Today was supposed to be a busy day for the NHL waiver wire ahead of the roster deadline, although the Toronto Maple Leafs mostly stayed on the sidelines.
Earlier today, 70 players were placed on waivers as NHL teams attempt to get their rosters together ahead of Monday's deadline.
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Interestingly enough, among these 70 players, there isn't a single Toronto Maple Leaf. While the Leafs are still expected to cut a few players and even put one more on waivers, the team is waiting until the last possible moment.
Who else can go on waivers?
The Maple Leafs are likely to put William Villeneuve on the waiver wire, and it is easy to see why. While he deserves an NHL chance, there just isn't enough space for him on the team.
In the aftermath of the signing of Nick Blankenburg, there are just too many cooks in the kitchen, and this makes it difficult for Villeneuve to find his place on the roster.
At this point, he is going to have to go back to the AHL and wait for an injury to occur. Then perhaps the Leafs will contemplate calling him up.
What's next for the Leafs?
Tomorrow, the Maple Leafs will finalize their opening night roster ahead of Tuesday night's matchup against the Montreal Canadiens.
It's a game that fans have been waiting for, and there is lots of curiosity surrounding what the starting lineups are going to look like for this game. Although we doubt it's anything fans aren't already expecting.
Guys like Auston Matthews, Gavin McKenna, John Tavares, William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, and Sergei Bobrovsky are locks for the roster.
Meanwhile, it is expected that young guys like Easton Cowan and even Bo Groulx are going to end up on the roster, which is something worth watching.
Overall, the Leafs still have work to do over the next 24 hours, and it's curious that they did not rip the band-aid off. That said, fans just have that much more to look forward to in short order.
Do you believe the Toronto Maple Leafs are making the right moves?
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