Leafs looking to trade Timothy Liljegren: report

The Toronto Maple Leafs are just one game into their new season, but the trade rumours have already begun.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Toronto is testing the waters to see if they can find a trade partner for one player on their roster who didn’t suit up in last night’s season-opening loss in Montreal.

“Sounds like Toronto is working to find a landing spot for Timothy Liljegren,” Friedman wrote last night in his 32 Thoughts column. “He’s down the depth chart, not a situation anyone is happy with.”

Liljegren, who was selected at 17th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft by the Leafs, has had an up-and-down NHL career. Originally thought of as being one of the top prospects in his draft class, a bout with mononucleosis in the 2016-17 season caused his stock to rapidly fall.

He’s suited up for 196 games since being drafted, while averaging 17:29 of ice time. But he’s always been derailed a little bit by injuries and opportunity, never playing more than 67 games in a season and only playing 60 games or more twice in five years.

Earlier in the preseason, new head coach Craig Berube offered his thoughts on Liljegren’s spot on the team, while offering some advice for the 25-year-old Swede.

“Lily has to do things quicker. He has to be a little bit heavier in his battles, move the pucks quicker, and simplify the game. He is battling. He wants to be a guy in the lineup every night. That is great, but sometimes, you put too much on your plate, right?” Berube said. “If I had to say anything, it would be to simplify his game a little bit more and do your job as a defenceman killing plays and being heavy.”

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