Trade Pitch Has Maple Leafs Dealing Liljegren For Former 1st-Round Pick

The Toronto Maple Leafs are rumored to be shopping Timothy Liljegren and one trade pitch has them dealing the defenseman for a former first-round pick.

The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Maple Leafs send Liljegren to the Winnipeg Jets.

Maple Leafs acquire:

• Vladislav Namestnikov

Jets acquire:

• Timothy Liljegren
• 2027 third-round pick

The proposed deal would see Toronto acquire veteran forward Namestnikov for Liljegren and a draft pick.

Namestnikov was selected 27th overall in the 2011 NHL draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning. The veteran forward could be a third-line winger for the Maple Leafs and add some depth scoring to the lineup. Namestnikov is entering the second year of his two-year $4 million deal. Last season, the Russian recorded 11 goals and 26 assists for 37 points in 78 games with the Jets.

Liljegren, meanwhile, was selected 17th overall in the 2017 NHL draft by Toronto. However, the Swede was a healthy scratch in the first two games of the 2024-25 NHL season. Liljegren signed a two-year $6 million extension with Toronto this offseason. Last year, he scored 3 goals and 20 assists for 23 points in 55 games.

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Liljegren A Likely Trade Candidate

After Liljegren was a healthy scratch in the first two games of the season, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman revealed the Swede is likely to be traded.

“Sounds like Toronto is working to find a landing spot for Timothy Liljegren. He’s down the depth chart, not a situation anyone is happy with,” Friedman wrote in his 32 Thoughts article.

The trade rumors came after new coach Craig Berube called out Liljegren’s play during training camp.

“Lily’s gotta do things quicker. He’s got to be a little bit heavier in his battles, moving pucks quicker and simplify his game,” Berube said. “He’s obviously battling. He wants to be a guy in the lineup every night, and that’s great. But sometimes you put too much on your plate. Simplify the game a little bit more. And do your job as a defenceman killing plays and being heavy.”

However, fellow insider Darren Dreger then took to X to reveal that Toronto is not actively shopping Liljegren and is happy with the depth they have on defense.

“Seems to be a lot of speculation around Liljegren and the Leafs,” Dreger wrote. “Toronto likes the depth they have on D. 2 games in so there’s no imminent trade. Possibility? Sure. Nothing more than that at this point. Nothing front burner.”

In his NHL career, Liljegren has skated in 196 games recording 14 goals and 51 assists for 65 points.

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Maple Leafs Fans Hope Liljegren Gets Moved

Following Friedman’s report that Toronto is looking to move Liljegren, Maple Leafs fans took to social media to hope the defenseman will get moved.

https://twitter.com/lafylarry/status/1844763597202718901

“Give away machine, soft, offers nothing that couldn’t be found in a younger, larger, more engaged player for less money,” a fan wrote.

“Get ready for a 4th round pick in return, his value can’t be lower right now,” a fan added.

Some Maple Leafs fans also question the decision to extend Liljegren this offseason, if he wasn’t going to have a roster spot.

“brad gave him a bloated 3 mil contract that no team is going to want to touch,” a fan wrote.

“THEN WHY DID THEY PAY HIM 3 MILLION DOLLARS 3 MONTHS AGO???!!!!!!! MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!!!!!!!!!,” another fan added.

Liljegren is currently eighth on Toronto’s depth chart as Philippe Myers would get into the lineup before the former first-round pick.

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