RD Timothy Liljegren - Timra IK, Allsvenskan (2017, 17th, TOR)

[FlyTimmo]

We use Kadri for that role, and that isn't Vilardi's game at all. He's a poor-man's Matthews or Tavares who doesn't have the skating to play center most likely. He's also not really a shut down guy. His game is built around great hands and strength on the puck which allows him to be strong along the boards and drive the net.

The best defense is the best offense. Vilardi isn't couturier, but he definitely plays in all three zones. When Couts was drafted I wasn't exactly thinking he would be a selke quality defensive forward, but Vilardi could end up being a guy like that. If he ends up at the wing he could become a poor mans Marian Hossa. That would also be quite the addition to the Leafs.

 

[Grimes]

Steal at 17. Was hoping the Yotes would have pulled another Chychrun move and traded up for him.

Pretty shocking other teams let him fall so far, and was such a no brainer, you guys must be thrilled. He also seems like a great kid. Hoping he is successful, and I think it will be smarter to let him develop a little more in Europe before coming over. He isn't as much of a manchild as Chychrun was.

Cheers!

 

[Matias Maccete]

Very different player, but Tim Bernhardt (your head scout) thinks it is a very comparable situation.

pretty much, they're quite different players but both fell due to poor play, although both are likely due to injury related issues.

Sorry I wasn't clear, I didn't mean type of player, I meant the situation like 93LEAFS and Havoc Wreaker pointed out. Both had some health issues, and got that low hockey IQ label after being projected in the top 3 of the draft only to fall to the teens. I'm not sure Liljegren makes the NHL this like Chychrun did but as far as value for the pick it could be similar.

 

[93LEAFS]

Sorry I wasn't clear, I didn't mean type of player, I meant the situation like 93LEAFS and Havoc Wreaker pointed out. Both had some health issues, and got that low hockey IQ label after being projected in the top 3 of the draft only to fall to the teens. I'm not sure Liljegren makes the NHL this like Chychrun did but as far as value for the pick it could be similar.

I'd be absolutely shocked if he makes it. I don't think Chychrun would of made it on 95% of teams in the league to be honest. He proved he could play in the NHL, but I doubt anyone outside of a team like Arizona gives him the opportunity (same thing with Lawson Crouse to a lesser extent). Not that it was a bad thing, its just Arizona entering into 2016/17, were in a very different place than the Leafs entering 2017/18.

Realistically, I think the kids timeline is a full-year in Sweden hopefully getting top 4 minutes and being a leader on the WJC team. Half a year to a full year with the Marlies the next year. Earliest call-up date likely being post-2019 WJC. Now, if he explodes next year and plays like he was projected to entering the season and shows to be a top 5 talent, he could be a guy who makes it in 2018/19. I think Leafs are going to be really cautious on this one. He was jerked around way too much last year, and for a kid who needs to fix his defensive positioning, I don't think shifting ice-surfaces mid-year playing against grown men would be a good idea.

 

[zeke]

I agree. The perfect player for the Leafs is a defensive minded center that is good at ES. Sean Couturier would look great in the Leafs lineup. Vilardi could handle that role and the Leafs would be a really scary team.

Matthews, nylander, kadri are all defensive minded centers.

 

[oooooooooohCanada]

Matthews, nylander, kadri are all defensive minded centers.

Kadri is defensive minded.

Matthews and Nylander have good analytics but they aren't 'defensive minded', they are just really good at offense/having the puck so they don't need to play defense as much as others. Also Nylander isn't a center in the NHL until he plays as a center in the NHL.

 

[zharkenby]

Yup. Just like Nylander. Just like Marner. Just like Matthews.

Yeah except not at all. They all went top 10. 16 teams passed on this guy, clear deficiencies in his fame and I'm salty eh? I'm a devil fan lol hop off. Couldn't be happier right now.

 

[zharkenby]

Jealous post. Sad. Nobody is penciling him into our top 4 next year.

He's your avatar already again, I'm a devil fan. Not jealous what so ever.

2 words: Nico hischier

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

He's your avatar already again, I'm a devil fan. Not jealous what so ever.

2 words: Nico hischier

And that proves that he's pencilled Liljegren into next years top 4?

It's great that you're happy bud. We are up here as well. So how about you hop off and let us enjoy our newly acquired prospect and you can enjoy yours? Would be better than throwing around generalizations and exaggerations.

 

[Haatley]

Reminds me of Oliver Kylington. Only right handed. Glad we went with more of a sure thing with Valimaki but Liljegren had a super high ceiling.

 

[Pyromaniac]

Reminds me of Oliver Kylington. Only right handed. Glad we went with more of a sure thing with Valimaki but Liljegren had a super high ceiling.

So he lost his "super high ceiling" as soon as he was drafted.

 

[Haatley]

So he lost his "super high ceiling" as soon as he was drafted.

It was a typo, kid. Ever notice the "d" is beside the "s"?

Always with your back against the wall. Calm down.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

Classic case of a prospect being talked about waaaay to much because the leafs took him... I mean pump the brakes here. You guys are hyping him up more than Devils and flyers fans are hyping Nico and Nolan. Stop acting like you got the best player in the draft. Not the best player let alone dman, he has a LOT of work to do before ever even sniffing an NHL top 4 dman.

Leafs may have gotten a Doughty lite at 17. Adding that to Nylander, Marner and Matthews is scary I know. Don't worry though he's probably 2 years away.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Wasn't impressed by him when I caught his U18 games, but the skillset is still quite apparent. Dmen development paths can be volatile season to season, last year may just be a hiccup. Excited to follow his development path a bit more closely now

 

[lawrence]

glad he was selected by the Leafs.

kids a turn over machine with low iq.

If you people think we are making this up, we are not. Its been debated over and over again.

Low iq defensemen, turnover machine, Canucks didn't even interview him.

Lower league mens league picked him apart, will most likely be picked apart at the NHL level.

Love seeing the Leafs make these error picks.

 

[Atomos2]

Yeah except not at all. They all went top 10. 16 teams passed on this guy, clear deficiencies in his fame and I'm salty eh? I'm a devil fan lol hop off. Couldn't be happier right now.

At the beginning of the season, if I were to told you leafs would make the playoffs and get Lillijgren u would've laughed.

And if u couldn't be happier right now as a devils fan, u wouldn't be here making a fit over the leafs big steal. Leafs made the playoffs and have Matthews Marner Nylander and Lillijgren. We are the ones who couldn't be happier

 

[Palio]

glad he was selected by the Leafs.

kids a turn over machine with low iq.

If you people think we are making this up, we are not. Its been debated over and over again.

Low iq defensemen, turnover machine, Canucks didn't even interview him.

Lower league mens league picked him apart, will most likely be picked apart at the NHL level.

Love seeing the Leafs make these error picks.

I don't think a Canuck fan is the right person to talk about the Leafs making error picks!

 

[HockeyGuruPitka]

glad he was selected by the Leafs.

kids a turn over machine with low iq.

If you people think we are making this up, we are not. Its been debated over and over again.

Low iq defensemen, turnover machine, Canucks didn't even interview him.

Lower league mens league picke5d him apart, will most likely be picked apart at the NHL level.

Love seeing the Leafs make these error picks.

(Checks Canucks draft history sees Virtanen at 6 and then Nylander at 8. Chuckles and moves on)

 

[1972]

I don't think a Canuck fan is the right person to talk about the Leafs making error picks!

He has nothing to do with the Canucks picks just like you have nothing to do with the Leafs picks. He can say whatever he wants.

 

[LeafFever]

Classic case of a prospect being talked about waaaay to much because the leafs took him... I mean pump the brakes here. You guys are hyping him up more than Devils and flyers fans are hyping Nico and Nolan. Stop acting like you got the best player in the draft. Not the best player let alone dman, he has a LOT of work to do before ever even sniffing an NHL top 4 dman.

He was ranked as high as those guys before he got mono though. This isn't a typical #17 pick. This guy has elite skill. If he doesn't get sick he goes top 5.

Classic case of a player becoming underrated because the Leafs took him.

 

[LeafFever]

glad he was selected by the Leafs.

kids a turn over machine with low iq.

If you people think we are making this up, we are not. Its been debated over and over again.

Low iq defensemen, turnover machine, Canucks didn't even interview him.

Lower league mens league picked him apart, will most likely be picked apart at the NHL level.

Love seeing the Leafs make these error picks.

I love how Canuck fans just hate the Leafs so much, It's funny to see.
There's not a GM alive who would take the Canucks future over the Leafs right now.
Was virtanen over Nylander a mistake?

BTW, you're concentrating on him defensively, how about every single scout of the planet drooling over his elite offensive skill?

 

[LeafFever]

He has nothing to do with the Canucks picks just like you have nothing to do with the Leafs picks. He can say whatever he wants.

The Leafs 1st round picks in recent years have been better than anyone's. He can say whatever he wants, but he's wrong. All 3 1st rounders from the past 3 years for the Leafs had 60+ points as rookies.(Including 1 the Canucks passed on in a stupid move).

It's very, very rare a player this good is picked at 17 overall. The Leafs got very lucky.

 

[Morgs]

He has nothing to do with the Canucks picks just like you have nothing to do with the Leafs picks. He can say whatever he wants.

Well it's pretty obvious bait. I mean he starts it by hoping bad against Leaf fans, then chirps Liljegren with information he can choose to belive (I don't see any turnover statistics), then goes on claiming the Canucks are smart for letting him pass without an interview, then chirps the Leafs again.

Why come and do that? It's not like he came in here and said something negative to add to the conversation in a positive way. He just tried getting Leaf fans going with some bait lmao.

 

[WilliamNylander]

Hypothetically speaking. If the leafs had the 8th overall pick instead of 17...would u stil take liljegren?

It's a good question.

If I could ask them one question, it would be if they picked 15 do they take Brannstrom? Or still go with Liljegren?

 

[WilliamNylander]

He's your avatar already again, I'm a devil fan. Not jealous what so ever.

2 words: Nico hischier

Everyone knows you got the best prospect on draft night. But are we going into your thread and complaining?

I don't understand the hate honestly. We haven't had a good D prospect in years (Reilly) and before that they've literally all been busts. Why can't we be a little excited in one thread about the guy we drafted?