Timothy Liljegren has quietly had an impressive rookie season. The first round draft pick from 2017 (17th overall) has spent the bulk of the last four seasons developing in the American Hockey League with the Toronto Marlies. Liljegren, now 22 years old, is establishing himself as not only a very capable player in the big leagues, but a potential star.
Liljegren, surprisingly, sits third on the Toronto Maple Leafs in points by a defensemen with 21, despite only playing 53 games. The young Swede only averages 16:06 minutes per night, which is eighth on the team for defensemen. His 21 points is also good for fifth in the league by rookie defender.
Liljegren has been particularly strong of late. In fact, since January 1st, the 22-year-old is second in the entire league amongst all defensemen, who have played ten games or more, in 5-on-5 points per 60 minutes played, averaging 1.85. For reference, Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators is a Norris Trophy favourite and sits first, averaging 2.27. Colorado Avalanche star defensemen Calle Makar sits fourth on that list, averaging 1.74 points per 60 minutes played.
Clearly, Liljegren has been a very positive influence for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. His offensive numbers have been impressive, especially for a guy who has mostly been playing third pairing minutes. It is worth noting that he hasn't looked out of place in his limited time on either of the top two pairings either.
The question now becomes, can Liljegren be as influential in the playoffs when the games become tighter and more physical? Often coaches will default to veteran players over a rookie defensemen, but given Liljegren's play, he has certainly earned a look and potentially even a regular spot in the lineup when the postseason begins.
