Marlies look to win Maple Leafs jobs in AHL playoffs
The Toronto Marlies aren't just in a hunt for the Calder Cup this spring; the players are also trying to prove they're worthy of NHL jobs for a team in a full rebuild next season.
"They’re building up currency for next year," said Marlies coach Gord Dineen to the Toronto Star. "The longer we go, the more they do, the more people will take notice. It will be fresh in people’s mind when they’re coming off a positive feeling going into next year."
One of the lines for the Marlies -- featuring Brendan Leipsic, Ryan Rupert and Connor Brown -- could be of special interest to the Maple Leafs, according to the Toronto Star. All three players are 20-year-old rookies in the AHL, and they possess grit and speed rather than raw talent and size.
"We’re not the biggest line and we’re not the tallest line, but I think we hold on to pucks down low in the offensive zone and our quickness works to our advantage," Leipsic told the Toronto Star.
(h/t Toronto Star)
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