”
Webber is taking his development seriously and is committed to improving his game, which combined with his playstyle has made him a rising star within the organization. Originally acquired from the Hurricanes in March for a 2026 sixth-round pick, he is a prototypical shutdown defenceman: he is sound defensively, is a great skater, and lays the body to block shots or disrupt the puck carrier. The 6’7″ and 208-pound blueliner is not someone who will put up the points but he will certainly do his part to keep the puck out of his net as much as possible.
Our 13th-ranked prospect’s defensive acumen and willingness to learn makes him a valuable member of the organization, which is why he was rewarded with a two-year extension earlier this month. Webber also knows what he is capable of and is committed to maximizing his strengths instead of being something he isn’t.
“I take pride in being that defensive defenceman, blocking shots, doing the unsexy things,” Webber said at Maple Leafs development camp back in July. “That’s a big thing here. I know that they’re going to put all they can into developing me. I know this is just the beginning. I have a ton of more work to do. I’m looking forward to that.”
Despite the aforementioned blemish, Webber had a strong showing in his AHL debut and had good chemistry with Topi Niemela who helped the rookie get settled into the game defensively. He did get healthy scratched in Sunday’s game against the Gulls but that is more to do with how much depth the Marlies have on the backend rather than how he did. Webber doesn’t want to sit on the sidelines for long and hopes to get right back into the fold as soon as possible because he wants to keep putting to the test what he works on in practices.
“I love playing, I love just going out there with teammates and trying to win. It’s awesome to be out there,” he said. “Obviously you like to practice once in a while, but it gets old. The games are the fun part where you can kind of put what you practiced on to work. So I’m just looking forward to getting back into action.”
