Maple Leafs Make Surprising Roster Addition Ahead of Tuesday's Game Against Ottawa

On Monday, Max Pacioretty was placed on injured reserve and listed as week-to-week with a hamstring injury.

Pacioretty's injury coupled with the rather disheartening update regarding the injury to Auston Matthews has forced the Leafs to add another forward to their group.

On Tuesday morning, the Leafs announced that they recalled Alex Steeves from the Toronto Marlies.

When the Leafs placed newly-acquired defenseman Matt Benning on waivers on Monday, many expected Jani Hakanpaa to be activated from LTIR. That, however, appears not to be the case as the addition of Steeves fills the remaining open roster spot and has led to some concerns about the health of Max Domi and William Nylander as they both missed practice yesterday for what Craig Berube deemed 'maintenance'.

Steeves has been on fire to begin his season with the Marlies, scoring 9 times and adding 3 assists in just 10 games. The undrafted free agent, re-signed with the Leafs in August on a 1-year deal that carries a $775K cap hit.

Having seen just 7 NHL games since turning pro during the 2021-2022 season, Steeves has been a prominent contributor for the Marlies, producing 46, 51 and 57 points in his last three AHL seasons, but continues to hunt for his first NHL goal. Perhaps, if he draws into the lineup tonight, he'll score his first against a heated divisional rival.