The Leafs made an expected announcement today that Michael Hutchinson will return to the Marlies.

I say expected, and yet we all thought a trip through waivers had to come first. Perhaps it did, and no one noticed or reported on it, or perhaps our information — that Hutchinson had seen enough NHL time to require waivers to return to the AHL — was wrong.  It is a little weird that they announced this after noon.

With the news earlier that Trevor Moore is back with the club, and the unofficial report that Martin Marincin is going to Slovakia to play in the World Championships at home, the Marlies now have all their eligible players back they will receive.

We should expect Eamon McAdam to be sent to the Newfoundland Growlers at any moment as well. Both teams would then have their best goalie back, and just in time for the second round of the playoffs.

If we get clarity on waivers we’ll update.

UPDATE: Species contacted Marlies PR to clarify this mystery, and they confirmed that Hutchinson cleared waivers today. So that explains the timing of this news after the Moore news. And tsk-tsk to the waiver wire watchers for not reporting this yesterday.

Toronto Marlies