With the NHL’s regular season salary cap compliance deadline set for 5 p.m. ET on Oct. 6, teams—including the Maple Leafs—are actively placing players who require waivers on the waiver wire. Players who require waivers are typically placed on the wire a day before so they can be moved to the minors before the deadline if they go unclaimed.
The Maple Leafs placed defensemen Dakota Mermis, Henry Thrun, and Matt Benning, and forward Michael Pezzetta, on waivers on Sunday.
Toronto’s defense is pretty much set this season with their top-six defenders (Morgan Rielly, Chris Tanev, Jake McCabe, Brandon Carlo, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Simon Benoit) all returning to the club. Philippe Myers appears to be Toronto’s seventh defenseman they will carry on their roster, as he avoided the waiver wire. Myers won a spot on the roster out of training camp last year. Ben Danford is still with the Leafs, although it’s likely he’ll be returned to his junior club if it hasn’t been done already.
Pezzetta was the only forward placed on waivers on Sunday. He joins David Kampf as the other bubble forward to be sent on the wire, as the latter cleared the waiver process on Saturday.
Maple Leafs' Lines Change After David Kampf Placed On Waivers
The Toronto Maple Leafs are making changes to their lineup with <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-scott-laughton-week-to-week-with-lower-body-injury">Scott Laughton out week-to-week</a> with a lower-body injury.
The Leafs can carry 23 players on their active roster. However, with an injury to Scott Laughton and the uncertainty of Joseph Woll’s absence, the Leafs may only have salary cap room for 22 players based on the way the roster is constructed.
It looks like Nick Robertson, Calle Jarnkrok, and Easton Cowan will all be on the roster barring any other moves between now and Tuesday.
Maple Leafs' Scott Laughton Week-To-Week With Lower-Body Injury
The Toronto Maple Leafs will begin the regular season with a player out with an injury.
In goal, the Leafs still have to make a decision on James Reimer. Based on him not yet being on a contract, it doesn’t sound like he has a deal yet, but the Leafs didn’t have to do anything by Sunday there. Woll will likely start this season as a non-roster player as he tends to a personal matter and is away from the team. If Laughton’s injury turns into one where he’s placed on long-term injured reserve, the Leafs would unlock more cap space to carry a 23rd player.
Based on this, Toronto’s projected roster looks like:
Forwards (13): Matthew Knies, Auston Matthews, Matias Maccelli, Bobby McMann, John Tavares, William Nylander, Dakota Joshua, Nicolas Roy, Max Domi, Easton Cowan, Steven Lorentz, Nick Robertson, Calle Jarnkrok
Defense (7): Morgan Rielly, Chris Tanev, Jake McCabe, Brandon Carlo, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Simon Benoit, Philippe Myers
Goalies (2): Anthony Stolarz, One of Dennis Hildeby or James Reimer
Per puckpedia.com, the Leafs have $729,554 of cap space with this lineup without any cap exemption from Laughton or Woll.
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