Leafs like what they see from 2017 first-rounder
Timothy Liljegren, the Toronto Maple Leafs believe, is ready to make his debut in the NHL.
It’s a matter of when, not if, for the 20-year-old defenceman.
With the Leafs nursing some bumps and bruises in the defence corps following a successful trip that included three wins in four games, Liljegren and Martin Marincin were called up Monday from the Toronto Marlies on an emergency basis.
Tyson Barrie, who hobbled off the ice after taking a shot off the ankle against the Oilers Saturday night in Edmonton and didn’t play another shift, was back at his regular spot alongside Morgan Rielly Monday at practice.
Barrie reported “very little issue” with his ankle following the workout at the Ford Performance Centre and said he “should be good” to play Tuesday at Scotiabank Arena when the Leafs host the red-hot Jack Eichel and the Buffalo Sabres.
Barrie made a joke at his own expense, referring to the thought of returning to play in Edmonton. He absorbed a shot by the Oilers’ Gaetan Haas in an exposed area and couldn’t put much pressure on his leg. The situation improved greatly for Barrie Sunday, when the Leafs had the day off.
“I came out at the beginning of the second (period) and I saw (Connor) Mcdavid getting ready to go,” Barrie said. “I thought, I don’t want to get caught, he’s hard enough to play with two feet, so I figured with one foot it wouldn’t be the best to go against him.
“Just seeing how it would feel with the pressure in my skate (at practice) and it felt pretty good, so it’s promising.”
The Maple Leafs also expect to have winger Trevor Moore, who has missed 13 games with a shoulder injury, in the lineup against Buffalo. Moore practised on the fourth line with Frederik Gauthier and Jason Spezza, pushing Dmytro Timashov to the 13th spot on the forward depth chart.
While Barrie’s quick recovery could leave Liljegren on the outside, the Leafs know now, in their 2017 first-round pick, what they couldn’t absolutely say for sure during the last couple of seasons. Liljegren wasn’t recalled on a lark — he can step in if required.
“We needed some insurance, but also it serves as a great opportunity to have guys like him come up and get reps and practice and find a level of comfort around here that could serve him well in the future,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He certainly earned it.”
Keefe would know, having had the experience of coaching Liljegren with the Marlies until Nov. 20, when Keefe took over the Leafs job from Mike Babcock.
“I know, at times, people have been hard on him and his development, it hasn’t been as quickly as some may like, but we’ve seen steady progress,” Keefe said. “He has kept a good attitude and it was nice to see him here in the building.
“For most of the year, I was right there with him and he has just continued on with where he left off last season in terms of being a reliable guy away from the puck and playing against the other team’s best players and taking a step offensively this year with more power-play time. He really is refining the defensive side of the game for himself, which is an important piece, and continuing to look to find his level of comfort offensively.
“He’s looking to be a guy that’s going to serve well in all areas of the game.”
Liljegren and 2018 first-rounder Rasmus Sandin became Keefe’s most dependable pair with the Marlies and if both stay on the same trajectory, they likely will play together with the Leafs in the near future.
“It’s easier to play good hockey when you play more minutes,” Liljegren said of his Marlies role. “You don’t feel like you have to do something every shift, just go with the flow.
“When Keefer was down there, he wanted us to play with creativity as long as we play through structure. Worked a lot with skills coaches with the Marlies and that helped a lot.”