Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs has been placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) retroactively to March 7. This move allows the team to bring up an extra defenseman, Marshall Rifai, for roster flexibility. Marner has missed 10 consecutive games and is eligible to return from LTIR soon. The LTIR placement was made to create cap space for Rifai's recall, with the team now having $27,465,500 in LTIR relief. The decision to move Marner to LTIR was primarily for roster management purposes and not indicative of a specific return timeline.
The @MapleLeafs have loaned D Marshall Rifai to the @TorontoMarlies.
NHL Buzz: Marner returns to practice with Maple Leafs ⤵️ https://t.co/vPifRzR1Oi
Rifai becomes the 31st player on the Leafs cap count at the moment, including 12 (!) defencemen. They have five players on LTIR and 26 on the roster. https://t.co/5qLNdS8HwP
LEAFS NOTES: Marner to LTIR, Keefe's Devilish details and Lyubushkin a neighbourly guy https://t.co/a0NkKmtOZC https://t.co/aYAyNmgoZe
Sheldon Keefe says recall of Marshall Rifai simply for insurance tonight in Buffalo "We were down to six defence & the way things have been going it’s important to have an additional guy. He’ll be in warm-up tonight" @TSN_Edge
"The way things have been going, it's important to have an additional guy." Why Mitch Marner was moved to LTIR (plus more Maple Leafs injury updates): https://t.co/BPSs7LISpJ https://t.co/UZzJwnVaAu
Keefe on calling up Rifai: "We're down to six defensemen and the way things have been going, it's important to have an additional guy. He'll be in the warmup tonight." ⤵️ https://t.co/jpXQJPK98Q https://t.co/jpXQJPK98Q
Marner's move to LTIR has less to do with a timeline for the Maple Leafs star's return and more to do with roster flexibility. Toronto was able to recall Rifai from the Marlies ahead of its game Saturday against the Sabres. (@lukefoxjukebox) https://t.co/s6GBQ3e57b
#LeafsForever have retroactively moved Mitch Marner to LTIR in order to create the cap space needed to recall Marshall Rifai and his $775,000 cap hit. Toronto now has a total of $27,465,500 placed in LTIR relief.
No change in Mitch Marner’s status. This simply allows the Leafs to bring up an extra defenceman, in case they need him, tonight in Buffalo. Marner will miss his 10th straight game tonight, making him eligible to return from LTIR as soon as Monday (but almost certainly after). https://t.co/CHmD56Y2PS
Mitch Marner on LTI retroactive to the time of injury, why the move was made ⤵️ https://t.co/jpXQJPK98Q https://t.co/jpXQJPK98Q
Cap move. Marner eligible to come off tomorrow and play this week https://t.co/llBOcWUAii
The Maple Leafs have placed F Mitch Marner on LTI retroactive to March 7 for roster management purposes, and recalled D Marshall Rifai from the @TorontoMarlies.
Mitch Marner coy on his injury, remains sidelined with other Leafs for Sabres game. https://t.co/7el7qlzrGu https://t.co/hFd6KNIbuu