The Maple Leafs kept shuffling the deck on Sunday, and the changes came fast.
Less than 24 hours after a loss to the Canadiens and the injury to Morgan Rielly, Toronto was already altering its roster again before facing the New Jersey Devils. The club had first brought up Cole McWard from the Toronto Marlies to help cover for Rielly’s lower-body injury, and that move sent Vinni Lettieri down to create space.
Then came another twist: Lettieri was reportedly back with the team only hours later and could be in the lineup for Sunday night’s game. At the same time, backup goaltender Artur Ahktyamov, who had been called up to back up Anthony Stolarz, was nowhere to be seen.
Jim Hiller is scheduled to speak pre-game at 4:45.
McWard and Akhtyamov have not yet played for the Maple Leafs this season. Lettieri has appeared in eight games, recording one goal, nine blocks and 24 hits while averaging 9:54 of ice time.
The constant movement points to a team that is running short on options as the schedule piles up. Toronto has a heavy week ahead, injuries are mounting, and the defensive depth chart is starting to look thin.
Another roster move would not be a surprise, though it would likely have to involve a defenseman, which would only stretch that group further. Right now, the Maple Leafs are leaning on McWard and Dakota Mermis, and that’s about it. Ben Danford is not available because of tagging rules, and any external additions would have to fit those same restrictions.
John Chayka and the Maple Leafs may still find a way to patch things together, but the situation is getting tighter by the hour. With the team scrambling to sort out its roster so close to game time, more changes could come soon.
In Other News...
Maple Leafs Loss To Montreal Came With An Even Bigger Concern
The Maple Leafs left Montreal with more than a loss to sort through after a 4-2 defeat that featured a strong night from the Canadiens and an unwelcome injury scare for Toronto. Alex Newhook drove the offense for Montreal, Zachary Bolduc added a power-play goal and Jacob Fowler turned aside 26 shots as the Canadiens controlled enough of the game to hand Toronto another frustrating result.
Morgan Riellys exit in the second period with a lower-body injury quickly became the bigger concern for the Leafs, especially with the team already trying to steady itself after the loss. Toronto will want clarity on Riellys status soon, because the blue line takes on a different look when one of its most important defensemen is forced out early. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Loss To Montreal Brought One Big Concern Into Focus
The Maple Leafs came out of a 4-2 loss to Montreal with more than just two points left on the table, as Jim Hillers postgame update centered on Morgan Riellys injury status and the lack of any fresh information beyond the fact that it remains a serious concern. Hiller also touched on the broader picture, pointing to the teams effort and game management while trying to sort through a night that exposed a few different issues at once.
There was at least one bright spot in John Tavares return, which Hiller said had a positive effect on William Nylanders play, but the mood around the room was still shaped by the injuries and mistakes that piled up. Hiller also addressed Gavin McKennas turnovers as part of the conversation, a reminder that Torontos margin for error is getting thinner as it tries to steady itself after another uneven outing. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face One Huge Question As Superstar Fit Emerges
A fan-driven trade idea making the rounds this week put Toronto in the middle of another big-name defense discussion, and the reaction was about as lopsided as it gets. The proposed deal would have brought Detroits Simon Edvinsson into the Maple Leafs orbit, but voters overwhelmingly shot it down, with 92% disapproving the concept.
The interest in Edvinsson still says something about where Torontos attention is right now, especially with the market for impact players never far from the conversation. Even as other teams sort out their own lineup situations, the Leafs are left weighing whether a move like that ever makes sense for their roster, cap picture and long-term blue-line plans, which is exactly why this kind of chatter keeps hanging around. [Read more 🡒]