Toronto Maple Leafs’ defenseman Timothy Liljegren has been placed on long-term injured reserve, according to the team’s social media PR account. Head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed to reporters that Liljegren has a high-ankle sprain.
The team also recalled defenseman Simon Benoit and Max Lajoie from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
The 24-year-old blueliner suffered a lower-body injury late in the first period of Thursday’s game vs. the Boston Bruins. Liljegren and Bruins’ forward Brad Marchand raced towards a loose puck in the Maple Leafs’ defensive zone, with Marchand getting tangled up with the defender, causing Liljegren’s left skate to crash into the boards.
Liljegren had one assist in 10 games so far in 2023-24. Through five NHL seasons, he’s scored 11 goals, 32 assists and 43 points in 151 games. The 2017 first-round pick was averaging 19:23 of ice time before his injury.
As for the call-ups, Benoit has played two games for the Marlies so far this season. He spent the 2022-23 campaign with the Anaheim Ducks, where he scored three goals and seven assists for 10 points in 78 games, including 60 penalty minutes. In 137 career games, he has four goals and 11 assists for 15 points.
Meanwhile, Lajoie is in his seventh professional season, spending most of it in the AHL between the Belleville Senators, Chicago Wolves and now the Marlies. He has no points in seven games with the Marlies this season. He saw the most action in the NHL in 2018-19, scoring seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in 56 games with the Ottawa Senators.
More must-reads: