By the time the Toronto Marlies put a wrap on practice Tuesday afternoon, staff was all hands on deck. Bustling.
Two coach buses were parked single file outside the loading dock, with most of the luggage, equipment, and essentials required for a 10-day trek through the Northeast United States already Tetris-ed into vessels underneath.
Meticulously packed, because it had to be. Before long, the coaches, staffers, trainers, and a 27-player head count (which has to be some record) making the trip would wander over for boarding and request space for their duffles, kits, and sets of partially sweat-soaked gear.
In terms of minor-league bus-ridin', there are worse trips. In fact, with short-distance travel between stops, and a break in the schedule allowing for three off days in New York City, this is travel the Marlies were looking forward to.
But as the busloads cued up films du jour on presumably dated media systems for consumption in rows, once again they left behind the greater alternative that bonds them altogether.
Are we there yet?
Brendan Leipsic is the Marlies' leader in points, the most productive forward in the American Hockey League, and the talented scoring pest many fans in the city would prefer to see plying his trade in a rink a few blocks east as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
With former teammates William Nylander, Zach Hyman, and Connor Brown sticking the landing on the jump he's loading up for - as well as prized prospect Mitch Marner making the team out of camp - the wing position has emerged as an organizational strength, in turn obstructing Leipsic's advancement.
But Lou Lamoriello's Maple Leafs have proven in his recent dealings that they are willing to exchange difficult conversations for the slightest improvement to their team. It was just six weeks ago that they made veteran Milan Michalek (who waived a no-move clause to facilitate the club's unloading of Dion Phaneuf) a Marlie in order to sign penalty-killing faceoff specialist Ben Smith.
Nevermind Brooks Laich.
In that, it's explained: Leipsic's not quite there yet.
"The biggest thing for myself is being good without the puck," an upbeat Leipsic told theScore before packing up his equipment. "I've always been able to put up points, through junior and in the last couple years in the AHL. Playing without the puck, taking care of my own end, earning the coach's trust.
"If you can't play defensively in the AHL, you are not going to be able to (do it) in the NHL."
Goes without saying
Tacit communication is a key tool for the Marlies.
Leipsic's fully aware his situation as a third-year professional. He belongs to an elite, often-unforgiving, deliberate competition ground for career advancement, and an organization devoted to the process. In that, he's seen teammates scale the company ladder, and respected veterans pick themselves up after being kicked down the rungs.
Despite being under this scrutiny, the Marlies, in their configuration at the time, are expected to endure regardless.
"Everything we do here is to prepare you for the next level. But not too much talk about that comes up between us," Leipsic said.
He added: "At the end of the day, everybody is trying to make the NHL. As much as we are a team here, you are competing against other guys. Here in our organization, it's a bit of a different feel, I guess."
Escaping this is next to impossible. Sharing a city with the Maple Leafs means constant exposure to their day to day.
"They're on (all the time). It's all over 'SportsCentre' and stuff like that. And I'm still pretty good buddies with some of those guys I played with last year.
"Everyone keeps tabs on them."
Still looking up
What will work in Leipsic's favor is the heightened rate of replacement among players earning above the league average. If he proves he can be relied on in all three zones in the minor leagues, and convinces the club he can come close to matching the production level of a current middle-six contributor, he would be deemed more valuable based simply on his contract status.
But until he can force their the hand into making a trade, or barring a significant injury, Leipsic must continue to focus on becoming that sound, all-situations player in the time spent between rides on the charter.
"You have to believe in yourself, and be confident in your abilities that if the opportunity does come, you'll take full advantage of it. I think I have developed good habits down here that will prepare me.
"When I get the opportunity, I'll be ready."
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