The Toronto Maple Leafs recently signed Timothy Liljegren and Bobby McMann to contract extensions, but both are expected to be healthy scratches for the season opener.
As the Maple Leafs had to submit their 2024-25 NHL opening night roster on October 7, the team held a practice and all signs point to Liljegren and McMann being healthy scratches, according to Sportsnet’s Luke Fox.
“Worth noting that two recent Maple Leafs re-signings, Timothy Liljegren and Bobby McMann (both healthy), are projecting to be outside the Opening Night lineup,” Fox reported.
Liljegren was selected in the first round of the 2017 NHL draft by the Maple Leafs but he has struggled to be an everyday player. Despite that, the Swede signed a two-year $6 million extension with the Maple Leafs on June 30. Last season, Liljegren skated in 55 games recording 3 goals and 20 assists for 23 points.
McMann, meanwhile, signed a two-year $2.7 million extension with the Maple Leafs back in March. He was a surprise player last season for Toronto as the forward recorded 15 goals and 9 assists for 24 points in 56 games.
Toronto opens its 2024-25 NHL season on the road on October 9 against the Montreal Canadiens.
Insider: Liljegren is the Maple Leafs’ 8th Defenseman
Not only is Liljegren expected to be a healthy scratch on opening night, but the former first-round pick is the team’s eighth defenseman, according to NHL insider Jonas Siegel of The Athletic.
“All signs point to Liljegren being a healthy scratch when the Leafs begin the regular season in Montreal on Wednesday night. Timmins figures to slot in next to Simon Benoit on the team’s third pair, and if Jake McCabe isn’t healthy enough to go, it will likely be Myers who slides in next to Oliver Ekman-Larsson on the No. 2 pair, not Liljegren. In other words, the Leafs’ No. 8 defenseman at the moment is Liljegren,” Siegel wrote.
“Liljegren is pulling in the fourth-most cap dollars — $3 million — on the Toronto defense, drawing more than Timmins ($1.1 million cap hit) and Myers ($775,000) combined… The Leafs may eventually have to make a move, and that move may just include Liljegren,” Siegel added.
Liljegren’s name came up in trade rumors after coach Craig Berube called him out for his play. The former first-round pick also said he wasn’t playing the best hockey.
Maple Leafs Coach Wants More Out of McMann
Following Toronto signing Max Pacioretty and Steven Lorentz to one-year deals after both attended training camp on PTOs, it appeared McMann was the odd man out.
After practice on October 7, Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said he wanted to see more from McMann.
“There’s more there. I know that. Bobby knows that,” Berube explained. “I felt he maybe was a little hesitant at times. He’s a great skater, good size, and needs to be a power forward out there. And so I’m not too worried about it.”
McMann has skated in 66 career games recording 15 goals and 10 assists for 25 points. The 28-year-old went undrafted and signed with Toronto in 2022 after playing in the AHL.
The Maple Leafs opening night lineup is expected to be as follows:
Forwards
Knies — Matthews — Marner
Domi — Tavares — Nylander
Pacioretty — Holmberg — Robertson
Lorentz — Kämpf — Reaves
Defense
Rielly — Tanev
Ekman-Larsson — McCabe
Benoit — Timmins
Goalies
Woll
Stolarz
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