Toronto Marlies Notebook: Hey Now, You’re a Holl-Star

Holl-Star Status

Yes, I’ve used this pun twice. No, I don’t care if it’s cheesy.

With Travis Dermott tearing it up in the NHL, Justin Holl was announced as his replacement for the AHL All-Star Classic earlier this week. Boy, has he ever earned it.

Holl is rarely mentioned in any conversation regarding the defensive options in the Leafs system. Although, if his play this season is taken into consideration, that should soon change.

Being a right-handed shot, Holl is a rare commodity in an organization desperate for a player of his skillset. With that said, why has he always gone unnoticed?

As is the case with a number of Marlies standouts, he’s a late bloomer.

Following his selection by the Blackhawks in the second round of the 2010 draft, Holl committed to the University of Minnesota where he would go on to play a full four years. Upon graduating in 2014-15, he would then suit up in 66 games for the Indy Fuel of the ECHL, earning a scant two-game audition for Chicago’s AHL affiliate in Rockford, where he went scoreless.

Now five years removed from his draft year, and with just two AHL games to show for it, the Blackhawks seemed content in letting Holl test free agency. That summer, the Marlies signed him to a one-year deal.

Three years later, and he’s an All-Star. What a world.

Step Forward

The steps Holl has taken in his time as a Marlie are truly remarkable, particularly when contrasting his production this season with that of previous years.

His career high in points is 21, a number he reached across 60 games in 2015-16, his first year in Toronto. For an AHL defenceman, that’s perfectly respectable, albeit a tad low.

A mere 39 games into the 2017-18 season, and he’s one point away from matching it.

Not too shabby.

Holl has also formed a reliable pairing with fellow Marlies constant Rinat Valiev this season and routinely jumps into the rush whenever given the chance. So impressive has his breakout campaign been, that Dermott labelled him as “the most underrated player in the AHL.”

In the words of Nicholas Cage, that’s high praise.

Holl will now be joined by Sheldon Keefe and Andreas Johnsson to form the trio of Marlies represented in the All-Star festivities.

Have fun, fellas!

Bracco’s Time to Shine

As the 2017-18 season began, whispers were heard surrounding the Leafs displeasure with Jeremy Bracco‘s offseason performance.

The whispers grew louder when he sat out six of the Marlies first seven games. It began seeming as if Bracco’s first professional season was off to a less than stellar start. To see how far the 2015 second-round pick has come since that rocky is truly remarkable.

Since being gifted regular minutes, Bracco has shown flashes of the immense offensive talent he was drafted for. He’s now found a role on the Marlies’ second PP unit, allowing his unique playmaking ability to be showcased for all to see.

This incremental improvement culminated in Bracco being promoted to first line duty before Friday’s matchup with Rochester.

What’s impressed me the most about Bracco’s developmental strides so far is undoubtedly his defensive responsibility.

In the majority of cases, elite OHL scorers are immediately humbled by the defensive demands of the professional game. Bracco, on the other hand, has shown no signs of intimidation.

While he doesn’t win many board battles, Bracco constantly eliminates opposing passing lanes in the defensive zone through his innate sense of positioning. What he lacks in size and snarl, he makes up for in speed and positional awareness.

If you’re a Leafs fan, I’d get excited about Bracco’s potential with the big club. His skill set makes him the perfect future linemate for Auston Matthews.

Garret Sparks (Again)

Look, I’m aware I’ve dedicated countless sections to the brilliance of Garret Sparks this season. Frankly, I don’t think it’s enough.

What we’re witnessing here is a truly historic season of goaltending.

Sparks leads the entire AHL in save percentage, despite appearing in four more games than Michael Hutchinson, the next closest competitor. If that wasn’t enough, Sparks has also posted league-best totals in shutouts, wins, and GAA.

To put it simply, he’s a lion toying with his prey.

In fact, it’s actually become a running joke that Sparks puts forth a “save-of-the-year” candidate on a nightly basis. I’ve covered every Marlies home game this season, and I can confirm that the joke is based on fact.

I mean, just take a look at this:

And this:

And ESPECIALLY this:

Yes, the Marlies are a phenomenal team.

Although, a significant amount of their success this season can be attributed to Sparks. He’s undoubtedly been their MVP.

Knowing an all-world goaltender is the last line of defence allows this team’s plethora of offensive weapons to take risks. Risks that routinely pay off.

At this point, there’s nothing left for Sparks to prove. He’s more than earned an NHL shot. Personally, I hope the Leafs give him one.

Nielsen’s Penalties

No one will argue that Andrew Nielsen has had a pretty disappointing season so far. Although, there may be more to these struggles than his usual defensive mishaps.

Namely, Nielsen takes a staggering number of penalties.

In 39 games, he’s racked up a total of 86 penalty minutes, precisely double the amount of the next closest Marlie Andreas Johnsson, who’s earned 43. No matter how you look at it, averaging a little over one minor penalty per game is simply unacceptable.

Spending such significant a portion of your season in the penalty box will naturally have an effect on one’s performance. Those two minutes could have otherwise been put towards offensive production, defensive progression, or increased role responsibility.

It is upon this realization that the factors propelling Nielsen’s sophomore slump become clearer.

Namely, he’s forfeited more than an entire game’s worth of time to penalties. No wonder his numbers are underwhelming.

Nevertheless, I’m still not giving up on Nielsen. His physical gifts and offensive instincts paint the picture of a player with potential bubbling just under the surface.

Whether he reaches that potential or not is up to him. Staying out of the box would be a good place to start.

Quick Thoughts

• Dmytro Timashov is a wizard with the puck. On Friday, I watched him weave around practically the entire Rochester team with the puck on a string, while patiently waiting for a shooting lane. He’s often forgotten amongst the other Leafs prospects, which I think is criminal. With a few more years of grooming, I can see Timashov as an effective energy player for an NHL team. Whether that’s in Toronto or elsewhere remains to be seen.
• Timothy Liljegren made his return to Ricoh on Friday, following a successful stint at the World Juniors. I cannot get enough of this guy. Despite the occasional hiccup, his defensive play has improved by leaps and bounds, and his ability to stretch the play with a three-zone pass is something the Marlies have been sorely missing. I still can’t believe the Leafs were able to draft Liljegren at 17th overall. It’s a treat to watch him play.
• Late in the second period, Calle Rosen got tangled up behind his own net, going down hard and needing to be helped off the ice. Despite returning briefly for the third, he eventually left the game for good, with Keefe listing him as doubtful for the team’s next contest. Rosen’s loss would have a drastic impact on the Marlies D corps, as he logs some serious minutes. In his absence on Friday, Liljegren was tasked with assuming the bulk of the load and performed phenomenally as a result. If Rosen does indeed miss an extended period, Liljegren could be presented with the biggest test of his professional career.

Next: Weekly Mailbag: Bozak & JVR Edition

Thanks for reading!