The Maple Leafs are swapping a forward for a defenseman that was barely used in his season debut on Saturday.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have called up forward Pontus Holmberg from the Toronto Marlies and sent down defenseman Max Lajoie, the team announced on Thursday.

Holmberg was sent to the Marlies to make room for Nick Robertson, who has fit in nicely on a third line with Max Domi and Calle Jarnkrok. The forward has a goal and an assist and scored his first goal of the season during the Leafs' 6-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old Holmberg has no points in seven games.

Lajoie made his season debut on Saturday in a 6-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. The defenseman barely saw the ice logging just 4:54 and was subbed out for Simon Benoit in the subsequent pair of games.

With defenseman Jake McCabe on the mend, it makes little sense for Toronto to carry an additional defenseman they aren't planning to use. The Leafs could potentially make some changes as practice which is scheduled for later today.

More to come....

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