As the Toronto Maple Leafs prepare for their scheduled game on Saturday against the Ottawa Senators, the team is going through a large number of player moves. Many of these moves are directly related to the team struggling to pull a lineup together for games and practices.
In this post, I’ll try to help Maple Leafs’ fans stay more in the know about these moves. The moves might be only temporary, but they do give a sense of what players in the organization are ready to move to the big club if one of the roster players goes down.
For example, today Timothy Liljegren was put on the COVID-19 protocol; and, because he’s a defenseman, it gives fans a hint when we see what defensemen are pulled up to the Maple Leafs’ roster – even on a temporary basis.
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Player Move One: Timothy Liljegren Put Into COVID-19 Protocols
Timothy Liljegren was placed on the league’s COVID-19 protocols yesterday. When a player is placed on the NHL protocol, he needs to have two negative COVID-19 tests in a row to be able to play in the next game. For Liljegren, that means he needs to submit two negative COVID-19 tests to clear protocols in time for Saturday’s game.
Player Move Two: Kristians Rubins Re-Assigned to Toronto Marlies
Yesterday, defenseman Kristians Rubins was re-assigned to Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies. During the time he was on the Maple Leafs’ roster, he was able to make his NHL debut. He had some good games, but obviously needs more seasoning to be able to play regularly at the NHL level.
Rubins saw action in three NHL games but didn’t register a point. The 24-year-old will likely head back to assume his role with the Marlies; and, as I noted, will get lots more experience. He has the size and skills, but the learning curve for a young defenseman can be tough.
Player Move Three: Filip Kral Also Re-Assigned to Toronto Marlies
Filip Kral was another young defenseman who was called up to the big club; however, the 22-year-old Kral did not make his NHL debut yet. At first, Kral had been assigned to the team’s new taxi squad; however, as more players have come off the protocols, he was reassigned from the taxi squad after three days and will report to the Marlies.
Player Move Four: Carl Dahlstrom Was Another Defenseman Re-Assigned to the Marlies
The Maple Leafs also re-assigned veteran NHL defenseman Carl Dahlstrom to the AHL yesterday. Dahlstrom will probably be one of the two veterans (Alex Biega would be the other) who could easily shift between the AHL’s Marlies and the Maple Leafs’ taxi squad as the organization deals with the impact of injuries and COVID-19. The 26-year-old defenseman hasn’t played in the NHL since a 2019-20 stint with the Winnipeg Jets. He’s largely an injury or COVID-insurance policy and won’t log many NHL minutes for any other reason.
Player Move Five: Forward Joey Anderson Re-Assigned to the Marlies
Joey Anderson was the fourth player the Maple Leafs re-assigned to the Marlies yesterday. Anderson got into two NHL games during his recent time with the team but, for now, will rejoin the Marlies. He’s had a good offensive season with them and has scored eight goals and added four assists (for 12 points) in 17 games on the season.
Player Move Six: Kyle Clifford Re-Assigned to the Toronto Marlies
Kyle Clifford, who came to the Maple Leafs from the St. Louis Blues earlier this season, was returned to the Marlies of the AHL yesterday from the Maple Leafs’ taxi squad. He had been promoted for three days. The 30-year-old physical forward registered two assists in the six games he played with the big club this season.
Player Move Seven: Michael Hutchinson Pushed Up to the Maple Leafs Taxi Squad
In a move that wasn’t down from the team’s taxi squad to the Marlies, goalie Michael Hutchinson moved the other way. He was elevated to the Maple Leafs’ taxi squad yesterday. The 31-year-old NHL veteran will be used in the case of an emergency should COVID-19 continue to impact the Maple Leafs’ goalies. Hutchinson has played in two NHL games this season but hasn’t fared as well as he did last season.
Related: Auston Matthews Forever Impact on the Toronto Maple Leafs
Randy Alexander
December 30, 2021 at 7:17 am
Thanks for this, I have not been following like usual and don’t understand how the Leafs are playing tomorrow when next weeks games have already been postponed. What am I missing?
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