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Leafs cut to 23, McElhinney, Pickard on waivers, Carrick traded to Dallas |
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Update - 1pm - The Leafs have traded defenseman Connor Carrick to the Dallas Stars for a conditional 2019 draft pick. The pick is a 7th round pick, but could improve to a 6th rounder if Carrick plays 50 regular season games.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs got down to 23 players early Monday, as the club placed goaltenders Curtis McElhinney, Calvin Pickard and defenseman Connor Carrick on waivers for the purposes of sending them to the AHL Toronto Marlies.
McElhinney had the best statistics of any backup goaltender in the NHL last season, with an 11-5-1 record, 2.14 GAA and .934 save percentage and outperformed 25-year-old Calder Cup winner Garret Sparks in the preseason, but the calculation by GM Kyle Dubas is that Sparks would unlikely clear waivers coming off a year as the AHL's best goaltender and that the 35-year-old McElhinney might have a chance, but with teams like Tampa Bay, Winnipeg and Philadelphia amongst others needing backup or depth help, it is hard to imagine the veteran getting through.
Pickard cleared waivers prior to being traded by Vegas last October, but again other teams might see him as a viable backup option.
The Leafs retained eight defensemen, including Martin Marincin and Justin Holl, who would have to clear waivers. Carrick, who signed a one-year, $1.3 Million contract over the summer, might get down to the AHL because of his salary, whereas Holl (who signed a two-year deal for $675,000 AAV) might be a cost-effective claim for a team looking for a right-shot defenseman.
The Leafs will have to place another player on waivers when William Nylander agrees to a new deal and that is likely either Marincin or Frederik Gauthier, who both did not perform well during the exhibition season.
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