Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Timothy Liljegren: The Real Reason Behind His Move Has Surfaced

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Chris Gerics
October 31, 2024 (7:25)

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The Toronto Maple Leafs finally cut ties with disgruntled defenseman Timothy Liljegren, and given they have Jani Hakanpaa set to return; it was a no-brainer.

With news that the Toronto Maple Leafs traded defenseman Timothy Liljegren to the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday, it ended a dramatic time for both parties, as Liljegren found himself without a spot on the roster and his future with Toronto in serious doubt. Toronto ended up acquiring Matt Benning and a couple of draft picks and given they needed the cap relief, it was a savvy move.

But beyond Liljegren's bloated contract, there's another reason Toronto decided to part ways with their former 17th overall pick, and it's a giant one too; literally.

Jani Hakanpaa's Inevitable Return

Jani Hakanpaa's journey to the Toronto Maple Leafs was a bumpy one, to say the least. The 6'7 Finnish defenseman was signed initially on July 1 to a 2-year deal, but concerns over his lingering knee issues delayed that and led to Hakanpaa signing a one-year deal instead for slightly less money than the two-year pact. Ever since then he's been rehabbing and getting himself ready for his season debut.

Toronto can activate Hakanpaa off the IR on November 1, and though they don't necessarily need to rush the defenseman into action, they certainly would like him to shake the rust off. Something Hakanpaa confirmed as well:

"The excitement's been going for a long time now," Hakanpaa said. "So, I hope they release me (from long-term injured reserve) sooner than later so it doesn't go overboard."

It also seems like Hakanpaa is fed up with waiting, injured knee be damned, and he is wanting to come in and make an impact at any cost:

"I'll get out there and I'll just play the game, right," Hakanpaa said. "Off the ice, there are things we've got to stay on top of it. So, I think it's more just outside of the ice where you've just got to be smart about it."

He would offer a huge boost to a struggling Maple Leafs penalty kill, and would hopefully provide enough defensive versatility that his teammates don't need to take unnecessary penalties to compensate for him out of position. Toronto has their game in Seattle on Halloween, then the decision needs to be made. Shipping out Liljegren's salary helps a bit, but Benning also comes in with a $1.25M cap hit.

If Toronto is smart, they already have a game plan in mind for Hakanpaa when he returns. Perhaps sticking him alongside McCabe will give him more confidence as opposed to Simon Benoit or Conor Timmins; two good defensemen but not anyone who can carry Hakanpaa as he acclimates back into NHL games.

It's been a long time coming for Jani Hakanpaa and the Maple Leafs, but as the old saying goes: It's better to arrive late than to never arrive at all.