Leafs may be forced to let defenseman Timothy Liljegren walk this free agency

Currently set to become a restricted free agent on July 1st, Liljegren could face the tough reality of seeing the team that drafted him in 2017 part ways with him.

The Maple Leafs are expected to revamp their blue line this summer by acquiring defensemen on the trade and free agent markets.

While they could keep a few of their current players like Joel Edmundson and Ilya Lyubushkin, they could part ways with other interesting players, such as Liljegren.

The Leafs' general manager, Brad Treliving, said in a recent press conference that he's been talking with Liljegren's camp to see if they can reach a deal, as the player will be eligible for salary arbitration.

Then, Treliving will have no control over how much they'll have to pay him, which could hurt the team's plans.

The Maple Leafs have less than $20 million available. If they don't extend a qualifying offer to Liljegren by June 30th, he could become an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team.

Source: The Hockey News
'That's Certainly A Consideration': Liljegren's Arbitration Rights May Force The Maple Leafs Into a Difficult Decision