Leafs call up young blueliner from the Toronto Marlies

The Toronto Maple Leafs have completed a transaction on Friday, calling up defenseman Mac Hollowell from the AHL's Toronto Marlies. The move is a curious one, given the glut of defenders already on the Leafs' roster, and it has led to some trade speculation on social media.

It is very possible that Hollowell has been called up on an off day to earn a day of NHL pay, as he is on a two-way contract, meaning that his pay differs depending on which league's roster he is on. The Leafs have done this on multiple occasions this season already, so it does stand to reason that this could be the case.

However, the Leafs have long been rumoured to be looking at an upgrade on the blueline. Perhaps a team has targeted one of the Leafs' right-shot defenders, specifically Timothy Liljegren. If that's the case, the Leafs might want Hollowell skating with the team as the 7th or 8th defenseman to get some reps in with the Leafs at practice in case he is called upon down the stretch.

The one name that stands out on the market who the Leafs are rumoured to have kicked tires on is Arizona's Jakob Chychrun, who has recently begun taking regular shifts on the right side of the ice, despite having played on the left throughout his career.

Could a young, budding, right-shot defender like Liljegren be one of the primary pieces in a deal for a defender like Chychrun? He certainly fits the mold of what the Arizona Coyotes might be looking for in a package for Chychrun, who is signed for 3 more seasons at $4.6M per season.

Either way, we'll have our answer before long. If the Leafs send Hollowell back down tomorrow, it's likely that his recall was for a day of NHL pay. However, I'm hopeful that we'll see a move to address an immediate roster need.

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