Maple Leafs shopping defenseman Timothy Liljegren

The clock may finally be running out on Timothy Liljegren. Selected by the Leafs 17th overall pick in the 2017 NHL draft, Liljegren was projected to be a top pairing defenceman. The talented, puck moving righty the Leafs so desperately needed was finally on the way.

Unfortunately, seven years down the road, things haven't panned out the way the Leafs or Liljegren wanted. Once again, Liljegren found himself on the fringes of the lineup during the playoffs this season, sitting out games when he was healthy enough to play. That doesn't bode well for his future in Toronto.

The two year bridge deal that was paying Liljegren $1.4M per season has expired, leaving him as a restricted free agent. It's doubtful the Leafs would leave him without a qualifying offer, but I doubt they will be offering much more than that. Liljegren does have arbitration rights, but doesn't have much of a case to demand more salary.

At this point, it may be best for both the team and the player to part ways. This was a subject of discussion for The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta today as he suggested that we may see Liljegren's name popping up more often in trade talks.

If Liljegren is traded, it's not unreasonable to expect a return similar to the one Rasmus Sandin commanded when he was traded last season. Sandin brought in the first round pick used to select Easton Cowa as well as Erik Gustafsson, if Treliving is able to get similar value out of Liljegren, trading the 25 year old may be the best option for the Leafs.