On a team known for its many young, developing stars, Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello isn’t ignoring the veteran leadership in Toronto.
During an interview on the SiriusXM NHL Network show Power Play with Scott Laughlin and Patrick O’Sullivan, Lamoriello had high praise for both rookie development and senior expertise on the team.
“I think the growth of our young players has been exceptional,” Lamoriello said. “We’re a relatively young team in all aspects, and yet the key players and the key leaders have been the veterans that we do have here.”
Lamoriello highlighted the influence of former Sharks center Patrick Marleau and former Penguins defenseman Ron Hainsey, who both signed with the Leafs over the summer.
MORE: NHL Midseason Awards
“I know [Marleau’s] done anything and everything and more than we expected. He and certainly Ron Hainsey bring a leadership quality of success in being there. Ron winning with Pittsburgh last year and Patrick most recently going to the finals, they bring something unique, they have the respect of the players and they fit right in there. They don’t mind being a mentor, they feel good about it and they really want to see the players succeed. Their work ethic is at the top of the class.”
Marleau, 38, came to Toronto after 19 years in San Jose, while Hainsey, 36, arrived with a ring, fresh off his first Stanley Cup Playoffs appearance with the reigning champs.
Among the young Leafs players turning heads is rookie defenseman Travis Dermott, who made his NHL debut on Jan. 6. At 6-foot, 208 pounds, Dermott has been impressive with his puck movement and skating skills in the two games he’s been on the ice so far.
Travis Dermott asked to compare his last pro debut (in the American League) to tonight's (in the National League): "Nerves are pretty high for both games, but you don’t dream about playing the AHL right? You dream of being here."
— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) January 6, 2018
“It’s still a honeymoon right now but we really like what we see,” Lamoriello said of Dermott. “He’s got a lot of his enthusiasm in his game, he knows this game, he’s got some bite in the way he competes. He’s gonna have a great career if he stays on the same course.”
With the Lightning, Bruins and Leafs atop the Atlantic Division standings at the midway point in the season, Dermott joins Toronto at a critical time. With young peers in Auston Matthews and William Nylander, and experienced leaders in Marleau and Hainsey, Dermott has a solid foundation to develop into the player that Lamoriello hopes he'll be.