The Toronto Maple Leafs held their final practice of their regular season opener. Fraser Minten and Noah Gregor earn spots in the opening-night lineup. The Marlies have signed forward Kieffer Bellows to a PTO. The 25-year-old was selected in the first round (19th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders and just hasn't been able to put a consistent string of NHL games together. Bellows has played a total of 95 NHL games with the Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers, scoring 14 goals and 14 assists in that span. In 137 AHL games, he has put up 37 goals and 23 assists for 60 points. Bellows wasn't tendered a qualifying offer by the Flyers this summer, which led him to him signing a PTO in Carolina. He was cut from the team n The 25-year-old does have some relationships within the Marlies. Head coach John Gruden was an assistant coach with the Islanders and Bellows played under him for parts of three seasons. Bellows, before being drafted, was a part of the USNTDP Juniors, where Marlies GM Ryan Hardy was the Director of Player Personnel. Toronto has been hit with a number of injuries early on this season, which could be part of the reasoning behind this PTO signing. Bobby McMann missed a couple of games with an undisclosed injury but made his return on Saturday in Belleville. Roni Hirvonen took a stick to the face in the Marlies' second game of the year and hasn't skated in a practice or game with the team since. Ryan Tverberg is also week-to-week with a lower-body injury he suffered last Tuesday. But Bellows could also be a potential project for Toronto. The 25-year-old hasn't lived up to the expectations that he had when he was drafted and maybe the Marlies see something in him that can be built back up. Toronto did something similar in December 2021 by signing Joseph Blandisi to a PTO. He played very well and that saw him sign contracts with the Marlies in each of the past two summers. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNTk1MTUxMDE2NDM2ODQ0/cf1808c0-6a82-4298-9049-3eb2eae105b0.jpg] Related Sheldon Keefe Reveals Additional Reason Why Fraser Minten Was Given Opportunity With Maple Leafs This Season [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/sheldon-keefe-reveals-additional-reason-why-fraser-minten-was-given-opportunity-with-maple-leafs-this-season] 'I Feel Like I've Seen More Coverage on Toronto Since I've Left': Red Wings' Justin Holl Looks Back on Time with Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/i-feel-like-ive-seen-more-coverage-on-toronto-since-ive-left-red-wings-justin-holl-looks-back-on-time-with-maple-leafs] Maple Leafs' Ilya Samsonov Desperately Needs a Win Before He'll Really Start Feeling Better About His Game [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/maple-leafs-ilya-samsonov-desperately-needs-a-win-before-hell-really-start-feeling-better-about-his-game] News from THN.com NHL Three Stars: Standouts From the Wild and Devils Shine Bright [https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhl-three-stars-standouts-from-the-wild-and-devils-shine-bright] Rangers Best Canucks In Entertaining Battle Between Early-Season Success Stories [https://thehockeynews.com/news/rangers-best-canucks-in-entertaining-battle-between-early-season-success-stories] Joe Thornton Announces Retirement from the NHL [https://thehockeynews.com/news/joe-thornton-announces-retirement-from-the-nhl]
