Maple Leafs place depth forward on waivers as roster changes begin
Photo credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs are making sure their bottom-six is as good as it can be, and with the return of some players, Sammy Blais became a waiver casualty.
It's a positive development that the Maple Leafs are getting a trio of players back on Wednesday night as the team will have captain Auston Matthews as well as Matthews Knies and Nic Roy back in the lineup after missing with various injuries.
It could help a team that has been working to move past a rocky start, and there is going to be a lot attention on how their return affects the rest of the lineup.
However with their return and the rest of the roster staying put, Toronto needed roster and cap space and to accommodate for that, forward Sammy Blais was placed on waivers Wednesday afternoon.
The news was reported by Sportsnet Hockey Insider Elliotte Friedman on X.
Why the Leafs chose Blais, and what it signals about the next moves
Blais was claimed off waivers from the Montreal Canadiens by Toronto right before the season kicked off as the team was dealing with some early season injuries.
Blais, 29, skated in 8 games for the Maple Leafs this season, registering three points, four PIM, and a minus-two rating though did have 28 hits over that span.
He was primarily used as depth while the team dealt with their injury concerns as well as adding size and physicality to the lineup, and a player Berube has coached before.
Blais will have 24 hours to be claimed by a team, at which point after he will be assigned to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League.
For his career, Blais has suited up for three teams -- St. Louis, Toronto, and the New York Rangers. He has 74 points in 265 games (28 goals, 46 assists) while adding 126 PIM and 863 hits.
Blais was a helpful addition to the Maple Leafs but with players returning, roster competition has made it difficult for Blais to keep a spot.
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