Update on Sean Durzi's Injury Should Kickstart Utah HC's Trade Talks With the Toronto Maple Leafs
With news that Utah HC defenseman Sean Durzi underwent surgery and will be out for 4-6 months, they should kick down the Maple Leafs door to get Timothy Liljegren.
It's been a surprising start for the Utah HC as they enter their first season in the NHL. Holding a 4-2-1 record to start the year, they've been headlined by outstanding performances from captain Clayton Keller and his band of misfits; leading a full team effort from top to bottom. Unfortunately, their defense took a massive hit as they lost both John Marino and Sean Durzi to injuries. Marino is out with an injury for an indefinite amount of time, and Durzi was expected to miss a few months.
So with news breaking that Sean Durzi underwent successful surgery and will be out of action for 4 to 6 months, it would be in Utah's best interest to get the ball rolling on a trade to bring in a replacement:
If they need a trade partner, they need to look no further than the Toronto Maple Leafs and Timothy Liljegren who has not only been linked to Utah, but has fallen out of favor with Maple Leafs management and coaches and could use a fresh start.
Liljegren fits the mold of what Utah needs which is a young, right-handed shooting defenseman who is competent enough defensively and able to contribute offensively. Finding no spot in the Maple Leafs lineup, Liljegren often watches from the press box and hasn't been able to play well enough to warrant moving anyone else out.
Even when the Maple Leafs defense wasn't as good as it is now, Liljegren failed to break out and make his mark on the team, often being a defensive liability and not being the playmaker Toronto needed. Utah is in desperate need of Liljegren, at least as a stop-gap method while their two best defensemen are out.
He's not of the elite defensive acumen of Durzi or Marino however would definitely flourish with a change of scenery and there's no doubt that Toronto could use the extra $3M in cap room to make room for Jani Hakanpaa. Utah isn't strapped for cash, and Toronto could entice them to take Liljegren and perhaps David Kampf; while asking for Jack McBain and a pick or two in return given how desperate Utah is going to be.
If the Utah HC wants to keep making an impact and surprising the entire hockey world this season, they need to figure out how to fill their huge defensive gap. It's not an easy fix, but they have a solution in Timothy Liljegren; all they need to do is pick up the phone.
| POLL | ||
Should the Utah HC make a trade for the Maple Leafs' Timothy Liljegren now? | ||
