Maple Leafs, Liljegren Trade Wins Both Sides – Hockey Writers – Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving made a move last night by trading right-handed defenseman Timothy Liljegren to the San Jose Sharks for a conditional 2025 third-round pick, the Sharks' 2026 sixth-round pick and defenseman Matt Benning.

The move ends Liljegren's tenure in Toronto after he recently signed a two-year extension, averaging $3 million per season. The Maple Leafs saved $1.75 million in the deal by picking up Benning's $1.25 million contract. After having a disappointing preseason and not getting minutes to start the season, it was clear that moving Liljegren would be beneficial for both parties.

Liljegren Fell from Maple Leaf Plans

There was a lot of promise when the Maple Leafs drafted Liljegren 17^th overall back in 2017 to be a stable, mobile linebacker. However, he has yet to solidify his place in the lineup as an influential defender in the front four, spending most of his time as the third defensive pairing. This season alone he was not included in the plans of coach Craig Berube, as he played one game where he played 13:55 after collecting 23 points in 55 games last season.

Liljegren has had many opportunities before taking the next step but he has yet to push the needle to move up the ranks. His best chance came when defenseman Justin Holl left in 2023. Since then, he has been retained as a third baseman and the Maple Leafs have made moves to bring in top four backs, such as Jake McCabe and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. After a lackluster camp and not getting any playing time this season, it was only a matter of time before Liljegren was snapped up to give him a fresh start. Even he was disappointed with the way things turned out.

While he had a chance to solidify a roster spot, he was outplayed by other players on the depth chart, most notably Connor Timmins and Philippe Myers who are both outstanding and bring a lot to the table. It's disappointing that Liljegren's time as a Maple Leaf ended like this because of his ability, but other players had better camps and made it difficult for him to make the roster.

A Decent Return Considering the Situation

Considering Liljegren didn't get any playing time during the season, this is a decent return for the Maple Leafs. There is also the pending return of Connor Dewar and Jani Hakanpää as the Maple Leafs need space to come back from injury.

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There was a possibility that the return would not be that strong because of his lack of games. For a third-round pick, a sixth-round pick and a depth defenseman at a cheap price and value is a great move for Treliving, especially after the Olli Matta trade earlier.

Getting a draft pick is never a bad thing, especially now that Mark Leach is the director of draft scouting for the Maple Leafs. The 2025 NHL draft is shaping up to be a strong one. As with any draft there is an opportunity to acquire talent later in the rotation with those picks and the Maple Leafs have that opportunity as they did not pick in that round.

Benning is another right-shooting defenseman, but he fits the bill as a depth option and a player who can come in and out of the lineup. He has zero points in seven games this season, but his best came in 2022-23 when he had 23 assists and 24 points in 77 games. Although he is not an attacking player on the backend, he is stable with his defensive play and has been known as a big hitter and shot blocker in the past.

Liljegren Has A Chance To Move On

Given how good this is for the Maple Leafs, it's also good for Liljegren as he has a chance to take a big step forward on a rebuilding Sharks team. He has a better chance to earn more games and minutes as a top four defender there and could be something for them. The pressure on him could be given even less where he goes as that could help with his confidence and overall performance.