Speculation: *Rifai vs. Liljegren. It's a thing and it's happening.

[LeafSteel]

Leafs and Liljegren both need him to take a solid step in his development.

Keefe wasn’t the one to build him up. Hopefully Berube gives him the opportunity to realize his potential.

Top 4RHD is something we need from Liljegren desperately. If he can deliver, his contract is a value contract.

With our dearth of a RHD pipeline, Liljegren needs to put it all together for all of our sakes.

 

[StuckOutHere]

Stralman was an average player with an average career. Why do leaf fans care about the average players that got away?

Because instead of having that player for 1000 games like clockwork we are going to trade picks and prospects every trade deadline to have them for 20 games?

 

[StuckOutHere]

Really liked Rafais game. Liligren I’ve been waiting on for a decade to be good. I honestly don’t know here

It was seven years ago and he has outplayed any dman from that draft who isn't named Makar or Heiskanen.

 

[ACC1224]

What's the 'thing' that's 'happening'?

 

[Nineteen67]

Leafs and Liljegren both need him to take a solid step in his development.

Keefe wasn’t the one to build him up. Hopefully Berube gives him the opportunity to realize his potential.

Top 4RHD is something we need from Liljegren desperately. If he can deliver, his contract is a value contract.

With our dearth of a RHD pipeline, Liljegren needs to put it all together for all of our sakes.

He was probably drafted too high and has always been thought of as a bottom pair D. He’s never been fast, but he hasn’t been strong enough, and maybe with added weight he’ll improve. He’s played under 200 games.

The biggest issue is the GM forgot there was a salary cap when he signed him.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

So wishful thinking on an erroneous narrative. Got it.

There will be a cap casualty soon. At this point it's only speculation. "Speculation" is thread prefix which is 1 fact. The only other fact is that Liljegren is being paid 3 million.

Whether Treliving feels that it's too pricey for a number 6 D, and that cheaper options are available within the organization to use. Well...that we can only speculate.

 

[shaner8989]

It was seven years ago and he has outplayed any dman from that draft who isn't named Makar or Heiskanen.

I’m not saying he’s a bad pick I’m saying he hasn’t been good. He needs to take a major leap forward immediately or it’s time to write him off. He’s a major liability defensively and provides nothing offensively

 

[StuckOutHere]

I’m not saying he’s a bad pick I’m saying he hasn’t been good. He needs to take a major leap forward immediately or it’s time to write him off. He’s a major liability defensively and provides nothing offensively

He scored at pretty much a 40 pt pace last year? What are you expecting?

 

[LeafGrief]

Coach and GM can do whatever they want with the bottom pairings and middling players. Sometimes it's Stralman, sometimes it's Dermott. Holding onto players because you're worried that they might be a decent player some day down the line is how you end up fishing the puck out of your net in Game 6 OT.

Liljegren is one of these middling players. If we let him go and he plays 20 minutes a night somewhere else for 800 games, good for him. The fear of a player succeeding elsewhere cannot be the driving force in making roster decisions, because you must build your roster with an idea in mind, not out of a fear drive. I understand that we're once bitten, twice shy on the whole Stralman thing, but idk why we're not thrice shy on Liljegren after his playoff performances. Guy's got some tools, but he's not a kid any more and he's not that good either.

If we keep him, we cheer for him. If we trade him, best of luck in the change of scenery. I see Frank Corrado on the TV nowadays and laugh when I think of how this fanbase dreams for our young D. Liljegren is better than Carrick, but not a whole lot tbh.

 

[shaner8989]

He scored at pretty much a 40 pt pace last year? What are you expecting?

It’s actually 34 Points over an 82 game schedule which is abysmal for any type of offensive dman. If we’re considering him that then he’s not even close to good. If we consider him a defensive stud he’s an absolute failure. I’d rather see Rafai get minutes and see what he can do. He’s been great and more of what the team needs.

 

[supermann_98]

The guy was given #1 PP duties when Reilly was suspended for the cross check on that Ottawa prick.

During that time he played really well and the PP ran like a well oiled machine. As soon as Reilly comes back from my memory he no longer even got 2nd PP duties and his game went to shit (as did the PP).

Whatever happens to him I wish him well, and if he stays with us I hope he's not jerked in and out of the lineup and knows what role(s) the coach has in mind for him, because Keefe jerked him around incessantly and unnecessarily, which IMO ruined his confidence

 

[Skullz]

Rifai is a LHD.

He will start as the 7D as Hakanpaa will go on LTIR.