Alas, preseason is over, and the final day to become cap-compliant has come. Starting Tuesday, there will be no more meaningless games filled with prospects and PTOs as the NHL regular season finally kicks off, and I mean finally, as this has felt like the longest preseason in memory.
The Toronto Maple Leafs placed a group of players on waivers on Sunday, most of whom were expected to end up there. A lot of players had great camps, but the reality of the current state of the NHL is that not everyone can stay, mostly due to the salary cap and not enough money to go around.
Every year, competitive teams are forced to place players on waivers, allowing the rest of the clubs in the NHL to give that player a chance on their roster, or if he is passed on by all 32 teams, he may go to play for his original team’s AHL affiliate.
That was the case for Simon Benoit, Kyle Clifford, Dylan Gambrell, Martin Jones, William Lagesson, and Maxime Lajoie, who were all placed on waivers Sunday.
When a player isn’t going to make the NHL roster but has enough value that you are sure that player will not clear the waiver process, then GMs are forced into making the tough decision to trade the player.
This is exactly what happened when Toronto GM Brad Treliving decided to trade Forward Sam Lafferty to the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.
The trade was :
To Vancouver: Sam Lafferty
To Toronto: 2024 fifth-round pick
Lafferty, 28, will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. Simple and straightforward of a trade as they come, player for a pick.
Now, while it’s unfortunate that Sam Lafferty was a cap casualty, it’s a good problem to have, really, that you can trade a legitimate NHL player off of your roster because you can replace him quite easily and effectively. It’s never good or enjoyable, however, to watch a good player walk out the door.
The Leafs, Namely Kyle Dubas, acquired defenceman Jake McCabe, forward Sam Lafferty, a conditional fifth-round pick in 2024, and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2025 from the Chicago Blackhawks around the trade deadline in 2023 in exchange for a conditional 2025 first-round pick, a 2026 second-round pick, and forwards Joey Anderson and Pavel Gogolev.
It’s hard to say exactly what was paid to add Lafferty to the deal, as 50% of McCabe’s salary was retained by Chicago for two more years, and that is going to cost a lot in itself, but it’s definitely disappointing seeing an asset traded at a fraction of what was paid mere months prior. There was certainly a loss taken on that deal, and it’s just the unfortunate circumstances of a salary cap league.
With Lafferty off the roster, the Leafs and Gambrell on waivers, that leaves Noah Gregor, who hasn’t been signed from his professional tryout, Nick Robertson, who cap friendly has listed on the Injured Reserve, Bobby McMann, and unlikely candidate Fraser Minten vying for the final remaining forward spot. Teams can carry 13 forwards, but it’s unlikely due to sap complications. Without adding anyone to LTIR or making any roster moves, it looks as though the Leafs will be running with 11 forwards and 7 defensemen to start their first game against Montreal on Tuesday evening.
Sheldon Keefe said this when asked about Minten and if he did enough to play at the NHL level:
“Our situation, as you know, is complex. There’s a lot that goes into it. If there’s no roster limitations or anything like that, salary cap, I think there’s no question that he’d remain here, and we’d give him an opportunity to get some regular season time. And we’d go through that, but it’s not that easy a decision. It’s complex. There’s a lot at play.”
And now we wait to see if any corresponding moves as Toronto gears up for their season opener on Tuesday.
