Shortly after the Washington Capitals completed the stunning overnight trade that sent John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks, general manager (GM) Chris Patrick struck another deal with the San Jose Sharks for defenseman Timothy Liljegren to help plug the hole created on the defensive end. The 26-year-old blueliner lands on his third NHL team since the beginning of the 2024-25 season.
Let’s review Liljegren’s NHL career to date and look into how he may fit into the Capitals’ plans over the remainder of 2025-26.
Liljegren Developed in the Toronto Maple Leafs System
The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Liljegren with the 17th-overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. His first taste of professional hockey occurred with the Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League (AHL), where he recorded 17 points in 44 regular-season games. The Swedish defender tallied four points in 20 playoff contests as the Marlies captured their first Calder Cup title following a seven-game series victory over the Texas Stars. Liljegren continued to develop in the AHL, recording 56 points over 104 games between 2018 and 2021.
Liljegren made the jump to the NHL with the Maple Leafs in 2021-22, where he registered 23 points in 61 regular-season contests. The right-handed blueliner became a staple on the Toronto back end over parts of six seasons and totalled 14 goals and 65 points in 197 games for Toronto. He was traded to the Sharks for Matt Benning and a pair of mid-round draft picks in October, 2024.
Short Stint in San Jose for the Swede
Liljegren spent a little more than a season and a half skating on the frozen waters of the Shark Tank in San Jose. He recorded 17 points in 67 games as he became accustomed to a new home on the West Coast during the 2024-25 season, then scored one goal and tallied 11 points in 43 games while having a front-row view of the Macklin Celebrini takeover this season.
As a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), the Sharks chose to obtain an asset for a player they did not intend to re-sign. Therefore, GM Mike Grier sent the blueliner to the Capitals in exchange for a 4th-round pick at the 2026 Trade Deadline.
Liljegren’s Fit in Washington
Liljegren provides depth on the right side of Washington’s defensive core, which just traded away its biggest defensive star in Carlson. He joins an established unit featuring Trevor van Riemsdyk, Matt Roy, and Rasmus Sandin. That group is no doubt reeling following the shocking exit of their long-time right-handed leader. Liljegren won’t be expected to replace Carlson, but he might help provide some much-needed stability that comes along with playing 307-career NHL games.
Related: John Carlson Trade Redefines the Anaheim Ducks’ Blue Line
Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery has a little bit of history with the incoming defender from his days as an assistant coach in Toronto. “Yeah, a little bit of a Maple Leaf reunion,” Carbery said on March 7. “I would say he’s (Liljegren) your 200-foot, puck-moving defender that will come in and give us some depth on the right side.”
The Capitals’ newest blueliner would agree with his new coach’s assessment. “I would say [I’m a] two-way defenseman,” Liljegren said on Monday morning. “Good skater, likes to have a good first pass and join the rush. I think I’ve transitioned from being an offensive defenseman to being more of a two-way [player], and that’s what I’m going to try to bring here.”
Washington has lost three-straight games in regulation and sits seven points behind the second wild-card spot with 18 games remaining in this season. It is looking less likely with each passing day that the Capitals finds its way into the 2026 postseason, but that doesn’t make these games any less important for the pending UFA. The defender can look at the next handful of games as a chance to impress the Capitals enough to re-sign him this offseason.
