Could Wayne Simmonds' time in Toronto be coming to an abrupt end?

Prior to the goaltending crisis in Toronto, the Leafs were rumoured to be in the market for an impact winger to play in the team's top six. The club had also been rumoured to have checked in on depth winger Tyler Motte in Vancouver to bolster the bottom six. The big question there is, if the Leafs made a move to bring in a winger, which forward would be waived or scratched?

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman made a very surprising comment relating to the Leafs' 4th line, and two veteran players in particular, during his most recent edition of 32 Thoughts. Friedman had suggested that the Leafs are not satisfied with the team's 4th line right now and are looking to address some of the issues there by adding a forward at the deadline. As far as who might come out of the lineup, both Wayne Simmonds and Jason Spezza were mentioned by name.

This information, if you're going off of performance alone, is not exactly shocking, as both Simmonds and Spezza appear to have lost a step this season. Spezza, 38, has the luxury of also playing center, which may give him a leg-up on Simmonds, who plays on the wing.

Another interesting thing to note here is that Simmonds has been scratched in favour of the younger Kyle Clifford, who is also a natural left wing - a position that the Leafs are not as deep at. Simmonds, primarily a right winger, has just 14 points in 57 games for the Leafs this season.

Could the Leafs be preparing to waive or trade Simmonds? Well, the 33-year-old was not on the ice for the optional skate on Thursday. As They Hockey News' Mikey Stephens points out, scratches normally take the optional skate. It could mean nothing at all, and we could see him suit up or as a healthy scratch against the Canes, or we could see him waived at 2pm ET or traded sometime before the deadline now that he has hit his 1000-games milestone.