Speculation: Any interest in Liljegren for a mid round pick?

[Funk21]

Looking at the current cap situation and D depth chart its looking like Liljegren is the most likely to be dealt.
Any teams take him for a 4th or 5th?

Such a dumb idea

 

[DJJones]

Seems like not too long ago Flames, Vegas, and Leafs fans were arguing about who was better... Liljegren, Brannstrom, or Valimaki

It was kylington not valimaki.

 

[CanadienShark]

I'd be all over that from SJ.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

I don't see that being likely. Our defense is pretty stuffed as is and really solid. I doubt Lilly helps return a good enough player to actually upgrade the defense.

On his own? No. But I meant as part of a package. Probably as the necessary cap dump. Ideally, you'd want McCabe pushed down.

I'd be all over that from SJ.

I actually think he would be a perfect reclamation target for San Jose. They can afford to take his bloated salary with no worries. So long as the price is cheap. Possibly a deadline move so Toronto can free up cap space for something bigger.

 

[HockeyVirus]

On his own? No. But I meant as part of a package. Probably as the necessary cap dump. Ideally, you'd want McCabe pushed down.

McCabe is an awesome #3. Where do you think he should be? There is probably 2-3 dcores he is a bottom pairing guy on in the league

 

[Khelandros]

Issue is we need to sign Patches and Lorentz, we're 1 mil over the cap and I suspect about 875-1m each for Patches and Lorentz meaning dropping Lilj's 3 mil makes everything work.
Unless they just sign 1 of the 2 and move Jarnkrok but IMO that's the worse move.

What is this need you speak of? If the Leafs need to sign him, I don't think the odds of them going far in the playoffs is good.

 

[Fatass]

Isn’t this a guy headed for waivers though?

 

[KevinRedkey]

I'd be all over that from SJ.

Rutta 50% retained, and a pick was the first thing I thought of when reading this thread.

Leafs get a replacement player at a much lower cap hit. Sharks get a guy that can grow on a rebuilding team, for a minimal price.

 

[Gilmour1996]

There are still a lot of GMs in the league that are too dumb NOT to offer this or more. The same group having to explain to their bosses why they didn't acquire Nick Robertson when they could have got him for table scraps.

 

[seanlinden]

Honeslty, if the Leafs end up trading Liljegren for peanuts, put me in the camp of "they will immensely regret it".

This Leafs D is OLD. Rielly, Tanev, OEL, McCabe, Hakanpaa and Benoit average close to 31 years old. Sure, Timmins is only a year older than Liljegren, but the reality is they should probably find a way to have at least 2 defencemen under the age of 30 in their lineup on a nightly basis.

Don't get me wrong, if they can line up a deal for a centre that has Liljegren-type upside, I'm all for it, but to toss him out (sort of like they did Sandin) will turn out to be a pretty bad deal.

I've been against the OEL signing from the beginning pretty much.... the Leafs need to find a way to make Benoit & Liljegren work as a 3rd pair that has upside beyond. Instead of signing Hakanpaa & OEL, spending a bit more money on a better singular defenceman.

 

[CanadienShark]

Rutta 50% retained, and a pick was the first thing I thought of when reading this thread.

Leafs get a replacement player at a much lower cap hit. Sharks get a guy that can grow on a rebuilding team, for a minimal price.

I'm not sure I'd be too happy with that. I'd prefer to keep Rutta and we can't retain anyways. Of course it wouldn't be backbreaking though.

 

[AcerComputer]

Lilly needs to be on the top pair with Ozone starts and #1 PP minutes. Honestly I would dump Reiilly and save the $7.5m and promote Lilly, but it's not gonna happen. He is totally misused and wasted as a 3rd pair dman.

 

[biturbo19]

At $3M a pop, does he make any non-Playoff teams a Playoff team or give a significant marginal boost.. particularly to the extent that you want to jump the line and bring him in now with a year head start (starting next year) to give him a UFA contract versus just waiting around to sign him (or a player of his caliber) as a UFA in a couple years?

No, i don't think a player of Liljegren's caliber really moves the needle on many non-Playoff teams in the sense of suddenly making them a playoff team. But for a bubble team with a patchy defence needing depth that can handle those #5 minutes or hold the fort as a #4 when injuries mount? Could make a difference.

But more likely, he'd be of more interest to those "non-contender" types, or teams that aren't expected to be in the bubble battle. And in that sort of case...yeah, for most of those teams, yet another mid-round pick on the heap is probably worth "jumping the line" for a youngish RHD who has shown to be a clearly NHL caliber defenceman.

Even if there's probably not much more upside there beyond what we've seen...those teams do still need assorted "stopgaps" that can make a difference in the short term. Getting youngish, live legs can matter, compared to settling for whatever old worn out castoffs they can bring in. They can make a difference in helping to shelter young developing players. It can also allow them to potentially move an extra "veteran" at the deadline for a better pick.

Tons of situations where getting the guy a couple years earlier could be worth a mid-pick, rather than waiting around for later when you hopefully don't have any real need for him anymore anyway.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Liljegren certainly doesn't have negative value and has "something to prove" as well.

He doesn’t have negative value, that would insinuate you’d have to pay something to dump him.

But he likely has very little value. A guy who’s shown he’s nothing more than a soft bottom pairing dman at 3 million dollars? And then he’s UFA in two years.

I think someone would take a chance on him if he hit waivers. But in terms of a trade, I don’t think anyone would bother. The absolute max I could see is a 4th for him.

 

[Patty Ice]

Rutta 50% retained, and a pick was the first thing I thought of when reading this thread.

Leafs get a replacement player at a much lower cap hit. Sharks get a guy that can grow on a rebuilding team, for a minimal price.

Sharks have no more retention spots.

He's a guy that Grier should look at if he's available.

 

[shortfuze]

The goal/plan was he should be a top 4 guy but he just isn't taking that next step. He would be a good option on a team lacking D depth

He's played less than 200 games. Defenceman take a lot longer to adjust to the game.

 

[BobClarkesfrontteeth]

San Jose is the perfect spot for him but I would be targeting Klostin or Kunin rather than a mid round pick or Rutta. Leafs need to get heavier at forward. Not sure how much center Kunin is playing these days but it would give them another RHC potentially.

 

[Mick Riddleton]

Soft as butter player, he will be back in Europe soon.

 

[weastern bias]

San Jose is the perfect spot for him but I would be targeting Klostin or Kunin rather than a mid round pick or Rutta. Leafs need to get heavier at forward. Not sure how much center Kunin is playing these days but it would give them another RHC potentially.

SOLD SOLD SOLD!

 

[WetcoastOrca]

He's played less than 200 games. Defenceman take a lot longer to adjust to the game.

Show your work. What are the odds of a 25 and a half year old D improving dramatically.
Could he still become a solid top 4 guy? Sure. But the odds are against it.

 

[57special]

Show your work. What are the odds of a 25 and a half year old D improving dramatically.
Could he still become a solid top 4 guy? Sure. But the odds are against it.

Jake Middleton. Barely played till he was 26 yo., and has gotten better in his late 20's Carson Soucy is another. Having said that, i'm not sure that Liljegren is the same type of player.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Jake Middleton. Barely played till he was 26 yo., and has gotten better in his late 20's Carson Soucy is another. Having said that, i'm not sure that Liljegren is the same type of player.

Those are good examples. It’s just that the odds of it happening aren’t great.

 

[Vitto79]

leafs really gonna move him ?
Timmons on waivers is the call imo

 

[Phion Keneuf]

leafs really gonna move him ?
Timmons on waivers is the call imo

Timmins has been very good this preseason, same as last year until he got injured. He’s shown a lot more than Lilly and most definitely deserves a spot on an NHL team. Only a year apart in age.. really needed Lilly to come out and show well during preseason but he didn’t.

 

[Gilmour1996]

Show your work. What are the odds of a 25 and a half year old D improving dramatically.
Could he still become a solid top 4 guy? Sure. But the odds are against it.

He was a solid top RD when Rielly was suspended last year and Keefe was forced to play him properly:
Morgan Rielly’s Suspension Sparking Maple Leafs’ Best Stretch - The Hockey Writers Latest News, Analysis & More
...and this year in training camp achieved growth from last year:

Maple Leafs Depth on Defense Highlighted by Rielly’s Leadership & Liljegren’s Growth - The Hockey Writers Toronto Maple Leafs Latest News, Analysis & More

As the Toronto Maple Leafs head into preseason game four, how has their defence looked so far in the preseason? Who's leading the charge?

thehockeywriters.com

I doubt a young Bobby Orr would have played to his potential under a coach like Keefe.