The Toronto Maple Leafs announced this afternoon that they have called up defenceman Carl Dahlström and forward Brett Seney from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, while sending down defender Kristiāns Rubīns.

Rubīns, newly turned 24, got into three games with the Leafs this week. He had a bit of a tough showing in last night’s game against the Blackhawks, though he was hardly alone in that regard, and he found himself benched. I thought Rubīns played reasonably well against the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Columbus Blue Jackets, so I wouldn’t consider him as having failed his audition, but the Leafs have decided to look at another option for now. Rubīns is still on his ELC and does not have to clear waivers to be sent down.

Carl Dahlström is a 26-year-old journeyman defender, and a big one (6’4”). His scouting reports suggest an edge to his game, but if he has one he’s kept it from showing up in his penalty-minute totals, which have always been modest. Dahlström puts up a few assists at the AHL level but has never scored a goal in 64 NHL games, so maybe his first is coming soon. Dahlström seems likely to slot in at third-pair LD.

Brett Seney, 25, is a small LW who’s had a productive start for the Marlies—he’s currently the team’s highest scoring forward, putting up 10 goals and 6 assists in 19 GP. NHL history is full of small, gifted playmakers who couldn’t quite force their way into a top-six role and struggled to find NHL work, but maybe Seney will buck the odds. Seney did get into 51 GP for the New Jersey Devils in 2018-19, putting up 13 points, but he’s only had two NHL games since. Whether Seney actually gets NHL time remains to be seen.

Roster Shenanigans