The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed Martin Marincin on waivers. The team now carries just six defencemen on its roster, which may suggest that another move is forthcoming. This comes just one day after Toronto’s 7-2 opening night victory over the Winnipeg Jets, in which Marincin spent the evening as a healthy scratch.
Marincin, 25, added seven points in just 25 games last season. Although he struggled at times this preseason, he looked ready to play the role of Toronto’s seventh defenceman yet again. He is known for his ability to defend against zone entries, eat minutes on the penalty kill, and his tendency to boast strong numbers in terms of shot differential.
As Scott speculates, it is worth keeping an eye on the status of Calle Rosen, who was a late cut in camp:
Paging Calle Rosen, who likely knew this was the plan when he was sent down. https://t.co/nrWZiDGuti
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) October 5, 2017
As we continue to speculate, this could also be a good sign for Roman Polak, who continues to practice with the team. If Marincin clears waivers and is assigned to the AHL, $225,000 of his cap hit will still count. All the other options to replace him on the active roster, currently in the system, are waiver exempt and on ELCs.
In related news, goaltender Calvin Pickard has been placed on waivers by the Vegas Golden Knights one day after they claimed Malcolm Subban, a prospect with little to no NHL experience. PIckard may be considered an upgrade over Curtis McElhinney, but he is coming off a very rough season, was let go in the expansion draft and has now been supplanted by an untested player with potential. He’s a gamble, and the Leafs might not be in a gambling mood.