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How Do the Toronto Maple Leafs Deal With the Return of Zach Hyman?

By Nick Barden

MONTREAL, QC - OCTOBER 26: Look on Toronto Maple Leafs center Jason Spezza (19) during the Toronto Maple Leafs versus the Montreal Canadiens game on October 26, 2019, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - OCTOBER 26: Look on Toronto Maple Leafs center Jason Spezza (19) during the Toronto Maple Leafs versus the Montreal Canadiens game on October 26, 2019, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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While the Toronto Maple Leafs get set for the next month of the season, there’s still questions about who gets sent down once Zach Hyman returns.

Zach Hyman is looking to return to the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup next week after having knee surgery to repair a torn ACL this past summer.

The team will welcome him back with open arms, but will also have to say goodbye to a few players in the process.

Earlier this week, it was reported that the Maple Leafs are looking to move Nic Petan, who’s been in and out of the lineup since he was traded here last season.

Another player who will likely be sent down is Martin Marincin. After Travis Dermott’s return and how good Justin Holl has been playing on the right-side, it’s likely we see the 27-year-old get waived.

For Hyman to return, the Toronto Maple Leafs need to clear three spots to cover $2.25 million in cap space.

We have two, but there needs to be one more.

It was always going to be tough for the Toronto Maple Leafs once this moment came. Moving one player so that he can have a chance to play (Petan) and sending down one who will likely clear waivers (Marincin), but now for the hard part — who’s next?

Three names I have in mind are Nick Shore, Dmytro Timashov and Jason Spezza.

All three have played considerably well and it will be hard to decide who gets put on waivers.

There’s many ways to look at who’s had the best impact on the Toronto Maple Leafs so far.

Points:

Timashov: 4 points in 11 games (1G, 3A)

Spezza: 2 points in 8 games (2A)

Shore: 1 point in 11 games (1A)

Corsi For % at Even Strength:

Spezza: 55.8 CF%

Timashov: 45.9 CF%

Shore: 41.5 CF%

It’s clear that Shore is the player to be sent down, right?

Not so fast — there’s one category that hasn’t been looked at yet; faceoff win percentage.

This is one category that Shore leads in. He boasts a 61.9 FO%, while Spezza has a 45.6 FO%.

Shore also has three more games played than Spezza and 27 more faceoffs taken. Either way, you’re taking a chance on either of these players.

A veteran of over 1000 games in Spezza, or Shore — who’s averaged 50% in the faceoff circle in his entire career, which Spezza has done too.

Next. Why Would the Leafs Cut Four Players and Play Short Handed?. dark

Either way, it’s clear that it has to be one of these two. Both are on one year deals and being right shot centremen.

Then again, there could always be a trade. 

This will be one of the final big decisions that Kyle Dubas and Mike Babcock make this season (other than at the trade deadline, maybe). It better be a good one that will pay off because if not, there will be a lot of questions that need to be answered.

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