Toronto Maple Leafs Top 10 Prospects at the Start of the 2021-22 Season
By James Tanner
5. Timothy Liljegren
Age: 22
Height/Weight: 6’0″ 198 lbs.
Position: Defense
Shoots: Right
Draft: 1st Round, 17th Overall 2017
Drafted 17th overall back in 2017, Timothy Liljegren had his draft stock dropped because he contracted mono in his draft year. He was supposedly going to be a top pick before that happened, but if so, he hasn’t lived up to it.
Had Liljegren been picked in the top ten, patience surely would have run thin by now. Still, even though he hasn’t set the hockey world on fire, his development has been excellent in the post-hype era of his career.
Liljegren became one of, if not the best, defensemen in the AHL, and won a Calder Cup.
This year, he is making noise about earning a full time job on the Toronto Maple Leafs blueline, but how that shakes out remains to be seen.
What we do know is that he will be an NHL player, and likely a good one. Just how high up in the lineup he plays, or whether he can ever become a star player remains in question.
His NHL numbers have been pretty good when he gets the chance, and since he shoots right handed and has a higher ceiling, he may usurp Travis Dermott’s role on the team this year, or, more likely, Justin Holl’s.
The Leafs have been patient with Liljegren, and to be fair, it’s hard to break in on a contending team. He still has a lot of potential, but the clock is ticking.