Some housekeeping items here, as the Maple Leafs have locked up two RFAs and the recently-acquired Zach Hyman.
Granberg and Erixon have both been given one-year contract extensions; Hyman the standard two-year entry level deal for a 23-year-old out of college. With Hyman signing, the Leafs will not receive Florida’s conditional seven round draft choice, which was never the plan.
Petter Granberg will miss the start of the season with his achilles injury; we’re likely talking the New Year by the time he’s fully recovered and in game shape, so whether he can play a role at all this season as a Leafs depth option is in doubt.
Erixon, claimed off waivers by the Leafs in early March, will be competing for ice time on the left side of the Leafs defence.
By season’s end, Erixon was playing second power play unit minutes. While partners rotated almost by the shift, his most common linemate was Andrew MacWilliam as the Leafs did some experimentation after the season went off the rails. The near 70 minutes the pair played together was hard on the eyes, but in Erixon’s 417+ minutes without MacWilliam his Corsi-For percentage was over 50%. He’s 6’3 with first round pedigree, and he has shown nifty skill pinching into the zone and leading some rushes.
Behind Rielly and Gardiner on the left side of defence, Tim Erixon will have some competition for ice time from Stuart Percy, who will be looking to repeat last year’s impressive training camp, preseason and early-regular season appearances before an injury and a demotion sent his 2014-15 season a little off course.
