RD Timothy Liljegren - Ex-Rogle BK, SHL (2017, 17th, TOR) III

[AppsSyl]

For those who don't get a chance to watch Liljegren in the AHL and are curious to know how he is progressing, this was an article posted on Feb 22nd by Scott Wheeler on the Athletic website where he chose a random Marlies game ahead of time to track Liljegren shift by shift. Wheeler is pretty honest and impartial and provides clips for almost every shift breaking down his play each shift. It will give you an idea of his progression and why Leafs fans are excited.

The article is paywalled, but many here subscribe to the Athletic so will be able to read it. The title is below and if you search Liljegren on the site you will see it.

Breaking down the game of Maple Leafs top prospect Timothy Liljegren, frame by frame

 

[Apotheosis]

His offensive acumen is well noted. My favourite part about watching him develop and play now is just how well he has improved with gap control and stick work. His stick is very active and his gap control is immense. His vision, transition game and shot all speak for itself. I think he will have a shot at camp to make the team, but wouldn't mind another year of AHL top pairing minutes.

 

[TDK67]

Thank you. I admit to being a Liljegren fan, and I wanted Buffalo to draft him 8OA (although I did not think that Mittelstadt would still be available), while Toronto's 17OA was my second choice (but I thought there was zero chance he would still be available). I love the way he plays and I have watched him play as much as I can, but I feel that my assessment is in line with the likes of Pronman and Wheeler (both with the athletic) who I respect when it comes to assessing prospects.

But we all (I assume) fall for stat watching more than we should. A year ago some fans were saying that Dermott was way ahead of Nielsen while others were saying they were close and maybe, just maybe, Nielsen had pulled ahead. I had never watched either, but if you looked at the stats it appeared as though the first group was probably wrong and the second group was probably right: that Nielsen was not behind Dermott, and was actually pretty damn good - really good numbers in the AHL, really big body, and when at looked at eliteprospect it implied pretty strongly that questions about his skating were overblown. Then I watched the two play, and you could seen immediately that Dermott was the real deal, knocking on the NHL's door and that Nielsen's skating and defensive play were both a problem at the AHL level (while his shooting and puck handling skills were assets, they were not enough to overcome his deficiencies). It is true that that first game I watched them could have been an anomaly (it was not), but it told me a lot more than endlessly looking at the stats could. And I love stats. But stats can only assist in an assessment of what is going on.

Yes, I totally agree that stat watching is a very incomplete way to evaluate prospects. Unfortunately most HF users (and non-fans) of a prospect do just that and somehow still feel they have some authority from looking at box scores and need to voice their opinions on said prospect (even if they've only actually watched him a tiny number of times).

The Dermott vs Nielsen example is great because I was also guilty of only looking at numbers and thinking that Nielsen was way ahead of Dermott. Now Dermott looks exceptional in the NHL while Nielsen still has big question marks in the AHL.

Liljegren is exciting because his raw talent was always incredible and he's joining the Leafs org when they finally seem to have a development system in the Marlies that actually molds young talent very, very well. Brown, Hyman, Nylander, Kapanen, Dermott, & Johnsson are all recent grads who are looking great at the NHL level. Can't wait to see how Liljegren turns out because his tools combined with the Leafs'/Marlies' development seems like a formula for great success.

 

[HC7]

Looks closer to the 2nd overall Liljegren if you ask me...

 

[WTFMAN99]

Makes the odd bad pinch still but he's improved a lot. 1 more full year in the AHL with another strong summer will make a big difference I think.

 

[Pyromaniac]

Looks closer to the 2nd overall Liljegren if you ask me...

He was drafted at 17 not 2. Please stop stirring things up.

 

[LeafChief]

I'm not sure how anyone can speak poorly of him at this point.

He's been incredible in this playoff run. The youngest D-man in the league and hasn't look out of place throughout this Calder Cup run.

Picked up another point tonight.

 

[AppsSyl]

His game has rounded out really nicely with play in the defensive zone clearly the focus this season. It is very clear that his intent as well as the Leafs' is to not be strictly an offensive D-man, but a solid 2-way defender. Can't wait to see if they unleash him more offensively next season, and encourage him to rush the puck more. He showed some moments of brilliance tonight, especially the nice rush at the end. His assist was nice too. Defensively he is very good at breaking the play up and cutting off lanes and forcing pressure as the opposing team crosses the line, and his ability to move the puck out of the zone and up ice quickly is very good.

 

[Critical13]

I haven't been overly impressed with his offensive acumen, but he's impressed me defensively, much like he did at the WJC. Tonight his skating and positioning was definitely on display.

Would love to see him round out to a nice 2-3 steady dman.

 

[Treasure Island]

He has and still is playing against the top players in the AHL.
Every game he seems to be getting better and gaining confidence.
He can take the big hit and still make the pass. This is his first full season of 70 plus games. That in itself is a marvellous achievement.
I’m anxious to see how he develops physically this summer. If he picks up another10 lbs of muscle he will be a beast.
His future is bright.

 

[Knies iT]

His game has rounded out really nicely with play in the defensive zone clearly the focus this season. It is very clear that his intent as well as the Leafs' is to not be strictly an offensive D-man, but a solid 2-way defender. Can't wait to see if they unleash him more offensively next season, and encourage him to rush the puck more. He showed some moments of brilliance tonight, especially the nice rush at the end. His assist was nice too. Defensively he is very good at breaking the play up and cutting off lanes and forcing pressure as the opposing team crosses the line, and his ability to move the puck out of the zone and up ice quickly is very good.

This is the biggest thing.

One of the other most notably impressive things is his willingness to engage physically. He was very timid when the season started, and even though he still gets out muscled, he's always finishing checks in the D-zone, battles in front of the net, and pinches/closes gaps aggressively using his body more so than his stick. That alone tells me he's willing to adapt his game in whatever way the coach sees fit, which is a positive sign for a young player looking to improve. He's adapted so well to a league that has a dirty reputation and typically eats players like him alive.

 

[AppsSyl]

Liljegren's offense this year was good, but there is still another level we will see.

His real growth this season was in his defensive play and adapting to NA ice. If you look at his growth in those 2 areas which is not easily measurable, you would hard pressed to find a handful of prospects from his draft with more growth this season.

It really is laughable to read the reports by some scouts before the draft and posters from other fanbases last summer when talking about his game and him as a player. He is anything but the defensive blackhole they were making him out to be.

Thank God for mono.

 

[Scott Malkinson]

Liljegren is good defensively, in the AHL. The fact that he's this good defensively, as a teenager, is what makes it even more impressive. He has all the tools to put up really big numbers in the league next season. This guy could be a 40+ point AHL defenceman at the age of 19, which is lunacy.

 

[Mikeyg]

Don't sleep on this guy, he could damn well become the best dman of the 2017 draft over the next 3 years, hes got the toolbox, the drive, and the hunger to want to learn. Very dangerous combo when you consider how purely talented he is. We definitely hit a home run here.

 

[Scott Malkinson]

Don't sleep on this guy, he could damn well become the best dman of the 2017 draft over the next 3 years, hes got the toolbox, the drive, and the hunger to want to learn. Very dangerous combo when you consider how purely talented he is. We definitely hit a home run here.

The most impressive part of Liljegren's season in the AHL has been his willingness to play physical and the drive he's shown. To be honest, reading the scouting reports pre-draft had me questioning his internal drive but the guy has played with a ton of heart all season.

The Marlies are the best developmental program in hockey. They've done wonders with him.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

hard to be anything but impressed by him. his supposed biggest weaknesses were the best parts of his game this year. and he still has that fantastic skating, shot, and offensive instinct that could lead to him being a beast offensively as well

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

Don't sleep on this guy, he could damn well become the best dman of the 2017 draft over the next 3 years, hes got the toolbox, the drive, and the hunger to want to learn. Very dangerous combo when you consider how purely talented he is. We definitely hit a home run here.

Liljegren’s season has been fine for a guy drafted last year, but I’m still placing my bets on the guy that won the award for best defender in Liiga. I saw him play at the WJC and I’ve been watching the finals, and I think he needs to do more offensively and improve his defense to be placed near Heiskanen. Still, he is one of the more intriguing defensive prospects of 2017 draft and I will surely follow him next year too.

 

[Hale The Villain]

Better hope his defensive game is rounding out, because his offensive game has dropped off.

Started off strong with 9 points in the 17 games played before the WJC, but after putting up a disappointing 2 points in 7 games at the WJC, he has put up 12 points in the 45 games he has played since then.

Not the kind of numbers you want to see from a kid with his talent level playing on an offensive powerhouse, even if he's only 18.

 

[Willy Stylez]

Better hope his defensive game is rounding out, because his offensive game has dropped off.

Started off strong with 9 points in the 17 games played before the WJC, but after putting up a disappointing 2 points in 7 games at the WJC, he has put up 12 points in the 45 games he has played since then.

Not the kind of numbers you want to see from a kid with his talent level playing on an offensive powerhouse, even if he's only 18.

What does the eye test say about his game?

 

[Hale The Villain]

What does the eye test say about his game?

Hard (but inaccurate) shot, good hands, decent puck-moving ability, but low/mediocre hockey IQ.

Skating ability is the best part of his game and gives him legit top 4 potential, but I'm not seeing high-end potential like others around here.

 

[4thline]

2 points (against good teams) + 2 more goals directly caused by his stretch passes that he didn't get credited for under IIHF scoring (also against good teams) + several dominant shifts and grade A chances generated.

"Disappointing"

Would be a much better prospect if banked a couple second assists against bottom feeders.


As to his AHL performance- from last page-

"Hampus Lindholm. 6th overall, 11 points 44 games
Morgan Rielly. 5th overall, 3 points 14 games
Zach Werenski 8th overall, 1 point 7 games
Josh Morissey 13th overall, 1 point 8 games
Darnell Nurse 7th overall, 1 point 4 games

This isn't some hyperbolic statement guaranteeing that he's a franchise player based on outproducing these players, just an illustration that merely "belonging" and being capable at the AHL level as a U19 defender is par for the course for a top 10 pick."

 

[Leafs at Knight]

Finding it weird how people who don't watch the Marlies are giving their input/opinion? about his year; when people like myself who have watched quite a few Marlies games this year say otherwise.

 

[Scott Malkinson]

His offensive game is very promising.

Above average hockey IQ and surprisingly physical, for a kid his age.

Every criticism of his IQ, before the draft, he proved to be wrong.

Excellent season for a kid his age. He likely hits 40 points next season as a 19 year old, in the AHL.

Marlies handled him flawlessly.

 

[Scott Malkinson]

Finding it weird how people who don't watch the Marlies are giving their input/opinion? about his year; when people like myself who have watched quite a few Marlies games this year say otherwise.

I've watched the majority of Liljegren's games this season and I'm perplexed at people questioning his hockey IQ. His IQ and physical play have been two of the pleasant surprises from him as an 18 year old AHL rookie.

 

[Scott Malkinson]

It would have been interesting to see what Liljegren could have done in the CHL, this past season.

If he reported to Niagara, I have no doubt he could have been a point-per-game player against his peers.