Maple Leafs 2017 Off Season Moves
- Thread starter smuddan
- Start date
- [h=3]Road to the NHL Draft: Timothy Liljegren - The Buffalo News[/h] buffalonews.com/2017/06/19/road-nhl-draft-timothy-liljegrenCached
What to know: Liljegren models his game after Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson and Los Angeles’ Drew Doughty.
He could also be the 2nd coming of Brian Lee.
Let's see him play a game or 7 before we anoint him as the second coming of the best defenceman in the league.
Probably majority of young defence men in the world model their game after either Karlsson or Doughty after the success of those two had in recent years, but that doesn't mean that they are the second coming of Karlsson or Doughty.
Liljegren has potential to be an elite player, but he's at least two years away from making any impact on the Leafs. A lot have been said about how playing in a hot market like TO could be detrimental to young players' development because of undue pressure put on these kids, and labelling them the second coming of the best defenceman in the league is a prime example.
With the 59th overall draft selection in the 2017 NHL Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs have selected 6’7, 209-pound right-shot defenceman Eemeli Rasanen of the Kingston Frontenacs.
He's got size and scoring upside. Hope he can play tough when he's in NHL.
He's got size and scoring upside. Hope he can play tough when he's in NHL.
If he could he wouldn't be available at 59th. The Leafs have a very good skating coach who may be able to help him get better; they take a chance on this kid with the 'high risk high reward' approach, I guess.
That's true. He was ranked lower in fact. Leafs took him earlier than the ranking. Think they targeted size and defense and particularly right shooting. Not saying it's a bad pick cause certainly they need size, defense, and right shooting. Mark Hunter eluded to it now to the development staff to do their thing. Barb will need to perform her magic.
When I use to play hockey I found that defense required a higher level of skating skills. For example, the ability to turn and skate backwards at speed.
Why? As long as they can move fast sideways in the crease they rarely need to excel going forward or backwards any great distance.
I think having the goalie as your best skater is a myth promoted by goaltenders.
