Toronto Marlies Notebook: A Weekend Worth Forgetting

Absences

In one of the first notebooks, I discussed how this Marlies roster exhibited such a level of depth, they could withstand the loss of pretty much any player and fail to skip a beat.

What I didn’t account for, however, was them losing five of their best players.

Yes, The Marlies were forced to take on the powerhouse Manitoba Moose while missing the likes of Kasperi Kapanen, Nikita Soshnikov, Travis Dermott, Timothy Liljegren, Mason Marchment, and, for one game, Martin Marincin.

That is absolutely absurd.

Kapanen, despite playing only playing 16 games, is third on the team in goals. Soshnikov, despite playing in only 14, is tied with Marchment for seventh in points.

Liljegren is currently on pace to shatter the AHL record for most points-per-game by an 18-year-old defenceman. And both Dermott and Marincin have alternated as the Marlies top D-man on a nightly basis.

To play a peewee team while suffering losses of such a magnitude would be a daunting task, let alone the most dominant team in the league.

When asked if the absences had impacted his team’s play, Sheldon Keefe had this to say: (side note: if you skip to 1:32 of the embedded video, you’ll hear a question from yours truly)

I don’t know if we’ve ever dressed what I would call our best lineup in any one game this entire season. So, I don’t think it has any impact. We have the ability with our depth and the group that we have to win games.

If what Keefe said was true, it means the Toronto Marlies have posted a record of 21-7-0 without ever icing their best lineup. Wow.

Mobility on the Back End

Have you ever heard the phrase, “you don’t know what you got until it’s gone”? Well, if the Toronto Marlies weren’t familiar with it prior to the weekend, they certainly are now.

Perhaps the most glaring deficiency caused by the mass of lineup absences was the defense’s ability, or lack thereof, to move the puck.

Without Liljegren and Dermott, two immensely gifted puck movers, they simply could not do it. For the first time all season, The Marlies spent long stretches of time hemmed in their own zone, constantly fighting to break out, and failing in the process.

The Toronto Marlies defensive mobility has been a key asset, one that has directly contributed to their success this season. Liljegren especially has been phenomenal at this, and it allows the team to stretch the ice and attack the zone with greater success. Take, for instance, this clip:

Look at the way Liljegren weaves his way behind the ice, presents the illusion of him rushing up, and then sliding it over to Dmytro Timashov who then, through another quick passe, creates a zone entrance.

This clip stands out particularly due to it showing the way in which Liljegren’s mere presence aids his team’s ability to move the puck.

Pay attention to how the attacking forward plays Liljegren, backing off in anticipation of a rush, thus creating an opening for Timashov to move up the ice. Just the threat of a Liljegren rush is enough to keep a team on their heels, and that opens up a multitude of entry points. With those entry points closed, The Marlies had the majority of their rushes broken up in the neutral zone.

Yes, their defence is immensely deep and talented. However, Liljegren, as well as Dermott, bring something unique to the table.

Without it, the team lacked the ability to execute one of the key traits that made them so dangerous.

(Lack of) a Power Play

Boy, this team takes some dumb penalties.

Unfortunately, on the rare occasions in which the opponent occupied the penalty box, The Marlies failed to capitalize. Over their two-game series with Manitoba, they went a combined 0-10 on the man advantage.

Their power play was literally non-existent.

Again, this was partially due to the massive personnel losses they were dealing with. And yet, even with a healthy lineup, their power play has been something they’ve needed to improve all season.

The Marlies PP currently sits at a disappointing 15.5%, good for 21st in the AHL. Considering the calibre of offensive talent this team possesses, that is unacceptable.

Could it be a systems thing? My theory is different. When you have a skilled team, you inevitably try and showcase your skill as much as possible. It’s only natural. Alas, in doing so, The Marlies continue to ignore a variety of sure-fire chances in lieu of the pretty pass.

In summation, they need to simplify their game.

Not every pass needs to be behind the back. Not every shot needs to come after a toe drag. More often than not, a hard point shot along the ice can create more opportunities than a “pretty play” can.

A dominant power play is the only thing holding this team back, when healthy, from steamrolling the entire league. Let’s hope Santa helps them out on this one.

Naughty or Nice

In the spirit of Christmas, I thought I’d reveal my “Toronto Marlies Naughty or Nice List” based on the first half of the season. So, without adieu…

Nice: Sheldon Keefe

Watching Sheldon Keefe work in person is a treat.

This is a coach who genuinely cares about his players and puts them in positions to succeed. The style he has The Marlies playing is a fast, exciting one, and it benefits his team. He understands that the AHL is a professional league, but also a developmental one too. He walks that fine line to perfection, and it’s providing great results.

Also, selfishly, he’s a great quote. And intimidates me very much.

Naughty: Andrew Nielsen

This has not been a good half-season for Nielsen.

At one point, he and Dermott were thought of as equals, knocking at the NHL’s door. Fast forward to today and that could not be further from the truth.

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I’ve written a lot about Nielsen’s struggles this year, so I want to avoid becoming redundant. In fact, I’ve only focused in on him because I expect a lot. He’s supremely talented and could provide a needed offensive dimension to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The only thing holding him back is his defensive game, which may have even taken a step in the wrong direction.

Against Manitoba, Nielsen committed two of the most egregious turnovers in front of his own net that I have ever seen live. He was completely alone both times, and either fanned on the puck or gave it right to an attacking player. Luckily, he was bailed out both times, once by Calvin Pickard and the other my Miro Aaltonen’s head, but this is a problem.

I sincerely hope that come this time next year, Nielsen is on the other side of this list.

Nice: Chris Mueller

Chris Mueller is a guy who slides under the radar due to his age and status as an AHL-lifer. However, he’s been everything  the Toronto Marlies expected him to be when they signed him.

Mueller signed as a free agent this offseason to an AHL deal that pays him $625,000 per year, making it one of the highest cap hits in the league. His designated role was to be an impact player, play responsible hockey, and mentor the young players along.

So far, Mueller has fulfilled every duty assigned to him.

He’s currently second in team scoring with 20 points in 30 games, plays a prominent role on both the PP and PK and on multiple occasions I’ve seen him take young players like Jeremy Bracco and Adam Brooks aside to mentor them.

You’ve earned this spot, Mueller. Kudos to you.

Quick Thoughts

• During warm-up before Sunday’s game, Nielsen pretty much tried to fight a few Moose players. Things could have gotten hairy, but cooler heads prevailed. For a team that really needs to reign in its temper, this was not a good start.
• Michael Paliotta FINALLY got a chance to play! All it took were injuries or absences to The Marlies 6 best players. In fact, he even got some PP time. Crazy, right? I’m curious to see how he plays now, given he essentially was given the first two months of the season off. Keep an eye on him.
• Man, Jeremy Bracco is good. He constantly provides a jolt to his PP unit and has shown himself to be extremely skilled at dishing the puck. There’s work to be done still, but, in a year or so, Auston Matthews may have just found himself a new linemate.
• The Teddy Bear Toss game was one of high tension. Essentially, everyone brings teddy bears to the game, and when The Marlies score first, the fans all throw the teddy bears onto the ice. Well, fans were about 30 seconds away from bringing their teddy bears home with them, as The Marlies were down 2-0. Thankfully, Bracco assumed the hero role and finally triggered a monsoon of bears with 20 seconds to go. Check it out on YouTube if possible!

Next: Toronto Maple Leafs Best of 2017

• As I am a human being with a family, and it is currently Christmas time, this will be the last Toronto Marlies Notebook for the next two weeks. Thank you so much for making this series successful, and continuing to read it. I love you all, even those of you who call me mean names in the comments. Happy Holidays, everyone!