Nick Robertson was a healthy scratch against the Pittsburgh Penguins and as players get healthy that may not change for a while. The Toronto Maple Leafs placed forward Alex Nylander and defenseman Dakota Meris on waivers Tuesday, according to multiple reports, including Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. Nylander, the 26-year-old younger brother of Leafs star forward William Nylander, has no points in five games since signing a one-year NHL contract with the club on November 22. His journey with the Leafs' organization began when he signed a one-year, AHL-only contract with the Toronto Marlies earlier this season. As the Leafs dealt with injuries across their forward lineup, they turned to Nylander and upgraded him to an NHL deal to provide depth. Because Nylander was signed mid-season, he did not require waivers because he was immediately placed onto an NHL roster. Players signed before training camp typically need to clear waivers after they are cut. With injured players returning to the lineup, the Leafs needed to create roster space, prompting the decision to cut Nylander, which requires waivers. Max Domi rejoined the lineup during Tuesday's 2-1 overtime victory against the New Jersey Devils, and forward Bobby McMann could also return from a lower-body injury soon, requiring further adjustments to the 23-man roster. The Leafs opted not to send rookie center Fraser Minten down, as the 20-year-old has been a valuable contributor to the team's center depth. On Tuesday, Domi played on Minten's wing, showcasing the team's trust in the young player's development. Minten has two goals and two assists in nine games with the Leafs this season. If Nylander clears waivers, he will return to the Marlies, where he has been effective this season, recording eight goals and four assists in 14 AHL games. The Leafs waiving Mermis means the player was officially activated from long-term injured reserve after sustaining a broken jaw during training camp. Mermis signed a one-year deal worth $775,000 last season, knowing spending much of his time with the Marlies was a strong possibility. The 30-year-old detailed his recovery from shattering his jaw to The Hockey News when he returned to practice on Nov. 26. The Leafs won't get any particular roster help by activating and waiving Mermis. The best news of all is that the player is healthy and ready to play. Before this, the Leafs assigned Mermis to an bona-fide long-term injured reserve conditioning loan with the Marlies. He had one assist in three games during the stint.
