Prospect Info: Timothy Liljegren - AHL Edition

[ULF_55]

He has a lot of the tools that you'd want to see in a potential star defenseman. He did look like a RHD OEL out there a bit. I don't care what a lot of people say but OEL isn't that great defensively, he just plays on a small market team.

The talent level is off the charts and he just needs time in the video room and to work on his defense. He's not Drew Doughty or Aaron Ekblad who can step in and play as an 18 year old but he shouldn't be expected to as an 18 year old picked 17th overall in a meh draft class.

Agreed.

He wasn't always effective carrying it out yesterday, sometimes he got blocked or lost the puck, but other times he looked like a stud, making a quick move and then clearing the zone with ease.

One play in the 3rd. he got the puck under pressure and threw it up to a forward near the blueline, the forward promptly lost the puck and they were back under pressure. I'd expect a good player would have taken the pass and easily cleared the zone. With better players his plays won't die as often.

If the Leafs had a better defense, I might be inclined to give him time playing with a solid NHL veteran in the NHL this year, and live with the growing pains.

If the top 4 is set and we're going to see Marincin, Dermott, Borgman, Rosen, Carrick on the bottom pairing I'd want no part of putting Liljegren out there unless one of Borgman or Rosen are revelations.

Last thing you want to do is putting an 18 year old rookie with some of the above.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Excited to see him in the pre-season games. I guess we'll be seeing him a lot on the Marlies this year.

 

[Macallan18]

Agreed.

He wasn't always effective carrying it out yesterday, sometimes he got blocked or lost the puck, but other times he looked like a stud, making a quick move and then clearing the zone with ease.

One play in the 3rd. he got the puck under pressure and threw it up to a forward near the blueline, the forward promptly lost the puck and they were back under pressure. I'd expect a good player would have taken the pass and easily cleared the zone. With better players his plays won't die as often.

If the Leafs had a better defense, I might be inclined to give him time playing with a solid NHL veteran in the NHL this year, and live with the growing pains.

If the top 4 is set and we're going to see Marincin, Dermott, Borgman, Rosen, Carrick on the bottom pairing I'd want no part of putting Liljegren out there unless one of Borgman or Rosen are revelations.

Last thing you want to do is putting an 18 year old rookie with some of the above.

I think there is only one LHD I would trust playing with him right now and that is Jake. Would rather season him in the AHL for a year or two

 

[Anthrax442]

Once you pair him up with a real NHL defenseman and put some talent up front, we will see what he is all about.

 

[NarcoPolo]

Once you pair him up with a real NHL defenseman and put some talent up front, we will see what he is all about.

He looked solid alongside Dermott. Reminds me so much of Gardiner at times but is probably a bit more dynamic on the power play.

 

[Antropovsky]

It's easier to teach defence, then skating and puck moving ability. See Luke Schenn and G.Reinhart. Much rather burn a mid 1st rounder on defensemen with skill.. than someone with size and ok defensive skills.

 

[Apotheosis]

He looked solid alongside Dermott. Reminds me so much of Gardiner at times but is probably a bit more dynamic on the power play.

The only similarities between the two is edge work. They both have elite edges. Liljegren has far better offensive tools.

 

[Randy Randerson]

The only similarities between the two is edge work. They both have elite edges. Liljegren has far better offensive tools.

I think there's a bit of the shiny new toy syndrome going on here, Gardiner was one of the better OFD prospects in the game at one time and we had hopes for him as a Norris caliber guy after the Boston playoff series

I see lots of similarities with them at the same stage in their careers: great skaters (edges and speed in both directions), good hands and vision, and the propensity to make risky plays where there's not a lot of reward if they're successful.

Gardiner has really never been able to completely correct the poor decision making in his own end, but he has limited it a lot. It seems like a correctable flaw, like it seems like they make those decisions while knowing there's a safer option (usually an obvious one, like the Liljegren giveaway on friday), so hopefully Liljegren will be able to train himself not to make those high risk/low reward plays in his own end moreso than Gardiner has been able to

 

[saltming]

I think there's a bit of the shiny new toy syndrome going on here, Gardiner was one of the better OFD prospects in the game at one time and we had hopes for him as a Norris caliber guy after the Boston playoff series

I see lots of similarities with them at the same stage in their careers: great skaters (edges and speed in both directions), good hands and vision, and the propensity to make risky plays where there's not a lot of reward if they're successful.

Gardiner has really never been able to completely correct the poor decision making in his own end, but he has limited it a lot. It seems like a correctable flaw, like it seems like they make those decisions while knowing there's a safer option (usually an obvious one, like the Liljegren giveaway on friday), so hopefully Liljegren will be able to train himself not to make those high risk/low reward plays in his own end moreso than Gardiner has been able to

I'm hoping that having Babcock/Keefe modifying Lil Tim from the start will help fix that issue. Also I fin liljegren already more physical than gardiner. Not a bone crusher but uses his body to separate the puck from the man more often and more physically that jake.

 

[Randy Randerson]

I'm hoping that having Babcock/Keefe modifying Lil Tim from the start will help fix that issue. Also I fin liljegren already more physical than gardiner. Not a bone crusher but uses his body to separate the puck from the man more often and more physically that jake.

Ya, you would think that it's a very correctable issue if the player is seeing the less risky option and just choosing the flashier one because he should be able to be trained to have a buzzer go off in his head saying "don't do that!" before making the risky play. I haven't seen Liljegren work himself into many situations where it looks like he's panicking making a play yet, and Gardiner used to hang on to the puck a lot and just circle back in his own zone until he got cornered by a couple of opposing players and forced into a giveaway...so I think it's a fixable issue

I agree on the physicality, defensively I would say that Liljegren and Gardiner have some big differences as prospects but offensively/tools wise/flaws wise they seem very similar to me

 

[saltming]

Ya, you would think that it's a very correctable issue if the player is seeing the less risky option and just choosing the flashier one because he should be able to be trained to have a buzzer go off in his head saying "don't do that!" before making the risky play. I haven't seen Liljegren work himself into many situations where it looks like he's panicking making a play yet, and Gardiner used to hang on to the puck a lot and just circle back in his own zone until he got cornered by a couple of opposing players and forced into a giveaway...so I think it's a fixable issue

I agree on the physicality, defensively I would say that Liljegren and Gardiner have some big differences as prospects but offensively/tools wise/flaws wise they seem very similar to me

Forgot about the bolded. And ya i have yet to see liljegren do that. I have seen him skate himself out of ice but that's been in the offensive zone thus far.

Also agree about the offensive tools comparison. I think Lil Tim has ha harder shot now than Gardiner did at 18. Liljegren's shot might be close to how Gardiner's is now.

Bottom line is this kid should be a stud. If he turns into Jake but even better in our own zone that's a huge hit for us!

 

[Randy Randerson]

Forgot about the bolded. And ya i have yet to see liljegren do that. I have seen him skate himself out of ice but that's been in the offensive zone thus far.

Also agree about the offensive tools comparison. I think Lil Tim has ha harder shot now than Gardiner did at 18. Liljegren's shot might be close to how Gardiner's is now.

Bottom line is this kid should be a stud. If he turns into Jake but even better in our own zone that's a huge hit for us!

once we have the offensive zone I really don't mind talented players making riskier plays and failing sometimes, just hate to see things like through-the-middle passes in our own end where the reward for it working is that the puck gets to a winger in normal breakout position or needlessly risky neutral zone plays that end up in lost possession more often than simpler plays

shooting I agree with as well, I bet that Liljegren is a better shooter now than Gardiner is now. The ability to use a wrist shot from the blueline is under rated too, should let him get more pucks through and let our forwards prey on rebounds

If Liljegren turns into the level of prospect that Gardiner was in 2012/13 then I think that means he's progressed nicely, and Gardiner could have turned out much better than he did from that point I think even if he's a pretty good player now, so I'm optimistic too

 

[Le Cobra]

What is this forum's evaluation of Liljegren yesterday? Was he a factor? Just saw that he saved a goal in the game in six...will he make the team or sent to the marlies?


Posting here because the other Liljegren thread was closed and no part two was made...there should be a Liljegren thread that doesn't say training camp lol

 

[ACC1224]

What is this forum's evaluation of Liljegren yesterday? Was he a factor? Just saw that he saved a goal in the game in six...will he make the team or sent to the marlies?

You could certainly see the potential but a year on the Marlies will do him wonders.

 

[Enthusiast17]

What is this forum's evaluation of Liljegren yesterday? Was he a factor? Just saw that he saved a goal in the game in six...will he make the team or sent to the marlies?


Posting here because the other Liljegren thread was closed and no part two was made...there should be a Liljegren thread that doesn't say training camp lol

He was pretty good for a rookie transitioning to smaller ice. His first pass and passing in general looks very good. His skating is as advertised and is pretty slippery.

That said, he’s not going to stick with the Leafs this season, he needs to work on his strength and conditioning. He will be getting top minutes with the Marlies imo. Overall though, a little bit better than I was expecting

 

[Walshy7]

What is this forum's evaluation of Liljegren yesterday? Was he a factor? Just saw that he saved a goal in the game in six...will he make the team or sent to the marlies?


Posting here because the other Liljegren thread was closed and no part two was made...there should be a Liljegren thread that doesn't say training camp lol

made a fantastic breakout pass, unfortunately to Matt Martin

 

[Le Cobra]

Yeah I hope he is given more time in the incubator to allow himself to make a better transition to the NHL - like Marner. I hope we are bombarded with clips and news about how he is destroying the AHL

 

[Le Cobra]

made a fantastic breakout pass, unfortunately to Matt Martin

Not his fault. Hopefully next time the name is Matthews.

 

[DarkKnight]

590 chat they thought he probably won't play another exhibition game. I'd give him one more then down to the A, see you in a couple years.

 

[cupcrazyman]

Just put 15lbs of meat on those bones & he'll be nhl ready.

 

[stickty111]

Likely needs one more year. He has top pairing upside. You can see with the skills he has. He just needs a bit refining and he should be good.

 

[stickty111]

590 chat they thought he probably won't play another exhibition game. I'd give him one more then down to the A, see you in a couple years.

He likely needs a year. Also he should play atleast 3-4 pre season games.

 

[biotk]

What is this forum's evaluation of Liljegren yesterday? Was he a factor? Just saw that he saved a goal in the game in six...will he make the team or sent to the marlies?

Probably the third best D last night after Dermott and Rosen (so played better than Rielly, Hainsey and Carrick in my opinion).
Pass to Martin was excellent.
Was the best D at controlled zone exits.
However, he played no special teams, while Dermott played significant PK minutes, and Rosen played on the 2nd PP pair, indicating to me that Babs probably wanted him to just focus on 5v5 (I don't remember seeing him during the chunk of 4v4 time either).

Rosen and Dermott have solid shots to make the team. Borgman might be in that group too. It wouldn't surprise me if Liljegren gets a few games in the NHL this season, but it doesn't look like he is in serious contention for a spot in the regular lineup.

I believe he will play again in the pre-season, but that is just my opinion.

 

[PromoterDave]

This kid is going to be a project. Offensively, his skill is good enough for the NHL but he's atrocious on the back end

 

[DarkKnight]

He likely needs a year. Also he should play atleast 3-4 pre season games.

We have a season to get ready for, I think he gets one more at most. And that's fine.