Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

Well. Not so good if you're Jake Muzzin. But good-ish if you're Timothy Liljegren and Jordie Benn.

This meant...something to me but thankfully Katya is here is explain things to me us:

With news last night that the Leafs have made some moves with their endless supply of injured defencemen, it's time to revisit conditioning loans.

The standard Conditioning Loan lasts for 14 days and the player remains on the roster and counts against the cap. This loan is designed for pressbox prisoners who rarely play or slightly injured players who need to ease back in slowly.

For players on LTIR, there is a second form of the loan to the AHL, and the rules are very different. One slight caveat of that is that for teams operating with a lot of cap space, they don’t benefit from invoking LTIR for players, and very occasionally someone who was never on LTIR is loaned under these rules. The crucial point is that this loan is for a player who will be out of playing action for 10 games and 24 days (the LTIR minimums).

The player must consent to this loan, and he is paid like he’s in the NHL still. While on this loan, the player remains on LTIR.

The loan lasts for up to six days and three games. Either maximum may trigger the end of the loan. This loan is only to determine a player’s fitness to return off of LTIR. Teams are allowed to ask for an extension of two more games, and that happens often and is regularly granted.

Just like in the regular type of the loan, the Commissioner can investigate at any time to ensure the loan is legitimate.

Once the player returns from the loan, you would be forgiven for thinking they will come off of LTIR and rejoin the Leafs, guaranteed. They may do that, but even if it appears they are in top form in the AHL, they may not be activated immediately. This wiggle room in the timing of re-activation is just not really ever spelled out in the CBA and teams, occasionally the Leafs, take the inch and make it a mile.

In this case both players are listed as having gone on LTIR on October 10. They have to stay for 24 days, so assume the first week of November is the earliest they will return to the Leafs as active players.

The timing of this loan puts Timothy Liljegren and Jordie Benn on the Marlies roster in time for today's game at hove vs the Syracuse Crunch. There are also two games on the weekend, Friday and Saturday, in Syracuse and Utica respectively.

The six days will expire before the Marlies play again. They are embarking this weekend on their very long road trip while the Royal Winter Fair is in town. If the two extra games were requested and added, those would be in Laval on November 2 and 4, which brings them past their 24 days.

In related news: Mikhail Abramov has been activated off of SOIR, and as he's waivers exempt, he can go straight to the Marlies roster.

Update:

Thank you for the help!

Also happening last night: PHIL!

No one took that one back.

Former Islanders, Predators, and Capitals head coach Barry Trotz says he isn’t ready to make a come back yet but if an original six team came calling....

Trotz not ready to coach again, Original Six team could spark 'intrigue'

With Muzzin on LTIR now...why not use the space on an injury prone defender? It worked with the goalies...

Could the Toronto Maple Leafs Land Jakob Chychrun? - The Hockey News

Patrik Laine is....something.

The Winnipeg Jets* are honouring the Filipino community wih a special warm up jersey:

And finally, some good news.

There’s no Leafs game tonight!

Enjoy your day!

From The Branches