Leafs to unleash monstrous new top D pairing

Following a day off after a huge 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, the Leafs were back at it on Friday at practice in preparation for a Saturday night matchup with an archrival Boston Bruins team who currently leads the NHL with a 10-1-0 record and 20 points through 11 games.

One major upgrade for the Leafs came in the way of a new top pairing, which features Morgan Rielly and Timothy Liljegren, who is expected to make his season debut following his recovery from sports hernia surgery in September.

Liljegren was, in large, one of the Leafs' top defenders last season. He skated primarily alongside Mark Giordano last season, and although he didn't log enormous minutes against top competition, he did excel in the role in which he was cast.

Now paired with Rielly, it appears as though Sheldon Keefe is willing to give Liljegren a shot at those huge minutes against the opposition's best. The 23-year-old sophomore defenseman finished 11th in Calder Trophy voting last season, despite only playing 61 games for the Buds thanks to an injury-riddled season. He played an average of 16:24 over that 61-game span, notching 5 goals and 18 assists for a total of 23 points, which equates to about a 30-point pace over a full 82-game season. That's fantastic production for a rookie defenseman.

Liljegren will be counted on to provide a stable defensive presence while also contributing to 5-on-5 offense on the Leafs' top pair and could even see some use on special teams - more likely on the PK than on the PP. Rielly is likely to resume duties on the team's top PP unit, while Rasmus Sandin should draw the secondary PP QB duties.

Liljegren also brings an underrated physical game to the table, having landed 87 hits last season. He is also not afraid to block shots, which could come in handy being paired with the more offensive-minded Morgan Rielly.

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