The 'Swedish Twins' reunion: Former Maple Leafs pair up in Washington

After trading away John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks, the Capitals needed to restock on the backed and did so bringing in former Toronto defender Timothy Liljegren on Friday:

The return for Liljegren is a 2026 4th-round pick (Vegas), which is actually quite a decent haul for a player who could have been seen more as depth than a regular minutes eater for Washington.

It ends Liljegren's up and down time with the Sharks. He was dealt from Toronto in exchange for Matt Benning in order to free up some space however never really acclimated in with the Sharks and he was heavily linked in trade rumours for months.

Liljegren, 26, has 11 points in 43 games with the Sharks this year with 27 PIM, a minus-7 and 83 blocks while averaging 20:08 TOI. He will provide a solid two-way depth option and while he can't replace Carlson, at least Washington is trying to stop any potential bleeding on the back end.

He currently makes $3-million and will be a free agent at the end of the season. For the Capitals, he will try and offer some stability as the team chugs along in the very tight-knit Metropolitan Division. Only six points out of second place, they need a reliable player on the backend for the last 20-odd games.

But it also reunites him with former blueline partner Rasmus Sandin, and it might be the key to unlocking Liljegren's two-way potential once again. The two were solid together during their short time in Toronto, and it's clear the Capitals knew ahead of time there could be some rekindled chemistry.

Things are certainly heading in a different direction for the Capitals, and getting rid of their heart and soul in Carlson is no easy pill to swallow. But perhaps Liljegren could be the piece that helps elevate the team now and give Alex Ovechkin once more chance at success before he potentially heads back home.

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