Toronto Maple Leafs: Jordan Subban confident in ability to take next step

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed right-handed defenceman Jordan Subban earlier in the off-season, but will he take the next step in his career with the organisation?

When the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Jordan Subban to a one-year, two-way contract at the start of July, it’s fair to say he made for an intriguing addition.

At present, the youngest of the three Subban brothers is the only one yet to play an NHL game, but has been a regular in the American Hockey League over the past three years.

Originally selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the fourth round (115th overall) of the 2013 draft, Subban had shown a lot of promise in the early days of his career.

After an OHL career that saw him earn 165 points (57 goals and 108 assists) in 253 regular season games, Subban brought his offensive prowess over to the Utica Comets of the AHL – posting back-to-back 36 point seasons.

Subban, although playing on the backend, was always more offensive minded and looked to be developing into a solid offensive defenceman.

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However, things took a difficult turn last season when Subban’s production dropped dramatically.

Across the season, Subban registered just 13 points in 52 regular season games and was also traded to the LA Kings organization, playing the majority of the season with the Ontario Reign.

Let go after the season, Subban has seemingly landed on his feet with the Leafs – signing a deal that could pay him $650,000 in the NHL.

Subban is now entering an organization that has worked well at improving players who seemingly had no real NHL prospects previously, with Justin Holl and Mason Marchment making great strides under the guidance of Toronto Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe.

If Subban is able to recapture his offensive production for the reigning Calder Cup champions, he could find himself looked at as still having NHL potential.

The one area Subban must now work hard on is his defensive game, which he seems to have acknowledged as an area of weakness for himself.

In a recent article by Sportsnet, Subban commented on how much he has been working during the off-season.

He has been training with some top quality NHL players, including the likes of Tyler Seguin, in order to work on his defensive game.

He has also been working regularly with Guelph Storm skating coach and Toronto Maple Leafs skating development consultant Barb Underhill, trying to improve his skating strides and take the next step towards playing his first game in the NHL.

The opportunity to impress is there for Subban, who is a right-handed shot, and he could find himself called up if the Leafs’ own right-handed core struggle down the stretch.

Subban will be entering the season with a number of players ahead of him, including Holl and Swedish starlet Timothy Liljegren, but if he is able to work hard in the AHL and improve on what he has been capable of before, there’s no reason why he couldn’t play a game in the big leagues.

Subban being a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs should also give him some extra motivation and could see him flourish.

What do you think Leafs fans? Will Subban make a leap in his development with the Marlies? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!