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

I am Canadian

AM34|WN88|MM16
May 22, 2008
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Toronto
Would Logan Stanley be something Leafs are interested in?

Saves the Leafs ~1.8 million in caphit, plays a style that fits more with Berube's philosophy, is 6'7 that seems to be what the current Leafs brass are looking for and a local boy as well.

Leafs have Phillippe Myers to play that #6/#7 role. It's not a bad proposal but I don't see the benefit for the Leafs.

I really doubt they get anymore more than a 3rd for Liljegren anyway
 

voyageur

Hockey fanatic
Jul 10, 2011
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This is something the Canucks should be in on, only problem is making the money work, not sure how they'd do that.
What's the timeline on the return of Demko and Joshua? I noticed they are on IR, but not LTIR, so when they come back can send Bains and Silovs down, and be in the area of being able to take on that contract with about 25% retention.
 

Sergei Shirokov

Registered User
Jul 27, 2012
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What's the timeline on the return of Demko and Joshua? I noticed they are on IR, but not LTIR, so when they come back can send Bains and Silovs down, and be in the area of being able to take on that contract with about 25% retention.

The question is if Toronto wants to retain (recall Elliotte saying they don't), and the Canucks are comsciously trying to accrue/bank cap space so they have more come the TDL.

Would Liljegren be worth that opportunity cost?? Not sure, but they could rly use a RHD atm.
 

Albus Dumbledore

Master of Death
Mar 28, 2015
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Liljegren is worth more to the leafs then any realistic trade rn. we should not be looking to move him at all, unless it for a big fish and hes a piece in the trade.
 

seanlinden

Registered User
Apr 28, 2009
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Here's the problem with trading Liljegren -- the deadline.

If you look at this team right now, and potentiall what they'll need come the deadline, the only real standout glaring weakness is that of a #3C. Up front, beyond that, they already have 15 forwards on the roster, plus Fraser Minten eventually in the AHL, and theoretically Alex Nylander as well. Easton Cowan a late season addition too.

On D, you trade Liljegren, and the group in my view looks awfully thin, especially if somebody gets hurt (which you have to assume will happen). I feel like you're going to trade Lily today, and be shopping for a defencemen at the deadline (assuming he's traded for picks / prospect.

Yes, the Leafs need to move off at least 1 body here (as Jarnkrok/Hakanpaa cannot come off LTIR due to cap space issues), but I'm not sure it's the best idea unless you can do a "hockey trade".
 

sena

Registered User
Jul 3, 2024
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I don't know the return but it's delusional to think there aren't teams that would take a chance on him.

A 25 year-old RD with a few years of NHL experience and 2 years on his deal @ 3M? That's a low risk gamble with potentially a decent (but modest) upside for a GM that needs help on the (right side) blueline.
Him and the leafs top prospect for pinto
 

dumbdick

Galactic Defender
May 31, 2008
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Sens aren't going to trade Pinto at all, they are trying to compete now. As much as I'd love to get Pinto on the leafs it's just not realistic.
Yeah pinto is in that homer untradeable territory. It would cost our GM his job. Fans value him too much to consider futures or quantity coming back (at least not what would be realistically offered. -- obviously everyone is tradeable).

As a sens fan, I'd like to get Lilly, but there's no real obvious way to make a trade. Both teams are at gunpoint to win.
 

HockeyVirus

Woll stan.
Nov 15, 2020
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One thing fans are bad for understanding sometimes is because a player is not a fit in a style/system they are bad. It's clear that Liljegren is not going to be boxing guys out, being heavy on the boards, etc and Berube would rather play guys who do that.

So the next question is, is he bad? No he isn't. He's actually shown a lot of flashes of being a very good piece on a teams blue line when given the chance.

So where does he fit? On a team who wants to play not like that. His strengths are moving the puck and skating with the puck. Utah for that reason is absolutely a fit. There are a lot of teams in the league who can use a right handed guy who can do what Lilly does. A Berube team is not one sadly.
 

VeteranPresence

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Aug 13, 2024
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One thing fans are bad for understanding sometimes is because a player is not a fit in a style/system they are bad. It's clear that Liljegren is not going to be boxing guys out, being heavy on the boards, etc and Berube would rather play guys who do that.

So the next question is, is he bad? No he isn't. He's actually shown a lot of flashes of being a very good piece on a teams blue line when given the chance.

So where does he fit? On a team who wants to play not like that. His strengths are moving the puck and skating with the puck. Utah for that reason is absolutely a fit. There are a lot of teams in the league who can use a right handed guy who can do what Lilly does. A Berube team is not one sadly.

He'd also be a fit next to Nurse for that reason, who for all his warts is starting to at least play hard and heavy again when before he thought he was Bobby Orr the last 2 years. If we let Liljegren handle the puck moving duties on that pair I think they'd be 100% fine, it would be like when Nurse and Barrie played together and put up some really solid underlying stats.

The only problem is cap. Edmonton can't afford a $3M player right now so Toronto would need to wait until the deadline, when I think they would rather deal with this soon and get value before he's playing even less (or worse).
 

TheDoldrums

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May 3, 2016
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The only problem is cap. Edmonton can't afford a $3M player right now so Toronto would need to wait until the deadline, when I think they would rather deal with this soon and get value before he's playing even less (or worse).

Toronto's impetus to move him soon is less about his value potentially declining and more about the fact that they're right up against the cap with three injured players potentially returning soon in Jarnkrok/Dewar/Hakanpaa. They don't have the cap space to activate any of them as it stands.

Personally I'd rather move older replaceable parts like Kampf, Jarnkrok or Pacioretty to solve that issue but it does seem like Liljegren is the choice right now.
 

seanlinden

Registered User
Apr 28, 2009
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Toronto's impetus to move him soon is less about his value potentially declining and more about the fact that they're right up against the cap with three injured players potentially returning soon in Jarnkrok/Dewar/Hakanpaa. They don't have the cap space to activate any of them as it stands.

Personally I'd rather move older replaceable parts like Kampf, Jarnkrok or Pacioretty to solve that issue but it does seem like Liljegren is the choice right now.

They have the cap space to activate Dewar if Woll gets healthy and they send down Hildeby (as that was their opening day roster).

Interestingly though, with Hildeby up, even waiving Phillipe Myers doesn't help them get any of these guys off LTIR.

As for the other guys, it's imporant to consider the following:

1. Calle Jarnkrok basically counts for $0 on Toronto's cap the way it's structured right now... moving him doesn't "allow" the Leafs to do anything other than not have him sitting on LTIR.

2. Dropping Max Pacioretty also doesn't really do anything, as he only makes $873k.... and everyone on LTIR makes more than him. Sure, if you wanted to bring back Hakanpaa, you could do so by dropping both Pacioretty & Myers, but then you'd be down to 19 healthy skaters (12F / 7D).
 

sena

Registered User
Jul 3, 2024
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Sens aren't going to trade Pinto at all, they are trying to compete now. As much as I'd love to get Pinto on the leafs it's just not realistic.
Well the Sens have to do something, they have zero cap space and Pinto looks like he is expendable and has a high value. Cap works both teams get what they need , the sens get a young prospect that can play next year(Easton) while filling out the D this year
 

frightenedinmatenum2

Registered User
Sep 30, 2023
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He is going to be impossible to trade in season without taking back a contract. There are minimal trade partners.

Their only chance would be if Utah is seriously desperate after losing Marino and Durzi. Utah has the cap flexibility this year and next year that they could take a defenseman with term and sacrifice cap space next year to bring in help on defense now.

One thing is that Utah is in a very unique position, assuming they are willing to spend real dollars, because they have an absurd amount of picks+prospects, and 15.4M of cap space. So it is possible that if they are serious about this season, they would rather give up a few 2nd or 3rd round picks for an established top 4 D (if one is available), instead of giving up a late pick and gambling on Liljegren.
 
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