The Maple Leafs have called up defenseman Cole McWard and sent Vinni Lettieri back to the Marlies, David Alter reports.
The move comes hours before Toronto hosts the New Jersey Devils tonight, and one night after Morgan Rielly was hurt in a 4-2 loss to Montreal.
David Alter noted that it is a forward-for-defenseman swap made following Rielly's injury.
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McWard is a 25-year-old, undrafted defenseman from Fenton, Missouri. He has played nine NHL games over his career, scoring one goal, and has not appeared in one this season.
Lettieri, 31, goes back down after eight games with the Leafs this year. He has one goal and 14 penalty minutes to show for them.
Rielly's absence is the real story here. Coach Jim Hiller already called it a big blow in his Morgan Rielly injury update, and the sheet shows why: the veteran defenseman has 12 points in 18 games.
Whether McWard dresses tonight is not known yet.
Who actually replaces Morgan Rielly on the Maple Leafs blue line?
Nobody does, and a 25-year-old with nine NHL games is not asked to. Darren Raddysh logged 29:43 against the Canadiens, and that kind of workload does not get easier with one fewer proven defenseman.
The timing hurts too. Rielly had quietly rebuilt his game this season before going down, and Toronto is 8-8-2 and has lost two straight.
Calling up a depth defenseman is the right, boring move. Expecting it to hold a blue line together against a Devils team that has won four straight is another matter.
New Jersey is 12-5-0, and it beat the Islanders in overtime last night. The Leafs are 20th in the NHL, so the margin for a thin night on the back end is small.
We will keep tabs on the Toronto lineup as the Devils come to town.
Quick hits
OTTAWA SENATORS: Linus Ullmark is finally off injured reserve and back on the regular roster, per Bruce Garrioch. That's a big boost for the crease in Ottawa.
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WINNIPEG JETS: Scott Arniel says Josh Morrissey will not return tonight against Tampa Bay, a reversal from what was expected. The blue line stays short a little longer.
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DETROIT RED WINGS: The team announced this morning that Nate Danielson, Michal Postava and John Leonard were assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins before the game against St. Louis. Three bodies out in one swoop.
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CALGARY FLAMES: Jackie Spiegel reports Dan Vladař is expected to start for Philadelphia tonight in Calgary. That means a former Flame is in the opposing crease.
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FLORIDA PANTHERS: Elliotte Friedman reported this morning that Tom Wilson will not face supplemental discipline for his hit on Sandis Vilmanis. Expect plenty of debate about that one.
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Should the Maple Leafs have recalled a defenseman instead of leaning on a depth call-up like Cole McWard after the Rielly injury?
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