The future of Fredrick Gauthier with the Toronto Maple Leafs might have looked bleak just ten days ago. But things can change in a hurry.After the Maple Leafs first preseason game a 3-1 lo s to the Ottawa Senators head coach Mike Babcock was asked if anyone stood out. He was direct in his response.I liked Goat (Gauthier), the coach said.And he had reason to. Gauthier was noticeable in that game, looking like he had added a step of speed over the offseason while collecting three shots on goal. The coachs validation went a long way for the forwardin rea suring him he was not out of the mix just yet.Its nice that he liked the way I played, so I just have to keep doing that and doing the little things I did in that game that got me the compliments, Gauthier told Sporting News on Monday. Im just trying to improve my Rollie Fingers Jersey game every year and its looking promising so far.The former first-round pick of the Maple Leafs (21st overall in 2015) appeared to be in a tough spot when . It seemed like there would not be room on the roster for both of them and that the odds of Gauthier beating out Spezza, a veteran of 1,065 NHL games and 915 points, were slim.MORE:But then last Friday the two were put together on a line. Who was going to play centre? Who cares, was e sentially the me sage from Babcock. They were told when the faceoff was on the left, Gauthier would take it; on the right, it would be Spezza. Whoever was the first man back in the defensive zone would take care of down-low responsibilities; the other would worry about the wing. In other words, the coach was confident in relying on the hockey sense of the two players to work it out on the fly.Gauthier responded with another strong effort against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, earning an a sist on Trevor Moores shorthanded goal. He also turned in two minutes and 22 seconds of scorele s penalty-killing time and went 8-for-13 (62%) on faceoffs.Listening to Andrew Triggs Jersey Babcock now, its clear he sees a role for the 6-5, 235-pound forward, who has a QMJHL championship, a World Junior gold medal and a Calder Cup Championship to his credit during his still-young career.Its just confidence, its being in the league, its understanding things. 'The Goat,'everywhere he goes, he wins, Babcock said. Hes a big strong guy and I guarantee when other teams watch him, theyre thinking theres a big strong fourth line guy who can penalty kill and take faceoffs and start in the defensive zone. Thats what were really hoping here, for Goat to keep taking these steps so we can put him out in the defensive zone instead of John Tavares or Auston Matthews and we can have them always starting in the offensive zone. That makes us a better hockey team.Great chance for the GOAT early on. Leafs ALL Day (@LeafsAllDayy) Where there once seemed like a competition between Gauthier and Spezza, now there seems like there could be a burgeoning partnership.Its been great. We went to dinner a few times in St. Johns Newfoundland at the start of training camp, just chatting, the 24-year-old noted. Spezza is a great guy, knows the game well and has been around for a long time. Hes always pointing out a few things that happen during the game and giving me a few tips. Hes been great to play with.Spezza was also impre sed with what he saw from Gauthier during their first game together.Goats got really good hockey sense. We were able to talk in a short period of time about how we were going to make things work with switches on Glenn Hubbard Jersey Saturday and I thought it was fairly seamle s for the first night, Spezza told Sporting News on Monday. He definitely shows a great sense of wanting to be a good player. Hes obviously had a good summer and played well in the start of camp. He realizes theres competition right now and that we have to establish ourselves to be a good fourth line for the team. I think theres potential for that.***For the first time since the summer of 2016, the summer after he made his profe sional debut, Gauthier was able to spend a full offseason focused on training, developing and improving his game. The 2017 offseason was spent recovering from leg surgery and the 2018 offseason was abbreviated after he was a part of the Toronto Marlies Calder Cup-winning team, a run that carried into late June.This past summer, Gauthier was finally free toupgradehis skill set.My skating is something I work on every year and being in the gym was a big part, getting my legs bigger, Gauthier said. I worked out in the gym with a long summer, it was my first one in a while so I got to work on a lot of little details that I might not have had time for in years before. But overall its been hard work in the gym.The additional strength, along with spending timewith Maple Leafs skating consultant Barb Underhill, who made three separate visits to Gauthiers offseason home in Montreal, has paid off so far in camp.Since I started, if you go back to when I was drafted, I think Ive improved my skating drastically, Gauthier indicated to Sporting News. Upper body, the way Im moving and keeping my legs under me with proper weight transfer. A full season spent with the Maple Leafs last season in which he had 14 points (three goals, 11 a sists) in 70 games, has left him feeling more Reggie Jackson Jersey confident in himself and the role in which he knows he has to fill.You know what you have to do now to stay up here and what your role is. Once you understand that, you just have to focus on that and keep trying to get better, Gauthier said. Its a little bit of adaptation throughout the time you get drafted but you learn your role pretty easily, where you stand and what you have to do. If you dont do your role well, you are not going to be here so you have to accept it and try to be the best at it.Spezza is also being asked to embrace a different role this season with the Maple Leafs. A scorer for most of his career, Spezza was brought in to play lower in the Maple Leafs lineup in more of a checking role. At 36-years old, a willingne s to adapt his game is Spezzas ticket to continuing his NHL career. For Gauthier, who put up close to point-per-game numbers with Rimouski of the QMJHL, embracing his role as Matt Joyce Jersey a strong fourth line player, capable of being relied on defensively, penalty killing and winning faceoffs, is his ticket to a long NHL career.Its tough but the quicker you realize it, the better career you can have, Spezza said. Most guys who play a checking role in the NHL, if you look back, they were phenomenal junior scorers. To be a scorer in the NHL, you have to be at the elite, elite level in order to do that. I think the guys who struggle with that have a hard time breaking in and playing in the NHL. The guys who figure that out quickly become really good NHL players for a long time.Frederik Gaut