ARLINGTON, VA — Timothy Liljegren was at the San Jose Shark’s rink when he learned he’d been dealt to the Capitals, the second trade of his career and the first at the deadline. He already knew some familiar faces in DC, having spent time with both longtime friend Rasmus Sandin and then-assistant coach Spencer Carbery on the Toronto Maple Leafs, but one of his fellow Sharks blueliners also had plenty of praise for the Caps.
Like Liljegren, Sharks defenseman Dmitry Orlov was still at the rink when the news broke, and the two got a chance to speak before Liljegren left for Washington.
“I just talked to him quick,” Liljegren said Tuesday. “But obviously he had nothing but good things to say about the city and the team.”
Orlov spent spent his first 11 NHL seasons with the Capitals and was part of the 2018 Stanley Cup-winning team before his own trade-deadline deal saw him sent to the Boston Bruins in 2023, later noting that he’d hoped to retire in Washington. Following his brief stint in Boston, Orlov spent two seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes before signing a two-year deal with the Sharks last summer.
After playing bottom-pairing minutes for the Hurricanes, Orlov has taken a more prominent role in San Jose, leading the team with an average 21:21 of ice time per game. Liljegren, meanwhile, spent the season in and out of the lineup, but did often play with Orlov when he was on the ice. At five-on-five, Liljegren played 340:07 with Orlov over 43 games, compared to 353:36 of ice time without Orlov.
Former Cap Vincent Iorio also spent time on the Sharks’ blue line this season before the New York Rangers claimed him off waivers in January.
So far, Liljegren’s experience in Washington has been as positive as Orlov indicated.
“It just feel like a very tight-knit group (of players) that have fun every day they get to the rink,” Liljegren said. “I’m excited to be here and be a part of it.”
Liljegren arrived in DC over the weekend but did not play in the Caps’ 7-3 win over the Calgary Flames on Monday, with head coach Spencer Carbery opting to have him follow the game from the press box.
“Just want to give him a couple extra days, just to get acclimated with the group, let him watch a game at Capital One, make sure he’s dialed in systematically,” Carbery said Monday. “And with where we’re at in the year, thought it would be a difficult spot to put him into the lineup.”
Liljegren’s status for Wednesday’s matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers is uncertain, but he feels more comfortable after observing a game — though not as comfortable as he says he’ll feel once he’s spent some time on the ice.
“I went through the systems yesterday and then watched the game, so I feel like that will help,” he said. “But once you get to playing, I feel like you’re going to adapt after a couple of games.”
