In the trade announced Wednesday during the Maple Leafs' Winter Classic game against Detroit, the Hurricanes also received the rights to defenceman Dennis Robertson.
The 30-year-old Gleason was the Hurricanes' most physical forward and one of the longest-tenured players on the team. Only captain Eric Staal and 2006 Conn Smythe Trophy-winning goalie Cam Ward have been with the franchise longer.
The 33-year-old Liles has 15 hits and averaged 17 minutes of ice time in six games this season with the Maple Leafs. He was scratched from the Winter Classic.
Carolina general manager Jim Rutherford says Liles is a puck-mover who "can make a difference offensively" from the blue line.
Stay Connected
NHL.TV™
NHL GameCenter LIVE™ is now NHL.TV™.
Watch out-of-market games and replays with an all new redesigned media player, mobile and connected device apps.
Introducing the new official NHL App, available for iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones and tablets. A host of new features and improved functionality are available across all platforms, including a redesigned league-wide scoreboard, expanded news coverage, searchable video highlights, individual team experiences* and more. The new NHL App on your tablet also introduces new offerings such as 60fps video, Multitasking** and Picture-in-Picture.
*Available only for smartphones
** Available only for suported iPads