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Timothy Liljegren

Atlantic Notes: Tkachuk, Gadjovich, Johnson, Liljegren

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The Ottawa Senators have announced that team captain Brady Tkachuk will miss the team’s Saturday night game with an upper-body injury. This announcement came just over 20 minutes before game time. The nature of the injury isn’t clear, though Tkachuk did leave the team’s Friday night game early after colliding with Arizona Coyotes forward Liam O’Brien early in the third period. He managed roughly 19 minutes of ice time, six hits, and a +2 before exiting.

Tkachuk has been a major contributor this season, leading the team in goals with 26 and ranked third in points with 50. He’s also recorded 104 penalty minutes on the year – one of just three NHL players to cross the century mark in penalty minutes, with O’Brien leading the league in that category. Ottawa is not currently carrying an extra forward, likely meaning they’ll play Saturday down a player – which would make them eligible for an emergency call-up after the game. Rourke Chartier has served as the team’s de facto recall this season, playing in 34 NHL games and scoring three points, though he’s one of five different Belleville Senators forwards to play with Ottawa this season.

Other notes around the Division:

  • Florida Panthers forward Jonah Gadjovich is expected to return when the team visits the New York Rangers on Monday, per the team’s Senior Digital Content Manager Jameson Olive. Olive describes Gadjovich’s injury as “minor”. Gadjovich also sat out of Florida’s Thursday night win over the Montreal Canadiens. He’s recorded four points, split evenly, and 90 penalty minutes in 31 games this season.
  • Buffalo Sabres defenseman Erik Johnson will continue to sit out of the lineup with illness, per Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News. Johnson also missed Buffalo’s Thursday night game, after being a surprise absentee from the team’s practice. He’s appeared in 50 games this season, with three goals marking his only scoring. Johnson is in the 16th season of his career, totaling 970 games and 340 points in the league.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren will be a game-time decision on Saturday, per TSN’s Mark Masters. The 24-year-old defenseman took part in the team’s practice on Saturday, making progress from an undisclosed injury that’s held him out of the team’s last two games. He has 16 points in 40 games this season.

Maple Leafs Notes: Trade Deadline, Giordano, Lyubushkin, Liljegren, Järnkrok

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The Maple Leafs are willing to part with a first-round pick at the trade deadline for the right deal, GM Brad Treliving said Friday (via Jonas Siegel of The Athletic). That deal won’t take the form of a rental acquisition, as Treliving preached being “careful with first-round picks for short-term help,” which falls in line with the organization’s reported unwillingness to surrender one in a deal for former Flames blue-liner Chris Tanev, now traded to the Stars.

In terms of blue-line targets, that could include Capitals shutdown man Nick Jensen, who Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the Maple Leafs may have interest in on Friday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast episode. He’s having a down year offensively, with eight assists in 56 games, but he logs top-four minutes consistently. He’s also controlled possession quality well over the past few seasons in shutdown-only usage.

Jensen’s $4.05MM cap hit through 2026 may be too much term for Treliving’s liking, though, especially if the Capitals are averse to retaining salary. With Jensen locked up for a few more years, there’s also little incentive for Washington to move him while they’re in the middle of a playoff race unless a significant offer is tabled.

Other updates from the Leafs:

  • Veteran defenseman Mark Giordano sustained a concussion when he crashed into the boards during the first period of yesterday’s 4-2 win over the Coyotes, head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed (via Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun). He has been designated for injured reserve before tomorrow’s game against the Rangers, opening the roster spot necessary for Ilya Lyubushkin after the team acquired him from the Ducks last night. The Leafs are hoping Lyubushkin can debut in his second stint with Toronto tomorrow if travel issues don’t pose any threats, Keefe said. If he makes it, he’s expected to be reunited with former partner Morgan Rielly. He would replace Giordano in the lineup and allow T.J. Brodie to slide back to his natural left side along with Jake McCabe on a shutdown second pairing.
  • Another question mark for tomorrow is the health of Timothy Liljegren, who did not practice today but hasn’t been ruled out against the Rangers, Keefe said. Liljegren, 24, has now missed two games with an undisclosed injury but would provide the Leafs with two right-shot options if he and Lyubushkin are both okay to play. His return would push William Lagesson to the press box, and he would likely replace McCabe on the second pairing alongside Brodie. That duo was quite effective during Rielly’s recent five-game suspension, dominating possession play while shouldering top-pairing minutes. McCabe would then form a third pairing with Simon Benoit, giving Toronto perhaps their most well-rounded defense lineup of the season.
  • Someone who could force an additional roster move is winger Calle Järnkrok, who practiced today and is nearing a return from a knuckle fracture that’s kept him out since late January. Keefe did not rule him out for tomorrow’s game, although he seems unlikely to return just yet. The Leafs will need to open a spot on the roster for his return, which could result in placing recent frequent healthy scratch Noah Gregor on waivers or demoting their lone waiver-exempt depth forward, Nicholas Robertson, to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Järnkrok replaced Robertson’s role in the lineup during line rushes at this morning’s practice, skating alongside Bobby McMann and captain John Tavares in his new third-line role.

Injury Notes: Andersen, Norris, Liljegren

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Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen will hopefully return within the next week, per Hurricanes general manager and president Don Waddell. Andersen has been out since November 2nd, battling a deep-vein thrombosis with a subsequent pulmonary embolism. Andersen was cleared to resume skating on January 31st. Now nearly a month later, Andersen is progressing back to game readiness – a sigh of relief for a Carolina team that’s leaned on five different goalies this season.

Andersen played in six games this season before stepping away, recording four wins and a .894 save percentage. He served as Carolina’s most frequently used goalie last season, playing in 34 games and recording a .903 save percentage. It was a step down from the  2021-22 season, his first year in Carolina, when he managed an impressive 35 wins and a .922 save percentage in 52 games. The 34-year-old Andersen is signed through the end of the 2024-25 season, carrying a $3.4MM cap hit.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The Ottawa Senators are expecting to miss forward Joshua Norris for an extended time, per the team’s head coach Jacques Martin. Norris recently underwent an MRI to assess the severity of an upper-body injury. He sustained the injury in Ottawa’s Tuesday night game against the Nashville Predators, crashing hard into the boards. The collision seemed to come close to Norris’ left shoulder, which was surgically-repaired after the 2019 World Junior Hockey Championship. This news could make Norris a candidate for long-term injured reserve, which would provide Ottawa with enough cap space to recall extra bodies to fill in for Norris.
  • Timothy Liljegren is continuing to carry a day-to-day injury designation and won’t play in the team’s Thursday night game against Arizona, per head coach Sheldon Keefe. Liljegren has been out since February 4th, battling an undisclosed injury. He’s recorded 16 points in 40 appearances this season.

Afternoon Notes: Eichel, Monahan, Liljegren, Timmins

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Star Vegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel returned to the team’s practices today, donning a no-contact jersey. It’s his first appearance on the ice since January 11th, as Eichel has been facing a knee injury that required surgery. The injury earned him a spot on long-term injured reserve in mid February, though he’s missed enough games to be eligible to return. Now in a no-contact jersey, it seems Eichel is just awaiting clearance to resume contact and a full practice. The 27-year-old has joined Vegas on their current four-game road trip across the Atlantic Division, which will feature a matchup against Eichel’s former Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. It’s not yet clear if he’ll be able to play in that matchup, though his return to practice suggests he’ll return soon.

Eichel’s return will illicit a big sigh of relief from Vegas’ top brass. The team recently lost star winger Mark Stone to a lacerated spleen that earned him a spot on injured reserve. Vegas is also down William Carrier, Brett Howden, and Pavel Dorofeyev – forcing the club to lean on depth options like Brendan Brisson, Byron Froese, and Sheldon Rempal.

In Eichel, Vegas is getting back their only player still scoring at, or above, a point-per-game pace. Eichel has 19 goals and 44 points through 42 games this season, while leading the team’s forwards in ice time. The Golden Knights will hope he can quickly bounce back to the role of lineup star and save them from the 1-4-1 stretch they find themselves on.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The Winnipeg Jets are expecting Sean Monahan to slot back into the lineup, after missing the team’s Sunday game with illness, per team reporter Scott Billeck with the Winnipeg Sun. Monahan has played in eight games since being traded to the Winnipeg Jets, scoring five points but still searching for his first assist. The scoring brings Monahan’s totals up to 40 points in 57 games this season – the most he’s scored since the 2019-20 season.
  • Timothy Liljegren is slated to miss the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Tuesday night game against the Vegas Golden Knights with an undisclosed injury, per head coach Sheldon Keefe. Keefe added that Liljegren got banged up in the team’s Saturday game against the Colorado Avalanche, with Liljegren leaving the bench later into the third period. The 24-year-old defenseman has 16 points across 40 games this season.
  • Conor Timmins has returned to skating, though he’s not yet cleared to skate with the team, per team reporter David Alter. Timmins has been out since January 24th with mononucleosis. It’s another halt in Timmins’ season, which kicked off with a lower-body injury that held him out until late November. He’s since sat out due to being a healthy scratch and dealing with illness. Timmins, 25, has six points in 16 games this season.

Maple Leafs Notes: Murray, Giordano, Liljegren, Järnkrok

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Make it a potential fourth goalie in the Maple Leafs’ rotation. While he’s not ready to re-join the team at practice, LTIR-bound Matt Murray has begun facing shots during on-ice workouts and is slowly making his way toward a potential return to action, head coach Sheldon Keefe said today (via David Alter of The Hockey News).

Murray, 29, underwent off-season hip surgery and has remained on LTIR since July. He was not available to Toronto for last year’s run to Game 5 of the Second Round against the Panthers due to a concussion, last playing in a loss to the Red Wings on April 2, 2023.

The two-time Stanley Cup champion with Pittsburgh is in his second season under contract with the Maple Leafs. They acquired him at 25% salary retention from the Senators in exchange for future considerations in a July 2022 trade. He could not return to form with the NHL’s other Ontario club, however, posting a pedestrian .903 SV% and 14-8-2 record in 26 starts last season. He struggled with injuries throughout the campaign and, even if healthy, would have been surpassed on the depth chart by both Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll by the end of the season.

Such is the place he finds himself in now. His $4.7MM cap hit has been instrumental in helping Toronto stay cap-compliant this season, and while they’ll still have a significant amount of guaranteed relief for the rest of the season in the form of Jake Muzzin and John Klingberg’s contracts, Murray coming off LTIR and onto Toronto’s books would limit any hopes of adding money at the trade deadline. However, it doesn’t appear at this point that the Maple Leafs anticipate him back before the end of the regular season, although a return to serve as their third-string netminder during the postseason hasn’t been ruled out. He will be a UFA this summer, as will Samsonov and Martin Jones, leaving Woll as the only NHL-ready Toronto goalie under contract next season.

Other updates from the Leafs today:

  • Defenseman Mark Giordano attended practice this morning and is ready to return to the team after taking a personal leave to mourn the death of his father, per Keefe. However, he’ll only draw into the lineup Tuesday against the Golden Knights if Timothy Liljegren, now listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury sustained in Saturday’s comeback win over the Avalanche, cannot play. Giordano, 40, has seven points and a +6 rating in 36 games this season but has been surpassed on the depth chart by intended AHL depth signings like Simon Benoit and William Lagesson, the former of which has solidified himself as a bonafide top-six defender even with all players healthy. Liljegren showed dependability in a top-four role during Morgan Rielly’s recent five-game suspension, is averaging a career-high 19:27 per game, and has 16 points and a +6 rating in 40 appearances.
  • Also on LTIR at the moment is winger Calle Järnkrok, who Keefe says is making progress in his recovery from a fractured knuckle and will likely return to being a full participant in practice next week. His return won’t come until close to the deadline, but they’re getting by without him for now thanks to improving play from depth scorers such as Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi and Bobby McMann. The 32-year-old had 10 goals and 19 points in 46 games before getting injured, and he’s now missed over a month, last playing on Jan. 24.

Maple Leafs To Activate Timothy Liljegren Off LTIR

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The Maple Leafs will welcome back an important part of their back end tonight against Pittsburgh as defenseman Timothy Liljegren told reporters including David Alter of The Hockey News (Twitter link) that he’s ready to suit up, meaning Toronto will be activating him off LTIR.

The 24-year-old has missed the last six weeks with a lower-body injury sustained against Boston in early November.  Before being injured, he was averaging over 19 minutes a night, the highest ATOI of his young career while he was seeing a fair bit of action in Toronto’s top four.

Offensively, he has been limited to just one assist but he also has 18 blocked shots and was averaging close to two minutes per night on the penalty kill before the injury.  The Maple Leafs will certainly be happy to have a more defensive-oriented presence in their lineup.  Postmedia’s Lance Hornby adds (Twitter link) that Liljegren could be partnered with Morgan Rielly tonight on the top pairing so he’ll be put into a big role quickly.  That said, with T.J. Brodie (illness) listed as questionable, those pairings could be tweaked.

In order for Toronto to officially activate Liljegren off LTIR, they will first need to open up the cap space to do so.  Today’s recall of Pontus Holmberg means they will be over the cap if they try to activate Liljegren.

They do have some options to get cap-compliant though.  The easiest one is to send a defenseman down (one of Simon Benoit, Maxime Lajoie, or William Lagesson) which would get them just enough room.  If Ryan Reaves is going to be out for more than ten games and 24 days, he could be placed on LTIR which would give them more than enough room to activate Liljegren.  Alternatively, they could transfer Mark Giordano to LTIR retroactively; he’d be eligible to return on December 23rd in that scenario.  However, he is skating and if they feel he’s ready to return before then, that might not be the best route to go.  Either way, a roster move will be coming in order to get Liljegren in the lineup tonight.

Atlantic Notes: Knies, Liljegren, Larkin

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Sportsnet’s Luke Fox tweeted this morning that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies returned to practice today but is unlikely to return to the lineup tonight as he is still not 100%. Knies has been dealing with an illness the last few days that already caused him to miss Tuesday night’s 7-3 win over the New York Rangers. Lance Hornby of Postmedia added that there is a small chance that Knies could play and that things are a bit up in the air as the Maple Leafs have had a flu bug circulating through their dressing room. Should Knies miss tonight’s game Noah Gregor would likely take his spot on the top line once again with Auston Matthews and William Nylander.

The 21-year-old Knies has had an okay start to his first full season in the NHL registering six goals and five assists in 25 games. Expectations for the Phoenix, Arizona native were quite high after a solid seven-game showing in last year’s playoffs in which Knies posted a goal and three assists. He’s been physical, good defensively and responsible with the puck. However, he has not been able to drive play, which is surprising given that he has spent time on a line with two of the best play drivers in the NHL.

In other Atlantic Division notes:

  • Lance Hornby of Postmedia tweeted that Toronto Maples Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren is getting close to returning to the lineup. In talking with Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe Hornby learned that the 24-year-old should only need another practice or two before being ready to return to action. Liljegren has been out of the lineup since suffering a high-ankle sprain on November 2nd that was the result of a controversial trip by Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand. Liljegren has just a single assist in ten games this season and has been averaging just shy of 18 minutes a night of ice-time for Toronto.
  • Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press is reporting that Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin skated with the team this morning in a non-contact jersey. Larkin being back on the ice is certainly a positive development after he suffered what appeared to be a devastating injury on Saturday after he was hit up high by a couple of Ottawa Senators players. Larkin lay motionless on the ice as a melee ensued around him between the two teams. Larkin suffered what is being described as an upper-body injury and although it is a very positive development to see him back on the ice so soon, there is no timeline for his return to Detroit’s lineup.

Injury Notes: San Jose Sharks, Conor Sheary, Timothy Liljegren

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San Jose Sharks winger Alexander Barabanov returned to the team’s practice for the first time since his October 24th finger injury. Barbanov did not take part in line rushes during the team skate, suggesting that he still isn’t ready to return just yet. The Sharks were also without top winger Tomas Hertl at the Thursday practice. Hertl has been out of action since November 25th with a mid-body injury.

The loss of the wingers is a hit to the Sharks forward group. Hertl substantially leads the team in points, scoring four goals and 16 points through his first 21 games. Fabian Zetterlund, who has nine points in 22 games, ranks second on the team in scoring – significantly behind Hertl. And while Barabanov has gone without a point through the six games he’s managed this season, he did record 15 goals and 47 points in 68 games last year – adding 20 penalty minutes and a -30. His point totals ranked fifth on the 2022-23 Sharks.

Other injury notes around the league:

  • Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper shared that Conor Sheary is working closer to a return. Tampa is gearing up for a six-game road trip that begins in Nashville and then takes the team across the Northwest, beginning on December 7th. Cooper said that Sheary will likely play at some point on the road trip, albeit likely one of the later games.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe shared that Timothy Liljegren has returned to on-ice activities but isn’t yet close to a return. Liljegren has been out since November 2nd with an ankle injury. The 24-year-old defenseman has appeared in 10 games this season, notching one assist and a -1. He totaled six goals and 18 points in 67 games last season.

Maple Leafs Place Timothy Liljegren On LTIR, Recall Max Lajoie And Simon Benoit

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The Maple Leafs are dealing with another injury on their back end as they announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Timothy Liljegren has been placed on LTIR with a high-ankle sprain, meaning he’ll miss at least the next 10 games and 24 days.  Replacing him on the roster will be blueliners Max Lajoie and Simon Benoit who have been recalled from AHL Toronto.

Liljegren was injured on Thursday night late in the first period against Boston after being tripped by Bruins winger Brad Marchand.  Following the game, head coach Sheldon Keefe indicated that the early prognosis was that it wasn’t a short-term injury for the 24-year-old; this placement certainly cements that.  Liljegren is averaging around 18 minutes a night on Toronto’s back end through the first ten games, good for fourth among Toronto’s blueliners.  It’s a contract year for Liljegren who will be a restricted free agent next summer and an extended absence certainly wouldn’t help on that front.

The Maple Leafs are also without blueliners Jake McCabe and Conor Timmins.  David Alter of The Hockey News mentions (Twitter link) that both rearguards skated before practice today but that Timmins – who is on LTIR himself – is still a long way away from returning to the lineup.

As for the recalls, Lajoie is in his first season with Toronto after signing with them in free agency this past summer.  The 25-year-old has seen NHL action in each of the last five years, totaling 70 regular season games and a pair of playoff contests.  This season, he has been held off the scoresheet in seven games with the Marlies but had 45 points in 70 games with AHL Chicago in 2022-23.

Benoit, meanwhile, was recalled three times back in October but didn’t play with the Maple Leafs.  Going back and forth to and from the minors has also limited him to just two games so far with the Marlies.  Last season, the 25-year-old had 10 points in 78 games with Anaheim while logging over 19 minutes a night.

Injury Notes: Liljegren, Chytil, Senators

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have tweeted that defenseman Timothy Liljegren has left tonight’s game against the Boston Bruins and won’t be returning. It is the second time in less than a week that the 24-year-old has had to leave a game with an injury as he was forced to exit a game last week against the Nashville Predators with what was described as an upper body injury.

Liljegren’s injury tonight is being called a lower body injury, but it appears likely it is something in his foot or ankle. The injury happened in the dying moments of the first period as Liljegren and forward Brad Marchand of the Bruins were skating towards the corner and engaging in a puck battle. Marchand appears to give Liljegren the can opener before the Maple Leafs defenseman goes awkwardly into the boards. The move from Marchand was essentially a trip as he appeared to put his stick between Liljegren’s legs and force him to the ice. Liljegren’s skates then smashed into the end boards, likely causing his injury.

In other injury notes:

  • Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet is reporting that New York Rangers forward Filip Chytil is done for tonight’s game after colliding with Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesper Fast in the first period of the matchup this evening. Chytil left with what is being described as an upper-body injury and was last seen on the Rangers bench in obvious pain before leaving the game. The 24-year-old center has six assists in nine games this season and has been working primarily as the team’s second-line center. Should he be out for any period it is likely that Vincent Trocheck was moved up to the second line in his absence.
  • The Ottawa Senators have tweeted that young forward Ridly Greig left tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Kings with a lower-body injury and did not return. The news was similar for Greig’s teammate Mark Kastelic who also suffered a lower-body injury and was unable to get back onto the ice. Senators coach D.J. Smith offered an update on both players that was covered by Murray Pam of Full Press Hockey. Smith said that he figures both Greig and Kastelic will miss a few games due to their ailments. Greig has been filling in admirably for the suspended Shane Pinto and has registered two goals and five assists in eight games while Kastelic has no points and 21 PIM in eight games this year. Given the Senators’ predicament, it does seem likely that the team will have to recall some players from the Belleville Senators of the AHL.

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