Timothy Liljegren responding to the challenge by GM Kyle Dubas in a big way
Less than two weeks ago, Leafs GM Kyle Dubas addressed the media and discussed the idea of delaying any big decisions until closer to the trade deadline to allow his team to decide for him what the areas of need will be.
One position in specific holds a lot of intrigue in Leafs Nation and that is defense - particularly the right side. In his media session, Dubas brought up the fact that his two young blueliners, Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren, would be given every opportunity to prove to management and the coaching staff that they deserve a full time roster spot in the home stretch and into the playoffs.
So far, Rasmus Sandin has lived up to expectations, but his counterpart, Liljegren, has exceeded them. In fact, with a pair of assists in the Leafs' 6-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Monday, Liljegren now has 5 points in his last 6 games.
Liljegren has been a bit of a project for the Leafs since being drafted by the club 17th overall in 2017, likely due in part to his health challenges from his draft year, which had led to the former projected top-5 pick slipping into the bottom half of the first round and into the Leafs' lap.
The fact that the team was patient with the young Swede may have been very important in his development in hindsight. The club slow-cooked the right-shot defender in the AHL, which has undoubtedly benefitted both him and the team in the long run. The growth he has shown in just his first NHL season is nothing short of spectacular. The 22-year-old is turning heads and rightfully so. He even wound up being promoted during Monday's game in Seattle, taking shifts with Jake Muzzin on the team's second pair!
A strong second half could propel him into a top-4 role and could make someone like Justin Holl expendable - or at the very least, he could surpass Holl on the depth chart, pushing him down to a 3rd pairing role, which might actually be a better spot for the former ECHLer.
Liljegren's emergence as an NHL defenseman has been one of the best stories of the Leafs' season. He's making the most of the opportunity given to him by the brass and I'm excited to see how he continues to grow and develop in the second half of the season.
