Toronto Maple Leafs Make Several Roster Moves
The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced several roster moves. Defenseman T.J. Brodie has been activated off of injured reserve. goaltender Joseph Woll has been recalled from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies on an emergency basis, a move necessary since Matt Murray is still dealing with a lingering ankle issue.
Additionally, forward Bobby McMann has been loaned to the Marlies, and star center Auston Matthews has been placed on injured reserve.
These are quite a few moves to sort out, but a few come as no surprise. Matthews lands on injured reserve after recent news that he would be out for three weeks with a knee sprain. Matthews has scored 53 points in 47 games this season, a rate lower than what he posted in last year’s Hart Trophy-winning campaign, and Matthews’ injury-related absence was in part with the purpose of getting him closer to 100% health for the rest of the season.
Matthews’ placement on injured reserve, combined with McMann being sent to the Marlies, clears a roster spot for GM Kyle Dubas to work with. McMann heads back to the Marlies after an eight-game run with the Maple Leafs. The undrafted former Colgate Raider has had a strong AHL year so far, scoring 15 points in 17 games, although the NHL scoresheet has eluded him.
He’ll likely be an option for another recall later in the year should injuries require the team to dip into its reserve of forwards at the AHL level once again.
Woll, 24, has been recalled on an emergency basis, likely with the idea of him backing up starting netminder Ilya Samsonov. Woll is a 2016 third-round pick who has posted extremely strong numbers in the AHL this season since returning from injury. In 13 games played, Woll has gone 12-1 with a .928 save percentage.
For their final move of this series of transactions, the Maple Leafs have activated veteran blueliner Brodie off of injured reserve. Brodie has been out since the Maple Leafs’ January 7th contest against the Detroit Red Wings. His addition back to the roster gives the team eight defensemen on their active roster, so it’s possible another move could be coming if the team is looking to carry just seven, which is the traditional amount teams like to keep on their roster.
With Brodie back into the mix, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe now has his blueline nearly back to full health after sustaining some significant injury issues over the course of this season. The status of veteran Jake Muzzin is still, of course, unclear, but with Brodie back into the fold, the team’s blueline is significantly stronger.
While the team may not be able to catch the league-leading Boston Bruins without an extremely hot run of results, adding Brodie back into the mix should help them solidify their second-place spot in the Atlantic Division.
Toronto Maple Leafs Recall Bobby McMann
The Toronto Maple Leafs are rewarding one of their organizational depth players, recalling Bobby McMann from the minor leagues. T.J. Brodie has been moved to injured reserve after missing the last game with an undisclosed injury.
McMann, 26, has never been recalled previously, having only signed his first NHL contract last April. The undrafted forward out of the AJHL played four years at Colgate University and then spent parts of two season in the ECHL before finding a permanent home with the Toronto Marlies last year. In 61 games he scored 24 goals, and was routinely called out by the organizations a player who could battle for a fourth-line role in the NHL.
After another strong start this season – McMann has 15 points in 17 games – he’ll finally get his chance at the NHL. Whether the left-shot forward actually gets into the lineup is a different story, though the Maple Leafs have had a bit of a moving target for their fourth line so far. Dryden Hunt, Wayne Simmonds, and even Zach-Aston Reese at times have come out of the lineup, potentially opening a door for McMann to make his debut.
Still, he’ll be the 14th forward on the roster, so unless someone else is dealing with an injury this could just be a reward for strong play. McMann will earn a lot more while in the NHL, and the Maple Leafs are already in long-term injury relief, meaning they can’t accrue extra cap space for the deadline.
Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Bobby McMann
The Toronto Maple Leafs have rewarded one of their standout AHL performers with an NHL contract, signing Bobby McMann to a two-year, two-way deal that will start next season. The contract carries an average annual value of $762.5K. McMann is currently playing on a minor league deal.
If you want an example of how a development system can make a difference, McMann is a strong example of how Toronto has poured resources into that side of the organization. Undrafted and unsigned by any NHL team out of Colgate University, he joined the Toronto Marlies on a two-year AHL contract in 2020 and started his professional career with the Wichita Thunder of the ECHL. After playing well there he ended up with the Marlies, but it was obvious that McMann wasn’t quite ready to contribute at that level. In 21 AHL games, he registered just four points.
This season he once again spent time in the ECHL with the Newfoundland Growlers but has been on the Marlies roster for most of the year. Recently, he set the team rookie record with 24 goals and has 35 points in 60 games overall. Now signed to an NHL contract he’ll have an opportunity to keep climbing the ladder.
Earning your first NHL deal a few months before turning 26 certainly isn’t the normal path to the NHL, and McMann will obviously have to continue his hard work if he ever wants to pull on a Maple Leafs sweater. But given the fact that Toronto is often pushing right up to the 50-contract limit for the organization, being one of them means they obviously see enough in him to warrant something greater than another AHL extension.