Travis Dermott
Vying for a position on the bottom pairing, Travis Dermott has excelled in camp this year, really making it tough to exclude him from the opening night roster.
He was drafted 34th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft to the Leafs and was signed to three-year ELC on July 22, 2015, just weeks after the draft.
Because of his age and the fact that he didn’t suit up for any Leafs games for the first two years of his contract, he was eligible for an entry-level slide, meaning he’ll still be under contract through the 2019-20 season.
He played for the Marlies last season, producing five goals and 24 points in 59 games played.
Dermott’s a smart, speedy and offensive defender, the type of player that Babcock likes and can rely on consistently.
We all know that Babs like to play the favorite game, right?
Now, all that’s to say, he can and will still improve in other facets of his game, including his play in the defensive zone.
Dermott’s really pushing for a roster spot this season and is up against some pretty stiff competition, but he’s definitely not making the choice easy.
During his days with the Erie Otters in the OHL, he had the privilege of playing with superstar Connor McDavid, learning from one of the best offensive minds in the game.
That’ll serve Dermott well on how to defend against an arsenal of offensive prowess that comes with being an NHL defender.