A roundup of Tuesday’s development camp scrimmage and coverage, Connor Brown discusses his contract status, and more in the links.
Leafs Links
Connor Brown – July 11, 2017 (Leafs TV)
Connor Brown met with the media as a special guest coach at the TML Hockey School.
On the ongoing contract negotiations:
It’s patience. All I can do is continue to work hard throughout the summer and just take care of my part and let my agent and management take care of the rest.
I’m confident [it will get done]. Things will sort itself out. Just got to be patient.
On some of the trade rumours kicking around:
I’m trying not to read any of those. I’m staying off Twitter. I’m just trying to take care of my lane — get better and stronger with the things I need to do on the ice. Off the ice will sort itself out.
On the team’s outlook on the season and the offseason additions:
We feel good. We feel like we have a really good team coming in. You feel the fans are excited about this upcoming season, and so are the players. It’ll be a fun time come October.
Patty has been around a long time and is going to bring experience to our team. He’s got a good winning tradition. It will be awesome to play with him.
I remember playing against Hainsey last year. Great stick and another veteran guy who will add a nice piece of character to our locker room.
Top pick Liljegren turning heads at Leafs development camp (TSN.ca)
“He’s amazing,” said Gordeev. “Just an amazing puck handler. He sees the ice so well. He’s fantastic to play with. Me and Timothy actually became pretty good friends I guess, he came [to Toronto] like a week ago, so we’ve been training throughout the week and got to know each other pretty well.”
The first 88 games of Auston Matthews – Commentary & Analysis (MLHS)
It’s really impressive that Auston scored 40 goals in his rookie year, but what I want anyone who reads this or watched any one of the videos to take away is that Auston is a 19-year-old rookie who is already doing things seasoned veterans of the game are not. Furthermore, almost every facet of his game not only impressed but improved markedly. How many rookies would receive such praise for things like puck retrieval, puck battles, power play leadership, defensive ability, and his ability to make teammates better (the list goes on and on)?
[Paywall] Kristian Pospisil a surprise at Leafs development camp (The Athletic)
Kristian Pospisil is just one of those hopefuls looking to catch an eye and earn a contract. He’s 21 years old. Since leaving his home in Zvolen, Slovakia, at age 15, the skilled forward has played in five countries and on three continents. “If he ever gets his skating figured out, he could really be a player,” one NHL evaluator said. “Big kid with decent hands,” added another NHL scout who had multiple viewings of Pospisil. “His skating is just okay.”
Woll ready to take the next step at Leafs development camp (TSN.ca)
When he was first drafted, Woll’s longtime goalie coach in St. Louis, Bruce Racine, described his pupil as being “very, very passionate” about his position. His hunger to improve even by inches is apparent just in how he carries himself on the ice, whether in visualizing shots or responding to frustration after allowing a goal by immediately looking to a coach for instruction. Woll wants to be great, and sooner rather than later, great for the Maple Leafs.
Martins Dzierkals ‘doing everything’ to make Marlies in fall (Toronto Sun)
A fourth-round pick this year, Ian Scott was one of the busiest goaltenders in the Western Hockey League, a starter on one of its worst teams, the Prince Albert Raiders. In his 50 games, 1,554 pucks were counted on Scott’s net and the under-siege Raiders were giving up close to four goals a game. “I was pretty much sick of losing,” said Scott, who along with 2016 pick Woll and Marlie Garret Sparks are the only homegrown goalies in the organization. “That wears on you. But helps me in the long run, to be able to bounce back after tough games and tough stretches, just have that resilience.”
Shilton: Liljegren is an elite skater (TSN1050)
TSN Maple Leafs reporter Kristen Shilton joined Jim Tatti to discuss the Maple Leafs Development Camp taking place this week. Kristen hits on bright spots she’s seen in camp, the future contract wise for Toronto and much more.
Alter: Kyle Maksimovich stands out in development camp (TSN1050)
Maple Leafs writer for the Athletic T.O. David Alter joind Mike Hogan to chat about the ongoing Maple Leafs Development Camp, players that have surprised him at the camp and the ongoing talks between the Leafs and RFA forward Connor Brown.
How the Leafs leapfrogged the Sabres (PPP)
A possible culprit is coaching. The Leafs won the Babcock sweepstakes, and the Sabres had to settle for a worse coach – that made a difference. But I don’t think that explains all of the divergence. To me, the biggest difference is that the Leafs never fully gutted their roster to tank the way the Sabres did, especially on defense. The Sabres didn’t have a defenseman like Gardiner to absorb minutes at a high level. They didn’t have secondary scoring depth like Tyler Bozak, or a wealth of prospects who could play at middle six levels like Connor Brown, Zach Hyman, or Josh Leivo.
2017 Development Camp Coverage
Interviews: Tortora, Liljegren, Brooks, Piccinich
Scrimmage Highlights
JJ Piccinich goal:
J.J. Piccinich opens the scoring for Team Clark at today’s @MapleLeafs Development Camp scrimmage.#TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/CeWL9lCSun
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 11, 2017
Vladimir Bobylev goal:
Vladimir Bobylev extends the lead for Team Clark at today’s Development Camp scrimmage.#TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/4G6iC07mAD
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 11, 2017
Taro Hirose goal:
Taro Hirose scores to put Team Sittler on the board in today’s Development Camp scrimmage.#TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/I6otVYm6y0
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 11, 2017
Jake Tortora goal #1:
Jake Tortora ties things up for Team Sittler at the @MapleLeafs Development Camp scrimmage.#TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/XK3pccujQJ
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 11, 2017
Kristian Pospisil goal:
Kristian Pospisil scores to put Team Sittler ahead in today’s Development Camp scrimmage.#TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/56pNzqbJfu
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 11, 2017
Jake Tortora goal #2:
Jake Tortora scores his second of the game for Team Sittler in today’s Development Camp scrimmage.#TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/RynAFjrsLk
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 11, 2017
Adam Brooks goal:
Adam Brooks buries the rebound for Team Clark at today’s @MapleLeafs Development Camp scrimmage.#TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/qUImE1NFqL
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 11, 2017
Jake Tortora goal #3:
Make it a hat trick for Jake Tortora in today’s Development Camp scrimmage.#TMLtalk pic.twitter.com/Pf4wCXD2sw
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) July 11, 2017
Timothy Liljegren clip (via @MikeInBuffalo)
A little video snippet of Timothy Liljegren, at both ends of the ice. #Leafs pic.twitter.com/ZK8cdADn9e
— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) July 11, 2017
