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The Toronto Maple Leafs completed the preseason with a dominant 5-0 shutout performance against the Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena, but after the game, most of the players and head coach Mike Babcock were thankful to get through the eight-game exhibition schedule unscathed and were looking forward to games that count.
“Everybody’s excited, preseason feels like it’s a month (or) two months long.… Auston Matthews said after a three-point night. “It’s just nice to get it over with and start the real thing.…
Andreas Johnsson, Trevor Moore, William Nylander, Matthews and John Tavares scored for Toronto, and Frederik Andersen made 16 saves for the shutout.
The Leafs dodged the injury bullet in the first period, as Jake Muzzin and Darren Helm tangled legs, sending the veteran defenseman to the locker room, but Muzzin returned late in the period and played just over 16 minutes on the night.
Now the focus switches to the beginning of the regular season and the home opener against Ottawa on Wednesday. Forwards Pontus Aberg, Tyler Gaudet, defensemen Ben Harpur and Jordan Schmaltz all cleared waivers on Sunday and were assigned to the Toronto Marlies, but the club must make at least five more cuts to get down to 23 players before the NHL roster deadline on Tuesday.
It is possible that GM Kyle Dubas will go even further and cut down to 21 or 22 players because of the Leafs complicated cap situation.
“We’ve got about 10 guys (on defense), we have four (Morgan Rielly, Cody Ceci, Muzzin and Tyson Barrie), Sandin and then we have to figure out what we are going to do.… Babcock said. “(The coaching staff) is in there doing that (after the game) and grinding away and debating.…
The Leafs could go with seven blueliners to start the season while they are at home, and carry extra skaters while on the road for cap savings purposes. Timothy Liljegren will be demoted on Monday, but Kevin Gravel and Justin Holl require waivers to play for the Marlies.
The forward group could be as low as 12 or 13 players to start the season, which means cutting four or five. Matt Read is on a professional tryout, Ilya Mikheyev and Egor Korshkov are exempt (Mikheyev has made the club and Korshkov could be in the fourth line mix), while Kenny Agostino, Nic Petan, Nick Shore and Dmytro Timashov all require being placed on waivers to get sent down.
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