Game Day skate features very few Leafs and none of the team's top players

While morning skates are optional, we have seen, in recent years, a rather large attendance rate for these skates. However, today's skate was pretty ill-attended, with just 6 players suiting up for the occasion. Per Leafs reporter David Alter, only Mark Giordano, Noah Gregor, Ilya Samsonov, Fraser Minten, David Kampf and Pontus Holmberg have elected to skate today.

Giordano, Holmberg, Gregor and Kampf will all play against the Caps tonight, with Samsonov playing backup to Joseph Woll and Minten is expected to watch above from the press box for the 2nd straight game.

This early in the season, with the Leafs having played just 5 games, it's somewhat alarming to see so few Leafs on the ice, even if just briefly. It could simply be that with the team being on a 5-game road trip, the coaching staff wants most of the top guys to remain well-rested. However, from a leadership perspective, when none of the top guys are attending these skates, what sort of message is that sending to the rest of the group?

After completing a thrilling comeback win over the Tampa Bay Lightning this weekend, the Leafs are surely hoping to be able to string together a few more wins to close out their 5-game road trip. Currently sitting with a 3-2-0 record, the Buds have two more games on their road trip after tonight's tilt with Washington, with games against the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators awaiting this week.