There's one storyline in Toronto right now that takes precedent over everything else - that being the impending Morgan Rielly suspension. However, there are plenty of other noteworthy pieces of news coming out of Toronto on Tuesday. One of those stories relates to 25-year-old Connor Timmins.
Timmins had a great preseason, scoring six points in the three games he appeared in, quickly making him a front-runner for an opening night lineup spot. Unfortunately for Timmins, a lower-body injury derailed his progress, and since his return, he has had a tough time grabbing hold of a roster spot.
Timmins has displayed, in small glimpses, why he was taken 32nd overall during the 2017 draft, showing off his offensive awareness, clean passes out of the zone and a sneaky good shot from the point. It is his defensive awareness that has held him back from taking the next step. It's clear with his ice time that head coach Sheldon Keefe doesn't trust Timmins as much as some of his other options.
Signed until the end of the 2024-25 season, the runway is getting smaller and smaller for Timmins to show what he can do at the NHL level and that he belongs among the NHL ranks. Timmins is on the books for $1.1M this season and next before becoming a restricted free agent. With cap space being vitally important for the Leafs right now, it wouldn't be surprising to see the team move on from him either before the deadline or this summer, as $1.1M is far too much to be paying someone to sit in the press box every night.
