Recalled/Assigned: Sandin loaned to Sweden and Wins Best Defenseman Award

[kb]

Since when is liljegren more ready than Sandin? Not understanding the vibe in this thread. Did people watch training camp and the early parts of the season? Sandin only started struggling based on what appeared to be nerves and too afraid of making mistakes rather than just playing. A large part of that blame has to go to Babcock

Have you seen either play since then?

That would be your answer.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Since when is liljegren more ready than Sandin? Not understanding the vibe in this thread. Did people watch training camp and the early parts of the season? Sandin only started struggling based on what appeared to be nerves and too afraid of making mistakes rather than just playing. A large part of that blame has to go to Babcock

If you only watched training camp I can see what you're saying, but Babcock foxholed Liljegren early like he does with so many guys and Liljegrens ice time kept dipping. Never even tried him on the PK where he was a beast for the Marlies at the end of last year.

While at the same time he was playing Sandin 30 minutes in a game and both PP and PK time. He clearly picked a favourite early and made it be known.

Liljegren was one of the best defensemen in the AHL at the end of last year as a 19 year old and has continued to get better in heavier minutes this season.

Sandin is ridiculous offensively but needs to work on the defensive side big time this year.

 

[Advanced stats]

Apparently since his injury it was until they found out its not that serious. Sounded like they were bringing Sandin up to the Leafs.

Where did you hear that?

 

[Stephen]

guess Barrie is not that bad.

I suspect Liljegren would be the preferred Barrie replacement, being RHD and a complete beast this year.

 

[ToMaLe]

Where did you hear that?

Elliot Friedman

 

[Dayjobdave]

Interesting choice to let Sandin go to the WJC. He should be a really strong player there.

 

[Rude Dog]

Two weeks these players will never forget. I think the long term pros of playing in this tournament far outweigh the cons. Wish more nhl teams would take longer term views when deciding whether to send their guys or not. Unless they truly are a vital piece of the team (which the vast majority are not at that age).

 

[ruaware41]

Lilly did have a bad training camp, but he and Sandin were always closer than it looked then.

Sandin has the edge in brains and hands, but he could use some physical development, especially since he's not an effortless skater.

Lilly, though, has a man's body now, and has that elite skating as well. He probably doesn't have it in him to ever be a top end offensive dman (though not impossible), but his defense and puck control and movement are great.

He has all the tools in the world but it's unclear how his toolbox is. From what I've seen in previous years, he does seem prone to huge mental lapses. Remind you of someone? (Jake Gardiner)

Sandin on the other hand has enough tools with more than good enough skating, certainly not something that holds him back, and a pretty decent tool box. Seems pretty poised and calm upstairs. Sometimes it's not just about le potentialé

 

[coastalview]

i heard sandin requested he be allowed to return to sweden
i think after wjc he will be retiring from hockey
to join greta thunberg full time
in her world campaign against global warming
those swedes stick together

 

[ruaware41]

i heard sandin requested he be allowed to return to sweden
i think after wjc he will be retiring from hockey
to join greta thunberg full time
in her world campaign against global warming
those swedes stick together

Wow this post is an adventure. I did end up laughing though so thanks for the 4am chuckle.

 

[Star Ocean]

i heard sandin requested he be allowed to return to sweden
i think after wjc he will be retiring from hockey
to join greta thunberg full time
in her world campaign against global warming
those swedes stick together

greta is terrible and genereally not liked by realists in sweden.

 

[stickty111]

He has all the tools in the world but it's unclear how his toolbox is. From what I've seen in previous years, he does seem prone to huge mental lapses. Remind you of someone? (Jake Gardiner)

Sandin on the other hand has enough tools with more than good enough skating, certainly not something that holds him back, and a pretty decent tool box. Seems pretty poised and calm upstairs. Sometimes it's not just about le potentialé

Liljegren has put it together in the AHL, and has outplayed Sandin there. His toolbox is not in question. The errors are extremely rare now.

 

[SprDaVE]

He has all the tools in the world but it's unclear how his toolbox is. From what I've seen in previous years, he does seem prone to huge mental lapses. Remind you of someone? (Jake Gardiner)

Sandin on the other hand has enough tools with more than good enough skating, certainly not something that holds him back, and a pretty decent tool box. Seems pretty poised and calm upstairs. Sometimes it's not just about le potentialé

I'll never understand why anyone would equate negativity out of Liljegren turning into a Gardiner level player. We should be ecstatic that Liljegren having that kind of efficiency and impact in the very near future. Gardiner had a pretty big impact for the Leafs.

But also, this isn't a Liljegren thread.

Sandin was always going to go to the WJCs. It's good experience, players tend to love playing in the tournament and the Marlies have plenty of depth to cover his loss.

 

[zeke]

He has all the tools in the world but it's unclear how his toolbox is. From what I've seen in previous years, he does seem prone to huge mental lapses. Remind you of someone? (Jake Gardiner)

Sandin on the other hand has enough tools with more than good enough skating, certainly not something that holds him back, and a pretty decent tool box. Seems pretty poised and calm upstairs. Sometimes it's not just about le potentialé

all true.

but again, Sandin could use some physical development, ideally. And with our need more on the right side than the left this year, it might be smart not to let his ELC start ticking this year.

And while Lilly's toolbox is a question mark, he's well ahead of where jake was at the same ages, and even him turning into a Jake would be a good thing anyways.

 

[saffronleaf]

I'll admit a part of me was hoping he'd get called up instead. Oh well. Hope he has an awesome tournament, I'll be rooting for him.

 

[Martin Skoula]

He has all the tools in the world but it's unclear how his toolbox is. From what I've seen in previous years, he does seem prone to huge mental lapses. Remind you of someone? (Jake Gardiner)

Sandin on the other hand has enough tools with more than good enough skating, certainly not something that holds him back, and a pretty decent tool box. Seems pretty poised and calm upstairs. Sometimes it's not just about le potentialé

Why go with Jake Gardiner when you basically just described Anton Stralman to a T?

 

[stickty111]

I'll admit a part of me was hoping he'd get called up instead. Oh well. Hope he has an awesome tournament, I'll be rooting for him.

Lilly is also really good.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Good luck kid!

 

[ruaware41]

Why go with Jake Gardiner when you basically just described Anton Stralman to a T?

stralman is an extremely solid stable defence man who's game doesn't severely deteriorate under pressure. Now I'm not saying he's as big of a choker or has the exact same issues in the exact same magnitude. From having watched Liljegren before this season he does seem to occasionally have those Gardiner type moments. yes I understand all defence man make mistakes.

I also don't understand this narrative in this thread. The best you can go off of is NHL performance. And so far Sandin has showed he can play here while being a year younger and Liljegren hasn't displayed that as of yet. Don't be surprised if Sandin ends up the better defenceman.

 

[Martin Skoula]

stralman is an extremely solid stable defence man who's game doesn't severely deteriorate under pressure. Now I'm not saying he's as big of a choker or has the exact same issues in the exact same magnitude. From having watched Liljegren before this season he does seem to occasionally have those Gardiner type moments. yes I understand all defence man make mistakes.

I also don't understand this narrative in this thread. The best you can go off of is NHL performance. And so far Sandin has showed he can play here while being a year younger and Liljegren hasn't displayed that as of yet. Don't be surprised if Sandin ends up the better defenceman.

When we traded him for pennies he was a guy who could go coast to coast but couldn't play D. Liljegren is way ahead defensively at the same age, bigger, and a better skater. You're noticing mistakes because he plays half the game and the transition runs through him when he's on the ice.

 

[The Iceman]

Sweet, maybe Liljeren is coming up, hes the best D on the Marlies so he definitely deserves a call up

Best D is Sandin IMO. Is better and will be a better pro.

Top pairing vs middle pairing in Lily. Time will tell.

 

[93LEAFS]

Don't know much about the makeup of the team but any chance he's captain?

I think he'll get a letter. He seems quite respected among that age group considering he captained them at the U-17 Challenge and Hlinka. Which are the only two tournaments he's been to with Sweden where he was in the oldest age group there, as they were unlikely to give him a letter as an 18-year-old first-time WJC player last year when they had returning 19-year-olds like Brannstrom and Lundestrom. My guess is the leaders will be some combo of Sandin and Ginning. My 3rd guess would have been Jacob Olafsson but I believe he is out for the tournament. All 3 of these guys consistently wore letters for Sweden at events for the 1999 age group.

I'll never understand why anyone would equate negativity out of Liljegren turning into a Gardiner level player. We should be ecstatic that Liljegren having that kind of efficiency and impact in the very near future. Gardiner had a pretty big impact for the Leafs.

But also, this isn't a Liljegren thread.

Sandin was always going to go to the WJCs. It's good experience, players tend to love playing in the tournament and the Marlies have plenty of depth to cover his loss.

People have delusional expectations about what the average cohort of players drafted in Liljegren's range turn into (I'll label it 16-20). Rarely do you get a star in that range, and more often then not, they aren't better than a 4th liner or bottom-pairing player. Anytime you get a top 4 D-man in that range its a success, especially if they can fill that role for some of their ELC years. For every Tarasenko and Vasilvesky, there are like 15 guys who don't become more than AHL or Europe players primarily for a variety of reasons from just not being good (David Fischer), injuries (Joey Hishon) or some likely combo of both (Angelo Esposito), and then there are a few more who are just NHL depth journeymen who get 300 or so games like Jacob Josefson.

 

[Horse McHindu]

Hope Mikelin Babcockstrom isn’t his coach

I’d be more concerned if Grahamaticus Jameslander was.

 

[Schooner]

stralman is an extremely solid stable defence man who's game doesn't severely deteriorate under pressure. Now I'm not saying he's as big of a choker or has the exact same issues in the exact same magnitude. From having watched Liljegren before this season he does seem to occasionally have those Gardiner type moments. yes I understand all defence man make mistakes.

I also don't understand this narrative in this thread. The best you can go off of is NHL performance. And so far Sandin has showed he can play here while being a year younger and Liljegren hasn't displayed that as of yet. Don't be surprised if Sandin ends up the better defenceman.

Sandin most likely will end up the better defenceman, but you are certainly selling Liljgren short imo. You know what the beauty of it is though? Leafs have both of them.

 

[Kiwi]

Best D is Sandin IMO. Is better and will be a better pro.

Top pairing vs middle pairing in Lily. Time will tell.

Liljegren is the best all around defenseman on the Marlies currently

Sandin has a higher offensive ceiling imo but you would be incorrect to say Sandin is the Marlies best defenseman

He's a work in progress defensively still