Leafs place standout forward on waivers and cut 15 players from their training camp roster
The Toronto Maple Leafs have made significant cuts to their roster on Friday as they get ready to finalize their lineup before the season opener vs the Montreal Canadiens.
With just 5 days until the regular season begins the Leafs are focused on building the best team possible in hopes of ending their 56 year Stanley Cup drought. General Manager Brad Treliving has brought in several new faces including a new head coach making for an exciting & revamped roster.
As part of this process the team has reassigned several players to the AHL.
Additionally forward Alex Steeves was placed on waivers for reassignment after signing a one year deal this summer.
One of the notable players sent down is prospect Nikita Grebenkin who quickly became a fan favorite after impressing at the Prospect Showcase & in a preseason game against Ottawa. While fans were disappointed to see him go many believe he'll be back with the team soon.
However the Leafs still have work to do as analyst Kyle Cushman pointed out that the team needs to reduce their roster from 29 to 22 players by Wednesday. Some players like Connor Dewar, Matt Murray, Philippe Myers & Timothy Liljegren would need to clear waivers before they can be reassigned & losing them without compensation could be a tough blow.
With some tough decisions ahead questions remain about what the final roster will look like when the Leafs face Montreal on opening night. Fans eagerly await the announcement as the season draws closer.
