Maple Leafs Reporter Reveals Why Liljegren Ended Up As the Odd Man Out in Toronto

The Leafs kicked off their regular season against the Montreal Canadiens last night, but one former fixture on the blueline, Timothy Liljegren, found himself scratched from the starting lineup for the affair. The former first-round pick in 2017 has played 196 games for the Maple Leafs over five seasons, but now appears to be on the outside looking in.

Last night, during the season opener, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman revealed that the Leafs are currently engaged in discussions with rival NHL clubs, looking at potential trade scenarios for Liljegren. However, Friedman wasn't the first reporter to reveal that Liljegren is as good as gone.

On the JD Bunkis podcast on Wednesday, Sportsnet's Luke Fox discussed Liljegren's current standing with the team, revealing why he is potentially on his way out in Toronto.

Liljegren is entering a new contract that pays him $3 million per season over two years. For a player not in the starting lineup on a cash-strapped Maple Leafs team, it's pretty clear that his future with the franchise is in question.

Following a tough training camp battle, Conor Timmins seems to have surpassed Liljegren on the depth chart in Craig Berube's eyes. There's no guarantee that things stay that way, but for now, with Timmins receiving his shot, it doesn't leave much room for Liljegren to prove his worth to the team, skating as the 7th or 8th defenseman.

As the Craig Berube era begins in Toronto, it is evident that he values hard work and is willing to reward his players accordingly. For the most part, Leafs Nation is supportive of this approach. Unfortunately for Liljegren, it may result in him landing in a new NHL city during the early stages of this season.