The Marlies are playing in Abbotsford BC last night and today, and then they fly to Winnipeg for a couple. They played last night’s game with an emergency PTO goalie named Talor Joseph, let’s give him a hand, because while Erik Källgren was hanging on in Boston, he was stepping up to play a game that would give him his first pro win. The Marlies took it 5-3 on goals from Curtis Douglas, Nick Robertson (2) and Alex Steeves (2).

Joseph even got an assist on the ENG to end the game.

Joseph is not some kid, however. He’s 27, a USports player from Nipissing University and now Trinity Western University in Langley, BC.

He was backed up by Tavin Grant, and it looks like one of those two will play today depending on the status of Petruzzelli. Grant is 24 and used to play for the Prince George Cougars of the WHL in 2018. He hasn’t played pro since, so he was 100% EBUG.

Once the Marlies get to Winnipeg, we’ll find out who is in net for them there.

Let’s run down the goalie situation top to bottom all in one place. Some of this was in the Marlies article yesterday but it makes an interesting read in a list:

  1. Jack Campbell - on IR and now day-to-day per Sheldon Keefe yesterday. Has not had a full practice.
  2. Petr Mrázek - “likely to miss some time” but will be re-evaluated per Keefe.
  3. Erik Källgren - Help us Obi Wan, you’re our only hope.
  4. Michael Hutchinson - presumably on a plane this morning, but healthy.
  5. Joe Woll - presumably injured again, last played March 17.
  6. Keith Petruzzelli - ECHL goalie, promoted to the AHL, potentially ill.
  7. Ian Scott - injury/surgery recovery, not playing.
  8. Carter Hutton - acquired on paper in a deal to have the Maple Leafs pay his cash salary in compensation for the Nick Ritchie trade. Loaned to Tucson of the AHL, has not played since October and is in injury recovery.

The Marlies can solve their problems quite easily by signing someone to a PTO, possibly getting a loan from another ECHL team or AHL team. The Newfoundland Growlers can do the same. The AHL deadline has passed, but non-pro players on PTOs are allowed.

The Leafs cannot solve their problem easily. They cannot trade for a goalie and play him. They cannot promote any AHL-signed goalies in the system. They cannot sign any goalie and play him — with two very unhelpful exceptions:

Players on the reserve list can be signed after the deadline and can play in the NHL. The Leafs have two goalies who qualify - Artur Akhtyamov and Vyacheslav Peksa. Both play in the Ak Bars Kazan club, which has teams in the KHL/VHL and MHL. Both have appeared in the MHL playoffs this year which are ongoing. Akhtyamov’s contract there runs through next season, and Peksa’s status isn’t something I could find quickly. Even if either of these players were viable options in any way, the regular transfer contact between the NHL and Russia is severed. Neither player will be finished this season until April 30.

There are no clever schemes to be found other than hanging on and waiting until Jack Campbell is genuinely healthy and really ready to play. If Mrázek is going to miss time in the LTIR window of 24 days, then the problem of reactivating Jake Muzzin just got fixed, however.

In other news from last night, Ilya Lyubushkin and Justin Holl are in an unknown condition. The top defence extra man on the Marlies, Carl Dahlström was recalled before the Boston game, so if another is needed the choices are AHL-level players with Kristiāns Rubīns the only one having some NHL time this year.

If the Leafs have a practice today ahead of tomorrow’s home game against the Jets, we’ll get some updates.

In addition to signing Nick Abruzzese’s Harvard teammate yesterday, the Marlies also shored up their ranks:

I’m sure some other teams played yesterday, but we don’t care about them, and don’t need to look at the Florida game, no-siree.

The other news, yesterday was the first day of the GMs meeting, and you can find that article on the front page.

Happy Wednesday everyone, don’t finish the day on IR!

From The Branches