The Toronto Maple Leafs have to be pleased with what they’ve seen from rookie blueliner Rasmus Sandin at training camp and in six regular season games, but the 19-year-old staying with the club would have contractual and roster ramifications and on Monday the Leafs decided to send him down to the Toronto Marlies.
Sandin had two assists in six games, averaging just over 12 minutes per game, but Leafs GM Kyle Dubas faced a dilemma as the young blueliner approached the 10-game mark of the season.
The 2018 first rounder currently does not count against the 50 pro contract limit because his deal is eligible to slide forward and be three years if he does not play more than nine NHL games. His limited usage on the bottom pairing might also not be the best thing for his development, as opposed to playing top pairing minutes in the AHL.
“(Sandin) can’t get on the power play in front of the guys we’ve got,” Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said at practice on Monday. “He can’t get on the penalty kill in front of the guys we’ve got.”
The club recalled veteran Kevin Gravel to take Sandin’s spot on the roster. The 27-year-old played 36 games for Edmonton last season, went pointless in three games with the Marlies and skated with injured defenseman Travis Dermott at the Ford Performance Center in Etobicoke, while Martin Marincin took Sandin’s place with Justin Holl on the pairing that will likely see action against Minnesota on Tuesday.
Dermott was not wearing a non-contact jersey at practice for the first time since returning to the ice from off-season shoulder surgery, which may be interpreted as a sign that he is closer to returning than previously expected, but it is more likely that Babcock will rotate Gravel, Marincin and Holl over the next couple weeks and not rush Dermott back into the lineup.
The 22-year-old was placed on LTIR along with Zach Hyman, Nathan Horton and David Clarkson in early October. Players placed on LTIR must be on the list for at least 10 games and 24 days before being eligible to return to the active roster. The 10th game will be against Columbus on October 21, but the 24 days would expire on the 26th (when the Leafs play in Montreal), making it possible for Dermott to return for the game against Washington on October 29th.
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