Toronto Maple Leafs: Ranking Positional Injury Call-Ups
The Toronto Maple Leafs roster is nearly set and, barring a wild turn of events, fans can expect the final two “cuts” to be Soshnikov and Prust.
But who is first in line at their positions to get called up to the Toronto Maple Leafs if there’s an injury?
Let’s take a run through the goaltenders, wingers, defense and centers.
Goaltenders
Garret Sparks has to be the first in line for a call-up if there’s an injury to either Enroth or Andersen.
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Antoine Bibeau was simply awful during the pre-season and was given plenty of opportunity to make a case for himself and failed.
The likely scenario is that Bibeau starts the year as the backup with the Marlies, though they tend to rotate goaltenders more often.
Bibeau’s poor play in the pre-season has forced the Toronto Maple Leafs organization to forget about how bad Sparks was during the race to Auston Matthews last year and hand him the reigns for his chance at redemption.
Defensemen
Given the Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to carry eight defenders all year, it will take a few injuries to generate a call-up from the Toronto Marlies.
If it does happen, though, it should be Andrew Nielsen.
Nielsen looked much better than Valiev and Loov and brings the offensive attributes that neither of those defenders can offer.
The defensive position is driven now by puck moving defenders who have an offensive side. That’s Nielsen.
Again, it will take more than one blueline injury to bring anyone up, but Nielsen should be the first phone call that Lamoriello makes if a double injury happens.
Wingers
While Nikita Soshnikov is the likely front-runner, he may get a spot regardless of injuries when he becomes 100% healthy and in game shape.
If Soshnikov does find himself on the roster prior to an injury to any Leafs wingers then the first call should be to Kerby Rychel.
Rychel is an NHL player right now and would be a welcome addition to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The case could be made for Kasperi Kapanen but I think it’s in Kapanen’s best interest to play an uninterrupted season with the Marlies and work on becoming the player the Leafs (and Penguins) know he can become.
Center
The Leafs aren’t deep down the middle outside of what they have in the NHL already, so it’s likely that Byron Froese is the first call-up in an injury situation.
Frederik Gauthier wasn’t very good in his showing last year and, like Kapanen, could benefit from an uninterrupted season with the Marlies.
The wildcard at center is that the Leafs don’t call-up a center, instead opting for a winger and placing someone like William Nylander or Zach Hyman in the middle.
In that scenario the secondary leading candidate for the wing should be Leipsic or Lindberg, if only so the Leafs can get a better gauge of those players as to where they stand in the organization.
There has to be some sort of development pyramid that keeps certain players in the AHL for extended time. Gauthier and Kapanen should be in that pyramid, while Leipsic and Lindberg can be given the depth chance that their ceiling fits.
Recap
G: Sparks
D: Nielsen
W: Soshnikov/Rychel
C: Froese/Winger
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