Toronto Maple Leafs: Pontus Holmberg Gets Chance With Bertuzzi Injured

The Toronto Maple Leafs have made their first recall of the season from the Toronto Marlies on Friday Morning.

Mark Masters tweeted out that the Toronto Maple Leafs had recalled prospect Pontus Holmberg from the Marlies.

Masters also acknowledged that free agent acquisition Tyler Bertuzzi played through an injury on Thursday night against the Florida Panthers and one has to wonder if he has been playing through an injury to start the season as he has looked awful.

Holmberg was a sixth round selection in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the Maple Leafs after getting a pair of games as an 18-year old in the Swedish Hockey League.  After four full seasons in the SHL, the six foot forward joined the Marlies at the end of the 2021-22 season for a half dozen games.

Last season, Holmberg would dress in 37 games with the Maple Leafs and often received praise from coach Sheldon Keefe.  The Toronto Maple Leafs coach would comment that it was hard to find holes in the Swedish players game and that his attention to detail will make him an NHLer.

Holmberg looked like he had found a steady role on the Leafs last season, however, after an injury and the addition of Ryan O’Reilly he finished the year out with the Marlies where he would collect 22 points in 38 games, with an additional eight playoff points in seven games.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Holmberg Should Have Replaced David Kämpf

This past off-season, general manager Brad Treliving signed the now 24-year old to a two-year extension with a cap hit of $800,000.  The contract seemed like a perfect deal to help keep the Maple Leafs salary cap down and he looked to be the perfect replacement for David Kämpf as the third line center.

Unfortunately, Treliving handed Kämpf a four year deal worth three times the amount he was paying Holmberg.  To start the season, Holmberg found himself sent down to the Marlies after the emergence of Fraser Minten, however, that experiment appears to be coming to an end.

Through two games in the American Hockey League, Holmberg has collected a pair of points, including one goal.

It appears that Bertuzzi may be out for a few days, which will give Holmberg an opportunity to put a stake into staying with the team.

In a corresponding move, the Maple Leafs have sent defenseman Simon Benoit to the Toronto Marlies.  The undrafted 25-year old signed a one-year deal with the organization this off-season, but has yet to get into a game and had already cleared waivers.