Only three games into the season, and names are starting to find their way into the rumour mill. But the Maple Leafs want to things slow down for the time being.
Toronto is not trying to rush a Timothy Liljegren trade despite rising tensions between the two sides this season, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday's Hockey Night in Canada.
"Toronto is preaching patience with this. They are simply saying there is no reason he can't still play for us," Friedman said. "However, he's a 25-year-old player, he wants to play. I think he'd like to be in a position where he can play."
Liljegren, 25, has been mentioned in rumours since dropping down the team's depth chart. He has yet to lace up his skates for the Leafs this season.
Earlier this week, Friedman reported that the team is testing the waters to see if there's a trade for the defenceman, as his lack of play and spot on the depth chart isn't something "anyone is happy with."
"I think, at various times, they've tried to work to get something done and other times they've said, 'Look, we don't like that this is out there' and I think they've told him he could still potentially play for the Maple Leafs," Friedman said.
Toronto focused heavily on defencemen in free agency over the summer, adding Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jani Hakanpää to its ranks, pushing Liljegren down the team's ranks. He has also been jumped by Conor Timmins on the team's blue-line pairings.
The Leafs negotiated a new deal for Liljegren, signing him to a two-year, $6-million contract in the off-season and making him the fourth-highest-paid defenceman on the team by AAV, perhaps adding a wrench to the hopes of dealing him.
"Now, I had heard this week that he had some permission to talk to other teams but the Maple Leafs have denied that, they've said that's not true," Friedman clarified. "But there's no question they're trying to get him to be patient and he's simply trying to say, 'Look, I'd like to play' as any player would."
However, the Maple Leafs are right up against the cap and Liljegren carries a $3-million hit. They also have players like Hakanpää, Connor Dewar and Calle Järnkrok on the LTIR but should be back eventually, making the team's cap status all the more confusing.
Liljegren was selected by the Maple Leafs, 17th overall, in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft.
He has picked up 14 goals and 51 assists in 196 games over five seasons with the club. The Kristianstad, Sweden, native finished with three goals and 20 assists in 55 regular season games last year.
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