Leier said his skating has improved since being drafted. He did some power skating back in Canada in May, then spent the rest of the summer rooming with Laughton in Voorhees, skating and working out daily.
The two originally became friends at the World Juniors as Team Canada teammates. Pryor said things really took off for Leier at that tournament in terms of confidence.
“He went to world junior and came in late and by the end of the tournament, he was a good player for them,” Pryor said.
“He’s versatile, you can bump him up in the lineup. He can check and score. He is smart and competitive. He works hard. He’s done well for himself last couple of years.”