Toronto Maple Leafs reassigned six players from the main club on Wednesday as they look to solidify their final 23-man roster ahead of opening night on Oct. 2.
Nicholas Baptiste, Colt Conrad, Joseph Duszak, Mac Hollowell, Jesper Lindgren, and Kristians Rubins, will join Marlies camp that has been ongoing since Sept. 24.
None of the players are required to pass through waivers, as each of them is signed to an Entry-Level Contract or AHL deal.
The NHL club is now left with 46 players, at least 23 of which will be gone before rosters are finalized before the first regular season game.
Each team, according to the NHL, must produce a minimum roster of 20 players, comprised of 18 skaters and two goalies. Individuals placed on Injured Reserve do not count towards the 23-man maximum.
“There’s still quite a few roster decisions to be made,” said Babcock, to media one day prior to the cuts. “Each year, every player has something different (to offer) at camp, and whether you’re a guy who already has power-play time (or penalty kill).
“Everyone wants extra, so that’s what’s available and everybody’s trying to make the team.”
Among the former Marlies that remain with the NHL club, Rasmus Sandin and Dmytro Timashov appear to have a grasp on the remaining roster spots. They suited up with the projected starting lineup on Wednesday as Toronto hosted the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena.
