Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs Quick Hits: Nylander, Malgin & Simmonds

The Toronto Maple Leafs have settled on its regular-season roster. Who made the cut? Who didn’t? Will William Nylander play center Wednesday?

by
Old Prof
October 9, 2022

In this edition of Toronto Maple Leafs Quick Hits, I’ll take a look at some of the results of the final cuts from the team as they get ready for the first game of the 2022-23 regular season in Montreal. With John Tavares out, will William Nylander play center?

Second, congratulations to Denis Malgin for making the cut. He wasn’t among the waived players, so it looks as if he’ll start the season with a roster spot. Who would have thought he could do that when he first came to the team’s training camp a few weeks ago? His good play earned it.

Finally, is this the end of the road for Wayne Simmonds in a Maple Leafs’ uniform? Simmonds was waived today. Will he land somewhere else? The word is that Maple Leafs’ general manager Kyle Dubas is trying – for Simmonds’ sake – to link him with a team before someone claims him off the waiver wire.

Quick Hit One: Will William Nylander Play Center on Wednesday?

Although Monday is Canadian Thanksgiving Day, the Maple Leafs will practice. They’ll also practice on Tuesday as well. There’s a chance that John Tavares’ oblique injury might be healed enough to allow the team’s captain and second-line center to play in the season’s opener on Wednesday night in Montreal. If not then, perhaps against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday?

It’s close and Tavares might be ready to return to the lineup. However, if he’s unable to return, who would play center? One choice is William Nylander. From my perspective watching him play this preseason, Nylander seems to have more jump in his game. He’s driving the offense and could be utilized well in the center position.

Maple Leafs’ head coach Sheldon Keefe doesn’t disagree. When he was asked about the possibility of playing Nylander at center, he noted. “I’m comfortable with Willie playing center any time.”

Keefe then added, “Regardless of John’s situation, I’ve used Willie at center different times and I don’t have any real hesitation to do that. It was a good opportunity for us to get (Nylander) into some of the reps there.”

Perhaps that won’t be the case, but it would be something fans might watch for during the first part of the season if Tavares can’t play.

Quick Hit Two: Denis Malgin Lands a Roster Spot

Few Maple Leafs’ fans would have predicted it, but Denis Malgin had a strong training camp. When waivers were announced, he was not among the list of players who were on that list. That’s as good an indication as you can get that the Swiss forward has landed one of the few spots as a forward on this season’s roster.

Malgin is now officially in the Maple Leafs’ plans to begin the regular season. He had a solid season and looked creative and skilled offensively, especially playing with Nylander. His goal on Saturday night against the Detroit Red Wings was the highlight goal of the preseason in my books. (Perhaps followed by Nick Robertson’s bullet that flew past the opposition’s goalie before he could even see it. BTW, it looks like Robertson also made the cut. Congratulations to both young players.)

Even Auston Matthews blew halos about his former teammate with the Zurich Lions when Matthews was just beginning. Matthews noted that Malgin’s goal “was nice. He looked unbelievable all camp. The confidence, he just looks strong out there. It’s been a lot of fun watching him.”

Quick Hit Three: Will Wayne Simmonds Play in the AHL?

Wayne Simmonds played his first NHL game for the Los Angeles Kings in 2008. Interestingly, he’s never played a single AHL game. However, with competition in the Maple Leafs’ camp so tight, especially among depth forwards, Simmonds didn’t make the cut and could be moved to the Toronto Marlies if he’s not picked up by another team.

However, as NHL Trade Talk noted yesterday (see the link above), there’s a chance Simmonds might be moved to another NHL team. It seems that Maple Leafs’ general manager Kyle Dubas is trying to link Simmonds up with another team of his choice in a trade before Simmonds is picked up by another NHL team.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman tweeted yesterday that the Maple Leafs informed other NHL teams that Simmonds was available for trade.

Although it seems Simmonds’ time – at least for now – might be up with the Maple Leafs’ squad, Sheldon Keefe noted that Simmonds has been “a true professional.”

Keefe specifically reviewed Simmonds’ work during the training camp and noted that “When I isolate him in his camp, I think he has done a good job in his effort and his execution and his attitude in how he has handled it, knowing that he is in a battle.”

We wish Simmonds good luck wherever he might land. He’s a character guy.