SAN JOSE – Defenseman Timothy Liljegren said he’ll be prepared to play again whenever San Jose Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky gives the word.
That’s not surprising, considering Liljegren was a healthy scratch with the Toronto Maple Leafs for all but one game this season.
“I’ll be ready,” Liljegren said Thursday morning at the Sharks’ practice facility, “whenever they call my name.”
The puck-moving Liljegren will not play Thursday when the Sharks host Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks, but it would be a surprise if he did not play Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks. The Sharks will determine that after Friday’s practice.
“He’s got that ability to see the ice really well, to make the right reads and execute. He’s got the puck skills to do those things,” Warsofsky said of Liljegren. “He can read forechecks, help break out pucks, and maybe trap an F3 to give us an odd-man situation.
“I think his vision and hockey sense with the puck (are) probably the biggest things that will help us.”
The Sharks acquired Liljegren from the Maple Leafs on Wednesday for fellow right-shot defenseman Matt Benning, a 2025 third-round selection, and San Jose’s 2026 sixth-round pick. Toronto will receive the earlier of the two third-round selections the Sharks own.
“I’m happy to be here,” Liljegren said, “and kind of get some some confidence back.”
Liljegren, 25, signed a two-year, $6 million contract with Toronto as a restricted free agent this summer as the two sides avoided arbitration. But he admittedly didn’t have a great training camp and was often on the outside looking in, with new Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube opting to instead dress Conor Timmins as his third pair right shot defenseman.
As a result, Liljegren was a healthy scratch nine times in 10 games, which, naturally, affected his confidence.
Did Liljegren, now in his eighth North American professional season, feel he got a fair shot with Berube?
“I don’t know. We had a lot of competition, a lot of good (defensemen),” he said. “Some things didn’t really work out the way I wanted in camp, and I didn’t really play my best hockey either, so I wasn’t happy with how I was playing.”
“It was just like, move the puck quicker. But it’s all good,” Liljegren said of the message he heard from the Leafs coaching staff. “It was tough mentally, for sure. But I thought I did a good job of practicing hard and staying in shape. I’m doing good now.”
Warsofsky said Liljegren would at some point be on the Sharks’ power play, playing up top as Jake Walman and Jack Thompson have been, but he wasn’t sure who he would pair with on the back end.
The Sharks’ top pair of Walman and Cody Ceci will likely remain intact, so Liljegren would seemingly be paired with either Mario Ferraro or Henry Thrun, both of whom are left shots. Ferraro has played mainly with Jan Rutta this season, and Thrun played with either Benning or Thompson.
“I think Mario and (Rutta) have been really good the last few games,” Warsofsky said, “so we’ll decide that here going forward.”
While the trade gives the Maple Leafs some added salary cap space – Benning’s cap hit is $1.25 million per season – and draft capital, the Sharks get a defenseman who can efficiently move pucks, help with breakouts, and join the rush.
The Sharks could use more offense from their blue line. While Walman entered Thursday with eight points in 11 games, the six other defensemen the Sharks have played this season had a combined seven points. Walman has the only goal among all San Jose blueliners.
Liljegren played 55 games for the Leafs last season when he matched his career high with 23 points. He’ll seemingly have an opportunity to better those numbers in San Jose.
“That’s probably why (general manager) Mike (Grier) acquired him, right, to continue to improve our puck moving ability, 5-on-5 and on the power play,” Warsofsky said. “Obviously, we’ve talked Thompson and (Walman) up there on the top, and we’ll give (Liljegren) here a shot. But we have high hopes that he can help us on our back end, for sure.”
The critique of Liljegren is that while he’s not small at 6-foot-1 and 201 pounds, he’s not physical, which could have been the reason he fell out of favor with a no-nonsense coach like Berube. In 197 career NHL games, Liljegren is credited with 297 hits.
Warsofsky doesn’t expect Liljegren to become a thunderous body checker on the back end suddenly, but he also wants to see some physicality in his game.
“Each guy’s a little bit different. Some guys … they’re not going to put guys into Section 220,” Warsofsky said. “It’s moreso about positioning when you’re on the ice in the defensive zone that will help him have success where he’s defending on the inside of the ice more, and he doesn’t have to get stretched out physically along the walls.
Related Articles
San Jose Sharks provide upbeat update on Macklin Celebrini
San Jose Sharks prospect ends standoff, returns to OHL team
Sharks trade for Leafs’ former first-round pick in defenseman swap
Cast off by Red Wings, Walman finds home in San Jose
Sharks place forward on IR, recall rookie from Barracuda
“So we’ll get getting ready to go work with him tomorrow, and go from there.”
Liljegren got word of the trade early Wednesday evening and left Toronto first thing Thursday morning.
“Lots of excitement,” Liljegren said. “Obviously, things didn’t work out the way I wanted in Toronto this year, and didn’t play much. I’m very excited to be here and hopefully get an opportunity to play some more and grow my game.”