The Maple Leafs are down to 24 players after sending 18 year old defenseman Morgan Rielly back to Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL, demoting winger Matt Frattin to the AHL Toronto Marlies and stating that blueliner Jake Gardiner is still not ready to return after missing over a month with concussion issues,
The Leafs roster for the start of the 2013 season is:
Forwards(13):
Tyler Bozak
Mikhail Grabovski(A)
Nazem Kadri
Jay McClement
Phil Kessel
Joffrey Lupul
Nikolai Kulemin
Clarke MacArthur
James van Riemsdyk
Leo Komarov
Mike Brown
Colton Orr
David Steckel
Defense(8):
Dion Phaneuf(C)
Carl Gunnarsson
John-Michael Liles
Mike Komisarek(A)
Cody Franson
Korbinian Holzer
Mark Fraser
Mike Kostka
Goaltender(2):
James Reimer
Ben Scrivens
Forward Tim Connolly, who was placed on waivers yesterday, has cleared and will be assigned to the Toronto Marlies, but it is suspected that he could be traded at some later point in the season, if the Leafs agree to pay part of his $4.75 Million for the 2013 season and get back something worthwhile.
Once Gardiner is cleared to play, the Leafs will have to cut one more player to get down to 23, or make a trade to clear a roster spot.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs must cut down from the 27 players currently on their training camp roster down to 23 before 3PM today. Coach Randy Carlyle has a few difficult decisions in front of him and depending on the way he goes, the organization could lose some valuable depth on the waiver wire.
The goaltending duo of James Reimer and Ben Scrivens is set, but the club has to get down to seven defensemen, which could be complicated even further if Carlyle decides to keep 18 year old Morgan Rielly around for a five game tryout. Dion Phaneuf, John-Michael Liles, Carl Gunnarsson, Mike Komisarek and Jake Gardiner are locks, but they will have to choose two of the group of Cody Franson, Korbinian Holzer, Mike Kostka and Mark Fraser.
Gardiner’s health status could come into play, as it is possible that GM Dave Nonis could place him on the injured list with the concussion issues that have plagued him since early December, but if Holzer, Kostka or Fraser were cut, they will have to clear waivers before being assigned to the Toronto Marlies. With the dearth of solid defenseman throughout the league, it is very possible that the Leafs could lose one or more of them to waivers, as they lost veteran Keith Aucoin to the Islanders yesterday.
Another possible option is to make another trade, as they did with Matthew Lombardi on Wednesday.
Helene St James of the Detroit Free Press reports this morning that the Red Wings have some interest in Franson, who signed a one year, $1.2 Million deal earlier in the week.
St. James indicates that Franson might cost the Wings a third or fourth round pick, who need to improve the depth of their blueline, in the wake of the retirement of future Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom.
If Carlyle decides to keep 14 forwards, they are currently there with the waiving of Tim Connolly and the trade of Lombardi, but if they want to keep eight defenseman, they could waive enforcer Colton Orr, who cleared waivers last season or Matt Frattin, who has not been a standout at camp.
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