Toronto Maple Leafs: Rookie Tournament Reminder

As crazy as it sounds, there will indeed be Toronto Maple Leafs hockey on your television this weekend.

It’s true, folks. The Leafs will kick off their annual rookie tournament this weekend in Laval, Quebec, beginning with the host Montreal Canadiens on September 8th, and closing things out on September 9th against the Ottawa Senators.

The wait, mercifully, is over.

Purely as an event, the rookie tournament is indeed quite the spectacle, a notion which arguably pertains even more to the activities taking place off the ice rather than on it.

Essentially, the rookie tournament exists to serve two distinct purposes for both fans and players alike. Not only does it signify the unofficial kicking off point of the hockey calendar, a fleeting glimpse to observers of what’s to come, it’s a duly needed showcase opportunity for promising young talent as well.

It’s here where the waters begin to muddy.

Anticipation is a hell of a drug. And by the time the first whistle rings out to commence the festivities, fans have been hungering for hockey content for so long, that what tends to follow inevitably warps perspectives.

Amidst the chaos, it’s important to remember one thing. These are teenagers, mind you, playing in a meaningless September tournament with no tangible bearing over their immediate futures. Pump the breaks just a little bit, ok?

I’ll give an example of why.

The Guise of First Impressions

2017’s Rookie Tournament happened to be the first NHL event I ever covered, one of the perks being that it allowed me to witness, first hand, the long-anticipated debut of Timothy Liljegren on North American ice.

Cool, right? Well, there’s a catch.

I can say, without a hint of hyperbole, that what followed remains, to this day, one of the worst live performances from a defenceman I have ever seen. Period.

There is no exaggeration here, I promise you.

Liljegren was responsible, directly or indirectly, for all 4 of the Leafs’ goals against that night, struggling noticeably to comprehend the smaller ice surface while lagging a step behind all who surrounded him.

And, guess what? It was totally expected.

Amidst the Twitter uproar, the bulk of which painted the 18-year-old as yet another example of Toronto’s blueline busts, few managed to recognize the tournament’s true function.

For most participants, particularly those who possess the byproduct of security from first-round pedigree like Liljegren’s, it’s an official first step, a simulation of game action from which development staffers derive and identify the various areas of weakness in their raw talent.

Sure, there is the inevitable wave of free agent invitees clawing for recognition, but these arrivals hit the ice unburdened by the lofty expectations heaped upon blue-chip assets.

On that unseasonably humid September night in 2017, Liljegren found himself in that unfavourable position for a reason.

Having never played an organized hockey game on North American ice, this first taste was one authorized by Leafs management to solely gauge where their talented young Swede sat in his assimilation process.

Turns out, it had barely begun. And, from that point forward, the team was then capable of formulating a plan to usher Liljegren along as smoothly as possible. It’s a plan that appears to be working.

12 months later, Liljegren is now poised to enter his second rookie tournament weighed not by expectations, but by the Calder Cup ring residing on his finger instead.

If Liljegren’s path tells us anything, let it be this; observe the rookie tournament through a purely developmental lens. It’s what it’s there for.

Submitting to a reality in which wins and losses take a backseat to positive progression will not only ease your soul, you’ll actually find yourself getting a heightened enjoyment out of the on-ice product as well.

Few will remember the rockiness of Liljegren’s debut. The came can’t be said for him hoisting the Calder Cup.

Thanks for reading!