Leafs announce a few significant roster changes, including one surprising potential scratch
After overcoming adversity and coming out victorious in their first two games of the season, despite training in both games, the Toronto Maple Leafs have now lost back-to-back games in the form of a 4-1 defeat to Chicago and most recently a 3-1 loss to the Florida Panthers to move to 2-2-0 on the season.
The offense fired 30 shots towards Sergei Bobrovsky, 35 shots towards Arvid Soderblom, 33 towards Filip Gustavsson, and 42 towards Jake Allen, so the chances are there, but the finish hasn't quite followed suit in recent games.
At today's practice, Sheldon Keefe switched things up a little at practice. Tyler Bertuzzi remained on the top line with Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Matthew Knies skated on John Tavares' wings, David Kampf moved up to center Max Domi and Calle Jarnkrok on a new-look third line and then Noah Gregor, Pontus Holmberg, and Ryan Reaves rounded out the forward group on an altered fourth line.
One name was omitted from that list and it's the 19-year-old Fraser Minten, who for all intents and purposes appears to be a healthy scratch tomorrow night in Tampa Bay if the lines remain the same.
Minten's 4 games to date:
vs Montreal: 0 points, minus-1 rating, 1 shot on goal, 11:32 TOI
vs Minnesota: 0 points, plus-1 rating, 0 shots, 14:00 TOI
vs Chicago: 0 points, even-rating, 1 shot on goal, 11:25 TOI
@ Florida: 0 points, even-rating, 2 PIMs, 1 shot on goal, 8:47 TOI
After grabbing hold of a spot out of training camp, Sheldon Keefe and Brad Treliving had stated that it's not about seeing if he can hang in the NHL as a 19-year-old. It's more about seeing if he can help the team win games. So far, Minten has played to mixed results and hasn't quite stood out on a consistent basis, though it bears mentioning that he has created a number of solid chances. If he can find a way to convert on them moving forward, perhaps he'll make a case for himself that he belongs on the roster beyond the 9-game trial.
After recalling Holmberg earlier today, perhaps the Maple Leafs will decide to send Minten back to the Kamloops Blazers in the WHL to dominate, develop, and come back even better in 2024. However, for the time being he remains a Toronto Maple Leaf, presumably for at least the next couple of weeks until his 9-game trial run ends and the Leafs are forced to make a decision.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 20 | 200 ANSWERS Leafs announce a few significant roster changes, including one surprising potential scratch If the Leafs plan to scratch Fraser Minten, should they just send him down to the WHL to dominate for one more year of junior? | ||
| Yes, if he can't stand out, send him down | 152 | 76 % |
| No, this is probably just one game off | 11 | 5.5 % |
| Hard to say. He's young, but looks ready | 37 | 18.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
