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Toronto Marlies Notebook: Weekend Field Trip

By Mike Stephens

TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 25: The Toronto Marlies celebrate their win against the Belleville Senators during AHL game action on November 25, 2017 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Graig Abel/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 25: The Toronto Marlies celebrate their win against the Belleville Senators during AHL game action on November 25, 2017 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Graig Abel/Getty Images) /
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COLUMBUS, OH – FEBRUARY 27: Michael Paliotta
COLUMBUS, OH – FEBRUARY 27: Michael Paliotta /

Players I’m Worried About

I may be young, but that doesn’t mean I’m immune from some motherly anxiety about a few Marlies.

Working the beat for this team has really allowed me to observe each player on a game-by-game basis. And, quite frankly, I’m worried about a few of them. Allow me to explain.

Michael Paliotta

Michael Paliotta is a 24-year-old defenceman, a former 2011 third-round pick by Chicago.

Over the years, Paliotta has proven himself to be a quality depth player. No, he won’t wow you with his offence. He will, however, play a solid, responsible game.

Boy, the Leafs could use a few of those.

Now, in the last two seasons, Paliotta has suited up for 68 and 52 games respectively. By AHL standards, that’s standard for a lineup regular. This year, however, he’s played a grand total of two.

Yes, two.

I’ve asked around and, as far as I can tell, he’s not injured. And he’s not away from the team for personal reasons. No, by all accounts, he’s just simply not playing. And that’s super weird.

Unless the two games he played were the worst ever played by a defenceman, I struggle to grasp why he’s barely seen the ice. Yes, the Marlies have ridiculous depth on their blue line. But, they do also play sets of back-to-backs nearly every weekend.

Are you telling me Paliotta couldn’t have cracked the lineup then, even just to give one D man a rest? Heck, half the Marlies top six were scratched for Saturday’s game, and he STILL didn’t slot in.

Paliotta is a decent player. Too decent to become the Marlies version of Josh Leivo. What worries me is that he’s now 24, the universal benchmark age for prospects to either break out or lag behind.

If he can’t get some playing time soon, his options may be limited moving forward.

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