Toronto Maple Leafs Should Loan Timothy Liljegren to a European Team

A number of NHL players and prospects are being loaned to European teams and the Toronto Maple Leafs should consider doing this for Timothy Liljegren.

When the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Timothy Liljegren 17th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, many hailed it as a potential steal – with the right-handed defenseman once viewed as the second-best overall prospect in that class.

Three years later and Liljegren has played in just 11 NHL games, with ten other blueliners featuring in more games for their respective teams – six of them being selected after the Swede.

With his development having taken a little bit longer than initially hoped, another stint in Europe could help him to kick on in his career and better prepare him for the 2020/21 season – whenever it takes place.

Why a European Spell Could Help

When Liljegren was drafted, he had a disrupted draft year due to contracting mono and was limited to just 36 games across all levels of competition in his home country of Sweden – with 19 games coming in the SHL.

After being drafted, he was immediately brought over to North America and played 44 games in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies – helping the team to the Calder Cup and earning a silver medal for Team Sweden in the World Junior Championships.

Liljegren has developed well over the past three years, while at times struggling with injuries, and had arguably the best performance of his professional career in 2019/20 with a five-goal, 30 point season in 40 games for the Marlies. (Stats via Elite Prospects).

His efforts saw him make his first 11 appearances in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he averaged 11:18 while on the ice, with an assist, 44.2% Corsi rating, ten shot blocks and eight hits. (Stats via Hockey Reference)

Now, the organization will be keen to keep his development going – hopefully seeing him step up to the NHL on a regular basis either next season or the season after.

With Liljegren not playing hockey for such a long time, with the AHL aiming for a February start while the NHL is more optimistic with their January target, the 6-foot, 192lbs right-shot blueliner could do with getting himself game ready in advance.

A stint in Europe could help him to get back his game sharpness, while also helping him to get a solid run of games under his belt to build his confidence – allowing him to work on areas for improvement against professional opposition.

NHL training camp will determine where Liljegren ultimately plays his hockey in 2021, and having a string of high-level minutes under his belt before he competes in camp could see him impress Sheldon Keefe enough to earn consideration for the NHL roster.

The 21-year-old has so much potential and has shown growth in each of his first three seasons in North America, but with so much time away from the game, giving Liljegren the best chance of preparing himself ahead of next season would be a logical decision for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Fellow Swede and Marlies partner Rasmus Sandin has grown rapidly, arguably even overtaking Liljegren in his standing within the organization’s long-term future, but there’s no reason why the former 17th overall pick can’t put himself in a better position to compete next season if the team is willing to facilitate a brief loan to the SHL, Liiga or even NLA in Switzerland.

The Leafs have another two seasons to determine what they have in Liljegren, before he becomes an RFA, but a spell in Europe could aid his development and make it far clearer than if he remains in waiting until North American leagues can return.