Although the team hasn't officially announced it, their roster page includes a new member as Marshall Rifai has seemingly been called up from the Toronto Marlies.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently dealing with a bit of a question mark when it comes to the blue line. Chris Tanev is out and there's no indication for how long or what exactly is going on, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson has left back-to-back games and hasn't looked 100% so far this season.
The team could use an injection on the blue line and Nick Blankenburg seems to be the one for now, although the team may also be looking into adding Ben Danford to the mix after he was mysteriously absent from the Marlies game on Sunday.
Toronto adds another defender to the roster after Tanev injury
But a keener look at the Maple Leafs roster page on their official website shows that while they haven't announced anything - they did make a move.
Looking at the defensemen on the team, there are now eight players listed with Marshall Rifai added to the blue line although the club has yet to make the promotion official which could be due to the Thanksgiving weekend.
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Rifai, 28, has been with the organization since 2022-23 when he was signed out of Harvard, and has spent the majority of his time with the Marlies though has often been called up just to sit in the press box.
For his NHL career he has only three games played with zero points; a stark contrast to his AHL totals where he has 212 games played with 53 points and 298 PIM for the Marlies. It's unknown if he will be part of the new defensive makeup of the Maple Leafs or merely brought in as insurance.
Rifai may have only limited chances left
But if he does just hang around as insurance then it could be a sign that his time in Toronto is coming to an end. Even last year the team decided against giving him a longer look, only doing so when they basically were forced to.
He's been in the AHL for five years and has been critical to the Marlies' success but hasn't taken that next leap forward. He doesn't stand out in the AHL, and he plays a quiet yet physical game. He likes to fight, he likes getting in opponents' heads - but it hasn't translated to an NHL spot.
With Chris Tanev hurt then it does open up a spot for Rifai as someone who can step in and be that physical presence on the ice who blocks shots, but he pales in comparison to the level of defensive skill that Tanev brings. At this point though, give him a shot.
It's the only way to know if he's even going to factor into the team's plans going forward. If not? Then they should look to see if there's any interested teams willing to take him off their hands.
Should the Maple Leafs play Marshall Rifai?
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Maple Leafs make it official for Chris Tanev after injury against Colorado