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WAIVER WIRE WORRIES, WHIMS AND WINDOW SHOPPING

October 4, 2011, 2:23 AM ET [ Comments]
Mike Augello
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Maple Leafs announced their roster cuts yesterday, assigning defenseman Keith Aulie and forward Mike Zigomanis to the Toronto Marlies and placing defenseman Matt Lashoff, forwards Darryl Boyce and Joey Crabb on waivers to get down to 24 players before the season opener on Thursday against the Montréal Canadiens. If the three players clear waivers, they will be assigned to the Leafs AHL affiliate, but there are concerns that they could be claimed by another team.

The 25-year-old Lashoff played well in his brief stint with the Leafs at the end of the last season and signed a one-year deal in July for $600,000, which would not be a hefty price for a defenseman capable of playing on the bottom pair with an NHL team. His contract is slightly unusual in that it is minor-league salary is a rather steep $250,000, which might dissuade some teams from claiming him.

Of the two forwards, Boyce is the more risky proposition to clear waivers. The 27-year-old has been a part of the Toronto organization since 2007 and played with character, feistiness and energy in a fourth line role during the second half of last season. He scored five goals and eight assists in 46 games and like Lashoff, has a fairly economical $700,000 salary for 2011-12.

The decision to waive Boyce rather than demoting enforcer Jay Rosehill raised a few eyebrows, but that choice was likely made due to lingering doubts about Colton Orr’s readiness after missing the last 36 games of the season with a concussion related issues.

There has been speculation that the Leafs may have interest in center Gilbert Brule, who was waived by the Edmonton Oilers early yesterday. The 24-year-old was selected with the sixth pick overall in the 2005 Entry Draft and scored 17 goals two years ago, but an abdominal injury and concussion problems limited him to only seven goals in 41 games last year.

According to TSN's Darren Dreger, the Leafs interest is connected to Senior VP Dave Nonis, who saw much of Brule when he played junior for the Vancouver Giants of the WHL. The downside is that the team claiming him would be on the hook for all of the $1.8 Million he is scheduled to make this season. Dreger indicated that Toronto would be leery of taking on that amount and would only be interested if the cap hit was substantially less, perhaps if he were claimed on recall waivers, which would split the salary evenly between Edmonton and the claiming team.

With the final tinkering completed, the Leafs have seven defensemen on the roster. According to Coach Ron Wilson, rookie Jake Gardiner will be one of the club’s top six blueliners on Thursday. The odd man out will be Cody Franson, but by no means will that be a permanent placement. According to the Toronto Star's Kevin McGran, management is pleased with Franson and has long-term plans for the defenseman acquired in the trade with Nashville last July. Carl Gunnarsson will likely take the place of the demoted Aulie, partnering with Dion Phaneuf on the team's top pair. McGran believes that Gunnarsson is being showcased for teams looking for defensive help.

Will update once waiver info is announced….

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