Rumor has it that the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to trade defenseman Timothy Liljegren, with speculation growing due to his uncertain role on the team. Recently, Liljegren’s position with the Leafs has been questioned, adding credibility to these rumors.
The Leafs appear to have moved past needing Liljegren, especially with his $3 million cap hit while being a healthy scratch. According to Jonas Siegel from The Athletic, the team has been interested in trading him for some time, even exploring options over the summer, though no deal materialized. Instead, the Leafs extended Liljegren for two more years, which seemed like it would quiet trade talks, but it hasn’t. Since training camp, Liljegren has fallen behind Conor Timmins and Phillippe Myers in the depth chart, which many believe is more due to poor management than Liljegren’s performance.
Timothy Liljegren
Elliotte Friedman reports that the Leafs are actively looking to trade him, as neither the team nor Liljegren is happy with the current situation. However, the Leafs shouldn’t expect a high return—likely a mid-level prospect or late-round draft picks—since other teams won’t rush to acquire a player who has frequently been scratched from games.
Liljegren’s strong career numbers, skating ability, and skill as a puck-moving, right-handed defenseman are rare. Despite his proven success over 200 NHL games, the Leafs have mismanaged his role, and now they may lose him for little in return, all for the sake of cap relief. Finding better value than Liljegren at $3 million could prove difficult.
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