Tribute Timothy Liljegren part 2

Stephen

Moderator
Feb 28, 2002
81,403
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It isn't the system lol, it's the player.

I just don't trust him when the going get tough. His game hasn't evolved and he's so weak for his size, I don't quite get it. Has shown some really good flashes at times, and I actually recall a couple years ago, anyone who paired with him suddenly looked good. Now though, I think he's had too many bad patches and lacks the consistent confidence. Also, his hockey IQ is nothing to write home about.

Good depth, but right now I don't know honestly what he is on this team?

He has Jake Gardiner syndrome vs Boston. -8 in 2 games and just consistently beat up. Took a run at Coyle, and just got clobbered by two Bruins in retribution. Just a mushy, weak link.
 
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Aashir Mallik

Registered User
Apr 19, 2019
12,506
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we really don't know how to develop defencemen

sandin, dermott, liljegren

the trifecta of 1st rounders and high 2nds that didn't pan out. We couldn't get dermott to learn how to play offence at all or defence at a top 4 level. We couldn't get sandin to play defence at a top 4 level. Now we are not able to get liljgren to do either at a top 4 level either.

Obviously some of that is on the player, liljegren does deserve blame for his soft and stupid play, but I have little doubt that someone like boston or LA couldn't develop these three into something useful. They'd hammer home good quick thinking, physical intensity and strong 2 way play from the start at a much better rate than us

We should've been able to turn 1 of them into a top pairer, one into an anchor on the second piar, and another into a good 4/5, instead we got 3 bottom pairers, with one becoming a top 4 elsewhere

very frustrating to see us turn picks into nothing like this
 
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Gabriel426

Registered User
Jun 30, 2015
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we really don't know how to develop defencemen

sandin, dermott, liljegren

the trifecta of 1st rounders and high 2nds that didn't pan out. We couldn't get dermott to learn how to play offence at all or defence at a top 4 level. We couldn't get sandin to play defence at a top 4 level. Now we are not able to get liljgren to do either at a top 4 level either.

Obviously some of that is on the player, liljegren does deserve blame for his soft and stupid play, but I have little doubt that someone like boston or LA couldn't develop these three into something useful. They'd hammer home good quick thinking, physical intensity and strong 2 way play from the start at a much better rate than us

We should've been able to turn 1 of them into a top pairer, one into an anchor on the second piar, and another into a good 4/5, instead we got 3 bottom pairers, with one becoming a top 4 elsewhere

very frustrating to see us turn picks into nothing like this
Can also add Reilly, Gardiner and even Carrick to that mix.

Now Carrick might never be any good.
Reilly is someone that I think his natural talents and size is so amazing that it compensate for the lack of development within the Leafs system. I really think if Reilly is in the Bruins system, being his size, speed....he might be close to McAvoy or even better.
 

CabanaBoy5

Registered User
Feb 17, 2013
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Woodbridge
We need Lily to step up his game from here on in or it won't be him on the playoff roster...again. Against the Bruins, he tends to shrivel up and lose confidence. He has to get tougher.
 

IPS

Registered User
Sep 28, 2017
16,483
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we really don't know how to develop defencemen

sandin, dermott, liljegren

the trifecta of 1st rounders and high 2nds that didn't pan out. We couldn't get dermott to learn how to play offence at all or defence at a top 4 level. We couldn't get sandin to play defence at a top 4 level. Now we are not able to get liljgren to do either at a top 4 level either.

Obviously some of that is on the player, liljegren does deserve blame for his soft and stupid play, but I have little doubt that someone like boston or LA couldn't develop these three into something useful. They'd hammer home good quick thinking, physical intensity and strong 2 way play from the start at a much better rate than us

We should've been able to turn 1 of them into a top pairer, one into an anchor on the second piar, and another into a good 4/5, instead we got 3 bottom pairers, with one becoming a top 4 elsewhere

very frustrating to see us turn picks into nothing like this
Believe me some of us have been shouting this for years. There was another poster around here (I forgot his name but he was a good poster) saying that the Leafs not only leave their D in the AHL too long, but also don't give them the appropriate ice time / role that other teams do with their D prospects. Now ofc this was met with stark opposition from the Dekes / Zekes crew because they were dead set convinced the Leafs were drafting and developing a very elite D under Dubas but boy did that ever turn out wrong for them.

This organization is not even close to the big boys when it comes to drafting and developing D. It's been a giant problem for a very long time now.
 

IPS

Registered User
Sep 28, 2017
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Maybe the Overdrive guys were onto something. Since coming back from his injury Liljegren has been pretty terrible.
The mediocre play from Liljegren was there before his injury too.

He's another failed leafs D prospect who's almost guaranteed to be traded in the offseason. His development was bricked just like Sandin and Dermott's
 
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stickty111

Registered User
Jan 23, 2017
27,217
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Maybe the Overdrive guys were onto something. Since coming back from his injury Liljegren has been pretty terrible.
Meh Hayes, JD, Jeff, Carlo have been on Lilly's case for like 4 years now. It's like they said lets pick a random guy and go after him. Jeff's facial expression was pretty clear when Wayne started praising Liljegren yesterday.
 

diceman934

Help is on the way.
Jul 31, 2010
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NHL player factory
Piss poor coach has him all messed up.
He sees that again his roster spot in the top 6 heading into the playoffs is gone once again. Hard to be confident when you feel under attack.

I would not trade him. Once Keefe is gone he will no longer be under the microscope of a coach who seems to make up his mind never to be changed.
 
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DarkKnight

Professional Amateur
Jan 17, 2017
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Keefe was asked about Edmunston add last night, immediately mentioned getting "pushed around" on D, he was obviously referring to Lil.
 
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IPS

Registered User
Sep 28, 2017
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Keefe was asked about Edmunston add last night, immediately mentioned getting "pushed around" on D, he was obviously referring to Lil.
You can't watch him get his lunch taken the last 2 games vs the Bruins like he has and think that it's not going to be a big problem come playoff time.
 
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aingefan

Registered User
Feb 27, 2008
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Mike Futa and JD Butkis:

"If he (Liljegren) was left-handed he wouldn't be anywhere near this roster".
And immediately after he said there’s huge risk in moving him knowing how much talent he has, and how risky it can be letting emotions guide decision making.
 
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Maplebeasts

I See Demons!!!!!
Oct 26, 2014
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Barrie, Ontario
Mike Futa and JD Butkis:

"If he (Liljegren) was left-handed he wouldn't be anywhere near this roster".
So they're dumb? He is statistically better than any defenseman on the team minus Rielly and maybe McCabe. He's had a few rough games lately but that shouldn't erase what was otherwise a successful season.

This fanbase is garbage. Zero tolerance or patience for young players and itching to trade/demote them after a rough patch. You trade him without bringing back another young defenseman to replace him and your D core for the foreseeable future is made up of geriatrics who can't do anything but play physical.
 

Maplebeasts

I See Demons!!!!!
Oct 26, 2014
20,918
12,627
Barrie, Ontario
Keefe was asked about Edmunston add last night, immediately mentioned getting "pushed around" on D, he was obviously referring to Lil.
I don't understand what Keefe is doing with the defense. If this was his intention it is absurd how much leash he will give to guys who have actually been shit all season defensively like Brodie, Gio, Rielly to an extent (though his offense makes up for it) but will give none to Liljegren who is better than most of them. No wonder this team can't develop young top 4 defensemen or top six forwards.
 

IPS

Registered User
Sep 28, 2017
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So they're dumb? He is statistically better than any defenseman on the team minus Rielly and maybe McCabe. He's had a few rough games lately but that shouldn't erase what was otherwise a successful season.

This fanbase is garbage. Zero tolerance or patience for young players and itching to trade/demote them after a rough patch. You trade him without bringing back another young defenseman to replace him and your D core for the foreseeable future is made up of geriatrics who can't do anything but play physical.
So let's hear it then, Brodie has obviously been absolute crap this year yet he's still carrying the vast majority of the load on the right side, why's Liljegren getting so much less time at ES and PK than Brodie? If his supreme statistics translate to reality so well, shouldn't the coaching staff see this and relegate Brodie's usage and minutes over to Liljegren? There's just no conceivable possible way that the stats are wrong and Liljegren simply can't be trusted that much? The defense is woefully thin on quality D, Liljegren being a RHD is the only reason he's getting the minutes he is.

Liljegren played 21 mins against Buffalo yet had his TOI reduced noticeably for the Boston games because they knew how to abuse him, 18 mins the first one and only 16 mins last night. You could do the unthinkable and put the stat sheet down and go watch in real time the problems with Liljegren, the Boston games tell you a lot.
 
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Lightsol

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
5,225
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Piss poor coach has him all messed up.
He sees that again his roster spot in the top 6 heading into the playoffs is gone once again. Hard to be confident when you feel under attack.

I would not trade him. Once Keefe is gone he will no longer be under the microscope of a coach who seems to make up his mind never to be changed.
Yeah, I suspect Keefe's penchant for demoting or pressboxing him for every little mistake likely helped with his "afraid to take risks" mindset at this point. And the last few years, he definitely hasn't done the kid any favors, sticking him with old man Gio & old man Brodie and basically using him as a spare part... That he can yoyo out of the lineup the second he gets his hands on another vet defenseman.
Anyone have any doubt Keefe's going to pressbox Timmy and put Edmundson in his place, and then scratch his head when the Leafs stuggle to get the puck out of their zone even more than they do now?
 

Hoglund4MvP

Registered User
Jan 26, 2022
1,171
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He's not that good.

He skates it quickly in open space 3 on 3 and makes a pass and suddenly im being told he's better than rielly. Kids in my sons league can do that 3 on 3

In a structured game against good teams he stinks. Always has always will. Sandin was the brains to their pairing.
 
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