Liljegren the new Stralman

[HockeyVirus]

24/25 year old European dman who everyone couldn't wait to trade because he never consistently found his potential. And what happens after they give up on him? He becomes one of the most dependable top 4 dmen in the league on several contending teams.

Liljegren, a homegrown RD deserves an actual shot (like Woll) at being that guy instead of being given no minutes to do what he shines with. When given opportunity he continues to shine before being buried

This season Timothy Liljegren has 17 points in 21 games where he plays at least 21 minutes. The Leafs are 17-3-1 during that time.

For you stat nerds

https://x.com/i/web/status/1760800447214846150

When Liljegren was promoted to the PP quarterback when Rielly was suspended our PP had the most successful stretch of the season. Liljegren got better as the year went on but simply was not trusted by the coaching staff to actually be allowed to make a difference.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1776244903346851884

I propose trading Liljegren would be a massive mistake. Instead, the Leafs should keep him and let Berube evaluate him and see if he can earn a top 4 spot. We are already trusting our prospects in other ways with Woll as our projected starter and Knies, McMann, Cowan, Robertson being entrusted to take a step for us and fill the role we put them in.

Liljegren is a legit top 4 dman he just needs to be let loose for 25 games.

Click to read more...

 

[WTFMAN99]

His success has come on the 3rd pairing, I would argue we didn't have patience with Stralman but Liljegren it definitely feels like they genuinely tried to make it work.

Stralman had stops in Columbus and wasn't an overnight success with NYR either, he was doing well in a relatively sheltered role, he broke out and did great with Hedman/Tampa and then was on the decline.

 

[Rielly4]

Maybe, he just seems so mistake prone in playoffs and is not very good on the PK or in front of the net. He definitely has potential as a rush defender and entry denier though. As a puck mover he seems solid for reg season but sketchy for playoffs.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Maybe, he just seems so mistake prone in playoffs and is not very good on the PK or in front of the net. He definitely has potential as a rush defender and entry denier though. As a puck mover he seems solid for reg season but sketchy for playoffs.

He's inexperienced. He isn't playing in the playoffs he is thinking I can't make a mistake. He needs a season of top 4 minutes and he will be that guy when it counts

 

[LeafSteel]

He needs a coach who can let him play with some confidence that it’s ok to make a mistake, and not saddle him a failing 40 year old defensive partner.

He also needs to play and not be bumped out for Holl types, stifling his development.

Put him on the 3rd pairing with Benoit, let him get a rhythm and some confidence with a coach who actually knows how to put solid defensive structures and plays into place and see what he does.

You don’t throw away your only true RHD shot D that can move the puck, have a decent shot from the blue line and cost 3-4m. You see what you have.

 

[thewave]

24/25 year old European dman who everyone couldn't wait to trade because he never consistently found his potential. And what happens after they give up on him? He becomes one of the most dependable top 4 dmen in the league on several contending teams.

Liljegren, a homegrown RD deserves an actual shot (like Woll) at being that guy instead of being given no minutes to do what he shines with. When given opportunity he continues to shine before being buried

This season Timothy Liljegren has 17 points in 21 games where he plays at least 21 minutes. The Leafs are 17-3-1 during that time.

For you stat nerds

https://x.com/i/web/status/1760800447214846150

When Liljegren was promoted to the PP quarterback when Rielly was suspended our PP had the most successful stretch of the season. Liljegren got better as the year went on but simply was not trusted by the coaching staff to actually be allowed to make a difference.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1776244903346851884

I propose trading Liljegren would be a massive mistake. Instead, the Leafs should keep him and let Berube evaluate him and see if he can earn a top 4 spot. We are already trusting our prospects in other ways with Woll as our projected starter and Knies, McMann, Cowan, Robertson being entrusted to take a step for us and fill the role we put them in.

Liljegren is a legit top 4 dman he just needs to be let loose for 25 games.

I have been saying this for a while. He is on my DNT list. Smart teams will want him thrown in to help facilitate sone other deal like Marner. Big mistake.

 

[Stephen]

Or he could be the next Dermott or Sandin. Provided the Leafs get a good return no one is special. One thing about Liljegren is he plays scared. That’s going to limit whatever he does in the game.

 

[Dreakmur]

If he's willing to sign for less than 2 million, I'd give him another year. If he wants more, he's gotta go. We can't afford it for a guy who is very likely going to be a 3rd pairing guy who gets replaced by a rental in the play-offs.

 

[Stephen]

If he's willing to sign for less than 2 million, I'd give him another year. If he wants more, he's gotta go. We can't afford it for a guy who is very likely going to be a 3rd pairing guy who gets replaced by a rental in the play-offs.

He's in an awkward career stage right now. Like you said if he took less than $2 million like a Scott Perunovich level young defenseman, sure we'd take him back.

But he had the same production as an overpaid, undeserved diva Rasmus Sandin who is making $4.6 million with Washington. (Which we would never pay). And he didn't have a defensive breakout of a Jalen Chatfield, who only makes $3 million on his new deal.

So if he wants any real money, he needs to take a hike. If he stays, we don't really like him that much. He also has a soft reputation and every Atlantic team will be circling him as the weaklink and pinata come playoff time. So sometimes it's better to get rid of these liabilities.

 

[fahad203]

Not every Swedish D who appears to have a slow start is Stralman

Plenty of D never pan out to anything. He's trending more towards Calle Rosen and Robert Haag

 

[Buds17]

Not trading him for the modern equivalent of Wayne Primeau and a 2nd round pick should help too. I'd honestly prefer that he isn't traded at all.

 

[TMLife17]

Would love to be proven wrong but I don’t see a winner. He can come back for cheap for a prove it year or he can go. It won’t be what breaks us either way.

 

[LeafGrief]

Id rather give bigger minutes and a longer leash to Benoit tbh. Liljegren is only seven months younger. Sure Liljegren still has upside, but he just hasn’t show much at the NHL level to be particularly concerned about. Sometimes guys need changes of scenery, sometimes they just don’t work out no matter where they go. Liljegren is a decent depth piece at the moment, nothing more.

 

[BertCorbeau]

I agree with the OP ... Lily has shown some nice flashes when given some rope. I'm in the camp of trying to get him on a multi-year deal at a modest price.

Keefe did not to a great job developing the youth at the NHL level .. I'd like to see Lily under a new coach like Berube.

Quality RHD are hard to find and the Leafs' are shallow in that regard. Hence why I think it's a good gamble to give him some term and see if it can grow.

 

[613Leafer]

We traded Stralman at age ~21-22 with 88 NHL games under his belt. Liljegren is 25 with 196 NHL games (209 if you include playoffs).

I also have some concerns that he could pull it together if we moved him, but these situations really aren't all that comparable.

 

[57 Years No Cup]

Liljegren sucks because he's afraid to take or give a hit.

Move on.

 

[IPS]

We traded Stralman at age ~21-22 with 88 NHL games under his belt. Liljegren is 25 with 196 NHL games (209 if you include playoffs).

I also have some concerns that he could pull it together if we moved him, but these situations really aren't all that comparable.

Was gonna post something similar to this.

Stralman was most definitely more of an unknown commodity when we traded him.

We've seen over 200 games of Liljegren. It's getting closer and closer to the point where what you see is what you get.

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

Because they're both Swedish?

 

[Taylor Halls Teeth]

Right now they have a chance to add two right side D men as UFAs. Pesce, Roy, Tanev, Walker, Zadorov, Carrier. There hasn't been a crop like this that I can remember. Nobody elite but most on the right side of age 30 and all better than what the Leafs rolled out last year. None of them play a real heavy game except Z so there needs to be a Boosh/Edmundson type for the third pair. No spot left for Lilly IMO, unless they get clubbed on the top UFA salary and only have a couple million left.

I would much prefer Roy/Walker or Roy/Carrier but they might lose the bidding war and keep Lilly by default.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Well, whether it's a mistake to move depends on what the return is. If you can get a another D or a center around that age then it could make sense.

What is/was encouraging from from Liljegren is he played his best hockey when Rielly was suspended and he did seem to raise his game to that of top 4. So that glimpse is the main reason why you could give him another year to see.

Plus the Leafs have looking for RD's for seemingly the last 10 years, to move your own out it the process of trying to find one could be the baby going with the bath water so to say.

 

[rumman]

24/25 year old European dman who everyone couldn't wait to trade because he never consistently found his potential. And what happens after they give up on him? He becomes one of the most dependable top 4 dmen in the league on several contending teams.

Liljegren, a homegrown RD deserves an actual shot (like Woll) at being that guy instead of being given no minutes to do what he shines with. When given opportunity he continues to shine before being buried

This season Timothy Liljegren has 17 points in 21 games where he plays at least 21 minutes. The Leafs are 17-3-1 during that time.

For you stat nerds

https://x.com/i/web/status/1760800447214846150

When Liljegren was promoted to the PP quarterback when Rielly was suspended our PP had the most successful stretch of the season. Liljegren got better as the year went on but simply was not trusted by the coaching staff to actually be allowed to make a difference.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1776244903346851884

I propose trading Liljegren would be a massive mistake. Instead, the Leafs should keep him and let Berube evaluate him and see if he can earn a top 4 spot. We are already trusting our prospects in other ways with Woll as our projected starter and Knies, McMann, Cowan, Robertson being entrusted to take a step for us and fill the role we put them in.

Liljegren is a legit top 4 dman he just needs to be let loose for 25 games.

Wonder where you got this idea from? Plagiarist………..

Or he could be the next Dermott or Sandin. Provided the Leafs get a good return no one is special. One thing about Liljegren is he plays scared. That’s going to limit whatever he does in the game.

This is exactly what Lilly is……….

 

[hamzarocks]

Hes on my instant trade list

Lilijgren for Tomasino based deal

I think Tomasino can be a great player for us. 3C next year if we develop him there or top 6 winger

Lilijgren I just dont see long-term as a guy you want in your top 4D

 

[TMLegend]

Your thoughts can be summed up with "run it back"

 

[Tarmore]

Lilly has only ever played under one Coach in NA.

Let that sink in.

Only ever Keefe....

=====

Perhaps we keep him and see what the new coach can get out of him first?

 

[Budz]

He needs a coach who can let him play with some confidence that it’s ok to make a mistake, and not saddle him a failing 40 year old defensive partner.

He also needs to play and not be bumped out for Holl types, stifling his development.

Put him on the 3rd pairing with Benoit, let him get a rhythm and some confidence with a coach who actually knows how to put solid defensive structures and plays into place and see what he does.

You don’t throw away your only true RHD shot D that can move the puck, have a decent shot from the blue line and cost 3-4m. You see what you have.

He needs a coach who keeps his pairings and lets chemistry build.

Stop jerking him around.