Timothy Liljegren
{{short description|Swedish ice hockey player (born 1999)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox ice hockey player
| name = Timothy Liljegren
| image = 2022-02-28 Timothy Liljegren (cropped).jpeg
| caption = Liljegren with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2022
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1999|4|30}}
| birth_place = Kristianstad, Sweden
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 193
| position = Defence
| shoots = Right
| league = NHL
| team = San Jose Sharks
| ntl_team = Sweden
| former_teams = Rögle BK
Toronto Maple Leafs
| draft = 17th overall
| draft_year = 2017
| draft_team = Toronto Maple Leafs
| career_start = 2015
| career_end =
}}
Timothy Winston Liljegren (born 30 April 1999) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs drafted him in the first round, 17th overall, in the 2017 NHL entry draft. Internationally, he represents Sweden.
Playing career
=Swedish Hockey League=
Liljegren made his Swedish Hockey League debut on 3 December 2015 playing with Rögle BK during the 2015–16 SHL season.{{cite web|url=http://roglebk.se/artikel/73956/ |title= Team Statistics – Rogle BK | publisher = Swedish Hockey League | date = 4 May 2016 | accessdate = 4 May 2016}} Liljegren missed the first two months of the 2016–17 season after getting mononucleosis.
=National Hockey League=
File:Marlies-vs-stars---060218 42521997941 o (43026270961).jpg.|left]]
File:Marlies-vs-stars---061418 41905081985 o (41215947100).jpg
On 23 June 2017, Liljegren was selected in the first-round, 17th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2017 NHL entry draft.{{cite web|last1=Johnston|first1=Mike|title=Maple Leafs select Timothy Liljegren with No. 17 pick at NHL Draft|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs-select-timothy-liljegren-no-17-pick-nhl-draft/|website=Sportsnet.ca|publisher=Sportsnet|accessdate=11 December 2017|date=23 June 2017}} He later agreed with the Maple Leafs to a three-year, entry-level contract on 12 July 2017.{{cite web|title=Leafs sign Timothy Liljegren to entry-level deal|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/leafs-sign-timothy-liljegren-entry-level-deal/|website=Sportsnet.ca|accessdate=11 December 2017|date=12 July 2017}} Liljegren was assigned to the Maple Leafs' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, for their 2017–18 season. In his rookie season, he was the youngest defenceman in the AHL.{{cite web|author1=Canadian Press|title=Timothy Liljegren starting to feel at home in Toronto|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/?sn-article=timothy-liljegren-starting-feel-home-toronto|website=Sportsnet.ca|publisher=Sportsnet|accessdate=8 December 2017|location=Toronto|date=29 November 2017}} That same season, the Marlies beat the Texas Stars to win the Calder Cup.
Liljegren made his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs on 18 January 2020 in a 6–2 defeat against the Chicago Blackhawks.{{cite web| url = https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/maple-leafs-timothy-liljegren-make-nhl-debut-vs-blackhawks/ | title = Maple Leafs Timothy Liljegren makes NHL debut | publisher = Sportsnet.ca | date = 18 January 2020 | accessdate = 18 January 2020}} He earned his first NHL point in his sixth NHL game; an assist in a 4–2 victory over the Ottawa Senators.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/hockey/news/maple-leafs-timothy-liljegren-first-nhl-point/|title = Maple Leafs' Timothy Liljegren: First NHL point| date=16 February 2020 }}
Liljegren scored his first National Hockey League goal on 15 January 2022 against Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues.{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/video/liljegrens-first-nhl-goal/t-277437436/c-10222185 |title=Liljegren's first NHL goal |publisher=NHL |date=15 January 2022 |access-date=7 November 2022}}
On 27 June 2022, Liljegren signed a two-year $2.8 million contract with the Maple Leafs.{{cite web |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-sign-timothy-liljegren-to-two-year-2-8m-contract/ |title=Maple Leafs sign Timothy Liljegren to two-year, $2.8M contract |work=Sportsnet |date=27 June 2022 |access-date=7 November 2022}} He missed the beginning of the 2022–23 season with a hernia. He played his first game of the season on 5 November against the Boston Bruins.{{cite web |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/article/liljegren-likely-to-play-for-maple-leafs-vs-bruins-on-saturday/ |title=Liljegren likely to play for Maple Leafs vs. Bruins on Saturday |work=Sportsnet |date=2 November 2022 |access-date=7 November 2022}}
On 30 October 2024, Liljegren was traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Matt Benning, a third-round pick in 2025, and a sixth-round pick in 2026.{{cite web |url=https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs-trade-d-timothy-liljegren-to-san-jose-sharks-for-d-matt-benning-picks/ |title=Toronto Maple Leafs trade D Timothy Liljegren to Sharks for D Benning, picks |work=TSN |date=30 October 2024 |access-date=30 October 2024}}
Personal life
Liljegren was born and grew up in Kristianstad. He and his two older brothers (William and Anthony) were raised by a single mother, Lena Liljegren, after Liljegren's father left the family early in his life.{{Cite news|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/lit-jegren-leafs-draft-timothy-liljegren-six-others/|title=IT'S LIT-JEGREN! The Leafs draft Timothy Liljegren and six others – Sportsnet.ca|work=Sportsnet.ca|access-date=4 July 2017|language=en-US}}{{cite web |first=Hailey |last=Salvian |title='Without her sacrifices, I wouldn't be here': Timothy Liljegren owes his hockey success to his mom |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/781351/2019/01/28/without-her-sacrifices-i-wouldnt-be-here-timothy-liljegren-owes-his-hockey-success-to-his-mom/ |work=The Athletic |publisher=The New York Times |date= 28 January 2019 |access-date=3 March 2025}} At age 14, his family moved to Ängelholm, home of the Rögle BK hockey program, to further his hockey career.{{cite news|last1=McGran|first1=Kevin|title=Mother of Leafs' top pick has hockey son, will travel|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2017/06/24/mother-of-leafs-top-pick-has-hockey-son-will-travel.html|accessdate=11 December 2017|publisher=Toronto Star|location=Chicago}}
Liljegren holds American citizenship through his father, an American from New Jersey.{{cite web|last1=Carlsson|first1=David|title=Timothy Liljegren Talks Disastrous Season, NHL Draft & Dreams|url=https://thehockeywriters.com/timothy-liljegren-talks-disastrous-season-nhl-draft-dreams/|website=thehockeywriters|publisher=The Hockey Writers|accessdate=25 June 2017|date=17 May 2017}}
Career statistics
=Regular season and playoffs=
| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em" | ||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! rowspan="102" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! colspan="5" | Regular season ! rowspan="102" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! colspan="5" | Playoffs | ||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Season ! Team ! League ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM | ||||||||
| 2015–16
| Rögle BK | J20 | 29 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 26
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2015–16 | Rögle BK | SHL | 19 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17
| Rögle BK | J20 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 8
| 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2016–17 | Rögle BK | SHL | 19 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17
| Timrå IK | Allsv | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2017–18 | AHL | 44 | 1 | 16 | 17 | 20
| 20 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| 2018–19
| Toronto Marlies | AHL | 43 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 18
| 13 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 8 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2018–19 | ECHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019–20
| Toronto Marlies | AHL | 40 | 5 | 25 | 30 | 18
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2019–20 | NHL | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21
| Toronto Marlies | AHL | 21 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 10
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2020–21 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021–22
| Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 61 | 5 | 18 | 23 | 14
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2022–23 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23
| Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 67 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 30
| 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2023–24 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 55 | 3 | 20 | 23 | 16
| 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2024–25
| Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2024–25 | NHL | 67 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 36
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" | SHL totals ! 38 !! 2 !! 8 !! 10 !! 8 ! — !! — !! — !! — !! — | ||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" | NHL totals ! 264 !! 20 !! 62 !! 82 !! 102 ! 13!! 0 !! 1 !! 1 !! 2 |
{{MedalTableTop|name=}}
{{MedalCountry|{{ihj|SWE}}}}
{{MedalSport|Ice hockey}}
{{MedalCompetition|World Junior Championships}}
{{MedalSilver|2018 United States|}}
{{MedalCompetition|IIHF World U18 Championship}}
{{MedalSilver | 2016 United States | }}
{{MedalBottom}}
=International=
| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em" | ||||
| ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Year ! Team ! Event ! Result ! rowspan="101" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM | ||||
| 2015
| Sweden | U17 | {{bronze3}} | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2016 | Sweden | WJC18 | {{silver2}} | 7 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2016
| Sweden | IH18 | 4th | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2017 | Sweden | WJC18 | 4th | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 2018
| Sweden | WJC | {{silver2}} | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2023 | Sweden | WC | 6th | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="4" | Junior totals | 32 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 16 |
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="4" | Senior totals | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
Awards and honors
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons}}
- {{Ice hockey stats}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box | before = Auston Matthews | title = Toronto Maple Leafs first round draft pick | years = 2017 | after = Rasmus Sandin }}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Liljegren, Timothy}}
Category:Swedish people of American descent
Category:Ice hockey people from Skåne County
Category:NHL first-round draft picks
Category:Newfoundland Growlers players
Category:Sportspeople from Kristianstad
Category:San Jose Sharks players
Category:Swedish ice hockey defencemen
Category:21st-century Swedish sportsmen
Category:Toronto Maple Leafs draft picks