Three former Maple Leafs landed on waivers Saturday, with Pierre Engvall, Justin Holl and Alex Steeves all getting cut loose by their current teams as rosters continue to tighten across the NHL.
Waiver activity has picked up with the season drawing closer, and Saturday brought another wave of movement. A total of 10 players were placed on waivers, and a few of the names carried a Toronto connection. Engvall was waived by the Islanders, Holl by the Capitals and Steeves by the Bruins.
Each comes with a different Maple Leafs backstory. Engvall had a solid start in Toronto before leaving for New York on a big contract, but his game never really matched the price tag after that. He has since bounced through waivers several times and hasn’t gotten back to the level he showed with the Leafs.
Holl’s time in Toronto made him a familiar target for criticism, especially for his play in his own end and particularly in the playoffs. Steeves spent years as an AHL fixture and never really got a true opportunity with the Maple Leafs, which eventually led him to Boston last summer.
The Calgary Flames also put Alex Nylander on waivers, making him the fourth former Maple Leafs player to be cut on Saturday.
As for whether Toronto should consider bringing back any of those names, the answer in the source is a firm no. Unless John Chayka wants to go back on his word, he should probably stray far away.
Holl doesn’t fit the Maple Leafs’ new defensive structure and Toronto already has a crowded blue line. Steeves would be more of a depth option and likely end up with the Marlies, where he spent years before his decent season with Boston.
Engvall has fallen the furthest, and his contract makes him a tough sell given the lack of production.
There’s a clear reason the Maple Leafs moved on from all three, and if the goal is really to usher in a new era, the team should keep looking forward rather than circling back to familiar names.
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