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The Toronto Maple Leafs were able to get cap compliant after sending eight players to the AHL on Monday, but in doing that had cut down to the bare minimum of 20 players to start the 2022-23 regular season.
The Leafs demoted forwards Kyle Clifford, Adam Gaudette, Pontus Holmberg, Nick Robertson, and Wayne Simmonds, and defensemen Filip Krà¡l, Victor Mete, and William Villeneuve placed blueliners Jordie Benn and Timothy Liljegren on long-term injured reserve, and Carl Dahlström on injured reserve.
The signing of forward Zach Aston-Reese to a one-year contract got the Leafs within a few dollars of the cap limit to maximize the space created by placing Liljegren and Benn on LTIR. Forward Denis Malgin earned a spot over youngster Nick Robertson with a four-goal preseason performance, but head coach Sheldon Keefe admitted that Robertson being waiver-exempt was a big factor in the decision.
The Simmonds situation is unclear, as there have been indications that he does not want to play in the AHL and that the Leafs are willing to accommodate him to move him to another NHL trade, but not being claimed on waivers may be a sign that Toronto would have to take a contract back in a trade.
The Leafs prepared for the season opener in Montreal on Wednesday at their practice facility in Etobicoke, ON, and team captain John Tavares was a full participant. Tavares skated with William Nylander and Malgin on the second line, took his traditional spot in front of the net on the first power play unit, and after practice indicated that he was good to go.
The other lines were the top line of Michael Bunting-Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner, the checking line of Pierre Engvall-Alex Kerfoot-Calle Jarnkrok, and the fourth line of Zach Aston-Reese-David Kampf-Nicolas Aube-Kubel.
The defensive tandems were the familiar pairs of Morgan Rielly-TJ Brodie, Jake Muzzin-Justin Holl, and Mark Giordano-Rasmus Sandin.
Keefe indicated that Matt Murray will get the start against the Habs, and Ilya Samsonov will face his former club when the Leafs play Washington in the home opener on Thursday.
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Have a great wkd everyone and Happy #Thanksgiving to our listeners in #Canada 🍁ðŸ˜
— LadiesTalkinLeafs (@LTL1917) October 7, 2022
In less than a week the #Leafs 106th #NHL season gets going! We get you ready for it with our guest @MikeInBuffalo! #Leafsforever #LTL1917
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