Maple Leafs make big lineup changes after another bad loss

The Maple Leafs made some more lineup changes on Sunday, recalling Vinni Lettieri only hours after demoting him, while Artur Ahkytamov has suddenly vanished.

Less than 24 hours after suffering a tough loss to the Canadiens and losing Morgan Rielly to a lower-body injury, the Maple Leafs are making even more changes ahead of their game against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.

They initially called up Cole McWard from the Toronto Marlies in order to cover for the loss of Rielly, and in doing so they sent down forward Vinni Lettieri in order to make room for him.

Lettieri back up only hours after demotion as Maple Leafs shuffle the lineup

But only hours after that move, Lettieri is reportedly back in the lineup and potentialy part of tonight's game. Meanwhile, backup goaltender Artur Ahktyamov - who was called up to backup Anthony Stolarz on Sunday was nowhere to be seen:

Jim Hiller to speak pre-game at 4:45.

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McWard and Akhtyamov have yet to make an appearance for the Maple Leafs this season, meanwhile Lettieri has appeared in eight games and has registered one goal, nine blocks and 24 hits in 9:54 TOI.

Toronto's in tough for the next week so these may not be the only moves

With the Maple Leafs playing a ton of hockey over the next week, dealing with injuries, and making roster moves left and right shows that things are getting a little dire.

They don't have an infinite supply of players, and right now their defensive group is thinning out by the day. It wouldn't be surprising to see Letteri and potentially another player sent down but it would need to be a defenseman - thus thinning out things even more.

Right now, the team is depending on McWard, Dakota Mermis...and that's about it. They can't rely on Ben Danford because of tagging rules, and any other moves they make externally have to follow those same rules.

That won't necessarily stop John Chayka and the Maple Leafs from finding solutions to their problems, but it won't be easy. With how much the team is scrambling to sort things out hours before game time - they might be ready to act much sooner than later.

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