Timothy Liljegren is needed by the Toronto Maple Leafs in a team-friendly deal.
Jeremy Schouppe | Posted at 8:00 AM EDT
Timothy Liljegren is needed by the Toronto Maple Leafs in a team-friendly transaction.
Timothy Liljegren is needed by the Toronto Maple Leafs in a team-friendly transaction. / Getty Images/Zac BonDurant
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The Toronto Maple Leafs were ousted in the first round of the NHL Playoffs one month ago, and ever since, mind-numbing trade rumors involving Mitch Marner have dominated all Leafs News.
Even though fantasy mock deals are very appealing, it’s crucial to keep in mind that the Toronto Maple Leafs organization has not expressed any desire to part with their highly valued 27-year-old playmaker, Mitch Marner.
Brendan Shanahan, president of the Maple Leafs, stated that the front office will “consider every option,” which is a typical response in his role but does not provide a clear signal of a trade.
It is a waste of time to speculatively consider potential trades when the Maple Leafs have more pressing matters to attend to.
The Maple Leafs’ defense was by far the weakest of any playoff club when it started the 2024 tournament. Now that the most of those contracts have gone, the team’s attention should naturally turn to re-signing restricted free agent Timothy Liljegren, who is the only blueline player worth keeping out of the five whose contracts have expired.
One of the few bright lights on the Maple Leafs blueline this season was Liljegren. For the third straight season, he tied his career high in points and was among the top 30 percent of defenseman in wins above replacement. However, he underperformed in the playoffs, so the Maple Leafs should feel free to sign Liljegren to a team-friendly contract.
Timothy Liljegren is needed by the Toronto Maple Leafs in a team-friendly deal.
Despite his successes during the regular season, Liljegren’s postseason performances has raised questions.
He has only been able to record an expected goal percentage above 50% once in 13 games over the last three years.
According to NaturalStatTrick, his on-ice shooting attempt, shot-on-goal, scoring opportunity, and high-danger chance percentages have all been at 45 percent or less. These figures, albeit not perfect, highlight how crucial Liljegren’s future contract talks are and how they might affect the Maple Leafs’ defensive approach.
Despite the fact that Liljegren is only 25 years old and hasn’t been in a position to succeed in the playoffs—having to play beside the statue Joel Edmundson against the Bruins and Mark Giordano in the two years before—these postseason numbers are appalling.
Although Liljegren’s career isn’t defined by these 13 games, the Maple Leafs can use this information to bargain for a cheaper player while he’s still developing.
While I am not equipped to make any wild guesses about the specifics of a team-friendly deal between Liljegren and the Maple Leafs, I do believe that his figures are roughly equivalent to those of Florida Panthers player Gustav Forsling, who has made 2.6 million dollars in the last three years.
Like Liljegren, Forsling was a restricted free agent when he signed that 2.6 million dollar extension, but he is now 27 years old and just inked another one worth 5.7 million dollars annually. When you contrast Liljegren’s season from this past year with Forsling’s 2020–2021 season, you can see how similar their production was.
Assume Liljegren can be signed by the Leafs for $2.65 million or less. If that is the case, they will be getting a tremendous deal on a guy who, among Leafs defensemen who have played at least one season’s worth of games over the previous three years, ranks fourth in projected goal % and goal percentage when on the ice.
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After making this move, the Maple Leafs would have 16 million in cap space, which they could use to sign two defensemen, Nick Robertson and Connor Dewar, and a goalie to partner with Joseph Woll. If they spend any more money on Liljegren, it will be difficult for them to adequately address the remaining roster issues.
