Photo credit: TSN

After being named the Maple Leafs’ player of the game on Saturday, Conor Timmins revealed how he feels about becoming a fixture on the Leafs’ blueline this season.

In his third year as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, defenseman Conor Timmins has had a tough road to get to where he is. Now, after a lengthy road full of bumps and bruises along the way, he has become an every night player who is relied upon both offensively and defensively.

After scoring the Leafs’ opening goal on Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens, which helped his team secure a 4-1 victory to cap off a 3-game winning streak, Timmins was awarded the player of the game Leafs championship belt by teammate Nick Robertson.

Timmins was also summoned to meet with the media to discuss his season-to-date — a 14-game run — during which time he has produced 1 goal and 3 assists, totalling 4 points. Timmins told the media following the win that he’s really just focused on keeping his game simple and playing a strong defensive game. He also had this to say:
“It’s been a while since I’ve played in an every-day role. I’m just really enjoying staying present in the moment.”Timmins has also earned the respect and trust of his head coach, Craig Berube, who had this to say about his 3rd pairing right-shot blueliner:
“He’s been highly competitive with his defensive play.”
 

Across 3 seasons with the Leafs, Timmins has appeared in a total of just 64 games, having produced 4 goals and 28 points across that span. Now entrusted to play a larger role, the hope is that the former 2nd round pick can settle in and get more comfortable in his role with the team. In turn, it may even lead to more consistent production.

Having the trust of your head coach is half the battle, and it would appear as though Timmins has earned the trust of Berube, which bodes well for his ice time moving forward.