Liljegren traded to Sharks by Maple Leafs for Benning, picks

Timothy Liljegren was traded to the San Jose Sharks by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.

Toronto received defenseman Matt Benning, a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The Sharks hold 2025 third-round selections previously held by the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche, and the Maple Leafs will receive the earlier selection as part of this trade.

Liljegren, a 25-year-old defenseman, played in one of the Maple Leafs’ 10 games this season after finishing with 23 points (three goals, 20 assists) in 55 games for Toronto last season, when he also had one assist in six Stanley Cup Playoff games. Selected by the Maple Leafs in the first round (No. 17) of the 2017 NHL Draft, he has 65 points (14 goals, 51 assists) in 197 regular-season games and one assist in 13 playoff games.

"Things didn't work out the way I wanted in Toronto this year, and [I] didn't play much," Liljegren said Thursday. "I'm very excited to be here and hopefully get an opportunity to play some more and grow my game.

"I was excited. Obviously, young team, an exciting team, lots of talent. It's been a little stressful since the call with packing all my stuff and the flight, but happy to be here.

"I'll be ready whenever they call my name. Practice tomorrow, so we'll see from there."

Toronto coach Craig Berube said he thought Liljegren could perhaps benefit from a change of scenery.

"Looking back at training camp, I think guys just outplayed him a little bit," Berube said. "He’s got ability, can skate and move the puck. I wish him all the best. It just didn't work out here."

Benning, 30, has no points in seven games this season for San Jose. Selected by the Boston Bruins in the sixth round (No. 175) of the 2012 NHL Draft, he has 102 points (17 goals, 85 assists) in 464 regular-season games for the Sharks, Oilers and Nashville Predators, and five assists in 24 playoff games.

Toronto (5-4-1), which ended a three-game slide with a 6-4 win at the Winnipeg Jets on Monday, hosts the Seattle Kraken on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; TSN4, KONG, KING 5, KHN).

San Jose (2-7-2), coming off its first two wins of the season -- 5-4 in overtime at the Utah Hockey Club on Monday, and 4-2 at home against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday -- hosts the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; CHSN, NBCSCA, SN360, SN).

NHL.com independent correspondents Max Miller and Dave McCarthy contributed to this report