Maple Leafs' Liljegren will miss WJHC with injury

CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 28: Toronto Marlies defenceman Timothy Liljegren (7) shoots the puck during the third period of the American Hockey League game between the Toronto Marlies and Cleveland Monsters on November 28, 2018, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH.
Icon Sportswire / Getty

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren will miss the 2019 World Junior Hockey Championship due to a high ankle sprain, the team announced Thursday.

Lillegren was expected to play a key role on Sweden's blue line. Liljegren, who's spent this season with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, suffered the injury in a game on Dec. 1 against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. His recovery timetable is labeled week to week.

The 19-year-old has posted two goals and eight points in 19 games.

XRedditFacebookWhatsAppEmailSMS