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On Wednesday, the San Jose Sharks acquired defenseman Matt Benning, a 2025 third-round pick, and a 2026 sixth-round choice from the Toronto Maple Leafs in return for defenseman Timothy Liljegren.

When the Sharks have two third-round picks in 2025, Toronto will get the one that is sooner.

For the first nine games of the season, Liljegren has been a healthy scratch for the Leafs. This is his first stint with head coach Craig Berube. Liljegren has scored 14 goals and added 65 points in 197 games throughout his career. He has also made one assist in thirteen playoff appearances.

In 2017–18, Liljegren—who was drafted seventeenth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2017—helped the organization’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, win their first Calder Cup championship as the league’s youngest defenseman. He is now twenty-five years old.

In 2021–22, Liljegren and Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe both made it to the NHL full-time. With over 18 minutes of playing time per game, Liljegren earned his way into a top-four role on the back end for Toronto. However, the right-shot defenseman’s playing time was cut down significantly during the playoffs, and he was often criticized for not being as versatile as other Leafs players.

In addition to signing Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson to add muscle to the roster, Toronto general manager Brad Treliving extended Liljegren’s contract by two years and $6 million in the summer.

Upon taking over for the fired Keefe in May, Berube made it plain at training camp that Liljegren would not be given priority. Instead, he positioned Liljegren in front of Conor Timmins and Philippe Myers.

The rebuilding Sharks in San Jose will give Liljegren a new start and the opportunity to play a key role, so he can return to a top-four position.

The trade value of the Leafs was reduced to two lesser draft picks and experienced defenseman Benning due to his difficulties. This season, Benning, who is 30 years old, has made seven appearances but has failed to score.