Toronto Marlies Notebook: Maple Leafs of Future Past

With the Toronto Maple Leafs currently enjoying four days without a game, there’s no better time for another Toronto Marlies Notebook!

This team has been rolling, Chamillionaire-style lately. Not only do the Marlies find themselves first in their division, six points up on the second place Laval Rocket, but they also sit atop the entire American Hockey League as well.

This unrelenting dominance in the standings has distinctly resulted from three things:

1. League-best goaltending, taken to a whole new level with Garret Sparks emerging as the AHL’s best goaltender.
2. Unparallelled offensive depth, with the Marlies boasting a top-six comprised almost entirely of NHL-calibre talent.
3. A mobile backend, where each player has not only acknowledged their specific role but executed it to perfection as well.

And yet, even in the face of dominance, the storylines surrounding this team are bountiful. It’s essentially a writers dream. Let’s hop in.

Marincin’s Redemption

When Martin Marincin was demoted to the AHL on October 6th, 2017, it left him as nothing but an afterthought within Leafs Nation. Lately, however, he has proven himself to be anything but.

Perhaps Marincin’s most glaring flaw was a complete lack of patience when possessing the puck. No player seemed better at accidentally tossing grenades right up the middle, directly onto the sticks of their opponent than he was. It was almost impressive.

To put it in perspective, if you were lucky enough to play on a Call of Duty team with Marincin, this is probably what it would look like:

Frankly, no one would have blamed Marincin if he struggled to process his demotion. Going from charter planes to riding buses in Utica is a pretty steep drop off in one’s profession.

And yet, Marincin has done the complete opposite.

When I spoke to Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe in late October, he revealed that he’d issued a number of challenges to Marincin. Among those challenges, two specifically focused on him holding the puck longer, along with shooting more.

So far, Marincin has taken them to heart.

With six points in 10 games, he places first among all Marlies defencemen. Not too shabby. Furthermore, Marincin has added a level of poise to his game, choosing to confidently rush the puck up the ice in instances where previously would have simply thrown it away.

I guess, if holding onto the puck leads to goals like this, he should never pass it again.

Moral of the story: don’t write off Marincin just yet. Whether it’s with the Leafs or another franchise, I think we’ll see him back in the NHL before the year is done.

Loss-Nikov

Have you ever seen the movie 8 Mile? You know, the one where Eminem rap battles his way through underground Detroit?

Well, in the final scene, Eminem battles his arch nemesis, Papa Doc, and drops the bombshell that Papa Doc isn’t as tough as he seems, revealing that, not only is his real name is Clarence, but he actually went to a private school as well.

It still serves as cinema’s foremost example of what “dropping a bomb” looks like.

Last week, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun decided to channel his inner Eminem, dropping the bomb that Nikita Soshnikov‘s contract actually includes a KHL out-clause. Specifically, he would be allowed to return to the KHL if he isn’t promoted to the Leafs by November 14th.

Why does this matter? Well, Soshnikov has been FANTASTIC for the Marlies this year.

Registering 12 points in 14 games, he’s been a stalwart on both the power play and penalty kill, playing like a man possessed. Observing him against AHL competition makes it abundantly clear that he is far too good for this league.

Naturally, the Leafs called up Soshnikov on November 14th. So, what does this promotion mean for the Marlies?

Namely, there will be more ice time to go around now. Adam Brooks or Jeremy Bracco, players who desperately need extra playing time to prove themselves, may be awarded it.

However, this serves as a hit to the team’s most prized asset: offensive depth.

Soshnikov was a favourite of Keefe’s, playing hard every single night. As The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler recently wrote in his piece, Keefe believed that, up until his promotion, Sosh was playing the best hockey of his Marlies career.

Yes, the team has the depth to offset this loss. But, it is a loss nonetheless.

Timothy Liljegren

We need to get more excited about Liljegren. He could successfully quarterback an NHL powerplay today if thrust into that position. His offensive tools are that inherently good.

Plus, with the developmental strides he’s taken, in just three mere months on North American ice, Liljegren’s ceiling is even higher than previously estimated. Not only can he move the puck and push possession, but he also possesses the level of speed and transition to get back in the event of a turnover.

I mean, just look at this stretch pass from the preseason.

However, there are a few adjustments Big Time Timmy needs to make in order to succeed at the NHL level. Namely, his gap control, which is a natural byproduct of adjusting to the smaller ice surface. If he continues to gain a feel for the dimensions and nuances of the ice, he’ll be able to always put himself in position to be useful.

As well, despite his lethal shot, Liljegren actually needs to shoot less. Earlier in the AHL season, he was forcing far too many shots from the point, with most of them being blocked, turning the puck over. Lately, he’s been utilizing his excellent vision, finding open teammates in instances when it looked as if the play was dead.

If he can continue along this current development path, we might be chanting Liljegren’s name for years to come.

Travis Dermott

On the other hand, Dermott could be useful in providing the overworked pair of Nikita Zaitsev and Ron Hainsey with a much-needed break from their rigorous penalty killing duties.

While Dermott’s game doesn’t have Liljegren’s flash, it really doesn’t have to. That’s simply not the type of player he is. Instead, he plays a sound, defensively responsible game, succeeding most when going unnoticed.

Considering the attention being paid towards the Leafs defensive troubles, I’d be tickled pink if I noticed their defencemen less.

However, Dermott is far more than a mere one-dimensional player. Blessed with underlying offensive skills, particularly a quietly lethal shot, there’s more than meets the eye.

If you need proof, just take a look at this goal he scored during the Marlies playoff series against the Albany Devils last season:

Is that the shot of someone who lacks offensive skill?

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Dermott’s game is that he’s mastered the skill of rarely putting himself out of position in record time. This has been the key to making his pairing with Liljegren this year a successful one.

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While Liljegren rushes the puck, taking the necessary offensive risks, Dermott hangs back, putting himself in a position to accurately anticipate a possession change. Each player has the opportunity to utilize their individual strengths, all with the underlying knowledge that their partner will adapt accordingly.

At just 20 years old, Dermott has succeeded in establishing himself as a defensive stalwart on the AHL’s best team. While his ceiling may not have the height of Liljegren’s, his skill set happens to be exactly what the Leafs D corps desperately needs.

Quick Thoughts

• Liljegren has missed the last 4 games, currently nursing an upper-body injury he sustained during the Marlies slate of games with Albany. I love the caution that this organization has shown towards injuries. Like Auston Matthews, Liljegren has a nagging injury, and they’re letting it heal instead of risking it being aggravated further.
• Remember Calle Rosen? Well, he’s picked up two points in the last three games and is looking more comfortable in each one. He’s yet another addition to a Marlies D corps with staggering depth. Dolling out equal playing time for everyone is going to be nearly impossible.
• Eric Fehr‘s Marlies tenure did not last long. On November 6th he was loaned to the San Diego Gulls, Anaheim’s AHL affiliate. It makes sense, as the Gulls desperately need forward depth, considering the Ducks have recalled half their team to replace all their injured players. While it doesn’t take his cap hit off the books, it allows him the opportunity to pump up his trade value by playing actual hockey games. Farewell, Eric. End of an era.
• Another week has passed, and Garret Sparks still holds the AHL’s highest save percentage. He has been phenomenal this year, and, if he keeps this up, may have established himself as the Leafs long term back up option. It’s safe to say he’s exceeded expectations.

Next: Ekman-Larsson Is a Bad Idea

• The Marlies FINALLY return home this weekend to play the Syracuse Crunch, after a gruelling road trip.  Unfortunately, I won’t be able to cover those games in person, as I’ll be getting my wisdom teeth removed on Friday. Vote in the comment section if you want me to write an article while on pain meds.