Maple Leafs trade Timothy Liljegren to Sharks for two picks, Matt Benning

The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded defenceman Timothy Liljegren to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick, 2026 sixth-round pick and defenceman Matt Benning.

San Jose currently holds the third-round selections previously held by the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche. The Maple Leafs will receive the highest of the picks.

The Maple Leafs clear more than $1.5 million in salary cap space with the move that sets the table to activate free agent signing Jani Hakanpää off long-term injured reserve. Liljegren is making $3 million and Benning $1.25 million, with each player under contract through next season.

The Leafs added Hakanpää and Chris Tanev to their blue line this off-season, looking to bulk up after another first-round playoff exit, and the 30-year-old Benning brings more size and physicality.

A Liljegren trade has been long speculated for Toronto this season, as the 25-year-old defenceman fell out of favour with new head coach Craig Berube.

Originally a first-round pick by the Maple Leafs in 2017, Liljegren has dressed in just one game this season.

It was becoming clear that Liljegren was not in the top six when he wasn’t featured regularly with the main group during pre-season. When asked why things didn’t go his way during camp, the young defenceman couldn’t offer a reason.

“I tried my best, but it didn’t go my way,” Liljegren said at the time. “I’ve just been trying to come in and work hard.”

Over six seasons in Toronto, the right-shot Liljegren has played in 197 games, scoring 14 goals and 65 points.

The Maple Leafs signed Liljegren to a two-year, $6 million contract in the off-season.

Benning, 30, has played in 464 career games over nine NHL seasons. He originally broke into the NHL with the Oilers in 2016-17 and has since spent time with the Nashville Predators and Sharks.

The six-foot-one, right-shot defenceman hasn’t registered a point in seven games with San Jose this season and owns a minus-five rating.

An Edmonton native, Benning was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the sixth round of the 2012 draft.

— With files from The Associated Press