It was a little play along the wall in the first period that signalled just how much Travis Dermott’s game has changed in his second season with the Marlies.



When the puck slid down the right wing boards and Dermott retrieved it on his heels, he stopped up and went the other way, moving his feet up the wall to exit the zone and draw a tripping penalty.



Dermott has always been elusive but the bulk of his game with the puck has — until now — been to step around the defender once and make an outlet pass. Always the passer, rarely the carrier. Last year, on similar plays, he might not have stopped up at all. Instead, he may have curled behind the net or a few steps backwards before finding an open teammate.



But Dermott is trying to hang onto the puck more and it’s starting to pay off.



On most nights this season, it seems like he’s the one taking the penalty — he took a slashing penalty on Saturday too — rather...