NEWS NOW: Maple Leafs, Head Coach signed an agreement to retire, however owing to,If the Maple Leafs choose a defenseman in the first round at 23rd overall on Friday night,
maybe this time they’ll get it right.Sign in Breadcrumb Trail Links NHLNote to Maple Leafs: Draft a D-man on Friday and develop him correctly. The author of the article is Terry Koshan. Published on June 27, 2024 • Last updated 29 minutes ago • 3 minute read. Join the conversation. Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving recognizes the team’s need for increased defensive depth. Photo by Jack Boland/Toronto Sun. Article content.Sign in Breadcrumb Trail Links NHLNote to Maple Leafs: Draft a D-man on Friday and develop him correctly. The author of the article is Terry Koshan. Published on June 27, 2024 • Last updated 29 minutes ago • 3 minute read. Join the conversation. Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving recognizes the team’s need for increased defensive depth. Photo by Jack Boland/Toronto Sun. Article content. If the Maple Leafs choose a defenseman in the first round at 23rd overall on Friday night, maybe this time they’ll get it right. Loading… FastCast: Wednesday’s Best in Under 10 Minutes Next Stay Auto (360p) 225p 360p Subtitles: Off Subtitles: English FastCast:
Wednesday’s best in under 10 minutes (MLB | 9:42). 6/26/24: Top 5 MLB Plays of the Day (0:57) FastCast: Tuesday’s Best Alex Cora discusses Bryan Bello’s performance and other MLB topics (1:01). Blue Jays vs. Red Sox Highlights (MLB | 0:35) John Schneider examines the quality of at-bats in the victory. MLB | 1:17 Vlad Jr. discusses his success at Fenway and the Blue Jays’ triumph (MLB | 1:51). Rafael Devers’ 467-foot home run (16) (MLB | 0:28) Blue Jays score seven in the third inning (MLB | 0:47). FastCast: Monday’s Best in Under 10 Minutes MLB | 9:38 From the past four drafts in which the Leafs used a first-round pick on a defenceman, dating back to 2011 when they selected Stuart Percy 25th, only one — Morgan Rielly — has had the impact that the team hoped for when the pick was made. Advertisement 2: Story continues below. Article content: Percy played in 12 games with the Leafs and had spent the previous three seasons playing professionally in Czechia. Rasmus Sandin, picked 29th in 2018, had some nice moments in blue and white, but not enough to convince the club that he was an important piece of the future. Sandin, who was traded to the Washington Capitals last season in exchange for a first-round pick from Toronto, signed a five-year contract extension with the Capitals in March. Nonetheless, in Toronto, he is not regarded as a missed opportunity. Easton Cowan was the choice in the Sandin deal, which appeared to be a wise decision on the Leafs’ behalf every time the London Knights star onto the ice this season. Then there’s Timothy Liljegren, selected 17th in 2017. Just Nine defensemen drafted that year have played more National Hockey League games than Liljegren’s 196, but it’s not like we’re talking about a game changer here.One reason Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is looking to add to the blue line — on the right side, no less, with Chris Tanev in mind — is because the right-shooting Liljegren hasn’t matured as the team would want. At 25, are Liljegren’s best NHL days ahead of him, or has he reached his peak? It is difficult to make a definitive statement. However, by now, the Leafs would have preferred to see more consistency from Liljegren.