The Toronto Maple Leafs certainly have their eyes on Day One.
The Maple Leafs made 10 cuts on Saturday, waiving Joey Anderson and Mac Hollowell for the purpose of being assigned to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, and forwards Nick Abrzeze, Semyon Dergatintsev, Bobby McMann and Alex Steves. , deployed a defenseman. Mikko Kokkonen and Marshall Riffai, along with goalkeepers Dylan Ferguson and Eric Kalgren, have been assigned to the Marleys.
More cuts and waver moves are coming to put the Maple Leafs in a roster- and cap-compliant position.
Rosters of up to 23 skaters with combined salaries under $82.5 million must be submitted by 5 p.m. ET on Monday.
“We are very tight on Cap as it is and if an injury or something happens tonight it could change things dramatically in terms of the decision-making process, in terms of who is on the roster. And all that stuff,” coach Sheldon Keef told media on Saturday. Of course, we have a large sample of what we’ve experienced here over the past few weeks.”
Toronto, which has its final preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, is about $2.5 million above cap with an expected 22-man roster. According to CapFriendly.
$1.4 million cap-hitting defenseman Timothy Liljegren will be sidelined with a hernia injury, and $750,000 Jordy Benn will be sidelined with a groin injury. Karl Dahlstrom has been out for six months with a shoulder injury. Each is covered by the Long Term Injury Reserve.
Other injuries have complicated the Maple Leafs roster situation.
Captain Jon Tavares is questioning his start to the season after suffering an oblique injury against the Ottawa Senators on Sept. 24. Forward Pierre Engval has a broken leg. Mete also left Friday’s morning skating after taking the puck to his leg from a shot from teammate Nick Robertson.
Tavares and Engvall are not ruled out for Wednesday’s season opener against the Montreal Canadiens.
Cap isn’t the only battle left in the camp.
Up front, forwards Nick Robertson, Adam Gaudette, Dennis Margin, Kyle Clifford, Pontus Holmberg and Wayne Simmons are battling it out for the two rosters up front. Gaudette, Simmonds, Clifford, and Malgin are all required to assign waivers to minors.
Zach Aston Reese, who is in pro tryouts, is also among the forwards group vying for employment.
The blue line looks a little muted by injuries, with the goalkeeping tandem of Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov at the crease next season.
Maple Leafs preseason roster
forward
- Zach Aston Reese*
- Nicola Ove-Kubel
- Michael Bunting
- Kyle Clifford
- Pierre Engval
- Adam Gaudette
- Pontus Holmberg
- Jaan Krok Road
- David Kamp
- Alexander Carfoot
- Dennis Malgin
- Mitchell Marner
- Auston Matthews
- William Nylander
- Nick Robertson
- Wayne Simmons
- John Tavares**
defense
- Jordy Benn**
- TJ Brody
- Karl Dahlström**
- Mark Giordano
- Justin Hall
- Philip Krall
- Timothy Liljegren**
- Victor Mete**
- Jake Mazin
- Morgan Riley
- Rasmus Sandin
- William Villeneuve
goalie
- Matt Murray
- Ilya Samsonov
- Joseph Wal
*Pro trial
**injured
