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

[SeanMoneyHands]

Leafs freeing up cap spac, prepping themselves for the Marner resigning,

 

[coooldude]

You were lumping those two in with Askarov earlier in the thread like they're part of the future nucleus of the team. Then in the same thread you're acting like the die is already cast for Dickinson as being inferior to Buium. How could you or anyone else possibly know that less than a month into the season?

It's like "hey, you never know with defensemen. Maybe these 25 year old guys can show something they haven't yet" and then in the next breath calling the 18 year old a bust.

From a different sharks fan and speaking for more than a few of us ... Don't pay them any mind.

I assume that Matt Benning is the retention in this trade.

The new goss is that Benning was a request to include by the Sharks, so... Yeah. Grier didn't want to gum up the prospect pipeline with a dude who is cooked post-hip surgery. Get a contract off the books so it's one for one. I think Leafs posters who say he'll not likely play a game for y'all are right.

 

[PeE eL DuBoiS]

Lili 17th overall + Sandon 29th overall. Sometimes it's hit or miss with mid to low picks.

Look at our drafting outcome from 2017 - 2020. Look at our D picks since Rielly in 2012.

Not good.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

wasn't long ago Liljegren was playing very well, sucks how he lost his place here. I think he breaks out with SJ and we look like fools

 

[Leaf Fans]

wasn't long ago Liljegren was playing very well, sucks how he lost his place here. I think he breaks out with SJ and we look like fools

We won't. He wasn't going to do it here. Good for him if he does break out with the Sharks - he will get the opportunity to build off mistakes that he could not get in Toronto or most teams.

 

[BlueBaron]

Glorious, this is where HF tells us our guy is better than we think in a feeble attempt to make us feel bad about salvaging something out of player who doesn't fit here. Pretty good return for a bottom pair guy so obviously there is a lot of silliness in this thread.

Certainly disappointing he did not become the top 4 offensive D we hoped for but you can't win them all. We needed picks.

 

[NyQuil]

Glorious, this is where HF tells us our guy is better than we think in a feeble attempt to make us feel bad about salvaging something out of player who doesn't fit here. Pretty good return for a bottom pair guy so obviously there is a lot of silliness in this thread.

Certainly disappointing he did not become the top 4 offensive D we hoped for but you can't win them all. We needed picks.

I don’t know what to think about the guy.

There is no world where we trade Liljegren let alone for a rental.

Proposal: - Leafs - Canucks , leafs - Bluejackets

Leafs shouldn't give this package for someone who doesn't come with an extension. Would be an absolute error. CBJ deal doesn't work from either side for reasons already mentioned.

forums.hfboards.com

 

[Namikaze Minato]

I don’t know what to think about the guy.

Proposal: - Leafs - Canucks , leafs - Bluejackets

Leafs shouldn't give this package for someone who doesn't come with an extension. Would be an absolute error. CBJ deal doesn't work from either side for reasons already mentioned.

forums.hfboards.com

That post from years ago is your gotcha?

You know things change as time flows, right?

 

[Voight]

Sharks get a young NHLer with some upside for picks that wouldn't contribute for a long time (if ever). Solid deal for a rebuilding club.

Seems fine for Toronto too. That third is basically a second.

Its not the Sharks third, that went to Vegas last year

 

[BlueBaron]

I don’t know what to think about the guy.

Proposal: - Leafs - Canucks , leafs - Bluejackets

Leafs shouldn't give this package for someone who doesn't come with an extension. Would be an absolute error. CBJ deal doesn't work from either side for reasons already mentioned.

forums.hfboards.com

Sure pal, when was that post written? Bet it wasn't this season. Context is everything. Very disingenuous of you. Besides, obviously he's just a body and the real haul was the picks...

 

[wavaxa2]

Leaf fans always dump on the guys that leave after talking them up for years.

Its a pretty standard pattern.

To be fair, it's pretty standard behaviour for all fanbases.

 

[Gilmour1996]

He was considered unplayable by the coaching staff. This explains why he only played one game for the Leafs this year. On a bottom-feeder team, however, he may very well find a role.

 

[sxvnert]

Look at our drafting outcome from 2017 - 2020. Look at our D picks since Rielly in 2012.

Not good.

Horrific and made worse by Dubas drafting sub 6 foot D.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

Liljegren was pretty polarizing within the fanbase. I loved the pick at the time, as did many, but you'd be hard pressed to find posters the last few years who thought he was anything more than a 3rd pairing dman at this point. He needs ice time, plain and simple. He never showed enough to cement himself playing time on a team trying to win now.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

We won't. He wasn't going to do it here. Good for him if he does break out with the Sharks - he will get the opportunity to build off mistakes that he could not get in Toronto or most teams.

Its probably gonna be the same situation as Sandin. Lily will find his game , sharks will be happy , Leafs won't miss him or regret it

 

[HockeyVirus]

You're telling me Brad mismanaged a young player and as a result lost him for basically nothing?
<- this is my shocked face

Check back when Tanev becomes too injured and old to play in the top 4 and the Leafs need to fill that hole externally, probably about a year and change from now.

Going to need to explain how Brad mismanaged him. If Lilly was a top 4 Dman they keep him. That's two separate coaching staffs now who don't like him.

I think he can become a top 4 RD, but not in Toronto.

Trading both Sandin and Lilj reflects badly on Toronto's ability to draft and develop.

Draft and develop D sure. Not really an accurate statement otherwise though. More a lack of picks.

 

[kihei]

Got a feeling he will do well in San Jose.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

I still believe in Liljegren. He has all the tools, great skating and decent size.

Sharks should give him some PP time and a vote of confidence, and they may find themselves with a bonafide top four defenseman on their hands, for scraps.

 

[Space umpire]

Should have traded him way sooner or given him the chance. Always showed he had the ability to be a top guy to me.

They got robbed. Should have traded Rielly. Lily showed he can bring offense when Rielly was out and Rielly is at best a #6 guy defensively.
I simply do not see Toronto winning anything when the games get tough with him on the top pairing.

How? He was our 8th or 9th defensemen. It had to be done. Makes about zero impact to our team on the ice trading him.

He’s better than Rielly.

 

[Leaf Fans]

They got robbed. Should have traded Rielly. Lily showed he can bring offense when Rielly was out and Rielly is at best a #6 guy defensively.
I simply do not see Toronto winning anything when the games get tough with him on the top pairing.


He’s better than Rielly.

You didn't see the Leafs winning anything when they had both Liljegren and Rielly.

 

[Space umpire]

You didn't see the Leafs winning anything when they had both Liljegren and Rielly.

They will NEVER win with a top pairing D as bad at actual defense as Rielly is.
Liljegren (small sample size noted) brought to offense when given opportunities and is at least a 2nd pairing level defensively.
Rielly is (DEFENSIVELY) at the 6th or 7th Dman level. Just watch how often he is out of position or simply not making a real effort in his own zone.

For reference… watch the goals that eliminated the Leafs from last years playoff. He is directly responsible.

 

[Leaf Fans]

They will NEVER win with a top pairing D as bad at actual defense as Rielly is.
Liljegren (small sample size noted) brought to offense when given opportunities and is at least a 2nd pairing level defensively.
Rielly is (DEFENSIVELY) at the 6th or 7th Dman level. Just watch how often he is out of position or simply not making a real effort in his own zone.

For reference… watch the goals that eliminated the Leafs from last years playoff. He is directly responsible.

They might.