Although the Leafs certainly needed some cap space, roster slots was also a short-term problem as a pair of players appear ready to come off long-term injured reserve.
The Toronto Maple Leafs had to make a move before November.
With defenseman Jani Hakanpaa (knee) and forward Connor Dewar (shoulder) participating regularly in practices throughout October, it became apparent that both players were likely to be activated at the earliest possible opportunity, likely before their game on Nov. 2 against the St. Louis Blues.
To make room in both salary cap and roster space for these players, the Leafs traded Timothy Liljegren to the San Jose Sharks.
Liljegren, carrying a $3 million average annual value, was traded to San Jose in exchange for 30-year-old defenseman Matt Benning, who has a $1.25 million average annual salary. The Leafs also received a third-round pick in 2025 (from either the Colorado Avalanche or Edmonton Oilers, whichever is higher) and a sixth-round pick in 2026. This move cleared $1.75 million in cap space for Toronto.
According to Puckpedia.com, the Leafs now have over $3 million in salary cap space, giving them ample room to activate Hakanpaa ($1.47 million) and Dewar ($1.18 million). However, the primary issue now is roster space.
Toronto remains at the 23-man roster limit, which is the maximum allowed until after the March 7 trade deadline.
To make room for both Hakanpaa and Dewar, the Leafs will need to remove two players from the roster. Currently, the only waiver-exempt player is Matthew Knies, whom the team is more than unlikely to send down. The most likely scenario involves placing defenseman Philippe Myers on waivers with the intention of moving him to the Toronto Marlies. The team could also consider doing the same with the newly-acquired Benning, who would only incur a $100,000 cap hit at the NHL level due to collective bargaining agreement rules that allow for burying only up to $1.15 million of a contract in the minors.
It's an unfortunate development for Liljegren, who was drafted by Toronto in the first round (17th overall) in 2017 and seemed to be hitting his stride after securing a spot on the roster in the 2021-22 season. However, with Berube dressing him for just one of the team’s first 10 games, it was evident that he wasn't going to get a regular opportunity in Toronto.
In San Jose, Liljegren should see more ice time, offering him an excellent opportunity to reset and fulfill his potential.