The Toronto Maple Leafs are slowly getting healthy with the return of Max Pacioretty on Saturday night against Pittsburgh Penguins and it looks as though more will be coming off of the injured reserve list before their next game.
PuckPedia has added a section on each team page that shows expected returns of players and they have now listed Max Domi, Bobby McMann and Jake McCabe all as skaters for the Toronto Maple Leafs that look to be back in the line-up for Tuesday nights game against the New Jersey Devils.
With three players being activated from the injure reserve, just as many players need to come off the active roster list. The easiest solution is Marshall Rifai and Nikita Grebenkin will be returned to the Toronto Marlies as Rifai has yet to dress for a game this year and Grebenkin has fallen down the depth charts with coach Craig Berube.
The bigger debate is who will be the third player? Fraser Minten is a forward that does not require waivers, however, the 20-year old has looked like the best option at 3C this year as he has easily been a top nine forward if not higher since being recalled eight games ago.
Nearly every Maple Leafs fan and smart hockey person would say the simple solution would be placing Ryan Reaves waivers. It would be a blessing if a team would claim the soon to be 38-year old veteran, but it is unlikely anyone would pick him up due to his skill, cap hit and term. The former enforcer has no goals and just one assist through 19 games this year while not involving himself in any fights. The Leafs lose his minutes quite badly, and dressing him instead of Grebenkin is just insane. Unfortunately, every coach seems to have his special toy and it is no different for Berube as he appears to enjoy having Reaves in his line-up.
Who will be the odd man out for the Toronto Maple Leafs
This leaves the decision down to Nick Robertson or Alex Nylander to be the odd man out.
Both players would require waivers, but NIck Robertson is a significantly better NHL player right now and in the future. There is no real choice here.
With how the younger Nylander brother has looked this season there is a chance that he goes unclaimed. The former first round pick has shown glimpses of why he was a first round pick, but has been unable to have that extra touch to make him a bonified NHL player. Through five games this season, Nylander has yet to register a point while taking a pair of untimely penalties.
You can see the potential with Robertson as he has an elite level shot, but he has yet to be given the opportunity to play with someone like Marner who would help capitalize on his finishing touch. That chance does not appear to be on the horizon so it is likely he is on the outs, but there is an almost zero percent chance he would go unclaimed as there are several franchises that would be willing to give him that opportunity, so a trade makes more sense.
A realistic scenario is that the Leafs give Robertson more time, and Nylander is placed on waivers in order to be sent back to the Marlies.