The Toronto Maple Leafs' management has the opportunity to sit down and have long discussions regarding their 2024-25 roster with four days off between exhibition games.
On Monday afternoon, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that 2024 first-round pick Ben Danford was loaned back to the Oshawa Generals. Unfortunately for the Belleville, Ontario native, he was unable to play in any of the pre-season games after sustaining a concussion during the rookie camp in early September.
Danford, who sustained the injury on September 12, was not expected to contend or even have a long look in camp this year, but it would have been a good experience for the club's 31st overall pick.
Danford will now return for his third season with the Generals. After serving as the alternate captain of the club in 2023-24, the organization has yet to announce the captaincy for the upcoming year, which just might be waiting for him when he returns. Last year's captain, Stuart Rolofs, will continue his professional career in the East Coast Hockey League this upcoming season.
Toronto Maple Leafs Training Camp Cuts and Updates
Mark Masters reported that a handful of injured players were on the ice in non-contract sweaters ahead of Monday's practice.
John Tavares, who has played in two games so far this pre-season, sustained an injury Thursday night in Toronto when Montreal Canadiens depth forward Michael Pezzetta drove his knee into the former Maple Leafs captain's lower right thigh/knee area. Tavares played sparingly throughout the game and appeared to favor his leg throughout the contest.
The former first-round pick was having a strong start to his training camp, with a goal and four points in the first two contests.
Calle Järnkrok is fighting for a roster spot despite having two years left on his contract with a $2.1 million cap hit. The veteran forward of nearly 700 career games has dressed in just one pre-season game and has missed practices since late last week, and with each passing day, his spot on the team looks more bleak. Järnkrok missed 30 games last year, and now, with a lower-body injury, the team is moving on, so the current injury does not help with him sticking around.
2024 trade deadline acquisition Connor Dewar has yet to suit up in a game after having shoulder surgery last May. Initial reports back in the spring indicated that the team was expecting him to be ready for training camp; however, he has yet to take off the non-contact sweater. Dewar is expected to fill a role on the team's fourth line.
Jani Hakanpää has also yet to make his pre-season debut after having a serious knee injury last year and he remains in a non contact sweater.