The Toledo Walleye have been lucky this season without many call-ups or injuries. However, that changed as defenseman Matt Anderson was loaned to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL). Anderson signed a player tryout (PTO) agreement and should be in uniform when the Marlies take on the Rockford IceHogs on Monday, February 19, 2024. The AHL PTO is 25 games, but the player could be released at any time.
Anderson is 6-feet-0 and 194 pounds and has been solid on his end this season for Toledo. In 46 games for the Walleye, he has eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points and 16 penalty minutes. He is often on the second or third defensive pairing, along with a penalty kill role. A solid defenseman, he plays a simple yet aggressive game. Anderson is in his first season in Toledo after two seasons with the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL, totaling seven goals and 23 assists for 30 points and eight penalty minutes in 62 games with the Stingrays.
The Walleye loaned Anderson to Toronto because one of their defenseman, Marshall Rifai, has been called up to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Rifai has two goals and nine assists for 11 points and 48 penalty minutes in 34 games with the Marlies. No reveal how long he will be with the Maple Leafs.
This trickle-down effect is because the Marlies received Maxime Lajoie back from the Maple Leafs. He had one assist in five games but has two goals and 15 assists for 17 points with the Marlies.
