The Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks have agreed to a trade. Defenceman Timothy Liljegren has been acquired by the Sharks after spending six seasons with the Maple Leafs.
Sharks and Leafs Trade
🔁 TRADE ALERT
The #SJSharks have acquired Timothy Liljegren from the Maple Leafs.
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) October 30, 2024
In exchange for Liljegren, the Leafs are acquiring a 2025 conditional third-round pick, a 2026 sixth-round pick, and defenceman Matt Benning. Benning will be joining his fourth NHL team in his nine-year career.
Liljegren Had No Set Role With Toronto
The Maple Leafs drafted Liljegren in the 2017 NHL Draft. In 197 games with the Maple Leafs. Liljegren recorded 65 points with 14 goals and 51 assists.
The Maple Leafs hoped that Liljegren would eventually be part of their defensive core. However, his play on the ice did not reflect the Leafs’ hopes. The team even considered trading him this summer before eventually re-signing him.
Final Straw Came With New Coach
The Maple Leafs new head coach, Craig Berube, challenged Liljegren to further develop his game in training camp. It would seem Liljegren failed to meet Berube’s expectations. He scratched Liljegren in the season opener and in eight of nine games after that.
New Team, New Start
Liljegren may not have lived up to expectations in Toronto, but it does not mean his career has been a waste. In fact, despite being in year six of his career, the defenceman is still only 25 years old. There is still time for him to blossom into the player he can be.
If he does, it’s a huge win for the Sharks. This was a smart trade by them. They gave up very little to take a chance on a young defenceman. If it works out, great. If it does not, the team isn’t worse off than they were before. This is very much a low-risk move with a high reward.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Will the Maple Leafs regret this trade? Or will Liljegren continue to fail to reach his potential, with the only talk of him being “what could have been?”
MAIN PHOTO: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
