With the Toronto Maple Leafs suddenly full of extra salary cap space to accommodate three more players, Nick Robertson, who was cut from the team due to his waivers-exempt status, is expected to re-join the club.
When Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray suffered an adductor injury during his team's morning skate on Saturday, the club received a bit of a reprieve with their current roster.
Already pressed tightly against the $82.5 million salary cap, the club could only carry a minimum of 20 players on the active roster. But with Murray now out for a minimum of four weeks, the 28-year-old was moved to the long-term injured reserve.
Murray's $4.875 million cap hit can now be used to bring up three additional players and that will allow the Leafs to call up three additional skaters, a much-needed benefit as the club gets ready to embark on their first extended road trip next week.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports that Nick Robertson is expected to be one of those players.
The 21-year-old Robertson had a stellar camp where he had three goals and eight points in five pre-season games. But he lost out on the final roster spot to Denis Malgin, largely due to the fact he is exempt from waivers.
The Leafs would have had to run the risk of losing Malgin on waivers had they selected Robertson.
“It’s just kind of the reality of it and the situation, salary cap and carrying a tight roster,” Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe of the decision on Monday. “It was a tough decision because we’ve seen tremendous growth in Nick’s camp and I’m very encouraged by where his game is at and the level of confidence that he’ll be back here when needed.”
Now Robertson will be back, but where does he play?
Malgin has fit in well on the second line with William Nylander and John Tavares through the first three games of the regular season and placing Robertson into a bottom-six role doesn't seem to make sense for his development at this point.
But Murray's injury being of the long-term variety has at least helped the Leafs gain more flexibility in what they can do from a skaters standpoint.
"I haven't had those discussions with Kyle [Leafs GM Kyle Dubas] yet," Sheldon Keefe explained with the extent of Murray's injury revealed so close to game time. "We've got a road trip coming up so I'm sure we'll get that sorted."
Other potential options for the Maple Leafs could be veteran forward Wayne Simmonds, who has been skating with development staff and was not on the Toronto Marlies roster despite being assigned earlier in the week.
On defense, Victor Mete had a solid camp and could be a player the Leafs look to on the back end.