While much of the news today involving the Leafs has been positive, there is something strange occurring this afternoon. The Leafs didn't announce it formally on their official Twitter account, but Rasmus Sandin has been lent to the Marlies - at least on paper. This is very odd indeed since both Sportsnet and Rasmus' father Patrick seem to think he's playing tonight.
Stranger still, several outlets, including David Alter of The Hockey News, are reporting that Jake Muzzin will be scratched tonight in favour of *checks notes* Alex Biega?
I can see 3 possible explanations here.
1. The Leafs are in a cap crunch at the moment. They finally have all of their forwards healthy, something they haven't had all year. They may be making difficult lineup choices based on the salary cap to stay compliant for game time.
2. Muzzin and Sandin have both been out of commission for a little while, they may not be 100% ready to play.
3. A move is imminent. The Leafs can't ice their full roster at the moment without being over the cap. These odd moves may be a precursor to a trade.
If we don't have more clarity within the next hour or so, we should receive some answers closer to puck drop tonight. Regardless of the situation, let's focus on the good here! The Leafs are back in action at 7pm tonight!