The Toronto Maple Leafs had to do some roster juggling on Tuesday (Nov. 19) and Wednesday (Nov. 20), as injuries and a five-game suspension to Ryan Reaves have decimated the team’s forward group.
David Kampf was moved to long-term injured reserve (LTIR) on Wednesday after being placed on regular injured reserve (IR) on Tuesday because of a lower-body injury. His initial designation prompted the recall of Fraser Minten from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL) in a corresponding move. On Wednesday, the Maple Leafs added Max Domi to the team’s lengthy IR list due to a lingering lower-body issue and brought up Nikita Grebenkin from the minors.
Injuries Continue to Pile Up
Due to a light schedule, Domi will be eligible to be activated ahead of Sunday’s (Nov. 24) home matchup against Utah Hockey Club. However, it would probably benefit him to sit out additional contests to ensure his injury doesn’t become a long-term headache. He had been skipping practices for maintenance while labouring through games. He hasn’t scored a goal through 19 outings this season and went 13 straight contests without a point before being shut down by the organization to mend his injury. Kampf’s ailment was far less noticeable, and his placement on LTIR will sideline him until at least Dec. 14 against the Detroit Red Wings. The Leafs utilized the cap space from the move to call up Grebenkin, according to PuckPedia. Max Pacioretty, out with a lower-body injury, and Calle Jarnkrok, recovering from groin and sports hernia surgery, are also on LTIR.
Auston Matthews is a different story. He has missed six straight games due to an upper-body injury and will not play against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday (Nov. 20). Eyebrows were raised when the team announced Matthews was in Munich, Germany, to receive treatment. However, the team has repeatedly reported that no setbacks have occurred, and surgery is not on the table. For what it’s worth, Matthews has previously worked with the doctor in Munich, and the Leafs’ team physician accompanied him on the trip. Treliving hasn’t ruled out a return for Matthews against the Hockey Club; however, he believes a potential return to action is more likely during the team’s upcoming two-game road trip, which includes contests against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday (Nov. 27) and Saturday (Nov. 30), respectively.
Leafs Turn To In-House Replacements
Alex Steeves was summoned from the minors on an emergency basis on Nov. 12. He made his season debut versus the Washington Capitals a day later, logging 14:09 of ice time while posting three shots on goal and one hit. The 24-year-old centre-turned-winger has nine goals and 12 points through 10 AHL appearances this season.
Minten and Grebenkin will join Steeves in the lineup versus the Golden Knights. The 20-year-old Minten has hit the ground running in the AHL, providing two goals and two assists in five outings following his recovery from a high-ankle sprain. Grebenkin has generated four goals and 10 points through 13 minor-league showings. Even though injuries made the transactions necessary, all three forwards made viable cases for themselves to see time at the NHL level this campaign.
Minten has been long thought to be a potential solution for the team’s third-line centre hole. Ideally, he would have spent more time in the minors before reporting to the big club. Still, his hot play and versatility in all situations could help put him in the mix for an NHL roster spot sooner than expected.
Related: Maple Leafs’ Minten Earned His Call-Up & Deserves a Chance to Stay in the NHL
Grebenkin finds himself in a similar situation, though the need to have him in the lineup probably isn’t as pronounced because of his position. He turned heads with his impressive play at training camp (from ‘LEAFS NOTES: Nikita Grebenkin making noise as camp enters new phase,’ Toronto Sun, Sept. 21, 2024). His willingness to engage, his high compete level and his ability to play with and without the puck were evident during his preseason performances. After the numbers game forced him to start the 2024-25 season in the AHL, he will finally get to make his NHL debut.
Minten and Grebenkin Could Be Valuable Depth Pieces
Minten and Grebenkin likely won’t stick with the team for the remainder of the campaign. It’s too early in the season, and another roster crunch will come soon. Matthews and Domi may not be out for much longer. Still, Minten and Grebenkin can set themselves up nicely by making good impressions. If they prove they are ready for NHL roles, it could impact what management does ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.
Even when the club was healthy, the Leafs required depth down the middle and would greatly benefit from acquiring additional right-wing forwards. It more than likely won’t prevent Treliving from engaging with GMs from other teams to enhance the lineup, but Minten, a centre, and Grebenkin, a right winger, can raise their profiles and impact the decision-making process if they deliver depth scoring and consistency in the bottom six. They could become replacements if the Leafs deal away roster players in the pursuit to upgrade the roster via trades. As a result, their call-ups could serve as integral auditions.
