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TORONTO – On the third-to-last day of July, the Maple Leafs inked one of their key young assets on defence to a five-year contract worth more than $20 million. Given that considerable show of faith theres not much chance Jake Gardiner could have envisioned himself a healthy scratch at any point this season, let alone in the third game. But thats the hand Stuart Percy, Torontos second of two first round picks in 2011, has forced with his early, poised performance in a Leafs uniform. And while impressed with his 21-year-old rookie, head coach Randy Carlyle is doing all he can to keep things in perspective to hold the glare of the big market spotlight off his inexperienced defender, knowing full well that with the ups will come the downs. This NHL has a way of finding its level, said Carlyle after the teams first win in New York on Sunday night, one that saw Gardiner scratched in favour of Percy. And young players, specifically defencemen, historically have a little bit of a lull. We havent saw that yet and were grateful of that. Whats been most noticeable with Percy so far is just how calmly hes handled his initial bid in the NHL – though it is just three games. Hes made mostly cool, confident decisions with the puck, rarely looking overwhelmed by the speed, size and skill of his new opponents, a feat given that he played only one season of AHL hockey. He doesnt really have a panic button, Cody Franson observed. And its not as if Torontos coaching staff has padded him with easy minutes. Instead, theyve utilized him alongside Roman Polak on what is essentially their second pairing. Thats meant a steady diet of shifts in the defensive zone opposite second lines from the Habs, Penguins and Rangers. Throw in some second-duty penalty killing minutes and power-play time and its become evident that Carlyle and company have developed a quick trust with Percy. He made the same kind of impression with the Marlies last season – his first year of pro. It became very apparent to then-head coach and now Leafs assistant Steve Spott and Gord Dineen – who ran the defence and then replaced Spott behind the bench – that Percys smarts and easy abilities with the puck would allow him to play in just about every situation. He earned their trust and comfort in a hurry. Weve been impressed, said Peter Horachek on Monday, the Leafs assistant coach with plenty of experience developing capable young defenders in Nashville. Hes making really good decisions. Hes showing really good hockey sense and poise with the puck. But Horachek also knows that its still far too early to make any grand judgments on Percys potential. Theres been some good, yes, but the mistakes have been there too – if less noticed. Under pressure from the Rangers quick and feisty forward Carl Hagelin on one particular early shift against the Rangers, Percy gave the puck away not once, but twice. New York took advantage with a prime chance from J.T. Miller, one that James Reimer turned aside. Hes got things to learn, Horachek said. Hes got to get a little quicker too with his feet – you can see some of the speed things going on – but hes making really good decisions. Were happy with that. Hes been pretty consistent. Percy found the score-sheet Sunday for a third straight game, finished with a 64 per cent possession mark at even-strength (despite limited offensive zone starts) and played 20 minutes (his ice-time just about identical in three games). Even though he does make the odd mistake out there hes trying to do the right thing and thats a tribute to a young man thats prepared himself over the course of the summer, said Carlyle of Percy, a mild surprise to even make the Leafs roster at training camp. Carlyle, a Norris trophy-winning defender himself, knows the position typically takes years to master with any consistency and sometimes even longer than that. Gardiner is one obvious local example of that process. He blew the doors off in his rookie year, only to ride the wave of inconsistency the following two seasons and even now in his fourth NHL campaign. Morgan Rielly, such a sensation at training camp last fall, experienced a predictable dip in early December and fell out of the lineup for three games – amid World Junior team speculation. Thats just how it goes with young defenders. The most difficult part, Rielly said, of jumping feet-first into the league is how quickly things happen. If you answer that question just by saying the speed, people tend to assume just pure skating speed, said Rielly, but its also how quickly plays happen, how quickly they move the puck. I think that thats the biggest adjustment. As a result, reactions and decisions have to be made more rapidly under increased duress. Theres less time to hold the puck in most cases, too, so you better know where youre going with it and quick. Theres a lot of bang, bang, bang so you have to be able to know whats going on and adjust quickly, he said. Defensively, Franson added, its a much different experience from the American League to the National League. Theyre faster, stronger, and shiftier at the NHL level and theyre at a level like nothing any other league has to offer. ...youre playing against guys like Datsyuk and Crosby, Malkin, and all those guys who can do unlimited things with the puck while being extremely strong on it. You cant just manpower them, said Franson, who is only now coming into his own at age 27. These will be the kind of things Percy encounters as his NHL experience expands. His early push, ultimately, is only a good thing for the Leafs, both in terms of depth and the competition it creates for opportunity. More capable puck-movers, additionally, is something the club could certainly stand to benefit from. Gardiner, meanwhile, was among the last to leave practice Monday, enduring just another step in the rollercoaster development of an NHL defenceman. He wasnt happy to sit out Sundays game in Manhattan, but also understood the state of affairs. We both agreed I wasnt playing like I should be, Gardiner said of his conversation with Carlyle. I sat out, thats how it goes. Cheap Rangers Jerseys . For one, he still gets to crank the intensity to the max. "I push pretty angry. I ran pretty angry too though, but I have fun doing it," Lumsden said. Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys . Sterling was banned for life and fined US$2.5 million by the NBA on Tuesday for racist comments the league says he made in a recorded conversation. Nash, who plays for the rival L.A. 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