Veteran defenseman released from his PTO with the Leafs

Back on October 19th, amid some uncertainty on the Leafs' blueline, the organization opted for an insurance option in veteran defenseman Danny DeKeyser in the form of a PTO with the Toronto Marlies. Well, according to The Score's Kyle Cushman, DeKeyser's PTO has come to an end and the 32-year-old has been released.

DeKeyser, a 547-game NHL veteran, played just 3 games as a member of the Marlies, scoring 1 goal and finishing as a +1. With the Leafs being at the 50-contract limit, it didn't make much sense to keep DeKeyser around, as there would be no spot available to him even if he deserved a shot with the Leafs.

With DeKeyser being released, he is now able to sign with any team he pleases. It's tough to imagine that there won't be at least a couple of suitors, given the length of time he's been in the league and the fact that, at 32, he still has some quality hockey years left in him.

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