Veteran defenseman Stephane Robidas disappeared at the end of the 2015 exhibition schedule after being told he did not make the Toronto Maple Leafs out of training camp and proceeded to dropp off the radar for the entire 2015-16 regular season.
The 39-year-old blueliner was a surprising attendant at the opening day of the Leafs Rookie Tournament in London, ON and revealed that he has taken on the role of a part time consultant with Leafs.
According to Sun’s
Lance Hornby, Robidas will be working with the organization’s young prospects playing with the Toronto Marlies and in the NCAA.
That purpose was one of the reasons why Robidas was courted by Brendan Shanahan, Dave Nonis and former coach Randy Carlyle, to work with youngsters Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner and it is likely that he will attempt to pass on his sage advice to prospects Travis Dermott and Andrew Nielsen in their first professional season.
Robidas has not skated since last year, which means that his 14-year NHL career is over, in spite of having a year left on a three-year, $9 Million contract.
There is unlikely to be any change in the defenseman’s status this season. The Leafs would gain a contract under the 50-man pro limit if Robidas retired, but would get no cap relief (since the deal was signed after the age of 35). The defenseman would also lose out on the $1 Million base salary owed to him for the 2016-17 season.
If things remain status quo, Toronto can place Robidas on LTIR at the beginning of the season and open up $3 Million in cap room.
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Some notes prior to the Leafs taking on the Ottawa Senators rookies at Budweiser Gardens in London on Friday night.
Goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo will get the start in goal for Toronto, while Matt O’Connor will go for the Senators.
Mitch Marner will play in his second tournament with the Leafs and will be wearing a different number than he did last September and at the development camp in July.
Marner wore #84 during his first training camp and was wearing #16 on his helmet at the morning skate at Budweiser Gardens, which is the same number that he wore for Team Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Junior in Helsinki last December.
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Listen to the season premiere of "Off The Post" with Russ Cohen, Anthony Mingioni and myself discussing the Rookie Tournament in London and the World Cup of Hockey.
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