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The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced their 2015 training camp roster consisting of 73 players.

It includes the last-minute addition of former Leaf Mark Fraser on a player tryout agreement, the fourth PTO the Leafs will have in camp.

Mark Fraser signed to PTO

In his 2012-13 season with the Leafs, Mark Fraser posted a PDO-fuelled (106.6) +18 plus/minus in a half-season playing on the bottom pair with Cody Franson. Despite limited skills and footspeed, he won over some fans that season with his physical play, leading the Leafs blueline with 153 hits and dropping the mitts nine times in 45 games.

Randy Carlyle arguably used him in a shutdown role and played him over 17 minutes a game.

Carlyle-UsageThis brutal injury ended his year in Game 4 of the playoff series versus the Bruins; unbelievably, Fraser got up:

Fraser has only played 76 NHL games in the three years since, with stops in Edmonton (re-united with head coach Dallas Eakins) and most recently a return to his draft team in the New Jersey Devils. His 34 appearances for the Devils in 2014-15 were his highest NHL total since the lockout year. That’s not a lot of hockey, as he’s battled a bunch of injuries and been scratched regularly when healthy.

Fraser has been a warrior who’s had to battle for every NHL paycheque, but he’s objectively no longer an NHL defenceman, and with a crowded blueline it’s unlikely he can fall anywhere inside the Leafs‘ top ten. There’s eight regular NHLers competing for spots, with Scott Harrington and Stuart Percy knocking at the door trying to break into regular NHL duty. Frankly, he’d be in the way if signed, especially considering Babcock emphasizes playing defence fast and covets mobile puckmovers on the blueline.

Fraser and Lamoriello have a relationship dating back to when Lamoriello drafted Fraser in the third round of the 2005 entry draft. It’s obvious Mike Babcock is looking dial up the competition level and the intensity in camp; in addition to a favour to an old footsoldier of Lou’s, that’s probably all there is to this move.

Notes:

  • Update: The charts below have been updated to reflect the Michael Grabner trade.
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  • The height/weight info, sourced from the Leafs‘ official site, has Mitch Marner listed at 6’0.
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  • Among those signed by the Leafs to NHL contracts, the only notable – but not unexpected – absence is Swedish forward Andreas Johnson, who, after signing a three-year entry-level NHL contract in June, is honouring his commitment in Frolunda for another year.
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  • Defenceman Nikolas Brouillard, rookie tournament standout, is out 4-6 weeks with an injury sustained versus the baby Pens and can’t participate in the main camp.
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  • Among the unfamiliar names on the roster who weren’t at the rookie camp and aren’t newcomers on AHL deals: Defenceman Justin Holl was a second round pick of the Blackhawks in 2010 who went unsigned after his first year pro (U of Minnesota product). He primarily spent last season in the ECHL. Winger Eric Faille, 26, is a graduate of the University of Moncton who split last season between the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL and the Texas Stars of the AHL.
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  • Defenceman Max Nicastro, a third round pick of the Red Wings in 2009, spent the back half of last season with the Solar Bears after 26 games in the Slovakian league.

Toronto Maple Leafs Training Camp Roster

Toronto Maple Leafs Training Camp Roster - Forwards
PLAYERHTWTSHOT BIRTHPLACE
Mark Arcobello5'9188RMilford. CT
Casey Bailey6'2204RAnchorage, AK
Michael Grabner6'0185LVillach, Austria
Brad Boyes6'0195RMississauga. ON
Tyler Bozak6'1195RRegina. SK
Connor Brown6'0190RToronto. ON
Sam Carrick6'1207RStouffville, ON
Richard Clune5'10213LToronto, ON
Martins Dzierkals5'11170LRiga, Latvia
Eric Faille6'0180RLachine, QC
T.J. Foster5'11180RSlave Lake, AB
Matt Frattin6'0205REdmonton, AB
Byron Froese6'1204RWinkler, MB
Frederik Gauthier6'5234LLaval, QC
Curtis Glencross6'1200LKindersley, SK
Peter Holland6'2194LToronto. ON
Zach Hyman6'1205RToronto, ON
Justin Johnson6'1230RAnchorage, AK
Michael Joly5'11170LGatineau, QC
Nazem Kadri6'0195LLondon, ON
Kasperi Kapanen6'1180RKuopio, FIN
Leo Komarov5'11200LNarva, EST
Josh Leivo6'2195RInnisfil, ON
Brendan Leipsic5'10180LWinnipeg, MB
Joffrey Lupul6'1206RFort. Sask., AB
Mitchell Marner6'0170RThornhill, ON
Shawn Matthias6'4223LMississauga. ON
William Nylander6'0188RCalgary, AB
Richard Panik6'1205LMatin, Slovakia
PA Parenteau6'0195RHull, QC
Jack Rodewald6'3194RWinnipeg, MB
Matt Rupert5'10188LGrand Bend, ON
Ryan Rupert5'10186LGrand Bend, ON
Devin Setoguchi6'0200RTaber, AB
Nikolai Skladnichenko6'0200LMonino, Russia
Nikita Soshnkov5'11185LNizhny Tagil, Russia
Nick Spaling6'1201LPalmerston, ON
Dmytro Timashov5'10190LKirovograd, Ukraine
Brady Vail6'1195LPalm City, FL
James van Riemsdyk200LMiddletown, NJ
Daniel Winnik6'2207LToronto, ON

Toronto Maple Leafs Training Camp Roster

Toronto Maple Leafs Training Camp Roster - Defence
PLAYERHTWTSHOT BIRTHPLACE
Brennan, T.J.6'1215LWillingboro, NJ
Campbell, Andrew6'4215LCaledonia, ON
Dermott, Travis6'0200LNewmarket, ON
Desrocher, Stephen6'4210LToronto, ON
Donaghey, Cody61195RSt. John's, NL
Fraser, Mark6'4224LOttawa, ON
Gardiner, Jake6'2190LMinnetonka. MN
Granberg, Petter6'3205RGaltritaro. Swedon
Harrington, Scott6'2205LKingston. ON
Holl, Justin6'2200RTonka Bay. MN
Hunwick, Matt5'11200LWarren. AU
Jamieson, Aiden6'2188RLindsay. ON
Loov, Victor6'2210LSodertallo. Sweden
Marincin, Martin6'4210LKosice. Slovakia
Nicastro, Max6'3225RThousand Oaks. CA 01/0240
Nielson, Andrew6'3210RRod Ooor. AS
Percy, Stuart6'1195LOaktollo. ON
Phaneuf, Dion6'3223LEdmonton. AB
Polak, Roman6'1235RNeon. Czech Ropubho 04/28/86
Rielly, Morgan6'1205LVancowor, BC
Robidas, Stephane511195RSlsorbrooke. QC
Valiev, Rinat63213LNizhnokarnsk, Russia

Toronto Maple Leafs Training Camp Roster

Toronto Maple Leafs Training Camp Roster - Goaltenders
GOALTENDERSHTWTCATCHBIRTHPLACEBORN
Bernier, Jonathan6'0185LLaval, QC08/07/88
Bibeau, Antoine6'2210LVictoriaville, QC05/01/94
Madore, Rob5'11188LPittsburgh, PA05/28/88
Peressini, Lucas6'3195I.Nobleton, ON03/09/95
Reimer, James6'2210LMorweena, MB03/15/88
Sparks, Garret6'2205LElmhurst. IL06/28/93