Henry Thrun’s enjoyable afternoon in entrance of the TV changed into a life-changing second earlier than he even had time to course of it. One minute, he was watching Prime Gun; the subsequent, his telephone was lighting up with a name from San Jose Sharks common supervisor Mike Grier. When he answered, he realized he was heading to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a commerce for veteran ahead Ryan Reaves.
“It was undoubtedly stunning,” Thrun mentioned, his voice carrying each disbelief and pleasure. “However as quickly as he informed me the place I used to be traded, it was undoubtedly a pleasant means for that telephone name to wrap up.”
For the 24-year-old, becoming a member of Toronto feels just like the contemporary begin he has been ready for. After spending components of three seasons with the Sharks, the place he was typically tasked with heavy defensive assignments, he’s keen to indicate a facet of his recreation that has but to totally emerge on the NHL stage.
“A facet of my recreation that hasn’t actually shined but by way of on the NHL stage could be my potential to maneuver the puck,” he defined. “That was type of my calling card in junior and faculty.”
Whereas enjoying in San Jose, Thrun recorded 25 factors throughout 119 NHL video games and averaged almost 19 minutes an evening. Even with that have, he typically felt pinned within the defensive zone, with little room to create.
“I used to be very lucky to get an opportunity to interrupt in there and play a bunch of video games, and play a variety of minutes,” he mentioned. “However at instances, I feel it’s slightly difficult to be put in positions to maneuver the puck and get entangled, and clearly there’s a variety of defending, which I used to be in a position to get some expertise with.”
That have will assist him in Toronto, however what excites him most is the prospect to show he could be greater than a shutdown participant. The Maple Leafs have made a behavior of giving their defensemen freedom to skate, create, and take probabilities with the puck. Thrun feels he is able to step into that sort of function.
“However for me, I’d say I’m excited to be a two-way defenseman,” he mentioned. “I feel I’m dependable in most conditions on the ice. I feel that’s certainly one of my finest property is being versatile and with the ability to be utilized in particular groups and up and down all through a lineup, so for me, there’s loads that I need to nonetheless be capable to present and show.”
The transfer to Toronto additionally has a contact of irony. Thrun grew up in Massachusetts, rooting for the Boston Bruins and admiring defenseman Zdeno Chara. But his first NHL objective got here towards the Maple Leafs in Toronto, a second he nonetheless remembers clearly.
“It’s a reasonably thrilling second scoring your first NHL objective, particularly being in a metropolis like Toronto,” he mentioned.
Past the nostalgia, Thrun is wanting ahead to experiencing the power and keenness that comes with enjoying in a hockey-obsessed metropolis. He has heard loads about Toronto from former teammate Timothy Liljegren, who shared particulars in regards to the group and the ambiance inside Scotiabank Enviornment.
“I acquired to listen to slightly bit about Toronto, simply how passionate the followers are and the way first-class of a corporation it’s,” Thrun mentioned. “It’s one thing that I’ve solely heard good issues about, and I’m excited to see all of it firsthand and expertise it.”
Whereas some gamers would possibly really feel strain stepping right into a market with sky-high expectations, Thrun is energized by it. He sees the commerce as an opportunity to reclaim the arrogance and creativity that outlined his recreation in faculty and to assist a workforce with championship ambitions.