Toronto Maple Leafs: Rasmus Sandin Staying With Marlies

When the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Rasmus Sandin in the first round of the 2018 entry draft, they faced a trio of options as to where their newest defenceman would play for the time being.

A product of unique logistical circumstances, Sandin is granted a type of flexibility few his age ever are, having spent the 2017-18 season with the OHL’s Sault St. Marie Greyhounds on loan from the SHL.

Belonging, in a technical sense, to two different clubs gives Sandin the eligibility to ply his craft for the coming season in one of three separate leagues. Leagues, mind you, each offering their own unique benefits.

Whether opting to head back to the Soo for a final spin in junior, returning home to honour his contract with the SHL’s Rogle, or making the North American leap to join the Marlies, Sandin was at least afforded the requisite time in the summer to plan for a decision of this magnitude and weigh the personal effects.

What he couldn’t plan for, however, was injury.

Continuing along with the Leafs throughout training camp and into the preseason, and looking positively at home against NHL competition to boot, Sandin was inevitably jettisoned to the Marlies in late September to participate in their own preseason schedule, further acclimating to his potential new home.

It’s here where Sandin proceeded to sprain his thumb, a seemingly mundane yet nagging ailment shelving him for the Marlies’ first 8 games of the season and belaying any final call on his ultimate landing spot.

Now healthy, that final call appears to have been made.

Sandin unexpectedly hit the ice for warm-ups on Tuesday night prior to the Marlies’ bout with the Laval rocket – his first time skating with the team in a game-specific capacity – and although he took only close-range shots while consciously avoiding strenuous activity to his thumb area, things seemed pretty clear.

Sandin is healthy, with Sheldon Keefe confirming exactly that to reporters in his post-game media conference and voicing the intention to have Sandin fully cleared as soon as possible and inserted into game action within the week.

And thus ends months of speculation. The plan, at the time of publishing, is for Sandin to stay with the Marlies this year moving forward. That is the plan. Now, plans can change, and often do, but right now, the organization ultimately views Sandin as a Marlie and will continue to do so until they say otherwise.

In fact, the young Swede could debut as early as this week.

Friday night against the Syracuse Crunch stands to be the Marlies’ final home game before the Royal Winter’s Fair begins its annual invasion of Coca-Cola Coliseum and sends them on a road trip spanning from October 27th – November 17th. The Marlies would almost certainly rather have Sandin make his return on home ice rather than amidst a notoriously gruelling stretch of travel within a foreign facility.

Easing him back in is obviously the best play here, and there’s no better way to accomplish that than having Sandin find his footing nestled amongst friendly confines.

Regardless of whether he debuts this week or next, news of Rasmus Sandin’s health is positive nonetheless. His developmental path has now truly begun. And that, folks, is what really matters.

Thanks for reading!