Toronto Maple Leafs: Connor Brown Returns From Injury With a Purpose
Out since November with an ankle injury, Connor Brown wasted no time getting on the score sheet in his first game back, contributing in another blowout win for the Toronto Marlies.
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If there were questions about whether Connor Brown would need time to get his game back following an ankle injury, he answered them this past weekend. After a two-goal performance in a 7-1 win against the Utica Comets there was no doubt the was back with a purpose.
Brown’s sophomore season did not get off to the best start, after injuring his ankle blocking a shot on October 30th. Since then, it has been a tough road to recovery for the 22-year old, who spoke with reporters about the recovery process, after his two-goal performance.
“Not being able to walk for the first five weeks or so was difficult,” Brown said of his ankle injury. “But maybe that was a blessing in disguise, because it helped me put some weight on and keep it on.”
Brown was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the sixth round (156th overall) of the 2012 draft, but since then he has certainly proved many doubters wrong. In 199 games with the Erie Otters in the OHL, he had 98 goals, 152 assists for 250 points.
However, it was in his final season in the OHL that helped elevate Brown as a promising prospect, with 45 goals, 83 assists, and 128 points in 68 games. There were concerns about whether his smaller frame would be able to make the transition to the AHL, but that doesn’t look to be a problem.
In his first season with the Marlies, Brown led the team in scoring with 21 goals, 40 assists, and 61 points in 76 games. He was the only Marlies player to play in all 76 games last season and he led all rookies in scoring as well.
If he had not been injured to start the year, there is no doubt he would be in the top three in team scoring with William Nylander and T.J. Brennan. Instead, the focus for Brown will be to get better every game and help the Marlies in their pursuit of the Calder Cup.
Once Brown and Nylander get going, it is hard to see another team that will be able to unseat them as the best team in the AHL. There was a lot of talk about Nylander being called up to the Leafs after the trade deadline for a brief stint in the NHL, but his injury has put that idea on hold.
Could Brown be the next player to earn a stint in the NHL? Since he just returned to game action it would be tough to make that call right now.
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However, if he can put together a string of games where he is dominant then he should at least be at the top of the list of players that could get called up. For now though, the focus should be on Brown getting his game back to the level it was last season and to be ready for the playoffs.