So What If the Toronto Maple Leafs Lose Mark Hunter? by James Tanner

Trevor Moore is the most underrated prospect currently housed within the Toronto Maple Leafs organization.

If you happen to follow me on Twitter, such an opinion isn’t breaking news.

In fact, as the 2017-18 season progressed, Moore’s underlying potential gradually became the hill I chose to die on. On a roster littered with name-brand prospects, that’s not an easy thing for the 22-year-old to accomplish.

Still, Moore managed to maintain an elevated presence in spite of a relatively lower clout score to his teammates.

Flying largely under the radar, the playoffs have now finally seen Moore begin earning the mainstream attention of which he’s long deserved.

On Thursday night, the likes of Mike Babcock, Mark Hunter, and Lou Lamoriello were on hand to witness the Marlies’ 6-4 game one victory over the Syracuse Crunch, where Moore’s 2 assists bestowed him with first star honours.

So, before you climb aboard the Trevor Moore hype train, hear me out. Allow me to explain just how the versatile winger positioned himself as a dark horse NHL roster threat in an organization teeming with just that.

Unheralded

Going undrafted in 2013, Moore spent his next three years at the University of Denver, playing under newly-appointed Dallas Stars head coach, Jim Montgomery.

An above point-per-game scorer in two of his three seasons, Moore established himself one of the program’s most lethal offensive threats. Perhaps even more impressive is that Montgomery regularly matched him up against opposing top lines, responsible for fostering the two-way abilities Keefe covets in Moore today.

To recap, Moore finished no lower than third in team scoring at any point during his tenure in Denver, all despite playing nearly the entirety of his minutes directly against the best his opponents could offer.

Following the conclusion of his collegiate career in 2016, Moore attended Leafs development camp that summer as, in the kindest of terms, a walk on.

NCAA success aside, he remained an undrafted and undersized winger. Not a blue chipper by any stretch. Moore entered a deep Leafs camp as a complete no name, his odds of making a meaningful impression as long as he was short.

Fast forward to camp’s end and it was Moore who joined Adam Brooks and Mitch Marner in being the only players who were offered ELC’s.

Versatility

Despite teaching nearly the exact same systems, Sheldon Keefe and Mike Babcock are two fundamentally different coaches.

Babcock regularly leans on his veterans, sheltering his younger players until he determines that they’re ready. Keefe, on the other hand, employs more of a “teach your kid how to swim by throwing him head first into the deep end” approach.

And while both styles fit their respective levels, the chasm of difference exists nonetheless.

Yet, where the two coaches find ideological overlap is in regards to versatility. If a player can effectively perform more than one defined role, that player will get every opportunity to succeed.

Perhaps no player exemplifies this better than Zach Hyman.

A similarly unheralded asset, Hyman joined Keefe’s Marlies in 2015 and proceeded to execute every single one of his directives to near perfection. Surrounded by the likes of William Nylander, Kasperi Kapanen, Connor Brown, and Josh Leivo, it was Hyman whom Keefe leaned on hardest in crucial situations.

With Moore, the Leafs may have found their next Hyman.

Over the regular season, Keefe deployed Moore in practically every role under the sun. He became a staple on both power play and penalty kill, additionally logging minutes on all four lines, and even drawing in at centre on rare occasions.

To thrive in a lineup as constantly evolving as the Marlies, one must be just as effective on the fourth line as he is on the first. Moore does exactly that, bestowing the Marlies with depth necessary to counter any playoff opponent.

The Little Things

What elevates Moore from his peers is his effective execution of the little things.

Offensively, Moore’s undeniable speed lends him credence as a threat off the rush. His ability to go from stationary to top speed is a valuable asset, the most recent example occurring in the third period of Saturday’s double OT victory.

With the Marlies trailing by one, Moore intercepts a pass at his own blueline and immediately bolts up the ice. Splitting the two defenders, he refuses to quit on the play, corralling the puck to somehow find a streaking Mason Marchment with a no-look pass in the slot, who then fires it home.

In one play, Moore ties the game almost entirely through his own volition, while simultaneously showcasing his distinct skill set for all to see. This is a skill set headlined by an ability to burn defenders in a foot race, create high danger scoring chances singlehandedly, and accurately anticipate the play to force zone transitions.

As a forechecker, Moore uses his otherwise diminutive 5’10 frame to his advantage.

Through a combination of aggressive stick work and body positioning, he’s able to effectively weave through traffic and separate his much larger opponents from the puck. Whether it’s along the boards or in open ice, Moore’s dogged persistence to regain possession regularly forces turnovers galore.

Down Low

The clip below best exemplifies this ability.

To begin, Moore beats the entire Crunch team to a loose puck in the corner, making the choice to maintain possession rather than fire the puck around the net for a decidedly low percentage play.

From there, he weaves around the net down low, successfully drawing defenders towards him while leaving the slot unguarded. With space evaporating, Moore creates his own by playing give and go with Adam Brooks, which opens up a passing lane via the left side of the net.

Moore then drives to the slot where, instead of attempting the wraparound, he leaves the puck for a streaking Pierre Engvall to wire home.

Yes, I’ve only listed two examples. Although, I could easily fill an entire article with dozens of similar instances from Moore’s sophomore campaign.

Instead, the examples above succeed in identifying a trend in Moore’s play that he’s only continued to perpetuate since September.

Outlook

In spite of phenomenal play and an AHL leading 9 playoff points, Moore’s path to the NHL remains a rocky one.

No number of offensive accolades will alter the fact that he’s a skilled winger operating within an organization that’s overflowing with players of that exact archetype. What it does do, however, is gift him with the most precious asset an undrafted professional can have.

A chance.

Few expected Moore to excel at Denver, and he did. No one at development camp back in 2016 so much as knew his name, and it took him all but a weekend to earn an ELC. Now with the Marlies, most assumed that Moore would fade into the background when surrounded by his more famous teammates.

Well, he refused to do that as well.

In a career defined by the longest of odds, Moore has continually cleared every hurdle put in his way. And now here he is, a primary catalyst behind the Marlies’ best shot at an elusive Calder Cup.

So, don’t act surprised when he clears this hurdle as well.

Thanks for reading!