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The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired defenseman Jordan Schmaltz from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Andreas Borgman.
Schmaltz, 25, collected two assists in 20 regular season games with the Blues last season and recorded nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 36 games with the American Hockey League’s San Antonio Rampage. The Madison, Wisconsin native has registered five assists in 42 career NHL games and 93 points (15 goals, 78 assists) in 180 career AHL games.
Schmaltz was selected by the Blues in the first round (25th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs announced a large block of signings on Wednesday after trading Garret Sparks to Vegas and acquiring winger David Clarkson’s LTIR-bound contract. The seven contracts announced puts the Leafs at 48 contracts, with one spot reserved for RFA Mitch Marner and the other for the potential signing of goalie Michal Neuvirth (currently a professional tryout).
It appears that most of GM Kyle Dubas’ work this summer other than Marner is done, unless the Leafs extend PTO’s to other veterans closer to training camp and move out players currently on the roster to stay under the 50 professional contract limit. That fact provides a clearer picture of who will compete for position battles starting at training camp in mid-September.
For most of the regular season and their first round matchup against Boston, the Leafs used Frederik Gauthier to center the fourth line. “The Goat… scored just 14 points during the regular season, but more important to Mike Babcock, the 24-year-old failed to use his 6’5…, 235 lb. frame as an advantage. After being scarcely used in the playoffs, it was clear that Dubas needed to look for options other than Gauthier and Nic Petan (acquired at the deadline from Winnipeg) up the middle.
Earlier this month, the Leafs signed free agent centers Jason Spezza and Nick Shore. The 36-year-old former second overall pick is no longer an offensive dynamo, but is good on faceoffs and capable of playing a support role on special teams. The 26-year-old Shore played for three NHL clubs and is returning to North America after playing one season for Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL).
Shore appears to be a candidate for the AHL Toronto Marlies and a potential call up option in case of injury, which means the battle at training camp will be between Spezza, Petan and Gauthier.
Babcock used Petan at center briefly late in the season and quickly decided that the small offensive-minded forward was not a good fit, but his versatility in being able to play both wing and center might increase his chances of being the Leafs extra forward.
Toronto went the rental route to add experience at center with Brian Boyle (2017) and Tomas Plekanec (2018) and bringing in Spezza is consistent with those additions. That likely means that the Toronto native has the inside track on starting the season behind Auston Matthews, John Tavares and Alex Kerfoot and that Gauthier may be bound for Coca-Cola Coliseum if he clears waivers.
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— The Leafs Convo (@TheLeafsConvo) July 23, 2019
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