The NHL is one of the best at pulling trades that sometimes come out of nowhere. However, there are still some trades that occur early and are predictable. One of those trades happened recently involved defenseman Timothy Liljegren, who was traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the San Jose Sharks. The Details of that trade are below.
Trade Details
Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire: A Conditional 2025 3rd Round Pick, A 2026 6th Round Pick, D Matt Benning
San Jose Sharks Acquire: D Timothy Liljegren
Conditions On 3rd Round Pick
* San Jose has the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche third-round picks in 2025. Toronto will get the earlier draft pick between the two.
It was clear Liljegren was going to be traded, the moment Toronto sat him nine of the last ten games. The coaching staff was more favorable to Conor Timmins than they were with Liljegren.
Liljegren’s had a $3 million cap hit, and when he wasn’t part of the opening-day roster, he was clearly on the trading block. Toronto got nice value in 2 draft picks for a player who clearly wasn’t in their plans.
As for Matt Benning, he is likely going to be an AHL filler. He’s more of a grit and sandpaper-type defenseman but could barely crack the San Jose Sharks roster. Unless injuries occur in Toronto, expect him to put on the AHL’s Toronto Marlies for the time being. He’s a solid depth piece that they can call up without rushing prospects.
This makes a lot of sense for the San Jose Sharks. Not only because they are the worst team in the NHL, but because they need an opportunistic type of defenseman on that roster. Liljegren’s best trait is creating opportunities for his teammates, and San Jose lacks that. His defensive traits are lackluster, but a change of scenery and getting coaches who believe in him more could help him out.
The Sharks had the cap space to make this work, and it’s the right time to take a chance. For a rebuilding team to gamble on a player with potential like Liljegren, it could work out by filling a need. Worst case scenario the Sharks still have plenty of draft picks, and a growing prospect pool.
Toronto Maple Leafs – B+
San Jose Sharks – B
Almost every party wins in this deal, including Timothy Liljegren himself. I have to give a slightly higher grade to the Toronto Maple Leafs here. They get extra cap space and draft compensation for a player who was not favored by the coaching staff. The Sharks get the slightly lower grade, mainly because it’s a gamble getting Liljegren. If it works out San Jose has a nice piece to help their rebuild on defense. Overall, nice job by both squads and hopefully this deal works out for everyone involved.
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