For the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter Kyle Dubas and Mike Babcock were interested spectators at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, MI this weekend, getting a good look at 2019 top pick Nick Robertson playing for Team USA, but in an interview with TSN’s Tessa Bonhomme, the Toronto Maple Leafs GM spoke about the prospects of youngsters Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren possibly being ready for the NHL this season and expressed optimism in getting restricted free agent Mitch Marner signed to a new contract.
Robertson, 17, made a good case for making the American squad for the upcoming World Junior in the Czech Republic with an impressive goal against Sweden on Thursday and setting up Buffalo first-round pick Ryan Johnson for a goal against Canada on Saturday.
Sabres prospect Ryan Johnson makes it a 5-3 game in the 3rd period. He takes the pass from Nick Robertson and fires one thru traffic for the goal. #WJSS #Sabres50 #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/bjX1uJqT7C
— Stars n’ Stripes Hockey (@StarsStripesHKY) August 3, 2019
"He's had a wonderful week here. We're very proud of him ... his focus & determination is outstanding.… Dubas said. We didn't know whether he'd get through the first cut and he's not only got through the first cut here but now he's playing inside their top six."
The Leafs GM also indicated that his last two first-round picks in Sandin (selected 29th overall in 2018) and Liljegren (17th overall in 2017) have a great chance to win a job at training camp with Travis Dermott still recovering from off-season shoulder surgery. The young blueliners will be in competition with veterans Martin Marincin, Kevin Gravel, Jordan Schmaltz, Justin Holl and Ben Harpur for bottom pairing roles, but will only make it if they are impressive and leave no doubt to whether they can handle the rigors of the NHL, since playing 10 games would start the clock on their three-year entry-level contracts.
Dubas did not break any real news on the Marner negotiations, saying that he is optimistic that things will get resolved in time for training camp six weeks from now, but that currently things are moving slowly.
“It’s really just at the status quo at this point. It’s the status quo with all these type of players throughout the league. There doesn’t seem to be anything transpiring and as it gets into August, it’s kind of into a bit of a slog where there doesn’t seem to be any real progress.… Dubas said. “Hopefully as the calendar begins to turn, we can begin to get towards a spot where he’s ready to go for training camp. We were hopeful to get it done in the spring, unfortunately we were unable to do that and so we’ll keep working at it, working with Darren Ferris and Mitch. Obviously, he’s a huge part in what we do in every regard and we are hopeful he’s going to be a Leaf for a very, very long time.…
Dubas 'hopeful' regarding Marner contract talks, via @Tessab25.
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 3, 2019
WATCH: https://t.co/KJoTkZkoYB pic.twitter.com/IQa2FurLn2
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— The Leafs Convo (@TheLeafsConvo) July 23, 2019