Sharks acquire defenseman Timothy Liljegren from Toronto in exchange for Matt Benning and two draft selections

Sharks acquire defenseman Timothy Liljegren from Toronto in exchange for Matt Benning and two draft selections

San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) General Manager Mike Grier announced today that the club has acquired defenseman Timothy Liljegren from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenseman Matt Benning, a 2025 conditional third-round selection, and San Jose’s 2026 sixth-round selection. Toronto will receive the better (earlier) third-round selection that San Jose currently owns.

Liljegren, 25, has currently appeared in one game thus far in the 2024-25 season. Last year, he set a single-season bests in assists (20) and average time on-ice (19:40), and tied a career high in points (23) with the Maple Leafs. He finished fourth on the team in blocked shots (116), and ranked eighth in power-play TOI (92:34). Over the course of his NHL career, he has appeared in 197 NHL games, all with Toronto, and registered 65 points (14 goals, 51 assists) with a plus-38 rating.

Professionally, Liljegren has also appeared with Toronto’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, over parts of four seasons, recording 74 points (11 goals, 63 assists) in 150 AHL games. He helped the Marlies win the Calder Cup in 2018 after recording four assists in 20 postseason games.

He also appeared in 38 Swedish Hockey League games for Rogle BK, scoring 10 points (two goals, eight assists).

Internationally, the defenseman has represented Sweden at the 2018 World Junior Championship, scoring two points (one goal, one assist) in seven games, helping Sweden capture a Silver Medal. He also played in the 2023 World Championship, scoring four points in five games (two goals, two assists).

The six-foot-one, 201-pound native of Kristianstad, Sweden was originally selected by Toronto in the 2017 NHL Draft (first round, 17th overall).