Trade brewing in Toronto as new developments emerge!

For weeks now, it’s been said that the Toronto Maple Leafs have been actively shopping the trade market, with the hope of moving defenseman Timothy Liljegren. On Wednesday night, a new report emerged hinting at things have taking a major step.

Liljegren played his first game of the season as the Los Angeles Kings came to Toronto, and they weren’t the only ones visiting. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that Dallas Stars general manager Jill Nill was in the building and could have been taking a closer look at Liljegren, who could have been inserted in the Leafs’ lineup especially for Nill and basically, an audition.

Liljegren has slid down the team’s depth chart that he’s now the 7th or even best 8th defenseman. Morgan Rielly, Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jake McCabe, Simon Benoit, Conor Timmins and Jani Hakanpaa all hold down spots above him in the Leafs’ defensive rankings. He did not record a point on Wednesday, and ended the night with an ice time of just under 14 minutes. In the past weeks, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has mentioned how Liljegren has fallen out of favour in Toronto, adding that “they are motivated to see if there’s something they can do”.

The Stars have been linked to other defensemen across the league, including Calgary Flames’ Rasmus Andersson, and could be taking a closer look at Liljegren before pulling the trigger on a trade that would bring added depth to their blue line.

However, it’s been said that Dallas could have also taken a look at Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson, whose brother Jason is a superstar for the Stars and could get him into the dressing room’s chemistry fast. Ahead of the season, Robertson had stated how he felt like he hasn’t had the opportunity to flourish with the Leafs and hinted at the desire to be moved.

However, the Maple Leafs aren’t in a hurry to move Robertson, who is a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract and lacks arbitration rights, giving him little leverage. If Toronto gets the right offer, then a trade could get done.

More developments could come of this as GM Nill will review the game he saw in Toronto, and scouted this early in the season, it might mean that something could be on the way soon.

Stay tuned.