Tinus Luc Koblar forces the Maple Leafs to reconsider sending him back to Sweden

Despite putting up a scoreless effort in Toronto's first Prospect Showcase game, Tinus LucKoblar is giving the Maple Leafs a lot to think about going forward, mainly his future in North America.

The Maple Leafs took part in their first Prospect Showcase game against the Ottawa Senators, and despite them coming away with a 4-3 OT loss, there were some bright spots. With no Gavin McKenna, it was up to the other prospects to show they can be the answer to Toronto's lineup a couple years down the line.

Harry Nansi had two assists and looked like someone who has a genuine future in the NHL, meanwhile Timofei Obvintsev showcased some pretty solid goaltending chops, a great sign for the team's crease heading into the future. But there was another player who despite not scoring, still put up a solid performance.

Tinus Luc Koblar's first game was quiet, but it doesn't mean he wasn't impactful

Koblar lined up as the first-line centre for the Maple Leafs on Saturday, and showed his two-way ability by constantly fighting for pucks, winning possession, being physical, winning face-offs, and just being active at both ends of the ice.

While you don't expect Koblar to immediately come in and be a goal-scoring threat, he did have nine points in 11 games during the IIHF World Championships last year, which put him up against some serious NHL competition.

Also, he's already working closely with Mats Sundin, so there's a clear onus on making sure that he has every opportunity to succeed, and with a second game on Sunday, Koblar is likely to line up at centre for Toronto on the first line yet again. He had some great chemistry with Borya Valis and Miroslav Holinka, a great sign for Toronto's lineup down the line.

Toronto has to decide whether Sweden or North America is best for Koblar's growth

But here comes the pressing issue that the Maple Leafs need to focus on. Koblar is unable to play at both places at once, and he's already signed to Rogle BK of the SHL where he's looking to take a bigger role against adults. However, he's also proven he can make a difference against NHL talents.

If he were to stick around with the Marlies - and Rogle themselves believe that's a serious possibility - then it would offer him the chance to play top-nine minutes in a professional setting, competing against young and veteran talent, while also having the support behind him to fail and still thrive.

Rogle is a team who could give Koblar decent minutes, however there has been no indication the team is going to give him a prime role. If Toronto feels like Koblar is ready to make the jump sooner than later, keeping him with the Marlies and learning to grow with future teammates and get used to how the organization functions may be the best bet.

However, the Marlies are also a team who have a logjam up front, and a handful of prospects aren't going to be able to get their shot. If Toronto believes in Koblar then they might be willing to sacrifice a veteran's minutes, which while not great for the player losing time; is great for Koblar's growth.

Sweden may be the easier route for Koblar given that he is likely to get a fair amount of playing time against veterans and younger players. But he can get the same experience playing in Toronto and the fact the team has invested so much in him could lead the Maple Leafs to give him a new home at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

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