Report: Maple Leafs Give $6 Million Player 'Permission to Talk' to Teams

The Toronto Maple Leafs have granted defenseman Timothy Liljegren the opportunity to explore trade possibilities, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Liljegren, a former first-round pick, has fallen out of favor in Toronto and has been given permission to speak with other NHL teams to gauge interest.

While Toronto hasn’t officially confirmed the move, Friedman mentioned on "Hockey Night in Canada" on Saturday that Liljegren is eager to play.

It looks like Liljegren has grown frustrated with his lack of opportunities in Toronto even after a change of coach and following the arrival of Craig Berube.

"Toronto is preaching patience with this," Friedman said. "They are simply saying there is no reason he can't still play for us.

"However, he's a 25-year-old player, he wants to play. I think he'd like to be in a position where he can play.

“I had heard this week that he had some permission to talk to other teams.”

Liljegren’s role in Toronto has diminished, and with the team now carrying other defensemen like Conor Timmins, it seems that his time with the Maple Leafs may be coming to an end.

The Score's Josh Wegman wrote a speculative post on Sunday linking Liljegren to five possible destinations, including the Pittsburg Penguins.

In Wegman's eyes, the Penguins are "the most obvious landing spot" for Liljegren in a potential in-season trade. The other teams mentioned by Wegman include the Los Angeles Kings, Florida Panthers, Edmonton Oilers, and Dallas Stars.

While Liljegren has been serviceable during his tenure with Toronto, tallying 14 goals and 51 assists in 196 games, his performance hasn’t reached the level of a former first-round pick.

Liljegren carries a $3 million cap hit following the signing of a new two-year, $6 million contract with Toronto in June.

Related: Penguins Named 'Most Obvious Landing Spot' for Maple Leafs' Defenseman