Elliotte Friedman hints at the Toronto Maple Leafs making another trade imminently
The Toronto Maple Leafs finally moved TImothy Liljegren, and now, it appears as though another trade has become imminent after the team acquired a veteran defenseman in the deal with the San Jose Sharks.
After weeks of speculation, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving made his first trade of the season by moving Timothy Liljegren to the San Jose Sharks in return for two draft picks and a veteran blue liner. While it seemed like a modest return for both teams, the Maple Leafs may not be done according to Elliotte Friedman, who has suggested that Matt Benning, the defenseman involved in the trade will be the next to be moved.
At this point, it's unclear exactly what he would be worth as a trade candidate for Toronto, but at 30-years of age he has plenty of experience with almost 500 NHL games played in his career and may ultimately fetch them a late round draft pick if played correctly. Back in 2022/23, Benning posted a career high of 24 points, and while that production has not been replicated, he could be a cheap option for several teams around the league.
Even after moving Liljegren, the Maple Leafs still have plenty of depth with Jani Hakanpaa serving as the team's seventh defenseman, and even though Benning was involved in the trade, there's simply no reasonable way for him to push into their NHL lineup.
In the coming days, it will become more clear as to which teams could be interested in Benning, and while he won't fetch a high draft pick, the Maple Leafs need anything they can get in terms of draft capital, so expect to see them push hard to move him in the coming weeks.
