Prospect Info: Marlies/Prospects Thread - It's finally puckdrop, baby!

[baton elevated]

Lilly reminds me Of Flames Rasmus Andersson. He too came out with high accolades but yet took awhile to catch on with the big club. Now he is a full time do it all D. If that is what we get from Lily, I will be more than Happy.

 

[stickty111]

Looks like they added an assist for Lilly on Rosen's 1st goal. So Lilly does get a 2 point game, just instead of a goal which was rightfully taken away on Rosen's 2nd goal, he gets 2 assists.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Great to see Liljegren and Robertson impressing. Liljegren in particular looks far more dangerous offensively this year to go along with his stabilizing defensive game. He is just creating chance after chance with his hands, passing ability and elusivity. Making me and a few others look very smart for ranking him as our #1 prospect.

 

[Teeder Keon]

I think he has to be looked at for next year.

rielly. Brodie.
Muzz. Holl/dermott
sandin. Lilly.

plus another veteran 3rd pair D......not sure who? Savard? Larson? Etc.

Really like Muzz , but I wouldn’t mind if he was dealt and Dermott put in his place
MR TJB
TD Holl
Lilly Sandin

 

[zeke]

I think he's NHL ready too but is he this market ready?

Well I think he's already post-hype as a prospect so that helps.

And he sure seemed ready to be assertive against nhl competition for the first time in that preseason scrimmage.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Lilly reminds me Of Flames Rasmus Andersson. He too came out with high accolades but yet took awhile to catch on with the big club. Now he is a full time do it all D. If that is what we get from Lily, I will be more than Happy.

The thing is though that Liljegren has been this good for a while. Numbers were similar to a 20 year old Shea Theodore, while also not being far off last years defensemen of the year in Jake Bean. I would also argue he is better defensively than both were at age 20 as well.

This year he'll basically just prove he is too good for the AHL.

Sandin got all the hype by being a more prolific offensive player, but Liljegren has been one of the best AHL defensemen ever through their age 18-20 seasons.

 

[Oscar Peterson]

Great to see Liljegren doing well.
If he can play with confidence in the NHL he can be a player.

 

[HC7]

Great to see Liljegren and Robertson impressing. Liljegren in particular looks far more dangerous offensively this year to go along with his stabilizing defensive game. He is just creating chance after chance with his hands, passing ability and elusivity. Making me and a few others look very smart for ranking him as our #1 prospect.

You obviously didn't watch him last year, he was just as dominant by the end of the season.

 

[Legion34]

Really like Muzz , but I wouldn’t mind if he was dealt and Dermott put in his place
MR TJB
TD Holl
Lilly Sandin

I think that will have to happen at some point. He expires the same time as Matty and willy. He def won’t be getting a raise but who knows if by that time he would drop.

he looks slow now. Just hope the last d he ages gracefully. If not cut him loose

 

[Twine Tickler]

Looks like they added an assist for Lilly on Rosen's 1st goal. So Lilly does get a 2 point game, just instead of a goal which was rightfully taken away on Rosen's 2nd goal, he gets 2 assists.

Ya I was a bit confused how he wasn't awarded one on that play. Assist aside, he was a massive reason for that goal occurring.

I'll admit, I bought the AHLTV package primarily to get a better look at Robertson and Sandy. But Timmy is worth the price of admission. I tend to be most excited when he is on the ice. Just so smooth out there. Truly has been a treat to watch. I have always felt he was massively underrated in our prospect pool, but I don't think people realize how good this guy can be if he fulfills his potential

 

[nobody]

Ya I was a bit confused how he wasn't awarded one on that play. Assist aside, he was a massive reason for that goal occurring.

I'll admit, I bought the AHLTV package primarily to get a better look at Robertson and Sandy. But Timmy is worth the price of admission. I tend to be most excited when he is on the ice. Just so smooth out there. Truly has been a treat to watch. I have always felt he was massively underrated in our prospect pool, but I don't think people realize how good this guy can be if he fulfills his potential

He was a guy that at one point was destined to be a top 2 pick and a superstar calibre player at age 15-17. Then D-1 his world flipped upside down and essentially what made him the can't miss prospect was now seen as a flaw. His playmaking/ rushing the puck up the ice ability now became a narrative about how he's a turnover machine with low IQ. How he didn't know when to push the play and when to sit back on D. His skating ability which was arguably his #1 strength is now just okay. I've heard so many media types and talking heads speak to how he needs to improve his skating to become more effective. Literally, everything that was a good/ great thing about him has become something he needed to work on.

All this kid has done is overcome injuries/ sickness and continue to chug along with a huge smile on his face. The organization told him that he needs to become a complete defender and what does he do? He becomes a very respectable defense-first player in his rookie year and helps the Marlies win a Calder and follows that up next season by becoming their best defensive defender and anchoring the first pairing. Meanwhile talking heads and media and certain fans continue to bitch and moan about how his offensive numbers have been slacking and how Sandin (the new toy) looks so much better because he's putting up #s. Heck, Lilly was scoring top 10 pace for D-men under 20 for his first 3 seasons and not one person batted an eye and complimented him. It was always "oh look at the list and it's a small sample size so doesn't matter". Last year Lilly finally came around offensively meanwhile anchoring that Marlies D as their #1 dman. And he finally got a shot for the Leafs and proceeded to get zero playing time and the few games he got into, he looked mediocre and the critics felt like they were correct about him all along.

This season I suspect is Lilly's coming out party. I think he's ready show that he's a dominant guy and his true criticism and issue that prevented him from being that superstar level defender from his pre-draft year was between his ears. He is a guy who relies 100% on his confidence. Much like guys who are also in the NHL playing top-level defense. Their confidence is sky-high in their own abilities and in their teams who trust their abilities. Lilly knows that he can go out and give up 5 turnovers in one shift that all end up in the back of his net, and yet he's going to be out there on the PP/PK/last minute. The team knows who he is and he trusts his game because he's spent a ton of time refining all facets of it in this league.

As for the future. Like I and many on this board have been saying for years now, Lilly is an absolute monster and he is fully capable of anchoring the Leafs D one day. We just need to give him the time and opportunities in the NHL to build up his game/ confidence. I think the best play for us next season is to find a good trading partner and recover assets from Travis Dermott and let Sandin and Lilly play in the bottom pair or split them up and pair them with Muzzin and Holl respectively. Give them lots of time and let them learn to play through the growing pains.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

As for the future. Like I and many on this board have been saying for years now, Lilly is an absolute monster and he is fully capable of anchoring the Leafs D one day. We just need to give him the time and opportunities in the NHL to build up his game/ confidence. I think the best play for us next season is to find a good trading partner and recover assets from Travis Dermott and let Sandin and Lilly play in the bottom pair or split them up and pair them with Muzzin and Holl respectively. Give them lots of time and let them learn to play through the growing pains.

Great post and I agree 100%. People will continue to massively underrate Liljegren, but he quite clearly has top pairing potential and the ability to be a #1 PPQB in the NHL. He had that potential at 17 and confirmed it again in his 20 year old season, and is proving it now. If he wasn’t on a win-now mode team, he would be playing in the NHL full time already.

 

[nobody]

Great post and I agree 100%. People will continue to massively underrate Liljegren, but he quite clearly has top pairing potential and the ability to be a #1 PPQB in the NHL. He had that potential at 17 and confirmed it again in his 20 year old season, and is proving it now. If he wasn’t on a win-now mode team, he would be playing in the NHL full time already.

You nailed it on the head. I think this is the reason why he goes unnoticed and constantly thrown around like a useless bag of pucks. People don't realize just how good this kid is because we're not forcing him into the lineup. He doesn't need to be our savior like the Luke Schenn's, Morgan Rielly, Jake Gardiner, Carlo Coliacovo (butchered his name, sorry) of old. And because we're not used to bringing guys along at their own pace and letting them slot into the lineup when ready, we deem them to be less valuable because they didn't magically make the jump to a crappy Leafs team at age 18/19.

 

[supermann_98]

All this praise about Liljegren and no mention of his current #1 attribute ...

... a stache that even Matthews would be proud of

 

[SeaOfBlue]

All this praise about Liljegren and no mention of his current #1 attribute ...
View attachment 397257
... a stache that even Matthews would be proud of

Matthews looks like a 70's porn star.

Liljegren looks like a young, suave pirate... The kind that has not yet been affected by scurvy.

 

[Morgs]

I feel like most people that actually watch the Marlies know how good Liljegren is. Wasnt live updating, but I was watching last night and of course he was the best player on the ice. He's simply one of the best players in the AHL, so it's shouldnt be surprising anymore.

I'm still sure he's going to be a #2/#3 in the NHL (in a TJ Brodie-type mould) and thats why I have him as our #1 prospect. Perfect blend between upside and floor that none of Sandin, Robertson, and Amirov have. Sure maybe Sandin & Robertson have slightly higher ceilings, but there's a "bust" (bottom-pair/bottom-6) chance I don't see Liljegren having.

 

[daethfromabove1979]

Artur Akhtyamov got a W today, made 27 saves in a 3-2 OT win in the VHL. He's now sitting at a 1.90 GAA and SV% of 927 in 14 VHL games.

 

[stickty111]

Another assist for Hirvonen today

 

[Thornbury]

He was a guy that at one point was destined to be a top 2 pick and a superstar calibre player at age 15-17. Then D-1 his world flipped upside down and essentially what made him the can't miss prospect was now seen as a flaw. His playmaking/ rushing the puck up the ice ability now became a narrative about how he's a turnover machine with low IQ. How he didn't know when to push the play and when to sit back on D. His skating ability which was arguably his #1 strength is now just okay. I've heard so many media types and talking heads speak to how he needs to improve his skating to become more effective. Literally, everything that was a good/ great thing about him has become something he needed to work on.

All this kid has done is overcome injuries/ sickness and continue to chug along with a huge smile on his face. The organization told him that he needs to become a complete defender and what does he do? He becomes a very respectable defense-first player in his rookie year and helps the Marlies win a Calder and follows that up next season by becoming their best defensive defender and anchoring the first pairing. Meanwhile talking heads and media and certain fans continue to bitch and moan about how his offensive numbers have been slacking and how Sandin (the new toy) looks so much better because he's putting up #s. Heck, Lilly was scoring top 10 pace for D-men under 20 for his first 3 seasons and not one person batted an eye and complimented him. It was always "oh look at the list and it's a small sample size so doesn't matter". Last year Lilly finally came around offensively meanwhile anchoring that Marlies D as their #1 dman. And he finally got a shot for the Leafs and proceeded to get zero playing time and the few games he got into, he looked mediocre and the critics felt like they were correct about him all along.

This season I suspect is Lilly's coming out party. I think he's ready show that he's a dominant guy and his true criticism and issue that prevented him from being that superstar level defender from his pre-draft year was between his ears. He is a guy who relies 100% on his confidence. Much like guys who are also in the NHL playing top-level defense. Their confidence is sky-high in their own abilities and in their teams who trust their abilities. Lilly knows that he can go out and give up 5 turnovers in one shift that all end up in the back of his net, and yet he's going to be out there on the PP/PK/last minute. The team knows who he is and he trusts his game because he's spent a ton of time refining all facets of it in this league.

As for the future. Like I and many on this board have been saying for years now, Lilly is an absolute monster and he is fully capable of anchoring the Leafs D one day. We just need to give him the time and opportunities in the NHL to build up his game/ confidence. I think the best play for us next season is to find a good trading partner and recover assets from Travis Dermott and let Sandin and Lilly play in the bottom pair or split them up and pair them with Muzzin and Holl respectively. Give them lots of time and let them learn to play through the growing pains.

Agree with the post, I would just say that to ensure his confidence remains strong, I'd pair him with a veteran - Muzzin or Brodie - to support him and lead by example. Sandin should also be paired with a vet, possibly Holl. Really like the look of that d. Now we just have to sort out what to do with Reilly....

 

[TheDoldrums]

 

[TheDoldrums]

ffs

 

[Canada4Gold]

This wouldn't have happened had we sent him to Sweden for the year instead of not playing games for a year straight. Or maybe it would have happened sooner

 

[Cor]

ffs

Well, at least Duszak gets to play defense for a couple weeks

 

[Cor]

What is awesome when you look at the Marlies lineup, are guys like Elynuik, Chartier, Brazeau, Conrad, Gogolev, who are all young guys, each have some potential, even limited, that we only have on AHL deals.

is Giorgio Estephan still under Marlies control? I know he's playing with Kansas City of the ECHL, but not sure if that's just because the Growlers aren't operating

 

[SeaOfBlue]

What is awesome when you look at the Marlies lineup, are guys like Elynuik, Chartier, Brazeau, Conrad, Gogolev, who are all young guys, each have some potential, even limited, that we only have on AHL deals.

is Giorgio Estephan still under Marlies control? I know he's playing with Kansas City of the ECHL, but not sure if that's just because the Growlers aren't operating

He is with Stockton now.

His defensive game was never good enough to warrant keeping him in the AHL bottom 6, and his offense wasn't enough to play top 6 or anything.