The Detroit Red Wings traded defenseman Olli Maatta to the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday night, receiving a 2025 third-round pick in return. Utah urgently needed a defenseman after both Sean Durzi and John Marino recently had surgeries and are expected to miss several months.
Though this trade isn’t groundbreaking, it does affect the Maple Leafs, as Utah was viewed as a possible destination for their unsettled defenseman Timothy Liljegren. It’s likely that GM Brad Treliving and Utah GM Bill Armstrong had some discussions about a potential Liljegren trade, but Armstrong likely wasn’t interested enough to pursue a deal with the Leafs. Olli Maatta, at 30, brings far more experience than Liljegren.
Olli Maatta, a veteran of 691 NHL games plus 85 playoff games, has two Stanley Cup wins with the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, this season he’s yet to register a point in seven games. Prior to the trade, Maatta averaged just under 16 minutes of ice time per game with Detroit, saw limited action on the penalty kill, and has only recorded three hits in seven games. Known for hovering around 20 points per season, he provides solid shot-blocking but isn’t known for physical play.
Olli Maatta, acquired by UTA, is a veteran defensive defenceman. Slipped in Detroit's lineup but can generally be counted upon to play steady hockey and retrieve pucks in his own end, even though he lacks footspeed and physical presence. #UtahHC pic.twitter.com/F9oesn36T3
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) October 30, 2024
Meanwhile, Timothy Liljegren remains a healthy scratch for Craig Berube’s Maple Leafs, having appeared in just one game this season where he logged 13:55 of ice time. Even after Conor Timmins was taken out of the lineup recently, Philippe Myers was chosen to play over Liljegren. When Myers came out, Timmins was brought back in, leaving Liljegren sidelined once more. Timmins has emerged as an unexpected standout for the Leafs this season, a development that complicates matters for Liljegren, who is eager for a chance to return to the action.
Conor Timmins is off to a great start this season pic.twitter.com/NizxrwvRRM
— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) October 29, 2024
Liljegren’s multi-year contract likely deterred Utah. Unlike Maatta, who is on a shorter-term deal, Liljegren has an additional season left on his contract. Utah already has six defensemen signed for next season, which probably influenced their hesitation in pursuing Liljegren.
Here’s a comparison between the two defensemen, as the former first-round picks share a number of similar qualities:
| Olli Maatta | Timothy Liljegren | |
| 30 | Age | 25 |
| 0 | 2024-25 points | 0 |
| 29 | Career-high points | 23 |
| 131 | Career-high hits | 107 |
| 20:42 | Career-high minutes per game | 19:39 |
| 128 | Career-high blocks | 116 |
| $3-million AAV, pending UFA | Contract | $3-million AAV, one year remaining |
| 2025 third-round pick | Traded for: | TBD |
It’s uncertain what kind of return GM Brad Treliving is seeking in trade talks, but with Liljegren spending most of the season in the press box and his trade value diminishing, coupled with the Leafs’ tight budget as they get healthier, it’s likely Treliving isn’t aiming for more than a third-round pick.
For now, Liljegren remains a Maple Leaf, staying committed in practice and working on what he can without actual game time. Berube’s message to the former first-rounder has been clear this season: Liljegren’s current play doesn’t align with the team’s style. Now, it’s a matter of waiting to see if another GM views his value differently.
