UPDATE: The Leafs have placed Tyler Bozak and Jake Gardiner on injured reserve.
*******
The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled center Byron Froese from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.
The 24-year-old former Chicago Black Hawks draft pick has enjoyed a career renaissance since joining the Marlies in January 2015 after splitting time between the AHL and ECHL for three seasons.
The Winkler, MB native ended up third in club scoring(18 goals, 24 assists) behind Connor Brown and Matt Frattin, in spite of playing just 46 games and earned a two-year, two-way deal from the Leafs this summer.
Froese leads the Marlies with three goals in four games this season and takes the spot on the Leafs 23-man roster vacated by defenseman Frank Corrado, who was assigned to the Marlies on a 10-day conditioning stint after being scratched for the first six games.
Mike Babcock indicated that injured center Tyler Bozak was likely to return to the lineup on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre, but the recall of Froese could be insurance in case the veteran center is unable to go.
*******
The NHL saw their first coaching change with the firing of Todd Richards in Columbus and the hiring John Tortorella, which was greeted with joy from all corners of the hockey media world and especially by Tortorella’s former employer, the Vancouver Canucks.
The Canucks were still on the hook for another three years of Tortorella’s contract after firing the former Stanley Cup winner in May 2014 (one season into a five-year, $10 Million deal) and agreed to pay a portion of his salary, because they will receive compensation from Columbus in the form of a second round in either 2016, 2017 or 2018.
The Maple Leafs agreed to similar compensation for head coach Mike Babcock and GM Lou Lamoriello and will have to surrender a third round pick for each over the next three years, but could be in a position to recoup a draft pick if former coach Randy Carlyle is hired this season.
Carlyle signed a two-year contract extension with Toronto in the summer of 2014 and was dismissed the following January. If he is hired while his contract is in effect, the Leafs would receive a second round pick as Vancouver did.
Recent speculation from TSN’s Gary Lawless indicates that the idea of former Stanley Cup winner returning behind the bench in Anaheim is not farfetched.
The Ducks have stumbled out of the gate with an 1-4-1 record after losing in Game 7 of the Western Conference Final last season and coach Bruce Boudreau is rumored to be on a short leash with the club averaging just one goal per game.
The former Norris Trophy winner is currently living in Southern California and former Leafs GM Dave Nonis is part of the Ducks management team.
*******
Here is a photo of one of the best shows I have ever seen, Paul McCartney ending his latest tour at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo on Thursday:
*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact… button at the top of the page.*******
Note : Continue to check back to my column on Hockeybuzz throughout the day for the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter
KINDLE USERS: Please sign up for Maple Leafs Buzz, which includes a free-of-charge 14-day trial and is just 99 cents per month afterwards. For more information click here.