Why The Maple Leafs Sent Bo Groulx Down The Marlies

The Toronto Maple Leafs have enjoyed having Bo Groulx on the roster but have returned him to the Toronto Marlies. The club announced the forward's reassignment on Friday.

It was later clarified that the move had absolutely nothing to do with his on-ice performance; Groulx fit in well as the team’s third-line center, recording three goals and two assists in nine games. Instead, the decision was made strictly for roster management reasons.

"He wanted to go down and help them and play, t hat's testament to his character and what he believes in and how it all works and he understands it," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said of Groulx's assignment. "I used him in a lot of different situations and I thought he handled himself well."

Because the Maple Leafs called up Groulx on March 10, four days after the trade deadline, his eligibility was limited. Having played nine games, a 10th appearance would have forced the Leafs to put him through waivers. The team chose to avoid this risk, as another club might have claimed the forward, and the Leafs want Groulx available for the Marlies' upcoming playoff run.

Despite his time with the Leafs, Groulx remains the Marlies' top point-getter with 50 points, consisting of 27 goals and 23 assists. This move does not necessarily mean his tenure with the NHL club is over for the season. There is still an avenue for him to rejoin the Leafs without the risk of a waiver claim if he is called up under emergency circumstances.

Until then, another player will fill the void at the third-line center position. At practice on Friday, the Leafs moved Steven Lorentz up to the spot Groulx was occupying.

The Maple Leafs previously signed Groulx to a two-year, one-way contract worth an average of $812,500 per season. Given his recent performance, the 26-year-old remains a strong contender to join the Leafs' bottom-six permanently next season.

In nine games with the Leafs this season, Groulx has three goals and two assists.