Lack of spotlight takes pressure off Liljegren
Leafs’ first-round picks usually find themselves the centre of attention
Defenceman Timothy Liljegren seems to be flying under the radar a little bit in his first training camp.
That’s quite remarkable for a firstround pick of the Maple Leafs. From Luke Schenn through Nazem Kadri, Tyler Biggs through Morgan Rielly, the focus in this city had typically focused on the new kid on the block at this time of year.
But the arrivals of Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews, the turnaround in on-ice performance and an impressive depth chart seems to have changed all that.
The heat’s off Liljegren in a way it wasn’t for the first-round picks that preceded him. He doesn’t have to be the saviour. He can just quietly go about his business of learning the game.
“He’s got elite skill,” said Leafs coach Mike Babcock. “He’s going to have to learn how to play, he’s going to have to get bigger and stronger.”
The Maple Leafs took Liljegren17th overall in June, the sixth defenceman chosen and the third that shoots right. At six-feet, 186 pounds, Liljegren is spry for a defenceman. Only Connor Carrick (five-foot-10) is shorter. No defenceman on the Leafs roster weighs less.
There are other defencemen ahead of Liljegren in terms of skill and experience, hoping to land that job in the bottom pairing. Travis Dermott, for example, was been singled out by Babcock for exemplary play. Calle Rosen has a slapshot folks are talking about.
Babcock was not putting any pressure on Liljegren.
“He’s like a lot of defencemen you draft,” Babcock said.
“It’s way harder to be a defenceman in the NHL than a forward. It’s going to take a little time. This year of development is going to be real important for him.”
That certainly makes it sound as if Liljegren is not making the NHL this year. But he’s made progress in camp, suiting up for the exhibition opener against Ottawa, and likely to get into one of the two games this weekend against Buffalo. He got a big thrill putting on the jersey in an NHL rink.
“It felt amazing to be in the locker room, and to be out there and play with such skilled players,” said Liljegren. “It was an unbelievable feeling. I was pretty nervous in the beginning, but after a couple of shifts, you get into it and it was fun.
“I think I can play better, but I think I played pretty solid last game,” Liljegren said.
He learned some early lessons, including discovering the game is a little easier to play at the NHL level.
“When I play the game here, there are so many more skilled players out there, who can make incredible plays,” Liljegren said. “It’s actually easier in some ways to play here because the players you play with are so skilled.”
With lesser skilled players, a pass needs to perfectly to the tape whereas a higher skilled player can convert a pass from his skates.
“It’s all those kinds of things,” Liljegren added.
“A higher skilled player talks to you a lot. If you’re in trouble, they help you out. It makes it a bit easier to play here. But also a bit harder, because the other team has skilled players as well. It’s just fun to be out there with them.”
Liljegren said camp is going the way he hoped, but he’s not worried about necessarily making the team or where he lands in October. He has a contract with Rogle of the Swedish league, but could still find himself on the Marlies.
“I try not to think about it,” the young defender said.
“I’m taking it one day at a time, and trying to make an impact every day. When I came in I wanted to do my best every day. I think I’ve done that, so we’ll see.”