Before this season, he was a consensus choice as a top 2 player in the upcoming draft but he has had a tough season. It started with him missing the first half with mononucleosis and then he has been playing for the worst team in the SHL with big pressure of not losing games rather than trying to win them leaving Liljegren with few opportunities to use his full potential. He has been benched for trying to play his game in situations where the team needed him to play a safe game. That led him to play some games in Allsvenskan where he was the best player on the ice some games and made too many mistakes in other games. For my part, I like the potential and I like that he is trying to use his potential to win games for his team since that is probably the best way to learn and develop, even if it means making mistakes from time to time. Defenseman usually needs more time than forwards to figure out how to use their potential in the smartest way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UyWFCPoouI
This is a shift-by-shift of Liljegren on his second game back from mono, where it is clear he rushed his return. Still had solid positioning and some nice plays earlier in the game to quash rushes and block shots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UyWFCPoouI
This is a shift-by-shift of Liljegren on his second game back from mono, where it is clear he rushed his return. Still had solid positioning and some nice plays earlier in the game to quash rushes and block shots.
Am I allowed to get excited?
Thought I'd share this video that's making the rounds:He looks really good but I don't think it will be as easy to hang on to the puck in the NHL. Looks like he may need to shoot more. I think his speed an hockey IQ will mesh really well with our young top 3 forwards. Leafs breakouts could be deadly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_pG6Hzmik0
It's a series of plays by Liljegren from the most recent U18 tournament he played in. It's a very good look at his strengths for those who haven't seen video of him before. Shows a lot of what you'd expect from his play with the puck in the neutral and offensive zone, but there's also a few impressive plays of him defending zone entries and such.
He looks really good but I don't think it will be as easy to hang on to the puck in the NHL. Looks like he may need to shoot more. I think his speed an hockey IQ will mesh really well with our young top 3 forwards. Leafs breakouts could be deadly.
He looks really good but I don't think it will be as easy to hang on to the puck in the NHL. Looks like he may need to shoot more. I think his speed an hockey IQ will mesh really well with our young top 3 forwards. Leafs breakouts could be deadly.
Maybe it doesn't show in those highlights, but his shot rates at the tournament those clips are from were very, very good:
Invalid Tweet IDwww.twitter.com/ryanbiech/status/864614873983967232
And Brannstrom was his partner, right?
And Brannstrom was his partner, right?
I believe they mostly played on separate pairings actually.
Kristen Shilton @kristen_shilton 22 minutes ago
Niagara IceDogs grab #Leafs first-round pick Timothy Liljegren at No. 13 in CHL Import Draft
QuoteKristen Shilton @kristen_shilton 22 minutes ago
Niagara IceDogs grab #Leafs first-round pick Timothy Liljegren at No. 13 in CHL Import Draft
There was some talk that the London Knights were going to draft him (of course). They don't pick until 49th though. But Niagara now holds his rights if he decides to go the CHL route (which seems unlikely but who knows). They could also trade him to London for a boatload if he wants to play in the OHL.
QuoteKristen Shilton @kristen_shilton 22 minutes ago
Niagara IceDogs grab #Leafs first-round pick Timothy Liljegren at No. 13 in CHL Import Draft
There was some talk that the London Knights were going to draft him (of course). They don't pick until 49th though. But Niagara now holds his rights if he decides to go the CHL route (which seems unlikely but who knows). They could also trade him to London for a boatload if he wants to play in the OHL.
www.twitter.com/UffeBodin/status/880430471540297728Neither Toronto prospect Timothy Liljegren or 2018 draft eligble D Adam Boqvist will play in the OHL next season, according to agent.
— Uffe Bodin (@UffeBodin) June 29, 2017
Niagara can't trade Liljegren for 1 year with the Import Draft rules initiated a few years ago.
...
It was a complete waste of a pick by the IceDogs, but if the Knights are butt-hurt with what Niagara did I'm completely okay with that. ;D
Reported this morning by his agent that he has no intention of playing junior.
For a kid playing pro for two seasons and making pro money, becoming a Canadian jnr teams slave for a year or more probably sounds like hell.
Timoth!You actually use Toothpaste?????
Leafs Blueprint: Entry Draft 2017, Pick #17
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOoSOq35SLo
He's a leftie, with a right handed shot.
Handedness in hockey is pretty weird, and is probably a combination of hand, foot, and eye dominance, combined with when you picked up the game, and how you were taught. Canadian and European youth coaches apparently teach grabbing the top of the stick with your dominant hand for strength on the pull back and during one-handed usage.
I'm right handed for just about everything -- hockey (learned off a flat blade), golf, baseball, curling, sweeping, eating, writing, archery, soccer -- except for squeezing toothpaste.
You actually use Toothpaste?????
I know lots of people who write with their right hand but shoot left. I have no idea why. My strong arm is on the bottom of the stick but lots of left shooters prefer their strong arm on the top. I don't really get it.
My brother is a righty for everything, except for eating.
My cousin is a righty but shoots and swings left.
My friend is left handed but shoots and swings right.
Another friend is a forced righty for writing and eating, but swings right and shoots left.
It's weird.
My brother is a righty for everything, except for eating.
My cousin is a righty but shoots and swings left.
My friend is left handed but shoots and swings right.
Another friend is a forced righty for writing and eating, but swings right and shoots left.
It's weird.
Was growing up in Chernobyl exciting?
My brother is a righty for everything, except for eating.
My cousin is a righty but shoots and swings left.
My friend is left handed but shoots and swings right.
Another friend is a forced righty for writing and eating, but swings right and shoots left.
It's weird.
Was growing up in Chernobyl exciting?
Scarborough actually.
I know lots of people who write with their right hand but shoot left. I have no idea why. My strong arm is on the bottom of the stick but lots of left shooters prefer their strong arm on the top. I don't really get it.
I'm right-handed and shoot left. Holding the stick the other way feels so totally bizarre to me.
“But one more year to develop. Where that will be, I’m not sure. But one more year before the NHL.”
The Niagara Ice Dogs own Liljegren’s major junior rights, but his agent has already said he won’t play there. It sounds like he’ll play in Europe, specifically Sweden, where he has one more year left on his contract with Rogle BK, but sometimes other arrangements can be made.
“He has a valid contract for one more year in the SHL (Swedish Hockey League),” said Liljegren’s agent, Peter Wallen. “The Leafs have not offered him a contract. I think they want to see what he’s like in development camp and go from there.
“If they like what they see, maybe they will make an offer.”
For Liljegren to play somewhere other than Rogle this season, the Leafs would have to secure his release through the agreements the NHL has with the Swedish federation and the International Ice Hockey Federation.
https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2017/07/08/leafs-top-pick-timothy-liljegren-makes-the-first-cut.html
Lou said he'll either be in Sweden or on the Marlies this coming season.
Lou said he'll either be in Sweden or on the Marlies this coming season.
I'd much prefer the Marlies, small ice and all that stuff, plus he could get called up if he's really good.
Timothy Liljegren scores from the point late in today's scrimmage following a Team Sittler empty net goal.#TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/HhUjXYQ7so
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 12, 2017
#Leafs sign Timothly Liljegren to three year entry level deal. $925,000 (incl $92,500 signing bonus) and Salary A bonuses to $400,000 max.
— Kevin McGran (@kevin_mcgran) July 12, 2017
Also, the Leafs just hitted 49 contracts, with Brown to be signed, right ?
I know lots of people who write with their right hand but shoot left. I have no idea why. My strong arm is on the bottom of the stick but lots of left shooters prefer their strong arm on the top. I don't really get it.
I'm right-handed and shoot left. Holding the stick the other way feels so totally bizarre to me.
A young lad I coached in cricket a couple of years ago there threw left but bowled (basically pitched to steal the baseball term) right. I've never figured the logic or biomechanics of that out.
Also, the Leafs just hitted 49 contracts, with Brown to be signed, right ?
Also, the Leafs just hitted 49 contracts, with Brown to be signed, right ?
We found out through Nylander's situation back in his slide year that if an 18/19 year old player is loaned to a junior team OR to a team outside of North America he doesn't count against the 50 player contract limit. But if he plays in the AHL he does count against the contract limit even if his contract still slides.
I dug up the thread (http://www.tmlfans.ca/community/index.php?topic=2455.90) where Nylander's contract slide being off the Reserve List was discussed, in hopes of concrete references to follow up on. Gotta say, it's as clear as mud.
Best to assume Liljegren's contract counts against the Reserve List limit until otherwise specified. Even better would be if we trade out some bodies.
Reserve List is different than 50-Contract limit. You can have 90 guys on your reserve list, and that includes drafted but unsigned players, or players with SPC who are playing in Junior or overseas.
If I were to guess, Liljegren's contract won't count against the limit because his last team played for was in Sweden. Nylander didn't count against the 50-Contract limit until he left Sweden and joined the Marlies.
"Reserve List" means the list of all Players to whom a Club has rights including all Unsigned Draft Choices, all Players signed to an SPC (whether or not currently playing in the NHL), and all Players who have signed an SPC but who have subsequently been returned to Juniors. A Club may have on its Reserve List, at any one time, not more than 90 Players, which shall include the following:
(a) Not more than 50 Players signed to an SPC and not less than 24 Players and 3 goalkeepers under an SPC. Age 18 and age 19 Players who were returned to Juniors, and who have not played 11 NHL Games in one season, shall be exempt from inclusion in the 50 Player limit.
Any Club violating this provision shall be liable to loss of draft choices as determined by the Commissioner.
Hope this kid becomes the top4 dman2 dman we need. Way too expensive to trade for one.
Hope this kid becomes the top4 dman2 dmanNik Lidstrom-like, 1st ballot HHOF we need. Way too expensive to trade for one.
Fixed it for ya. ;)
Hope this kid becomes the top4 dman2 dmanNik Lidstrom-like, 1st ballot HHOF we need. Way too expensive to trade for one.
Fixed it for ya. ;)
Fixed it for ya.
Probably shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket regardless. Definitely not a 17th pick in the draft basket.
Still, if you want to compete for Lord Stanley's Omelette you have to be prepared to take a few eggs out of that basket and break 'em.
Probably shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket regardless. Definitely not a 17th pick in the draft basket.
What we need to do is make sure Rasmus Dahlin gets mono too at some point next season so we can draft him as well when he slides down the draft.
Probably shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket regardless. Definitely not a 17th pick in the draft basket.
What we need to do is make sure Rasmus Dahlin gets mono too at some point next season so we can draft him as well when he slides down the draft.
Still, if you want to compete for Lord Stanley's Omelette you have to be prepared to take a few eggs out of that basket and break 'em.
The basket is Liljegren. Why do you want to break his eggs?
Still, if you want to compete for Lord Stanley's Omelette you have to be prepared to take a few eggs out of that basket and break 'em.
Still, if you want to compete for Lord Stanley's Omelette you have to be prepared to take a few eggs out of that basket and break 'em.
Well that's the thing about this team; they never do things (over) easy.
Still, if you want to compete for Lord Stanley's Omelette you have to be prepared to take a few eggs out of that basket and break 'em.
The basket is Liljegren. Why do you want to break his eggs?
We send scouts with vials of mono virus to infect players they want to slide in the draft.
3) Babcock picks us after 20+ years of playoffs
Still, if you want to compete for Lord Stanley's Omelette you have to be prepared to take a few eggs out of that basket and break 'em.
Well that's the thing about this team; they never do things (over) easy.
I see what you did there
3) Babcock picks us after 20+ years of playoffs
Yeah, I like Mike Babcock and everything but I'm sort of of the opinion that he left Detroit in large part because he saw the writing on the wall of that streak coming to a near and sudden stop.
I think he picked the Leafs because:
A) They were offering him a boatload of money
B) It's not Buffalo
Still, if you want to compete for Lord Stanley's Omelette you have to be prepared to take a few eggs out of that basket and break 'em.
The basket is Liljegren. Why do you want to break his eggs?
Which one is the snowmobile?
We retained Carlyle deliberately to stall for it.
We send scouts with vials of mono virus to infect players they want to slide in the draft.
Forget that, we just need to figure out a way for Jeremy Bracco to kiss the players we want to draft.
We send scouts with vials of mono virus to infect players they want to slide in the draft.
Forget that, we just need to figure out a way for Jeremy Bracco to kiss the players we want to draft.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that was your water bottle. Here you go <maniacal laughter>"
The primary reason he'd remain in Sweden would be for family (pretty much just his mom). Rogle is not a good team at all.
5. Lou Lamoriello says Toronto’s first-rounder, Timothy Liljegren, will either play in the Swedish pro league or with the Marlies this season.
You have to believe the Marlies is the best choice here, although Liljegren is very close with his mom back home.
The defenceman admitted this week that it was difficult getting accustomed to the small North American ice. His career would be better served by playing in Toronto, where he can be overseen by the club that drafted him, skate on NHL-sized rinks, be forced to learn a more physical brand of hockey, and spend more time with skating coach Barb Underhill.
“Some stuff is totally new for me, so it’s hard to translate them into the game right away,” Liljegren said. “I’m really trying to get away from my crossovers — to go backwards in a straight line instead of doing crossovers.”
https://theleafsnation.com/2017/07/27/gifs-17th-overall-pick-timothy-liljegren/
HYPE
https://theleafsnation.com/2017/07/27/gifs-17th-overall-pick-timothy-liljegren/
HYPE
Can't believe this kid dropped to 17th. Mono would destroy anyone's year. Marner went from phenomenal to ordinary when he dealt with his. It's yuge we got this kind of help on D for the coming dynasty in the first year out of the tank.
Gardiner-Zaitzev and Reilly-Liljegren for the next decade looks pretty good.
And the top twelve will be kicking a** and taking names. Steady Freddie between the pipes.
So, who should get Mono and drop to 31st in the next Draft, to be draft as a Leaf? ::)
No Rasmus Dahlin for Sweden today vs. Canada. Still sick
— Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) August 4, 2017
No Rasmus Dahlin for Sweden today vs. Canada. Still sick
— Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) August 4, 2017
Hmmmmm
www.twitter.com/uffebodin/status/895322570160955394Sweden's U20 coach Tomas Montén comments on Timothy Liljegren following the #WJSS in Michigan. #tmltalk #Leafs pic.twitter.com/ZtfRJRmA6f
— Uffe Bodin (@UffeBodin) August 9, 2017
If not for the mono, he was projected as the best dman of the draft, a top 3 potential pick.
If not for the mono, he was projected as the best dman of the draft, a top 3 potential pick.
No. Before the season he was that highly thought of. Then he fell. In part because of mono and in part because he didn't play well. Year-out draft projections aren't entirely useful even when everyone's healthy. Angelo Esposito wasn't a superstar.
I really wonder if the Leafs plan to keep him and see if he can make the team. If not for the mono, he was projected as the best dman of the draft, a top 3 potential pick. Usually there's a few guys that go right from the draft into the NHL, I wonder if he's one.
I really wonder if the Leafs plan to keep him and see if he can make the team. If not for the mono, he was projected as the best dman of the draft, a top 3 potential pick. Usually there's a few guys that go right from the draft into the NHL, I wonder if he's one.
But the mono led to his not playing well and subsequent draft rankings drop. I'm hopeful with a full summer training he's back to full strength and can perform like scouts had envisioned one year ago.
It's just interview talk after the fact, but Liljegren has stated that he accelerated his return from mono (i.e. before he was 100%) and tried to do too much on the ice in reaction to seeing his draft stock falling as others climbed.
A lot of his issues on the ice are largely decision-making ones, rather than a lack of skill or physical capability.
It's just interview talk after the fact, but Liljegren has stated that he accelerated his return from mono (i.e. before he was 100%) and tried to do too much on the ice in reaction to seeing his draft stock falling as others climbed.
A lot of his issues on the ice are largely decision-making ones, rather than a lack of skill or physical capability.
I mean, we've had this conversation before but high speed decision making is very much a skill. We've all seen countless examples of guys with tons of "skill" and NHL bodies who never put it together.
Yes it is very much a skill that can be developed.
And this was our impasse. I still don't agree that it can be developed the way you do. I think a lot of it is as innate as size or speed. Even with Gardiner, he still has the tools and quickness to make some very good decisions but he also is prone to the occasional brain cramp.
Some guys are hardwired to be risk takers. There are elements of positional play that get better with age and players can retrain themselves to use their talents in different ways but, again, that's true of other abilities that you probably would say can't be taught.
A player's capacity to grow and develop in that way is a big question mark at the draft. Sure, someone like Liljegren isn't going to have physical impediments in his way but outside of size, which I think we both agree is overvalued, anyone picked in the first round is going to have the same question marks of whether or not they can train themselves to improve at the mental side of the game.
I'm on Nik's side. I'm dumbing it down, but it's like saying "anyone can get smarter." That's just simply not true (within reason.)
Sure, a smart hockey player can learn more about the game through coaching and experience, but there's still finite limits on a player's capacity to think extremely quickly and to be creative in applying their skills.
Are we discussing decision making as a skill or as an innate talent?
The definitions I'm going by:
talent: innate capability for performing a certain task (prior to formal training)
skill: ability to perform a certain task
I also think those non-physiological talents can be (laboriously) taught...
If you'll recall Frank Catalanotto...
If you ever get a chance there's a very good baseball book called Men at Work by George Will which is basically a very deep dive on how three players and one manager study the game. It's divided into Hitting(Tony Gwynn), Fielding(Cal Ripken) and Pitching(Orel Hershiser) and then Managing(Sparky Anderson).
Anyways, in the Gwynn chapter they talk about him sort of similarly. How he never really looked like an athlete or had obvious physical gifts but it was his studious approach to hitting that made him a HOFer.
Anyways, in it, there's a bit about Gwynn trying to get a teammate, a spectacularly talented player who wasn't doing very well, to approach the game the way he did and make use of his natural talents only to find out it just wouldn't work. Gwynn then makes the case I'm making here. That his capacity to learn and study and then apply that to the things he needs to do in fractions of a second is as much a "talent" as just running fast.
Anyways, it's a good book.
I wonder what impact concussions have on this skill? Is Crosby putting up less points because of his concussion history, or is it because he's playing the game differently because he values wins over points and he has hit that point in his career where he knows when to turn it on?
Gardiner is an interesting case. I thought after his rookie year that he was going to be a different defenceman than he is now. I thought he looked more composed in his rookie year than he does now. I really felt at the time that the concussion he got at the AHL level set him back as he didn't look like the same d-man. Now I am not sure if there weren't other reasons why I felt he looked composed in his rookie season, like lack of comparables on the team, lower expectations on him, etc.
What we need to do is make sure Rasmus Dahlin gets mono too at some point next season so we can draft him as well when he slides down the draft.
www.twitter.com/Canucks/status/905197162291539968. @JonathanDahlen has been diagnosed with mono and will not attend #YoungStars.
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) September 5, 2017
What we need to do is make sure Rasmus Dahlin gets mono too at some point next season so we can draft him as well when he slides down the draft.www.twitter.com/Canucks/status/905197162291539968. @JonathanDahlen has been diagnosed with mono and will not attend #YoungStars.
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) September 5, 2017
Whichever one of you did this, you got the wrong one.
http://www.tsn.ca/radio/audio/shilton-all-signs-pointing-to-timothy-liljegren-staying-in-toronto-1.848774
Shilton believes Liljegren is likely to stay in Toronto this season, with slightly more information tomorrow when Sheldon Keefe shows up.
Right now, the players are taking part in optional sessions as the CBA limits the number of official practices teams can run. As one of the Leafs blogs pointed out (I can't remember which one, sorry), teams have been hiring former players to run some unofficial practices to get people primed for Rookie Tournaments and Training Camps.
http://www.tsn.ca/radio/audio/shilton-all-signs-pointing-to-timothy-liljegren-staying-in-toronto-1.848774
Shilton believes Liljegren is likely to stay in Toronto this season, with slightly more information tomorrow when Sheldon Keefe shows up.
Right now, the players are taking part in optional sessions as the CBA limits the number of official practices teams can run. As one of the Leafs blogs pointed out (I can't remember which one, sorry), teams have been hiring former players to run some unofficial practices to get people primed for Rookie Tournaments and Training Camps.
Hey Herman. Do you know when the first televised game (of any sort) is scheduled ?
If you ever get a chance there's a very good baseball book called Men at Work by George Will which is basically a very deep dive on how three players and one manager study the game. It's divided into Hitting(Tony Gwynn), Fielding(Cal Ripken) and Pitching(Orel Hershiser) and then Managing(Sparky Anderson).
www.twitter.com/Leafs_TV/status/905487678736650240Who's ready for some hockey? We'll have the #RookieTournament on Friday (7pm) and Sunday (4pm) right here live on Leafs TV. #StandWitness
— Leafs Nation Network (@Leafs_TV) September 6, 2017
Paging RedLeaf:www.twitter.com/Leafs_TV/status/905487678736650240Who's ready for some hockey? We'll have the #RookieTournament on Friday (7pm) and Sunday (4pm) right here live on Leafs TV. #StandWitness
— Leafs Nation Network (@Leafs_TV) September 6, 2017
I wonder if HNIC is taking the Saturday. Either way, there's a good shot reddit will have us covered in some capacity.
Edit:
(https://puu.sh/xtWXY/81d5cbc620.png)
www.twitter.com/Teaguer21/status/905887387275939844Maple Leafs first round pick Timothy Liljegren in action at rookie camp. #leafsnation #rookiecamp pic.twitter.com/SJ4xmqTWtN
— Matt Teague (@Teaguer21) September 7, 2017
Paging RedLeaf:www.twitter.com/Leafs_TV/status/905487678736650240Who's ready for some hockey? We'll have the #RookieTournament on Friday (7pm) and Sunday (4pm) right here live on Leafs TV. #StandWitness
— Leafs Nation Network (@Leafs_TV) September 6, 2017
I wonder if HNIC is taking the Saturday. Either way, there's a good shot reddit will have us covered in some capacity.
Edit:
(https://puu.sh/xtWXY/81d5cbc620.png)
TIMOTH! Liljegren gets his First AHL Goal! #MarliesLive pic.twitter.com/E4rAqGLRuT
— David Nestico (@davidnestico200) October 8, 2017
He wears #7 now, and celebrates like Nylander.
He wears #7 now, and celebrates like Nylander.
Sweet, I can finally gets a Leafs jersey with my number.
He wears #7 now, and celebrates like Nylander.
Sweet, I can finally gets a Leafs jersey with my number.
He won’t be able to wear that number with the big club due to its retirement.
The Marlies just wanted their defence on single digits.
According to Pronman, as an 18yo AHL defenseman, Liljegren is in pretty exclusive company, and he's looking about as good (so far) as others on that short list.
Gardiner's contract is up after next season.
Wonder what Liljegren will be as a 20yo...
Who is the company?
I'm still new to a lot of these stats. What do most defensemen get in 3rd party hosting usage %?
Now that the regular season has wrapped, thought I'd check back in on Timmy. Lookin' pretty good.
(http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/mm463/pmonty72782/Timmy%20%20Teens.png)