Maple Leafs make unexpected move, waive promising young forward

With the news that Jake Muzzin will miss the remainder of the season and the upcoming playoffs, it seems likely that the Leafs will seek to bolster their roster with another acquisition.

On Wednesday, the team also placed winger Joey Anderson on waivers, indicating that they may be looking to clear a spot on their roster.

The Leafs currently have 49 of 50 contract slots filled, with the final spot expected to go to Matthew Knies.

To make room for another player, they will either need to waive or trade someone or postpone the signing of Knies until after the playoffs. Anderson's demotion suggests that he may not be a viable option for the team's forward lineup.

In addition to potentially freeing up a roster spot, waiving Joey Anderson could also give the Leafs more flexibility in terms of their cap space.

If he clears waivers, he can be moved between the NHL and AHL without having to clear waivers again for the rest of the season.

This could help the team save on cap space and make it easier to manage their roster as the playoffs approach.

Alternatively, another team may be interested in acquiring Joey Anderson in a trade if he clears waivers, as it would allow them to assign him to their AHL team without going through the waiver process.

While the waiving of Anderson doesn't necessarily guarantee that the Leafs will make another move, it strongly suggests that they are exploring their options.

With the playoffs around the corner, the team will want to ensure that they have the best possible lineup to compete at the highest level.

Credit Maple Leafs Daily:
Leafs waive young winger; another trade appears to be on the way