Leafs with appear to be making a couple of roster moves ahead of Tuesday's game in Pittsburgh
The Leafs are the current owners of an 8-5-3 record through the team's first 16 games and while that certainly doesn't stand out on paper, it is worth noting that they're currently the 2nd best team in the Atlantic Division, tied for 4th best team in the Eastern Conference and they're also tied for 6th in the overall league standings.
Coming off of an inspired 3-2 win over the visiting Vancouver Canucks on Saturday after honouring Leafs legend Borje Salming, the Leafs are now headed on the road to face off against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday and it would appear as though there are a couple of roster moves in the works.
During Monday's practice, forward Nick Robertson joined Wayne Simmonds in skating as an extra, while injured winger Kyle Clifford shed his red non-contact sweater for a regular bottom six jersey. In addition, Marlies call-up Pontus Holmberg also suited up in bottom six white.
The Leafs appear to be preparing for a tougher matchup in Pittsburgh, with the addition of Clifford to the lineup. Being on the road, the Buds won't be in control of the matchups, so having a guy like Clifford in the lineup to help dissuade the Pens from taking liberties on the Leafs' stars is probably a wise move.
As for Holmberg, who made his NHL debut against the Philadelphia Flyers on November 2nd, he's one of those players who has a relentless work ethic, not unlike Robertson. He isn't the same caliber of prospect, but he is better suited for a bottom-six role, as Robertson is more of a skilled player who needs to play with other skilled players in order to make the type of impact that he's capable of. It's certainly been a disappointing campaign for Robertson after a very promising start. It's anyone's guess what happens with him at this point. I could see another AHL stint in his near future if he can't find his way onto the scoresheet more consistently. It's what you need from your top six guys.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 14 | 260 ANSWERS Leafs with appear to be making a couple of roster moves ahead of Tuesday's game in Pittsburgh Will Nick Robertson be sent back down to the AHL for another stint in the minors? | ||
| No | 113 | 43.5 % |
| Yes | 89 | 34.2 % |
| It would be the right thing to do right now | 58 | 22.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
