According to multiple reports, the Toronto Maple Leafs have placed Finnish center Kalle Kossila on waivers.
Per Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston, the Toronto Maple Leafs made the move to waive 27-year-old center Kalle Kossila, who will most likely spend next season in the minors.
The NHL season is set to begin on January 13th, but the AHL has not officially made any announcements over when a 2021 season may begin for the top North American minor league.
Waivers officially began for NHL teams today and the Toronto Maple Leafs moved quickly to place the former undrafted forward on the wire, likely seeing him spend another season in the minors after predominantly playing there throughout his professional career.
Kossila an AHL Stalwart
After playing his juniors career in Finland, the middle of three brothers moved to St. Cloud State University, where he had a strong four-year tenure in the NCAA. Across his career with the Huskies, Kossila scored 48 goals and registered 153 total points in 157 regular-season games and earned both team and individual honours. (Stats via EliteProspects).
His second season (13/14) in North American college saw Kossila help his team to the Penrose Cup as the regular season champions of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC). Kossila was named the NCHC’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year in his third season with the Huskies, although the team were unable to replicate their strong performances from the year prior.
His final season at St. Cloud State saw Kossila named to the NCHC’s second All-Star team as well as seeing the Huskies finish the campaign as champions, with the 5-foot-10, 185lbs center ending the year in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls – the minor league affiliates of the Anaheim Ducks.
Kossila impressed immediately in the minors, with two goals and two assists in six regular season games before scoring two goals in a seven-game stretch in the post-season. Since making the step up to the professional level, Kossila has been a mainstay in the AHL, with 182 regular season games (54G, 93A) and 33 playoff games (7G, 8A) already under his belt.
He has had fleeting appearances in the NHL, all of which came with the Ducks, before he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization as a free agent prior to the 2019/20 season – signing a two-year, $700,000 contract.
Injuries hampered Kossila greatly last season, limiting him to just 12 regular-season games with the Toronto Marlies, which he had three goals and six total points.
With the future of the 2021 AHL season up in the air, the Leafs opted to loan Kossila to EHC Red Bull Munchen of the German top tier earlier this month, where he has made two appearances to date.