Liljegren the new Stralman

[rojac]

If Treliving thinks moving Liljegren in a deal improves the Leafs, he should probably make the deal. If he breaks out with another team later on, so be it. There's no guarantee that same kind of break out would have come if he stayed a Leaf.

 

[Nineteen67]

He does all he can do and is exactly what he was expected to be. What more do you expect from a guy that can’t skate and is weak?

 

[Anthrax442]

I like him. I think he has potential. Even if he is 3 or 4, nothing wrong with that. You need guys like this. And he played great when Rielly was out.

 

[Racer88]

I have been saying this for a while. He is on my DNT list. Smart teams will want him thrown in to help facilitate sone other deal like Marner. Big mistake.

I would throw him, the pope, mother Teresa and Gandhi in if it would facilitate a trade with Marner

 

[Gary Nylund]

He needs a coach who can let him play with some confidence that it’s ok to make a mistake, and not saddle him a failing 40 year old defensive partner.

He also needs to play and not be bumped out for Holl types, stifling his development.

Put him on the 3rd pairing with Benoit, let him get a rhythm and some confidence with a coach who actually knows how to put solid defensive structures and plays into place and see what he does.

You don’t throw away your only true RHD shot D that can move the puck, have a decent shot from the blue line and cost 3-4m. You see what you have.

Yeah I'm in the let the kid play camp as well. They say it takes a long time to learn how to play D and to the people who say we know what he is by now, well then there's no rush to trade him. If he doesn't improve, he probably won't decline either so you can always move him later. But what if he does become a solid top 4 Dman, I think it's possible and if it happens we'll be very happy indeed that we waited.

 

[arso40]

Id rather give bigger minutes and a longer leash to Benoit tbh. Liljegren is only seven months younger. Sure Liljegren still has upside, but he just hasn’t show much at the NHL level to be particularly concerned about. Sometimes guys need changes of scenery, sometimes they just don’t work out no matter where they go. Liljegren is a decent depth piece at the moment, nothing more.

He was leading the team when rielly was gone wth?

 

[Jacquestrapless]

Still blows my mind Keefe never went back to the PP1 that dominated with Rielly suspended.

I agree that Lily should get one more year under Berube. Due to the up and down season he had, I can't see what value he'd have anyway. At the very least, he won't have that ankle sprain holding him back.

Also to your point OP, I'd also like to refer to Gustav Forsling, who was picked off waivers 3 years ago. PLayed for the Hawks, couldn't crack Hurricanes' lineup, to top pairing on Panthers' D. Regular prospects need patience.

I guess if you wanted to stay with Leafs players, Carl Gunnarsson was also one they traded.

Man, Leafs are garbage at drafting/developing D.

 

[htpwn]

I don't see it.

It has been a long while since Stralman was in blue-and-white (the real blue-and-white, not the imposters), but I remember him being a very dynamic defenseman. I hated the trade at the time and, when I saw he later figured it out, I essentially thought "Well, yeah, that makes sense."

I don't get that same vibe from Liljegren. He has his good nights but unfortunately there have been just too many nights, especially (and worryingly) when the tempo and intensity picks up, where he struggles. I am not convinced any longer that he's going to figure it out and live up to his potential.

That said, Liljegren was perhaps my favourite out of that era of prospects, so I really hope I'm wrong. I'm still rooting heavily for him. I hope Tre keeps him around and, worst case, he provides some bottom-pairing depth for us. You can never have enough right-hand D, right?

 

[Jmo89]

I don't see him getting much in a trade. They should keep him for now and see how he does under a new coach. Lily staying shouldn't stop the team from getting at least 2 top 4 dmen though.

 

[Dreakmur]

I don't see him getting much in a trade. They should keep him for now and see how he does under a new coach. Lily staying shouldn't stop the team from getting at least 2 top 4 dmen though.

He likely wants the money and ice time of a top-4 defenseman… so, yes, him staying probably does stop us from adding 2 top-4 defenseman.

 

[Warden of the North]

I don't see him as a Treliving type Dman and I think he's shipped out in a trade this summer (probably not a 1 for 1, part of a large trade). I think he's fine as depth D but I don't think he's very difficult to replace if we find were lacking whatever it is he brings.

If we're comparing him to former Leafs dmen of the somewhat recent future he reminds me of Carl Gunnarsson.

 

[Niagara Bill]

If he's willing to sign for less than 2 million, I'd give him another year. If he wants more, he's gotta go. We can't afford it for a guy who is very likely going to be a 3rd pairing guy who gets replaced by a rental in the play-offs.

Things might be different now with Berube, but with Keefe he played and trusted those who were paid the most. He failed miserably.
Lily's biggest issue is he upper body strength, he loses the puck battles too often in his own zone.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Sometimes a couple of trades and NHL stops is what is needed for that extra push in development.

 

[crump]

Caveat: anybody not named Matthews is an option to move.

As for Liljegren , sure. Hasn’t produced or taken that next step. Wouldn’t be upset if he was moved.

But:

Gustov Forsling, or even Brandon Montour are other good examples on why you shouldn’t give up on younger players. 4-5 seasons of inconsistent play/stats, they get traded/unsigned then the right situation comes and they are key peices in Floridas resurgence and winning a Stanley Cup.

We’ve seen Liljegren play very well when Rielly was out. Injuries curtailed a potentially good season. Bridge deal and see how he does to start the season with the new coaches. Right shot is valuable.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Lily was drafted 7 years ago, he is what he is, and what he is is not good enough, at some point It's time to move on'

It's time, It's been time for at least 2 years

 

[Gilmour1996]

I'd rather Leafs draft D with a mean streak that are willing to work on their limitations. Otherwise you can end up with softies.

 

[Dreakmur]

Things might be different now with Berube, but with Keefe he played and trusted those who were paid the most. He failed miserably.
Lily's biggest issue is he upper body strength, he loses the puck battles too often in his own zone.

Puck battles have very little to do with upper body strength. Battles are like 75% positional, which requires good feet, strong legs and core, and an understanding of angles and leverage…. And a lot of effort to maintain position on a guy who’s trying to get it instead of you. Shoulder inside shoulder is good position. Hips inside hips is almost a guaranteed battle win.

Upper body was important when you could hook and hold.

 

[LeafGrief]

He was leading the team when rielly was gone wth?

Playing well in the top4 for a stretch of 10 games once or twice really isn't "much". Dermott did it too, and he's not a player of any note. Liljegren has upside and I'm all for patience, but the third pairing isn't a misfit island from which nobody succeeds, it's a lot of NHL minutes against NHL players. Lilly played almost 20 minutes a night this year and while that's great, it was very rare that he had the sort of good game that forces a coach to play him more or a GM to put him into the long term plans.

The games are broadcast on TV, we've all seen his good games and his bad games. What you need from a player like Liljegren is consistency in having more good games and fewer bad games. Perhaps some of that is age, but there's also plenty of chance this is just who he is. His weaknesses are very exploitable, and at 25 you'd hope that top4 D have a level of polish where they're not consistently getting worked over by mid-range NHL talent.

Like Robertson, he's a good depth piece in that he's serviceable and has upside, but is not good enough nor promising enough to lose sleep over if he's traded.

 

[arso40]

Playing well in the top4 for a stretch of 10 games once or twice really isn't "much". Dermott did it too, and he's not a player of any note. Liljegren has upside and I'm all for patience, but the third pairing isn't a misfit island from which nobody succeeds, it's a lot of NHL minutes against NHL players. Lilly played almost 20 minutes a night this year and while that's great, it was very rare that he had the sort of good game that forces a coach to play him more or a GM to put him into the long term plans.

The games are broadcast on TV, we've all seen his good games and his bad games. What you need from a player like Liljegren is consistency in having more good games and fewer bad games. Perhaps some of that is age, but there's also plenty of chance this is just who he is. His weaknesses are very exploitable, and at 25 you'd hope that top4 D have a level of polish where they're not consistently getting worked over by mid-range NHL talent.

Like Robertson, he's a good depth piece in that he's serviceable and has upside, but is not good enough nor promising enough to lose sleep over if he's traded.

Dermott has never done it as much as I wish he had

 

[Mickey Marner]

0% chance Liljegren becomes Stralman if he stays with the Leafs. Another team might be able to salvage him though.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

I can't even believe Leaf fans are talking about Stralman.

He had an average career at best. 39 points as a career best and this is who we are worried Liljegren will be?! Come on. Tyson Barrie got 39 points for TOR. No one shed a tear for that guy.

Toronto will not miss Liljegren's 1 career point in the playoffs.

 

[Its not your fault]

I don't see it.

It has been a long while since Stralman was in blue-and-white (the real blue-and-white, not the imposters), but I remember him being a very dynamic defenseman. I hated the trade at the time and, when I saw he later figured it out, I essentially thought "Well, yeah, that makes sense."

I don't get that same vibe from Liljegren. He has his good nights but unfortunately there have been just too many nights, especially (and worryingly) when the tempo and intensity picks up, where he struggles. I am not convinced any longer that he's going to figure it out and live up to his potential.

That said, Liljegren was perhaps my favourite out of that era of prospects, so I really hope I'm wrong. I'm still rooting heavily for him. I hope Tre keeps him around and, worst case, he provides some bottom-pairing depth for us. You can never have enough right-hand D, right?

Are you letting us know that you like him so that we know you're bring serious when you say he won't make it?

 

[DarkKnight]

We won’t miss him.

Low hockey IQ, folds under any serious forecheck, zero poise. Sure he can skate in open ice, which he doesn’t see in tight games, but mostly he’s a mirage. I’ve seen enough, he’s a 6 at best, and a 8 on a cup level D. People have over hyped him for years, and we see the same things that commentators said were the concern in the AHL, LOW HOCKEY IQ. Looks good in spurts, but has confdicence issues as well, regresses every time.

He was a tire fire in the playoffs too, literally made Boosh look like a relative first pass specialist. Sportsnet called it “ he passes the puck to make it someone else’s problem”.

 

[htpwn]

Are you letting us know that you like him so that we know you're bring serious when you say he won't make it?

I don't see a contradiction...? I liked him as a prospect and I don't start hating a kid just because he starts falling short of what we thought his potential might be.

At the same time, I can be objective, put aside my rooting interest, and see that he hasn't taken the step that we hoped he might.

... and I never said he "won't make it." He's already made it. The question was whether he is going to develop into the top 4 right-hand stalwart that we drafted him to be.

 

[darrylsittler27]

Toronto must always have one guy they dump on. Lily has way more offensive upside than Stralman. Those injuries got to him and Keefe was the wrong coach. He will get dumped for a second and develop into a top 4, 2nd pp guy...somewhere else.