The Toronto Maple Leafs faced significant questions heading into this season about how they would improve, and it appears they’ve made a decisive shift in mentality and personnel. They’ve bulked up their defense by bringing in physical players like Chris Tanev and Jani Hakanpää, as well as adding Oliver Ekman-Larsson to manage the powerplay. With Simon Benoit, Jake McCabe, and Conor Timmins already on the roster, the Leafs’ six defensemen seem locked in, leaving little room for more, as the rules only allow six on the ice.
This raises concerns about Timothy Liljegren’s future. The 2017 17th overall pick hasn’t quite found his footing in Toronto. While he’s shown flashes of offensive ability, he’s often been criticized for his defensive play and positioning. The recent defensive signings don’t bode well for Liljegren, who was recently spotted practicing on the 4th defensive pairing, signaling a potential drop in playing time.
Although it’s not necessarily a career-ender for Liljegren, the situation doesn’t look promising. He thrived at times under former coach Sheldon Keefe, especially when paired with veteran defenders like Joel Edmundson, allowing him to focus more on offense. Despite this, he hasn’t consistently produced the offense expected of him, failing to reach the next level even though he has the potential to put up 10+ goals and 30+ assists. Defensively, his struggles last season are a bigger concern, and Berube’s system—focused on grit and defensive strength—seems ill-suited to Liljegren’s style.
With the Leafs’ projected pairings of Rielly-Tanev, Ekman-Larsson-McCabe, and Benoit-Hakanpää, plus Timmins waiting in the wings, Liljegren’s spot on the team seems precarious. Despite being a stronger offensive presence than Timmins, Liljegren’s defensive liabilities and $3M salary over the next two seasons make him a trade candidate. Moving him could free up cap space to re-sign John Tavares or pursue a star like Igor Shesterkin in free agency. Paying Liljegren for limited ice time doesn’t make financial sense when better defensive options are already in place.
As the regular season approaches, with just eight days left until the Leafs finalize their roster for the 2024-2025 campaign, it looks increasingly likely that Liljegren could find himself watching from the press box on opening night.