Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign D Timothy Liljegren to extension (2 years, $3M AAV)

[DarkKnight]

That's because some people watch the whole season, and don't make their mind up based on a small sample size.... How many of our players were Dog poop in the playoffs... I mean, it was most really. Yes, he struggled in his first playoff series... but, at the same time, people seem to lack any ability to see what he can become, through their lense of what he is now. Mind Blowing indeed.... you'll be thrilled when he's putting up 40-50 points elsewhere....

Hopefully another team believes that. As for sample size, as I’ve said he looked his best two seasons ago, his flatline since is real. His sample size suggests a serious lack of consistency. Look for example when Reilly was out, he looked aaammmmaaazzong for a few games, then regressed, again, immediately. That’s the difference between a guy who sticks and one that’s always on the margins. And, let’s not kid ourselves, if not for being a right D, Benoit was supplanting him easily. That fair comment too. I have no axe with this kid, like I said 2 years ago I thought he figured out, all the AHL seasoning paid off, we have ourselves a player. His play, not my bias, has altered my view and the last playoffs was the kicker.

Glad to be wrong, my team benefits.

 

[Fogelhund]

Lilly sucked this year, and I give him a pass for some of it due to the ankle issue, but come on, he sucked as much as Brodie, Gio, and Timmins………

I mean.. you are always mad at everything, and everyone.. so there's that.

We need to have patience with our younger players... both Lilly and Robertson will be decent players for us. People need to calm down. That isn't the change we really need.

 

[Macallan18]

It's the contract I expected, and he is a guy we should be keeping. $3 mil was the number I used in Capfriendly in playing around with next years roster.

Yes, he was a regular in our lineup this year. He missed ONE playoff game, when they were mixing it up. He played most of the regular season, when he wasn't injured.

He was our second highest scoring D man, per game played. Lowest GA/60 amongst, McCabe, Rielly, Boosh, Brodie.. Second highest expected goal %, just behind Rielly of the full season guys.

Some of this fanbase is so myopic, sees one thing and fixates on it. Benoit is very good at being physical.. not so good at moving the puck... we love Benoit, but players like him are why we can't move the puck out of our zone. Lilly moves the puck well. He's also only 24.

This is a good signing.

We should extend Robertson too.

Amen

 

[rumman]

He is way better? Can skate? Pass? Shoot? Better gap control?
Still developing

And Benoit is fully developed?????

 

[Macallan18]

Rather give that money to a Boosh actually.

Here’s the thing about Lil, this idea he’s a puck mover and can skate out of our end. Yes, against passive teams like Ottawa, he looks great. When we face an effective forecheck, he falls apart completely, blinding chicks grenades up the wall to nobody and doesn’t skate at all. He can’t process the play quick enough. He’s a mirage that disappears when you looks closer, or more correctly when the game gets closer. He made my eyes bleed last playoffs.

Ugh Boosh? Rather tear apart the team and start over

 

[notbias]

Treliving is DEFINITELY doing a great job. Dubas f***ing SUCKS

Will assume this is a joke

 

[Macallan18]

And Benoit is fully developed?????

No skills there to develop my friend. Low floor, but no ceiling, barely a 7th dman

 

[PromisedLand]

Will assume this is a joke

you can assume whatever you want. Dubas is a f***ING JOKE thats for sure

 

[ThrowDemTongs]

Yeah, Holl would fix the Swiss cheese D, your takes are beyond idiotic………

He's being facetious

Right?
Right?

 

[rumman]

I mean.. you are always mad at everything, and everyone.. so there's that.

We need to have patience with our younger players... both Lilly and Robertson will be decent players for us. People need to calm down. That isn't the change we really need.

I’m not mad, I communicate what I think directly, there’s a big difference. This team isn’t worth getting mad over………

 

[NJG]

Maybe he does figure it out, but what has concerned me, I’ve seen no development in his game the last two years. Go look at the games from the 2022 season, I’d argue he looked his best there for a spell. His consistency hasn’t improved at all, his arc is flat, which is why I’m now down on him. The lack of physicality and hockey IQ lapse, combined with his propensity to get “down on himself”, I don’t think he’s a top 6 on a true contender D core. He’s depth to me, and you can’t pay depth that cash.

He will never be a top 4 D-Man in the NHL. Anyone who thinks he will is delusional. Feel free to save this post to "prove me wrong later" It won't happen.

I'll be surprised if he's even a top 6 D-Man.

 

[Macallan18]

So many NHL GM's in here. Also let me know what the lottery numbers are going to be.

Benoit can barely pivot or make a breakout pass to save his life.

Those are his strengths

 

[Fogelhund]

Dom's "model" is an absolute joke. $6M value my ass.

Liljegren has one of the worst playoff 5v5 xGF% (40%) and actual GF% (46%) over the last three seasons. Also a whopping one assist in 13 games. Only Holl & Giordano played comparable minutes with a worse GF% and they're gone for good reason.

Maybe you like this model better?

""

 

[notbias]

Maybe you like this model better?

""

The issue is he is not consistent and I don't think he's earned this contract.

He's looked like a top pairing D at times and a #7 at times.

I still think he can figure it out, just a lot of money for someone who hasn't yet.

 

[rumman]

He will never be a top 4 D-Man in the NHL. Anyone who thinks he will is delusional. Feel free to save this post to "prove me wrong later" It won't happen.

I'll be surprised if he's even a top 6 D-Man.

3 mil is a lot of scratch for a third pairing guy who’s scared of his own shadow……..

 

[thewave]

The issue is he is not consistent and I don't think he's earned this contract.

He's looked like a top pairing D at times and a #7 at times.

I still think he can figure it out, just a lot of money for someone who hasn't yet.

And Keefe looked worse than an AHL coach most of the time. The criminal act here was not firing Keefe when he took the job. Not this extension.

5% PP. Keefe sucked and couldn't develop shit if he tried.

 

[Macallan18]

Being sat out for Brodie tells you how well he played vs Boston.

Or how bad Keefe coached

 

[NJG]

The issue is he is not consistent and I don't think he's earned this contract.

He's looked like a top pairing D at times and a #7 at times.

I still think he can figure it out, just a lot of money for someone who hasn't yet.

The issue is he was over valued because he's a Leaf and because a RHD is something we've lacked for so long and needed for so long people inflated his potential as always.

 

[Fogelhund]

The issue is he is not consistent and I don't think he's earned this contract.

He's looked like a top pairing D at times and a #7 at times.

I still think he can figure it out, just a lot of money for someone who hasn't yet.

It's $3 million... it's market value. If he had figured it out, and was consistent, it would be $5-6 million, like Durzi just signed.... You don't get top pairing, or second pairing finished products at $3 million.

 

[Stephen]

He will never be a top 4 D-Man in the NHL. Anyone who thinks he will is delusional. Feel free to save this post to "prove me wrong later" It won't happen.

I'll be surprised if he's even a top 6 D-Man.

I tend to agree with the first part. There are flashes but he seems to fall flat again into the Dermott development curve.

 

[rumman]

It's $3 million... it's market value. If he had figured it out, and was consistent, it would be $5-6 million, like Durzi just signed.... You don't get top pairing, or second pairing finished products at $3 million.

And you don’t spend 3mil for 6/7 D men unless your idiotic…….

 

[NJG]

And you don’t spend 3mil for 6/7 D men unless your idiotic…….

Yep. Hopefully this is a sign and trade because this is a bad contract. I don't understand how a guy who didn't take any steps forward but took steps backwards get's a raise...

 

[Dayjobdave]

He's shown enough flashes that this is a good deal, considering he would have probably received a higher arbitration award.

Sure, I'd rather we signed him for 3x2 than 2x3, but we can live with it.

I'm trying to figure out how we get Tanev, Perron, Debrusk, Bert and Zadorov in under the cap now without moving anyone out.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Maple Leafs sign defenceman Timothy Liljegren to two-year deal

Timothy Liljegren is staying with the Toronto Maple Leafs after all. It looked very much like Liljegren might not return to the Leafs, with arbitration looming this summer. There was some thought that a trade might even happen on the weekend while the NHL community was gathered in Vegas for the...

www.nytimes.com

Timothy Liljegren is staying with the Toronto Maple Leafs after all.

It looked very much like Liljegren might not return to the Leafs, with arbitration looming this summer. There was some thought that a trade might even happen on the weekend while the NHL community was gathered in Vegas for the NHL Draft.

In the end, the Leafs agreed to a two-year deal with the 25-year-old with a cap hit of $3 million.

Liljegren would have had arbitration rights had he entered restricted free agency, a possibility that factored into the negotiations and ultimately, a deal getting done. The Leafs feared that Liljegren might receive an award in arbitration with a cap hit larger than the one with his new contract.

They avoided that possibility and now head into unrestricted free agency with certainty on Liljegren’s number. The deal will walk Liljegren to unrestricted free agency in 2026.

At that point, however, the Leafs should have a better sense of what exactly they have in Liljegren, whether he’s finally become a bona-fide top-four defenceman. If not, the Leafs can walk away and Liljegren can pursue his career elsewhere.

It’s not impossible he isn’t moved before then even after the signing of this deal. Liljegren’s new contract has zero no-trade protection, according to the source.

The Brad Treliving front office isn’t exactly enamoured with Liljegren, not yet anyway.

 

[Fogelhund]

And you don’t spend 3mil for 6/7 D men unless your idiotic…….

Funny how he was 4th in ice time for the Leafs, for a 6/7 D... but carry on.