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Leafs Face Waiver Dilemma On Defense

May 18, 2016, 11:21 PM ET [1019 Comments]
Mike Augello
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The evolution of the Toronto Maple Leafs will continue this summer, with the addition of the top pick in the NHL Draft and potential acquisitions via free agency and trades, but the plan to revamp the club's lineup will take longer than one or two years to unfold.

Some decisions however have to be made before the start of next season, such as which young blueliners GM Lou Lamoriello will keep and which will be moved for fear of being exposed to waivers if they do not make the big club out of training camp.

Barring a trade for a Tyson Barrie, Sami Vatanen or Kevin Shattenkirk (prominent defenseman rumored to be on the market), the Leafs top four will be Morgan Rielly(recently signed to a six-year extension), Jake Gardiner, veteran Matt Hunwick and KHL import Nikita Zaitsev, leaving Martin Marincin, Frank Corrado, Stuart Percy, Connor Carrick, Scott Harrington, Rinat Valiev and Viktor Loov to fight over three to four open spots.

The dilemma facing Lamoriello is that all but Valiev and Loov would have to clear waivers to be sent back to the American Hockey League.

Young defensemen are at a premium, so much so that teams kept blueliners on their NHL rosters for most of the season to prevent them from being claimed.

Vancouver attempted to sneak Corrado through waivers at the start of last season and he was claimed by the Leafs, who healthy scratched him the entire first half instead of risking him being claimed by another team.

Montreal did the same thing with former first rounder Jarred Tinordi before finally moving the big blueliner to Arizona in January.

When the Leafs tried to get Petter Granberg down to the Marlies to get back in playing condition after an off-season Achilles injury, the defensively deep Nashville Predators claimed the 23-year-old.

Marincin, Corrado, Harrington and Carrick were all acquired by the current management team, which gives them a leg up at making the NHL roster, while Percy is draft pick of former GM Brian Burke, which has been a common trait of many of the players who have been making their way out of Toronto.

Head coach Mike Babcock got a good look at most of these players throughout last season and undoubtedly has communicated to management whether he believes they fit into his plans or not. Whoever does not will be headed elsewhere for some kind of return before they are lost for nothing.

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