There are high hopes within the Maple Leafs organization for Andrew Nielsen, the six-foot-three, 203-pound left-handed shot defenceman whom the team picked 65th overall in the 2015 draft.

Now in his first full year pro, the 20-year-old Nielsen has replaced departed veteran TJ Brennan as the Marlies go-to point man on the power play, and he's responded with six goals and 24 assists in 35 games.

"I'm getting better every day and trying to learn as much as I can, and become a better pro," says Nielsen. "That's the main thing is becoming a man and learn how to be a professional and play every day."

He got off to a good start with the Marlies and then felt like he dropped off a little. It was then than he made some changes.

"Getting beaten to pucks and losing that two-foot battle, not having a good stick position. In the NHL guys have really good sticks, they don't have to be physical. When you have a good stick and you're in good position, you don't have to work as hard, and you're relied on a little more.

"So that's what I'm working on: being better positionally and getting quicker to spots to have more time to make plays."

Nielsen works out incessantly. Even on days off, he'll make his way to the Marlies gym at the Ricoh Coliseum to put time in lifting weights and doing other training.

"Offensively, he's got some gifts," says Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe. "To step in on the power play at his age, and be the guy who brings the puck up the ice, and makes the decisions, and gets things started, and gets the puck to the net.

"He's also shown he's got various parts of his game he has to continue to work at defensively."

Keefe is not protecting Nielsen, instead playing him against good players regularly while Nielsen makes the adjustments to playing the style of hockey both the Marlies and Maple Leafs espouse.

As for how long he thinks it will take him to make the NHL?

"I can't say that myself," says Nielsen. "Obviously everybody wants to make it. I'm not looking to rush it. I want to be ready whenever they feel the time is right. I'll be more than welcome to get the call, but for now I'm just going to keep working. Hopefully I'll get a shot soon."

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