The Toronto Maple Leafs re-signed defenseman Timothy Liljegren on June thirtieth to a two-year extension price a complete of $6 million. However does that imply they’re offered on the right-shot d-man being part of their future on the blueline? Not essentially, per insider Chris Johnson on a current version of his podcast.
Timothy Liljegren should still be traded regardless of signing an extension with the Leafs pic.twitter.com/JxZJFAvYOW
— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) July 6, 2024
We’ll see if Timothy Liljegren possibly nonetheless will get traded. I do know he was signed to a two-year extension however I don’t assume you’ll be able to totally rule out a commerce in his circumstance but. They’re nonetheless going to maintain chipping away on the roster.
The Leafs went out the day after extending Liljegren and introduced in all kinds of reinforcements on the backline in free agencyh, with signees Chris Tanev, Oliver-Ekman Larsson and Jani Hakanpaa, two of whom are proper pictures, probably making Liljegren expendable. Johnson warns, nonetheless, that they are not planning to only give him away.
“I needs to be very clear, that’s not to say they’re making an attempt to do away with (him) in any respect prices, however I believe that due to the Leafs’ wage cap, they’re fairly tight up towards it.”
Certainly, Toronto has principally zero {dollars} in cap house at this time limit, and if they’ll ease issues up by transferring Liljegren’s $3 million cap hit, they’d definitely take into account it, with their newfound relative depth on D. Let’s take a look at three potential commerce locations:
San Jose Sharks
The rebuilding crew has some thrilling gamers up entrance, however appears to be like fairly fringey on the blueline. They might use a longtime younger veteran who might probably play of their top-four on protection, and maybe Liljegren would profit from a much less high-pressure setting like San Jose.
Detroit Pink Wings
Whereas teen Simon Edvinsson made some large strikes close to the top of the 2023-24 season, and the crew signed non-impact guys Erik Gustafsson and William Lagesson in free company, the appropriate aspect of the blueline remains to be missing in substance, and Liljegren might be a pleasant addition for a protection nonetheless in want.
Chicago Blackhawks
Because the Hawks construct for the long run, they have an amazing begin on the blueline with Alex Vlasic and (to a little bit of a lesser extent) Seth Jones. They introduced in a few grizzled veterans in free company, in TJ Brodie and Alec Martinez. However of this whole group, solely Jones is a right-shot, and including a younger participant with some potential on the appropriate aspect could be a giant assist in the rebuild. Liljegren, simply 25, might additionally develop with the younger core.
Liljegren had a good season by some requirements in his third full 12 months with the Leafs, posting 23 factors in 55 video games with a plus/minus score of +3. However he discovered himself wholesome scratched at one level through the playoffs. A change of surroundings might do him good.
Picture: © Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports activities
