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Maple Leafs Assign Marshall Rifai To AHL On Conditioning Loan

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The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that defenseman Marshall Rifai has been assigned to the club’s AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, on a conditioning loan.

Rifai has spent the entirety of this season so far on long-term injured reserve after undergoing wrist surgery in September. He sustained the injury during a preseason contest against the Montreal Canadiens. The 27-year-old didn’t play any NHL games in 2024-25, but was looking to make a push for consideration to land on the NHL roster this year. His injury stopped him from making his case in preseason and training camp, but now he appears to be nearing a return to full health.

Rifai will be able to spend up to 14 days or five games, whichever comes first, on this conditioning loan. For Rifai to be eligible for reassignment to the Marlies on a permanent basis, he will need to clear waivers.

The 6’2″, 211-pound defenseman was an undrafted signing out of Harvard University that Toronto made in 2022. He scored 16 points and logged 118 penalty minutes in his AHL rookie campaign in 2022-23 and earned his first two NHL games in 2023-24, the only two NHL games of his career thus far.

While Toronto has had to deal with several defensive injuries so far in 2025-26, it’s unclear whether those absences will be enough to secure Rifai a spot on the NHL roster. Given his level of experience thus far, it feels as though the far likelier outcome is that he lands on waivers for reassignment to the Marlies permanently.

The fact that Rifai is signed to a one-way $775K AAV contract with an additional year of term on it does make it likelier that, in the event that he is waived, he’ll be able to clear.

While a team such as the Maple Leafs, who are one of the most deep-pocketed teams in the NHL, can afford to pay NHL salaries to key AHL call-up options, other clubs simply don’t have the same level of financial muscle and therefore are more frugal when it comes to expenditures on AHL players.

This impacts a team’s ability to protect its waiver-eligible depth from claims by rival teams, as players with a lower financial commitment required are often seen as more suitable, low-risk candidates to be claimed on waivers.

To illustrate this reality, one can take a look at the nearby Buffalo Sabres, as there is a clear comparable defenseman to Rifai: former Quinnipiac Bobcat Zach Metsa. Like Rifai, Metsa is also a 27-year-old undrafted player who signed out of the NCAA. While Rifai has an additional full year of AHL experience, which does matter, Metsa did have a notably superior college career. He captained Quinnipiac to a national championship and won numerous individual honors.

Both Metsa and Rifai are playing on two-year extensions and spent all of 2024-25 in the AHL; Metsa scored 46 points in 69 games as a two-way blueliner while Rifai scored 13 points in 63 games as more of a defensively-oriented, physical blueliner.

Despite their generally comparable levels of experience and Metsa’s arguably more pronounced level of on-ice value in the AHL, Rifai earned a one-way deal in each year of his extension, while Metsa got a two-way structure on his extension.

Metsa’s deal pays him $250K at the AHL level in its first year and has a $325K guarantee for 2026-27. Rifai, as mentioned, will make $775K per year over the course of his deal, regardless of what level he is rostered at.

There are some notable differences between the two players, to be clear, and one could make the argument that Rifai’s play style is more in line with what a team might be looking for out of a call-up option. But the differences in their levels of compensation do nonetheless serve as a useful illustration of the unique financial muscle the Maple Leafs are able to flex to help them build organizational depth.

While the NHL salary cap does limit player expenditure at the highest level, Rifai is an example of how a wealthier team can leverage its deeper pockets to create team-building advantages for itself on the margins.

As a result, if Toronto does end up waiving Rifai at some point down the line now that he is nearing a return from injury, the contract they gave him will most likely contribute to him clearing.

Latest On Rasmus Andersson

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Dec. 17th: In a recent interview with Andrew Knoll of RG Media, Andersson admitted that it was he himself who spurned a lot of the interest in him dating back to last season. Knoll quoted Andersson saying, “There were some reports saying I only gave one choice, and that’s just not true. We spoke many times during the summer and obviously there was some interest from other teams. But I just wasn’t ready to sign, and I didn’t really want to sign a deal [at all] after how last year ended. That was the kicking point for the other teams, that they needed an extension, and I just wasn’t willing to go there.”

Additionally, in typical hockey fashion, Andersson expressed his desire to remain with the Flames instead of going elsewhere, saying, “I’m not really looking that deep yet. I’m trying to focus on the Flames. I hope I remain here this season, and then we’ll see what happens in the future. I don’t know what’s gonna happen in the future. So, I try to take it day by day and just enjoy every day as it comes. Every game in this league is a grind. You’ve gotta grind it out more nights than you’d think. And I love playing for the Flames. I always have, and I always will.”

Dec. 16th: The NHL trade market was re-ignited last week with the blockbuster trade of Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild, but it wasn’t the only deal: the Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins swapped starting goalies as well. Now, it appears more significant trades could be coming. Insider Pierre LeBrun reported on TSN’s Insider Trading segment that in the aftermath of last week’s Hughes deal, “the Calgary Flames suddenly got more calls on Rasmus Andersson.”

That Andersson’s name is popping up in trade rumors is not a new development. Andersson was front-and-center in transaction-related reporting throughout the summer, and LeBrun even noted on TSN that the defenseman was nearly traded at last year’s deadline. Capable, proven top-four defensemen are a rare commodity in the NHL, and Andersson figures to be one of the few available for trade at this moment. As a result, interest in acquiring him is robust.

As far as which teams might be interested in trading for the Flames rearguard, LeBrun highlighted one key player in the trade talks: the Toronto Maple Leafs, whose hockey operations decision-making is led by former Flames GM Brad Treliving.

Andersson was drafted No. 53 overall by the Flames during Treliving’s tenure as general manager. His emergence into a two-way NHL force has made him one of the best draft picks from Treliving’s time as GM of the Flames.

Treliving is far from the first general manager to covet a former player after switching jobs, but it appears interest between Toronto and Andersson is mutual. LeBrun reported on TSN that “the Leafs would be one of the teams that perhaps Andersson would consider extending with” in the event that he is traded.

Should Andersson be dealt in a sign-and-trade transaction, similar to the way Noah Hanifin was traded from Calgary to the Vegas Golden Knights, the Flames figure to benefit from a stronger return package than if he was dealt as a rental. As a result, the Flames could have an increased level of motivation to deal Andersson to Toronto compared to another destination where he might not be as interested in re-signing.

Another factor in these reported trade talks between the two teams is the relationship between Treliving and current Flames GM Craig Conroy. Treliving was hired as Flames GM in April 2014, and shortly afterward, in June 2014, Conroy was promoted to assistant GM. Conroy was a key lieutenant for Treliving before succeeding him as Flames GM, and its possible their prior working relationship could make for an easier path to reaching an agreement on a trade for Andersson.

Taking a look at Toronto’s defensive depth chart, it’s no great mystery why they’d be interested in adding Andersson, even if there was no previous connection between their GM and the player. Andersson is the top right-handed defenseman currently available for trade, and the right side of Toronto’s defense has been ravaged by injuries. Chris Tanev remains out and it was reported on Dec. 2 that Brandon Carlo would miss “extended time.” Carlo hasn’t played since Nov. 13.

Toronto lined up tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks with left-handed Oliver Ekman-Larsson on the right side next to Morgan Rielly, journeyman Troy Stecher on the second pairing, and left-handed Henry Thrun on the right side of their third pairing. While Stecher has played well in Toronto, that’s hardly an ideal situation for a team that hopes to contend for a Stanley Cup to be in.

It’s fair to question whether Toronto would be best suited surrendering its top trade assets for a rental player when the club sits one point off of last place in the Eastern Conference. But while Toronto’s play hasn’t merited it to this point in 2025-26, the organization is likely still operating with the goal of winning a Stanley Cup on an immediate basis, and trading for Andersson would support that goal. Whether an Andersson trade would be enough to morph this year’s Maple Leafs into a true contender, though, is the key question.

Photos courtesy of Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Maple Leafs To Activate Joseph Woll From Injured Reserve

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Maple Leafs starter Joseph Woll will return to action tonight against the Blackhawks, head coach Craig Berube told reporters (including Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic). Toronto will need to open a roster spot to activate him from injured reserve. In all likelihood, that will mean returning goaltender Artur Akhtyamov to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies after they summoned him earlier this month in the wake of Woll’s injury.

Woll has missed the Leafs’ last four games after sustaining a lower-body injury in their win over the Hurricanes on Dec. 4, leaving the game after the second period. It was the 27-year-old’s second multi-game absence of the season. He missed the first 18 games of Toronto’s schedule while on personal leave.

While the 2016 third-round pick’s availability has limited him to eight starts, he’s played some of the best hockey of his career while doing so. He doesn’t have the best goal support – the Leafs offense has only averaged 2.75 goals per game with him in net – but he’s held up his end of the bargain with a .923 SV% and 2.44 GAA to come up with a 4-3-1 record.

When healthy, Woll’s $3.67MM cap hit through 2027-28 ranks among the best value contracts for a goalie in the NHL. He’s posted above-average save percentages in each of his five NHL seasons and has saved 29.5 goals above expected in 75 appearances since emerging as a full-time option in 2023-24, per MoneyPuck.

However, the former top prospect has started more than 30 games in a season only once. He could still feasibly do it this season if he stays healthy, only needing to start 22 times in 51 games, but that’s a big if.

His availability is critical as Toronto remains without Woll’s tandem partner, Anthony Stolarz, indefinitely. After Stolarz stumbled out of the gate with a .884 SV% and -5.3 GSAx in 13 games, he sustained an upper-body injury on Nov. 11 and hasn’t played since. Today, Berube confirmed he’s not dealing with a concussion but that he’s still far from a return and will see another specialist (via Johnston).

Yet the emergence of third-stringer Dennis Hildeby has removed a lot of drama from Toronto’s crease over the last several weeks. Stepping in for Stolarz and Woll, the gargantuan 24-year-old is making a serious push for a full-time NHL job with a .920 SV%, 2.72 GAA, one shutout, and a team-leading 7.2 GSAx in seven starts and four relief appearances. Since Woll’s injury, Hildeby has recorded a .934 mark, seventh in the league among goalies with multiple starts since Dec. 4.

Hildeby’s hot hand should allow the Leafs to keep Woll fresher in a reduced workload, getting the best out of both goalies until Stolarz is ready to return – if he can return this season. The 2022 fourth-round pick signed a three-year, $2.53MM contract as a restricted free agent this past offseason that pays him the league minimum salary through the 2027-28 campaign, a deal that’s now quietly one of the biggest wins from Toronto’s summer.

As for Akhtyamov, the 24-year-old made his NHL debut on Saturday when he entered a 6-3 loss to the Oilers in relief of Hildeby in the third period. In the final 10:32 of regulation, he faced five shots and did not allow a goal. He still looks like he’s a few years away from challenging for an NHL role, posting a .896 SV% and 3.04 GAA in 12 appearances for the Marlies this year.

Latest On Anthony Stolarz, Matias Maccelli

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have been without netminder Anthony Stolarz due to an upper-body injury for more than a month, with the goalie last playing Nov. 11 against the Boston Bruins. Stolarz was initially believed to be out only on a day-to-day basis, but Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube told the media later on that Stolarz’s injury was “worse” than the team originally thought.

Yesterday, Berube answered questions from the media regarding Stolarz’s status, and per The Hockey News’ David Alter, he said Stolarz remains sidelined without a timeline to even begin skating once again.

When asked whether Stolarz’s injury could be season-ending, Berube said he “wouldn’t go there” but added that Stolarz is “not going to be on the ice anytime soon.” The fact that Stolarz looks increasingly likely to miss significant time with this injury is a serious issue for a Maple Leafs team that has struggled, as a whole, in 2025-26.

The Maple Leafs lost star winger Mitch Marner to free agency over the summer, and haven’t been able to find their footing this year. The regular season has been a formality for the Maple Leafs for more than a half-decade, with the club safely reaching playoff position in the Atlantic Division on an annual basis.

Things have been very different this year. The Maple Leafs have had far more trouble collecting points this regular season compared to the past, as they currently sit sixth in the Atlantic Division and four points adrift of the New Jersey Devils who occupy the Eastern Conference’s second Wild Card spot.

A factor in the team’s struggles this season has been goaltending. They surrender 3.26 goals against per game, which puts them just outside the top-10 in the NHL in terms of most goals against per game. Last season, Toronto surrendered the eighth-fewest goals per game in the NHL. Last season, Toronto got strong goaltending from its tandem of Stolarz and Joseph Woll, with Stolarz posting a .926 save percentage in 34 games and Woll registering a .909 save percentage in 42 games.

While Woll has kept up his high level of performance, he’s only managed to play in eight games. Stolarz, who played in 13 games before his injury, was not playing up to the standard he set last season, with an .884 save percentage. The result of injuries in the crease in Toronto has been that the Maple Leafs have had to rely on a revolving cast of goaltenders to fill in for its two established veterans.

24-year-old 2022 fourth-round draft choice Dennis Hildeby has filled in admirably, posting a .923 save percentage across 11 games. Early-season waiver claim Cayden Primeau, who has since returned to the Carolina Hurricanes organization, fared worse, posting a .838 save percentage in three games.

With Stolarz now poised to miss significant time, it’s entirely possible the Maple Leafs’ playoff hopes end up in the hands of Hildeby.

The towering Swede has been solid at the AHL level, but outside of his brief run this season and a short cameo of six games last year, he’s largely untested at the NHL level.

With so much at stake in Toronto, it’s fair to wonder whether Stolarz’s absence might prompt the club to seek outside reinforcement in net via the trade market.

Speaking of the trade market, one Maple Leafs player whose name is reportedly surfacing on the rumor mill is Matias Maccelli. According to The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, Maccelli’s “name is making the rounds” as his struggles to find his footing in Toronto continue. Maccelli has not played since Nov. 28 and has been a healthy scratch for seven consecutive games.

Clearly, this is not what Toronto envisioned when they traded a third-round pick to the Utah Mammoth to acquire Maccelli in June. Once viewed as a promising up-and-coming playmaker during his days with the Arizona Coyotes, Maccelli’s offensive production did not survive the franchise’s move north to Salt Lake City. He scored 17 goals and 57 points in 2023-24 but only managed 18 points in 55 games last season as he lost his grip on a regular lineup spot.

There was some hope that Maccelli could find chemistry with one of Toronto’s star forwards and be able to have a breakout season, lessening the blow of losing Marner. While Maccelli certainly has the talent to have that kind of breakout campaign, the desired chemistry with Toronto’s existing scorers simply hasn’t materialized.

A pending RFA with a $3.425MM cap hit, Maccelli’s best path forward might be to be traded out of Toronto. According to Pagnotta, that may be a path forward that is already being explored.

Photos courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Maple Leafs’ Brandon Carlo Out Another Month

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Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo underwent foot surgery last week and will be out of the lineup for at least another month, head coach Craig Berube told reporters following last night’s loss to the Sharks (via Luke Fox of Sportsnet). He’s already been out nearly a month after sustaining the injury against the Kings on Nov. 13, so it’ll be around an eight-week absence for the righty when all is said and done.

Toronto’s defense will remain in structural disarray for a while yet. They’ve been without their top two right-shot options, Carlo and Chris Tanev, for the past month. Tanev saw a specialist earlier this week regarding his upper-body injury but is now seeking a second opinion after that meeting, per Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun. He continues to skate with the team in a no-contact jersey, but it doesn’t appear his return is on the horizon, either.

Potentially adding to the pile of injuries is Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who left last night’s overtime defeat in the third period after falling awkwardly on his left leg (video via Sportsnet). It’s not as bad as it looked, though, and he’ll be back at practice tomorrow before making a determination on his availability for that night’s game against the Oilers, per Hornby.

Carlo, acquired from the Bruins at last year’s trade deadline to serve as a shutdown anchor for Morgan Rielly at even strength and play a penalty-killing role, had averaged 20:04 of ice time through the first 18 games of the season before exiting the lineup. He managed two assists with a +2 rating but didn’t have the two-way impact they hoped for, controlling just 42.8% of shot attempts and 45.5% of expected goals at 5-on-5.

The Leafs claimed veteran righty Troy Stecher off waivers from the Oilers last month after Carlo got hurt. With four points and a +8 rating in 11 appearances, the 31-year-old has been as good a stopgap option as they could’ve hoped for.

Latest On Oliver Ekman-Larsson

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A potentially large blow has hit the Maple Leafs, as defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson exited tonight’s game versus San Jose due to a lower-body injury, as shared by TSN Sports. The veteran had to be helped off the ice and did not return, as the Leafs fell in overtime to San Jose. Postgame, Head Coach Craig Berube told David Alter of the Hockey News that he will need further evaluation.

Latest On Morgan Rielly, Joseph Woll

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  • Two notable injury updates emerged from Toronto Maple Leafs morning skate today. First, TSN and The Athletic’s Chris Johnston reported that Joseph Woll hit the ice today for the first time since his injury last week. While it’s unclear how close he is to a return to the lineup, today’s news represents a positive development in his recovery from the lower-body injury that landed him on IR. In addition to Woll, defenseman Morgan Rielly was spotted at morning skate, per The Hockey News’ David Alter. Rielly missed Toronto’s last practice with an illness, but appears to be back to game readiness. Rielly is Toronto’s No. 1 defenseman, averaging 22 minutes per night with 22 points in 28 games this season.

Jarnkrok's Agent Refutes SHL Report For Next Season

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With consistent playing time being hard to come by for Maple Leafs winger Calle Jarnkrok this season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him consider other options in July when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.  Earlier today, a report from Aftonbladet’s Hans Abrahamsson suggested that the veteran was likely to return to the SHL next season and sign with Brynas.  However, his agent, Newport’s Filip Andreason, announced (Twitter link) that there have been no discussions with any team in any league for the 2026-27 campaign.  Jarnkrok has been limited to just 19 games with Toronto so far this season and has only four points, all goals.  He carries a $2.1MM cap charge which has hindered their efforts to try to find him a fresh start elsewhere.  He’ll get that fresh start in the summer but his plans for next season remain unsettled.

Dakota Mermis Out One Month

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  • Staying in Ontario, the Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t expecting depth defenseman Dakota Mermis to return anytime soon. Lance Hornby of The Toronto Sun reported that Mermis, who was placed on injured reserve earlier today, is expected to miss a month with a lower-body injury. The nine-year veteran left Toronto’s game in the third period on Wednesday due to the injury.

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Maple Leafs Recall Henry Thrun

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The Maple Leafs announced they’ve recalled defenseman Henry Thrun from AHL Toronto. They placed defenseman Dakota Mermis on injured reserve in a corresponding move. He left Monday’s game against the Lightning after sustaining a lower-body injury on a hit from Gage Goncalves and is day-to-day.

Thrun, 24, will be making his Leafs debut if he gets into a game. The lefty was initially drafted by the Ducks in 2019 but opted not to sign with them when his collegiate career with Harvard ended in 2023, and saw his signing rights traded to the Sharks.

It was a smart pickup for a rebuilding San Jose club, as Thrun managed to work his way into the lineup for the majority of their games over the last two seasons. He was flexed between the NHL and AHL in 2023-24 but spent all of last season on the Sharks’ roster. A skilled skater and puck-mover who flirted with the point-per-game mark over his last two years in college, Thrun didn’t look entirely out of place. In 2023-24, he averaged 20 minutes of ice time per game, second to only Mario Ferraro among Sharks defenders. That usage dropped to 17:31 last year as they circulated some more depth in, losing out on some power-play time.

Through 119 games as a Shark, Thrun logged a 5-20–25 scoring line with a predictably gaudy -48 rating as a young player stepping into a defensive mess in San Jose. Still, his possession metrics left something to be desired. His 42.9% shot attempt share at 5-on-5 was still a couple of percentage points below how the Sharks were faring without him on the ice.

With San Jose having plenty of younger, higher-ceiling defenders in the pipeline, they dealt Thrun to Toronto over the summer for enforcer Ryan Reaves. Some had penciled Thrun into a bottom-pairing role alongside Oliver Ekman-Larsson to begin the year, but both Simon Benoit and Philippe Myers emerged ahead of him on the depth chart by the end of training camp. He was placed on waivers and, somewhat surprisingly, cleared, perhaps as a result of his $1MM cap hit.

Thrun hasn’t broken the bank in the minors, although he’s still been serviceable with nine points and a -5 rating through 19 AHL games. The younger William Villeneuve has emerged as the Marlies’ No. 1 this season. However, it’s not particularly surprising to see the Leafs opt for someone with NHL experience who may still have untapped potential, rather than Villeneuve, who has no NHL games to his name.

It took all of Mermis, Brandon Carlo, and Chris Tanev being on IR or LTIR, but Thrun will finally get his first look as a Leaf. That could come as soon as tomorrow against his former team after the Leafs said Morgan Rielly couldn’t practice today due to an illness. If he’s deployed more as an offensive specialist than how he was used in San Jose, there could be some legitimate benefits to reap on a team that’s done a good job of generating offense from its blue line this season.

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