Player Discussion Conor Timmins

[Jimmy Firecracker]

What are your impressions about this player so far? Timmins has been in the Leafs system for almost two years now and in-between injury stints and scratches has shown an ability to put up points at a decently high-rate for a defenseman, pacing for 38 points over a full 82 game season in his parts of three seasons here. Standing at 6'2.5" and 213 pounds, he definitely fits the defenseman archetype Treliving and Berube want.

So far this season, he's put up strong on-ice results in most of his games and has shown a good amount of physicality and better defensive awareness than previously seen. Personally when Berube was hired I was hoping he'd take a play-making defenseman and unlock hidden potential, I just thought it'd be Liljegren instead of Timmins.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1848529354562932937

https://x.com/i/web/status/1847781855526817937

Click to read more...

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

He's been fine, as I predicted. I find it very funny that some people froth with rage at his play for some reason (because he's tall and not very physical), like they have PTSD from watching Cody Franson or something.

Also noteworthy that Berube has started giving him PK minutes, maybe more from a lack of options because if Tanev or McCabe is in the box then someone has to play. So I expect people will start clamoring for Hakanpaa to replace him except if we're running a third pair of Benoit-Hakanpaa they're going to struggle to move the puck, and as much as some want to see McCabe-Benoit again, Benoit's play has been slipping recently.

 

[ACC1224]

There is a lot of excellence that's come out of Thorold.

 

[ITM]

What are your impressions about this player so far? Timmins has been in the Leafs system for almost two years now and in-between injury stints and scratches has shown an ability to put up points at a decently high-rate for a defenseman, pacing for 38 points over a full 82 game season in his parts of three seasons here. Standing at 6'2.5" and 213 pounds, he definitely fits the defenseman archetype Treliving and Berube want.

So far this season, he's put up strong on-ice results in most of his games and has shown a good amount of physicality and better defensive awareness than previously seen. Personally when Berube was hired I was hoping he'd take a play-making defenseman and unlock hidden potential, I just thought it'd be Liljegren instead of Timmins.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1848529354562932937

https://x.com/i/web/status/1847781855526817937

Still pulling for the guy and hoped Berube might be the kind of change of scenery he needed. Must be bias, because I don't see the glaring deficiencies in Liljegren's game. I wonder if it's a mental thing, because he has all the tools. The assembly of those tools seems askew, like it's not so much a function of his hockey IQ, but a deep lack of confidence. I'm glad we brought in the players we did and signed TL for what we did. Can't help but think selling him now is selling low.

I'd be more inclined to move a more expensive piece quite honestly.

 

[arso40]

Still pulling for the guy and hoped Berube might be the kind of change of scenery he needed. Must be bias, because I don't see the glaring deficiencies in Liljegren's game. I wonder if it's a mental thing, because he has all the tools. The assembly of those tools seems askew, like it's not so much a function of his hockey IQ, but a deep lack of confidence. I'm glad we brought in the players we did and signed TL for what we did. Can't help but think selling him now is selling low.

I'd be more inclined to move a more expensive piece quite honestly.

Like one who doesn’t play defence and has been the main player left from the losing culture

 

[stickty111]

He's fine. Just a placeholder

 

[DarkKnight]

He's been fine, as I predicted. I find it very funny that some people froth with rage at his play for some reason (because he's tall and not very physical), like they have PTSD from watching Cody Franson or something.

Also noteworthy that Berube has started giving him PK minutes, maybe more from a lack of options because if Tanev or McCabe is in the box then someone has to play. So I expect people will start clamoring for Hakanpaa to replace him except if we're running a third pair of Benoit-Hakanpaa they're going to struggle to move the puck, and as much as some want to see McCabe-Benoit again, Benoit's play has been slipping recently.

He was total shit last season, it's not like people made up a narrative. And I was early fan of his game, but evolved my take as he looked like ass defensively. Nice to see him playing decent now, he has vision and processes plays quickly, we can use that skill set.

 

[hamzarocks]

He's fine. Just a placeholder

HIm having to play is a testament to the level of disapointment timothy lilijgren is as a player

 

[banks]

Better than Liljegren so far. I feel like he's more confident this season, and I like how he handles the puck and seems to clear the zone when the opportunity arises.

Utah just lost 2 defencemen long-term. Liljegren should be a member of UHC by the end of the week.

 

[kevsh]

I think (hope) under Berube he may excel.

Not suggesting he'll develop into a top 4, but a solid 3rd pairing guy who can do more than just move the puck, including be reliable in his own end even against tougher matchups.

 

[DarkKnight]

It is interesting to me that Berube has taken a shine to him. Nobody saw him in the top 6, plus this small minded view that Berube only likes a certain type of D man, yet he favours a Timmins. Nobody had that on their bingo card.

As for Lil, when McManm got his chance after a bad camp he showed why he deserved to be in there, Lil was tentative and ineffective, reinforcing the idea he's mentally weak.

 

[ACC1224]

It is interesting to me that Berube has taken a shine to him. Nobody saw him in the top 6, plus this small minded view that Berube only likes a certain type of D man, yet he favours a Timmins. Nobody had that on their bingo card.

As for Lil, when McManm got his chance after a bad camp he showed why he deserved to be in there, Lil was tentative and ineffective, reinforcing the idea he's mentally weak.

I always thought he had a chance but I'm admittedly biased.

 

[GoonieFace]

Been impressed with the physicality, that was lacking previously. He has earned a role in the 3rd pairing. Now to jettison Lily and that ugly $3 million

 

[OVO16]

I hope they showcasing him because he's still beyond mid to me.

I wanna se what Hakanpaa can do when he's ready to return

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Turning the Tables feat. Hutson & Timmins

How modern defensemen create offensive value with solid defense

open.substack.com

In the modern game, a defenseman’s primary responsibility is still to defend. Nowadays, this is done not so much by blocking tons of shots or by brutally clearing the front of the net. Instead, the best two-way Ds now focus on making unassisted defensive stops, then transitioning to rush offense.

Here’s a great example from TOR25 Connor Timmins. Timmins was a highly productive junior whose progression had stalled due to injury and lack of opportunities. At 26, he is just now establishing himself as a reliable, yet creative NHL presence.

 

[rumman]

He’s better than Lilly, but that isn’t saying much, cheaper too. I want to see Myers paired with Benny, now that’s a good bottom pairing……..

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

He was total shit last season, it's not like people made up a narrative. And I was early fan of his game, but evolved my take as he looked like ass defensively. Nice to see him playing decent now, he has vision and processes plays quickly, we can use that skill set.

He was not "total shit" last season, that narrative was absolute nonsense. About the only part of it that made sense was that he did take too many minor penalties (most on the team per 60). 5v5 he had the second-lowest xGA/60 out of all the D (behind only Lajoie who was awful offensively and Lagesson who was surprisingly okay). If you're allergic to advanced stats his actual GA/60 was a little worse but still only slightly behind defensive darling Benoit and the 9 regular season games Edmundson played. His expected GF% (60.7%) was 4% higher than the next-highest skater (Matthews) and his actual GF% was higher than that (61.8%).

So according to some of the ~watch the games~ crew he was making all of these horrible glaring defensive errors but somehow the team was able to score 60% of the goals while he was on the ice. I guess everyone else he was playing with was just coincidentally putting up superhuman efforts to cover his vast deficiencies that they couldn't manage when anyone else was on the ice. Or maybe some of the posters here are just obsessed with physicality and "crease clearing" above all else and can't appreciate that defensemen also need to keep puck control and make clean breakout passes, especially in the playoffs when the Leafs magically fail to score goals year after year.

 

[Maple Leaf]

He was not "total shit" last season, that narrative was absolute nonsense. About the only part of it that made sense was that he did take too many minor penalties (most on the team per 60). 5v5 he had the second-lowest xGA/60 out of all the D (behind only Lajoie who was awful offensively and Lagesson who was surprisingly okay). If you're allergic to advanced stats his actual GA/60 was a little worse but still only slightly behind defensive darling Benoit and the 9 regular season games Edmundson played. His expected GF% (60.7%) was 4% higher than the next-highest skater (Matthews) and his actual GF% was higher than that (61.8%).

So according to some of the ~watch the games~ crew he was making all of these horrible glaring defensive errors but somehow the team was able to score 60% of the goals while he was on the ice. I guess everyone else he was playing with was just coincidentally putting up superhuman efforts to cover his vast deficiencies that they couldn't manage when anyone else was on the ice. Or maybe some of the posters here are just obsessed with physicality and "crease clearing" above all else and can't appreciate that defensemen also need to keep puck control and make clean breakout passes, especially in the playoffs when the Leafs magically fail to score goals year after year.

because the game gets tight and the opposition shutsdown marner and matthew and nylandrer and that is the end of the season

 

[Menzinger]

He's been fine. I'll route for the guy to carve out a career as a regular but I'll be surprised if he becomes a consistent part of the blue line by the back half of the season

 

[DarkKnight]

He was not "total shit" last season, that narrative was absolute nonsense. About the only part of it that made sense was that he did take too many minor penalties (most on the team per 60). 5v5 he had the second-lowest xGA/60 out of all the D (behind only Lajoie who was awful offensively and Lagesson who was surprisingly okay). If you're allergic to advanced stats his actual GA/60 was a little worse but still only slightly behind defensive darling Benoit and the 9 regular season games Edmundson played. His expected GF% (60.7%) was 4% higher than the next-highest skater (Matthews) and his actual GF% was higher than that (61.8%).

So according to some of the ~watch the games~ crew he was making all of these horrible glaring defensive errors but somehow the team was able to score 60% of the goals while he was on the ice. I guess everyone else he was playing with was just coincidentally putting up superhuman efforts to cover his vast deficiencies that they couldn't manage when anyone else was on the ice. Or maybe some of the posters here are just obsessed with physicality and "crease clearing" above all else and can't appreciate that defensemen also need to keep puck control and make clean breakout passes, especially in the playoffs when the Leafs magically fail to score goals year after year.

Like I said I was a fan of him when he first played for us, he regressed and became unplayable in our end. I have no axe to grind and he's been a decent player so far this year, I'll gladly get back on team Timmins. There's a stat for everyone, but there's also a reason he was an afterthought coming into camp this year, that isn't the "fans". That was his shit play in our end, merit based realities.

 

[Its not your fault]

Better than Liljegren so far. I feel like he's more confident this season, and I like how he handles the puck and seems to clear the zone when the opportunity arises.

Utah just lost 2 defencemen long-term. Liljegren should be a member of UHC by the end of the week.

What do we get?

 

[Leafs87]

Don’t know how he currently has a spot over Lil or even Myers

 

[arso40]

Don’t know how he currently has a spot of Lil or even Myers

It’s actually insane

 

[Mr_Fun]

This year the stars could be aligning for Timmins to have a breakout year. The new coach seems to like him and his main competition for that #6 spot is off to a shaky start. It's hard to know if he can remain consistent for a full season as he's yet to even sniff playing a half season in the NHL. The early returns look promising and if nothing else, we've had decent value from him over the 5 games he's played.

 

[Anthrax442]

He is only 26, he is only getting into a prime. He probably won't reach the ceiling he was projected to have anymore, but still might be a serviceable bottom 3 guy. Just stay healthy and take advantage of this opportunity