Confirmed Trade: [SJS/TOR] Timothy Liljegren for 2025 SJS 3rd round pick, 2026 SJS 6th round pick, Matt Benning

sxvnert

Registered User
Nov 23, 2015
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Benning becomes a #7/#8 D in Toronto which is exactly what they want.

Rielly Tanev
OEL McCabe
Benoit Timmins/Hakanpää
Myers/Benning/Mermis
 

Fatass

Registered User
Apr 17, 2017
23,738
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Still, he could have just been waived and sent to the Cuda. I don't think this trade is about dumping him.
1.2 million in the minors is a lot to the Sharks bottom line. To the Leafs it’s a drop in the bucket. Benning isn’t a cap dump. He is certainly a cash dump though. And that cost likely was the third rounder.
 

Hodge

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Apr 27, 2021
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1.2 million in the minors is a lot to the Sharks bottom line. To the Leafs it’s a drop in the bucket. Benning isn’t a cap dump. He is certainly a cash dump though. And that cost likely was the third rounder.
Sharks paid Radim Simek and Oskar Lindblom a combined $4.75M to play in the minors last year.
 
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Hodge

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Apr 27, 2021
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And that’s last year. Bottom lines for rebuilding clubs don’t go up, especially in that market.
Sharks have one of the richest owners in the league and spending money has never been an issue. Besides, Benning was on the NHL roster and not in danger of being waived anytime soon. I'll bet he plays for the Leafs too.
 
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Fatass

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Apr 17, 2017
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Sharks have one of the richest owners in the league and spending money has never been an issue. Besides, Benning was on the NHL roster and not in danger of being waived anytime soon. I'll bet he plays for the Leafs too.
The Leafs took Benning back because his contract can almost be totally buried in the minors. Is it 1.1 mil now that can be buried? The rest counts on the cap.
 
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Hodge

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Apr 27, 2021
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The Leafs took Benning back because his contract can almost be totally buried in the minors. Is it 1.1 mil now that can be buried? The rest counts on the cap.
We'll see. I think they took him back to balance contract/roster numbers and for RD depth. Benning was a serviceable bottom pair defenseman his entire career until a season-ending hip injury last year. If he returns to his previous form he can be useful depth for you guys.
 

AvroArrow

Mitch "The God" Marner
Jun 10, 2011
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Liljegren always looked like one of those "this guy looks pretty good when I see him, but doesn't seem to ever stick" players.
I think he'll be a fine NHLer, peak is a good 2nd pair puck moving D, his biggest flaw was his size in the playoffs. He got bullied around but also Keefe wasn't the greatest with him, he'd play Lily then scratch him, there was no consistency and I don't think we gave him a fair shot.

I think he was traded because he didn't fit Berube's coaching style + cap relief, I don't think he was traded because the organization thinks he sucks.
 
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WTFMAN99

Registered User
Jun 17, 2009
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I thought Liljegren had a chance to pull a 2nd but coming out of camp, Berube was scratching him etc so to get a 3rd, 6th and maybe someone they can flip down the line depending on how Hakanpaa's return from injjury goes....I feel good about this trade.
 

The Management

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Jun 8, 2009
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I've been a fan of Liljegren, but I was also a big booster of Anton Stralman and Carl Gunnarsson, who went on to have solid though unspectacular careers. I have a bit of a bias for smooth skating Swedish defensemen. Battle scars from having grown up watching Nik Lidstrom and his Red Wings dominate the era.

I think Liljegren still has second pairing potential, and I personally think he's better than some of the guys Berube has been playing. But for better or worse, he's been in the dog house and you can't have that kind of dead cap sitting in the press box. The way the Leafs went about this, confounds me, giving that contract, but not giving him an opportunity to live up to it.

Anyway, the Sharks should be an exciting young team over the next couple of years. I was super happy for them at the draft. Hope he works out for San Jose as well.
 

steelcurtain6

Registered User
Sep 20, 2024
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I think it a wash deal. Lily was not panning out. He got beat out by not one but two guys, Timmins and Myers.Timmins is doing what Lily would offer.They were not gonna get a 2nd for him despite what EA Sport says. They cleared cap, and got a 3rd for a # 8 or 9 on their depth chart.
 
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GeeoffBrown

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Jul 6, 2007
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Seems to me that when Liljegren played, he was productive. Could be 30-40pt Power Play 2 D if he plays 82?
 

SmoggyTwinkles

Go Leafs Go
Aug 5, 2010
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Is he worth more than a 3rd? Yes
Did Toronto need to move cap? Yes

Win win trade.

Nice to read a sensible comment.

And yet, is he worth a 3rd at $3m per, when he's sitting in the press box as a healthy scratch?

Absolutely a win win for both teams. I'm a big Lily fan, so I really hope he figures it out in SJ and I truly mean than.

Nothing the Leafs do will ever get judged properly on this forum.

The guy is 25 and deserves a real shot, but that wasn't going to happen with the Leafs.
 
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