Last chance for a couple of Toronto Maple Leafs former top prospects

Added depth to the Toronto Maple Leafs roster has left two former high draft picks fighting for a place in the lineup as the NHL preseason begins.

The Toronto Maple Leafs official signing of veteran winger Max Pacioretty to a PTO and depth defenseman Jani Hakanpaa increases the number of players looking to impress new coach Craig Berube as training camp starts. For Nick Robertson and Timothy Liljegren, there is more competition for their precarious roles.

Liljegren is a former Maple Leafs first-round draft pick, taken 17th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. Robertson was Toronto's highest pick of the 2019 draft, taken 53rd overall in the second round.

For various reasons, both players have struggled to find regular roles with the Leafs. During the most recent offseason, it was unsure if either would be back with the team. Each has returned but needs to prove they have a long-term future with the organization.

Last chance for a couple of Toronto Maple Leafs former top prospects

Robertson, frustrated with his usage by former coach Sheldon Keefe and lacking leverage, rescinded his trade demand, and will opt for a fresh start under Berube. It's the right choice by the left winger, but his situation remains tenuous.

The offseason departure of Tyler Bertuzzi to the Chicago Blackhawks has created an opening at left wing and an internal competition to fill his spot. The problem for Robertson is that Matthew Knies and Bobby McMann are ahead of him on the depth chart for a top-six role. Depending on Berube's line combinations, Max Domi may also play left wing on one of the top two lines.

The second obstacle that Robertson faces is that he hasn't established himself as an effective player when he's not scoring. Last year Roberson scored at the a rate that was roughly the same as William Nylander at 5v5, but that was playing extremely sheltered minutes with Max Domi. There is at least some question to how effective he can be when he's not playing such heavy offensive zone minutes against weak competition.

If the aging Pacioretty regains his scoring touch, it's another hurdle for Robertson to overcome for a place in the lineup. Should Knies and McMann continue or elevate their two-way play of last season, it's hard to envision where Robertson fits in. His commitment to the Leafs and his future in Toronto will be tested again as the 2024-2025 season progresses.

Liljegren has reached a crossroads with the Leafs

Liljegren has flashed moments of spectacular play during his time with the Maple Leafs. His offensive ability and puck-moving have ranked just behind Morgan Rielly during his years in Toronto.

His troubles have involved his ability to deal with large NHL forwards close to the net, playing well when promoted above the bottom pairing, and injuries. He has yet to establish himself as a bona fide top-four NHL defenseman, despite some excellent on-ice numbers in a third pairing role.

Despite the added competition for jobs on the Leafs blue line, the fact is, Liljegren is pretty much the only Leafs defenseman at the NHL level with any upside. Outside of the top pairing and Jake McCabe, the Leafs do not have any obvious top-four options on the team, so Liljegren has a chance to lay claim to a larger role, it just depends on how he performs.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have significantly increased the top of their blue-line with Chris Tanev, but the rest of the players competing jobs all lack upside and Liljegren now has the biggest opportunity of his career.