Toronto Maple Leafs Looking For a Trade Partner for Timothy Liljegren After Defender Has Fallen Out of Favor
The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently looking for a trade partner for defenseman Timothy Liljegren as he's fallen out of favor with the club per Elliotte Friedman.
When the Maple Leafs drafted Timothy Liljegren, a lot of hype surrounded the Swedish defenseman for his elite playmaking skills and ability to control the puck. He has shown some signs of brilliance with Toronto but hasn't found his footing with the team since they drafted him in 2017. Now it looks like the defenseman could find his way on the outs sooner than later.
According to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, the Maple Leafs are currently shopping Liljegren and trying to find a suitable trade partner for the defenseman.
What's been the deal then with Timothy Liljegren?
Liljegren has had a decent, if unspectacular tenure with the Maple Leafs thus far, scoring 14 goals and 51 assists for 65 points in 196 games; not the best numbers for a supposed playmaker. Oftentimes looking lost defensively on the ice, Liljegren has been a liability in recent years, and with the shift in mentality the Maple Leafs implemented this summer; he's running out of time.
It's understandable why Liljegren would be unhappy, feeling like he can still contribute to the team and has more to offer if given a chance. The Maple Leafs are paying Liljegren $3M a year to essentially be a negative on the ice, and they can't afford to lose any money on either a player who doesn't perform or one who doesn't play at all. While he did get some praise from head coach Craig Berube, he's not on the depth chart for the season opener, and there seems to be no spot for him anytime soon; especially with the return of Jani Hakanpaa looming in the background.
Time is running out for both the Maple Leafs and Timothy Liljegren, and it would be in the Maple Leafs best interest to find a way to gather some assets or free up some cap space by getting rid of Liljegren, they have more important things to take care of.
