In today’s Leaf roster news, forward Nic Petan and defenceman Martin Marincin have cleared waivers, meaning that no other NHL team took the opportunity to claim them.

Now that he’s cleared waivers, Martin Marincin will most likely be sent to the Marlies. This isn’t mandatory and his waiver exemption expiry clock starts ticking now, so he has 29 days and 9 NHL games played where he can stay on the roster.

On the Marlies last year, where coach Sheldon Keefe described Marincin as an NHL player who was too good for the AHL, he played eight regular season games before returning to the Leafs. He had 24 games in total in the NHL. In 2017-2018, he played 52 games in the AHL, was the Marlies’ stalwart top pairing defender, and helped them win the Calder Cup in 20 playoff games.

Once known in the NHL as a Corsi star who seemed to have a problem with game management and focus, Marincin didn’t put together very good minutes for the Leafs this year. He doesn’t have the worst defensive stats for the team, that’s Morgan Rielly or Tyson Barrie, depending on how you slice out the information. But he’s not much better than either of those two, and he’s not a top four defender with offensive upside. Needless to say, making an impression in 75 total minutes at five-on-five is difficult. Justin Holl definitely passed him on the depth chart on the strength of his defensive results in very similar usage.

Nic Petan also cleared waivers, and while he seems too good for the AHL, that might be where he’s going. He doesn’t have to be sent down right away either, and the Leafs have been reported to be trying to trade both him and Martin Marincin to find them teams that need what they can provide.

In only 40 minutes of five-on-five time on the Leafs, Petan showed some good defensive results playing a traditional depth role against weak competition, but the offence, which he’s supposed to be known for, just isn’t there in the NHL. In 10 games over two years in Toronto, he has two points. In his defence, he’s only had enough ice time to shoot the puck 20 times (Corsi, not SOG, of which he has 10).

With word after yesterday’s game from Mike Babcock that he doesn’t expect Zach Hyman to return until next week at the earliest, there is no need to assign either player to the AHL at this time. The Marlies play tonight and Saturday in Grand Rapids Michigan.

We’ll let you know when there’s word of the team’s plans.

UPDATE: Nic Petan has been loaned to the Toronto Marlies. Martin Marincin apparently has not, at least not yet.

Cap Space Shuffle