For the latest Leafs updates or on Twitter
The Toronto Maple Leafs claimed defenseman Alexei Marchenko off of waivers from the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Moscow native was a seventh round selection of the Red Wings in 2011 and has played 110 games for Detroit since 2014, including 30 games this season.
The 6’3”, 210lb right hand shooter is a good skater and competent defender, whose best offensive year was two goals and nine assists in 66 games in 2015-16.
Marchenko played for Russia with Leafs rookie Nikita Zaitsev in the 2016 World Championships in May and 2016 World Cup of Hockey. The blueliner signed a two-year, $2.9 Million deal with Detroit last summer and was likely claimed due to Leafs head coach Mike Babcock’s familiarity with him while in Detroit.
"Alexey is a good defenseman, Alexey can play in the NHL." Wings coach Jeff Blashill said to
Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. “He's worked hard for me for a number of years and helped us to lots of victories, including this year and last. He is a great person.
We have a number of good defensemen, and so we had to make a business decision. But I certainly wish him a ton of luck. Not against us, though."
With the claim of Marchenko, the Leafs had to open up a spot on the 23-man roster and did by finally placing defenseman Frankie Corrado on waivers.
The 23-year-old Toronto native has been a healthy scratch for all but two games this season and last played on January 19 against the New York Rangers. With the dearth of available defensemen on the trade market, it is likely that Corrado gets claimed and not assigned to the AHL Toronto Marlies.
The roster move likely gives the Leafs more options in their defensive rotation for the remainder of this season, since Babcock will not be as hesitant to insert Marchenko in the lineup as he clearly had been with Corrado.
It may give GM Lou Lamoriello more freedom to move a veteran like Roman Polak or Matt Hunwick as a rental prior to the trade deadline.
*******
The Leafs hope to break their three-game losing streak against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Saturday.
It appeared that the Bruins (who lead the Leafs by three points in the Atlantic but have played five more games) would not have center Patrice Bergeron and goalie Tuukka Rask in the lineup due to injury, but both took part in the morning skate on Saturday.
Toronto will go with Frederik Andersen between the pipes and Babcock has reset his forward lines after shaking them up in St. Louis on Thursday. Nazem Kadri is back with Leo Komarov and William Nylander, Tyler Bozak between James van Riemsdyk and Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews centers Zach Hyman and Connor Brown and Ben Smith with Matt Martin and Nikita Soshnikov.
*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact” button at the top of the page.*******
KINDLE USERS: Please sign up for Maple Leafs Buzz, which includes a free-of-charge 14-day trial and is just 99 cents per month afterwards. For more information
click here.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»