Leafs Trade Liljegren

 

Photo From TSN

It’s been an interesting stretch for the Leafs as fans went from feeling the sky was falling after three straight losses to breathing easier after a 6-4 win in Winnipeg on Monday. The team also announced they've extended Jake McCabe on a five-year contract, paying him $4.51 million per season. Finally, on Wednesday, the team announced a trade, sending Timothy Liljegren to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Matt Benning, San Jose’s sixth-round draft pick in 2026, and a 2025 third-round pick from Edmonton as part of the Cody Ceci trade.

Timothy Liljegren just wasn’t the right fit for Toronto. He didn’t fit the system and structure that head coach Craig Berube wanted. Liljegren appeared in just one game this season, and with Jani Hakanpaa eligible to return for the Leafs' game against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, Liljegren was likely to slide further down the depth chart. He has the potential to be a solid defender in the NHL but needs consistent playing time, something he’ll get as an everyday player in San Jose, just as he did in Toronto under Sheldon Keefe. In his four seasons with the Maple Leafs, Liljegren tallied 65 points, and he’ll bring that offensive potential to the Sharks’ lineup.

In Matt Benning, Toronto gains some additional depth on their blue line. With Jani Hakanpaa’s return, Benning will rotate with Conor Timmins as the seventh defenseman. Though Benning hasn’t recorded any points in his seven games this season with San Jose, he’s primarily focused on defense. One stat fans may notice is his -28 career plus-minus with the Sharks; however, given San Jose’s recent struggles, this shouldn’t be overemphasized. Simon Benoit, who had a poor plus-minus rating with Anaheim, has been solid for the Leafs, and Benning’s right-handed shot and six-foot, 200-pound frame will add both physicality and balance. Fun fact: Matt Benning is the nephew of former Maple Leaf and Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning.

It’ll be interesting to see how Benning fits into the Maple Leafs’ lineup, but I don’t think GM Brad Treliving is done just yet, as he still needs to make room for Connor Dewar and Calle Jarnkrok, who are also eligible to return from LTIR.

Thanks, as always, for reading!

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