The Toronto Maple Leafs reduced their training camp roster down to 26 with another day to go before 23-man rosters must be finalized for the opening of the 2017-18 regular season.
The @MapleLeafs have reduced their roster to 26 players (14 forwards, 10 defencemen and two goaltenders). #TMLTalk pic.twitter.com/HyLhSFoDDO
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) October 2, 2017
Lou Lamoriello, as Mike Babcock sometimes reminds the media, is a fan of the saying, “If you have time, use it,” and that appears to be the approach with the battle for the final roster spots on defence. All of Calle Rosen, Andreas Borgman, Martin Marincin and Roman Polak (PTO) remain on the big-club roster for now. Both Rosen and Borgman would not require waivers to join the AHL, while Marincin would require waivers.
The team has room on its 23-man roster to keep two of the above defencemen for the start of the season; potentially, they could keep three, waive Eric Fehr, and go with the 13 forwards, 8 defencemen approach to start the year.
Update: Paul Hendrick reports the Leafs will go with 14 forwards (meaning Fehr and Leivo will stick around) and 7 defencemen to start the season.
Leafs to begin season with 14 forwards and 7 Defencemen. Waiver exempt status would indicate 1 of the Swedes would be sent down.#tmltalk
— Paul Hendrick (@HennyTweets) October 2, 2017
In terms of the other roster battle at camp, the Leafs will likely be opening the season with Dominic Moore as their fourth-line center, with Miro Aaltonen headed to the Marlies, as we discussed in an earlier post at MLHS:
After his early penalty, Dominic Moore played a good game, winning his battles along the walls, extending cycles, driving the net, and showing his veteran savvy on the penalty kill. It seems to me that much of the discussion — driven by the media’s search for a storyline in a camp without many unknowns — has gotten ahead of itself in terms of suggesting Miro Aaltonen has the edge over the established vet in Moore. Knowing Moore’s body of work – he’s closing in on 1,000 games, he scored 11 goals last year, he’s logged significant PK minutes into his late 30s, and he’s good on the dot – it would require Aaltonen significantly outperforming him throughout preseason to jar Moore loose of his spot for opening night. Giving Aaltonen a good hard look makes sense; he came over from the KHL in search of a legitimate opportunity, he’s acquitted himself well in preseason, and he will be among the first to call if he’s not on the NHL roster to start the year. But my money’s still very much on Moore filling the fourth-line center spot on opening night.
Also on the 26-man roster at the moment is Timothy Liljegren, who the Leafs will have to make a decision on soon as to whether he’ll be a Marlie or return home to the SHL and play for Rogle BK. Once that decision is made, one of Calle Rosen, Martin Marincin or Andreas Borgman will need to be waived or sent down to comply with the 23-man roster limit.
Projected Toronto Maple Leafs Opening Night Lineup
Forwards
Hyman – Matthews – Nylander
JvR – Bozak – Marner
Marleau – Kadri – Komarov
Martin – Moore – Brown
Extras: Leivo, Fehr
Defencemen
Gardiner – Zaitsev
Rielly – Hainsey
Rosen / Marincin / Borgman – Carrick
Goalies
Andersen
McElhinney
Toronto Maple Leafs Training Camp Roster Breakdown – October 3, 2017
| Roster (24) | Marlies | Jr | EU |
|---|---|---|---|
| T. Bozak | C. Rosen | R. McGregor | C. Grundstrom |
| Z. Hyman | T. Liljegren | K. Middleton | |
| N. Kadri | B. Smith | E. Rasanen | |
| van Riemsdyk | K. Rychel | F. Gordeev | |
| L. Komarov | C. Greening | N. Mattinen | |
| M. Martin | V. LoVerde | I. Scott | |
| A. Matthews | C. Mueller | ||
| W. Nylander | N. Soshnikov | ||
| M. Marner | K. Kapanen | ||
| D. Moore | M. Aaltonen | ||
| P. Marleau | T. Dermott | ||
| C. Brown | A. Johnsson | ||
| J. Leivo* | J. Bracco | ||
| E. Fehr* | M. Dzierkals | ||
| M. Rielly | A. Brooks | ||
| N. Zaitsev | R. Clune | ||
| C. Carrick | J. Dupuy | ||
| R. Hainsey | F. Gauthier | ||
| J. Gardiner | T. Moore | ||
| M. Marincin* | M. Novak | ||
| A. Borgman | J. Piccinich | ||
| F. Andersen | K. Pospisil | ||
| C. McElhinney | D. Timashov | ||
| J. Winquist | |||
| M. Marchment | |||
| V. Bobylev | |||
| T. Lindberg | |||
| A. Gudbranson | |||
| J. Holl | |||
| J. King | |||
| M. Cleland | |||
| A. Nielsen | |||
| R. Valiev | |||
| M. Paliotta | |||
| C. Heeter | |||
| K. Kaskisuo | |||
| G. Sparks |
Toronto Maple Leafs Waivers Chart
| Player | Signing Age | 2017-18 Exempt? | Seasons Completed | Seasons Remaining | NHL GP Remaining | Eligible |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnsson | 21 | YES | 0 | 1 | 80 | 2018-19 |
| Gauthier | 18 | YES | 4 | 1 | 132 | 2018-19 |
| Sparks | 20 | NO | 4 | 0 | 2017-18 | |
| Leivo | 20 | NO | 4 | 0 | 2016-17 | |
| Holl | 24 | YES | 1 | 1 | 60 | 2018-19 |
| Kapanen | 18 | YES | 3 | 2 | 137 | 2019-20 |
| Rychel | 19 | NO | 4 | 0 | 2017-18 | |
| Soshnikov | 22 | YES | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2018-19 / 3GP |
| Valiev | 19 | YES | 3 | 1 | 150 | 2018-19 |
| Lindberg | 20 | YES | 2 | 1 | 154 | 2018-19 |
| Aaltonen | 24 | YES | 0 | 2 | 60 | 2019-20 / 60GP |
| Rosen | 23 | YES | 0 | 3 | 60 | 2020-21 / 60GP |
| Borgman | 22 | YES | 0 | 3 | 70 | 2020-21 / 70GP |
| Marincin | 19 | NO | 6 | 0 | ||
| Carrick | 19 | NO | 4 | 0 |
No longer waiver exempt
