Jim Hiller is giving Marshall Rifai a clear-cut opportunity on Tuesday night, and it may be the defenseman’s final chance to show he belongs with the Maple Leafs.
Rifai is set to come into the lineup against Columbus, with Hiller opting to give the fringe blue liner one more look as Toronto tries to build on its 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. The matchup also carries an added twist, with Matthew Knies and Kirill Marchenko both playing their first games against their former teams.
The Maple Leafs are also making lineup tweaks elsewhere, including William Nylander returning to the top line after getting a brief break while dealing with an illness. Toronto’s projected group features Roslovic - Matthews - Nylander, Cowan - Paul - Marchenko, McKenna - Sissons - Letteri, and Duhaime - Blueger - MacEwen, with Stolarz in net and Akhtyamov backing him up.
On the back end, Rifai slides in for Nick Blankenburg as Toronto looks for a little more defensive support against the Blue Jackets. It’s a notable moment for a player who has spent years as a steady Marlies presence without ever really securing a regular NHL role.
Rifai has appeared in one game this season and did not record a point, but he did block three shots and held his own without standing out. Since signing in 2024, he has played only four games for the Maple Leafs.
At 28, the clock is ticking. Hiller is handing him a real chance here, but the expectations are simple: be dependable, be serviceable, and show there’s still a place for him in the organization. If he doesn’t make an impression, the path forward gets murkier fast.
If Rifai doesn’t fit, Toronto may eventually need to move on and find a deal that gives him a shot somewhere else. For now, though, Tuesday night is about one thing: a last chance to prove he can still be part of the Maple Leafs’ picture.
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One thread worth watching is whether that change is happening in a vacuum or with some help from around the organization. Mats Sundins presence has been floated as a possible influence on Matthews approach, though nothing about that is confirmed, and the broader point is simpler: Matthews may just be settling into the job on his own terms. For a captain under constant scrutiny in Toronto, even a subtle shift in demeanor can turn into a meaningful storyline fast. [Read more 🡒]
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Leafs Blue Line Trouble Just Made This Erik Karlsson Rumor Real
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Karlsson is still producing offense in Pittsburgh, which is part of why the rumor has real legs, and the fit is easy enough to imagine for a Leafs team looking for immediate impact. The harder part is the price, and nothing has been settled yet, but this is the kind of conversation that tends to get louder once injuries force a contender to explore every possible option. [Read more 🡒]