LONDON, ONT.—Frederik Gauthier admits he’s a bit nervous as he prepares for Maple Leafs training camp.

It will be his first real chance to show Leafs brass what he can do.

Gauthier, the team’s first-round pick in 2013, stayed about week in his first training camp, getting into one exhibition game. He was injured last year, leading to a slow start to his season with Rimouski Oceanic.

“It’s my first real time to show what I can do,” said Gauthier. “I want to stay a long time in camp. I want to go there, give my best and see what happens from there.”

Overall, it was a good 2014-15 campaign for the six-foot-five, 215-pound Gauthier. He went on to win World Junior gold as Team Canada’s shutdown centre, then led Rimouski to a Memorial Cup appearance as the Quebec league champions.

Now a career in the pros — most likely with the Toronto Marlies — awaits the 20-year-old.

“It seems unreal,” said Gauthier. “I’m really confident.”

Gauthier played two games in Leafs rookie camp in London, but was shut down Sunday to get some rest. The Leaf rookies —led by a goal and an assist from Mitchell Marner — beat the Penguins 6-2 in the tournament finale to finish with a 1-1-1 record.

In Saturday’s second game, he played the top centre role, a big body on the power play.

There’d been a fair bit of hype this weekend surrounding some higher-profile players in the Leafs system: Mitch Marner as the No. 4 overall pick this summer; William Nylander as the No. 8 overall last summer and Kasperi Kapanen as the former first-rounder the Leafs got from Pittsburgh in the Phil Kessel trade.

There never seems to be any hype regarding Gauthier. His skill set will never land him on a highlights package. His size and defensive acumen are what prompted the Leafs to draft him 21st overall in 2013. The belief is they could teach him to skate better and to improve offensively.

His skating has improved — thanks to continued work with skating coach Barb Underhill — although he may never become a prolific goal scorer. As an NHL comparison, think Brian Boyle or Jay McClement.

“I’m trying to add offence to my game and become a better two-way forward,” said Gauthier.

Another thing that has changed around Gauthier is the Leafs front office. Gone is the crew that drafted him: GM Dave Nonis and assistants Claude Loiselle and Dave Poulin.

In are GM Lou Lamoriello and assistants Mark Hunter and Kyle Dubas. Hunter, as the team’s chief talent scout, has been drawn to small players with speed and skill. Gauthier does not fit that mould.

“He’s good on faceoffs, he’s a big body in front of the net screening the goalie,” said Hunter. “We want to see him in better shape, get a little quicker, continue winning faceoffs. Do all the little things that all the coaches love from him.”

Sheldon Keefe, the Marlies coach who ran the rookie camp, said Gauthier is the kind of smart, hard-working player coaches love.

“It’s been great to have him on the bench,” said Keefe. “He’s a guy that does a lot of little things really well. There’s a point in time in every game when you look down your bench and you want somebody to go out and get a particular thing done.

“He’s got a skill set that is reliable in the defensive end, he wins faceoffs. There’s a lot of good things there. There’s a lot to like, for sure.”

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But sometimes in sports, the new guys in charge like to rid themselves of what the old guys left them. That doesn’t concern Gauthier.

“You have to prove yourself every time you’re on the ice,” said Gauthier. “This tournament was my first chance to show the new people in this organization what I can do. Every time out, you have to improve.

“I feel, whether the organization changes or not, they want kids and I’m the right age. I just have to prove myself.”

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