Report: Keefe makes 4 roster moves before facing the Oilers.

Details inside.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 4 years ago
Report: Keefe makes 4 roster moves before facing the Oilers.
Alan Schwartz/CSM/Zuma

The Toronto Maple Leafs have had something of a successful run over their last stretch of games but it seems like a tough loss to the Calgary Flames, one in which the Leafs blew a seemingly comfortable lead, has resulted in some changes to the line up. Head coach Sheldon Keefe did not go into specifics regarding all the changes he would be making ahead of facing superstar forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on Saturday when the Leafs take on the Edmonton Oilers but he did confirm that there would in fact be changes made.

“It’s looking that way, we have some decisions,” Keefe said after the Maple Leafs practice on Friday as per the Toronto Sun. “The Goat’s back in for sure, but I’m not sure about the rest.”

Keefe of course is referring to Toronto Maple Leafs forward Frederik Gauthier, a player that was heavily utilized by the organization's former head coach Mike Babcock and a player that has seen his usage drop significantly since Keefe has taken over the role, and by the sound of things that likely means that veteran forward Jason Spezza will once again be sitting in the press box this season. Spezza being a healthy scratch has become a fact of life for the former National Hockey League star forward and after that aforementioned loss to the Flames it seems like Keefe may want to run something of a tighter ship on his fourth line.

It sounds like the Maple Leafs will also be getting 24 year old forward Trevor Moore back in the lineup this evening as well which would explain the move the Maple Leafs made yesterday when they sent veteran Nic Petan back down to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. It is unclear if Moore has been fully cleared following his shoulder surgery but if he does return you would have to imagine that this will lead to some movement from either Kasperi Kapanen or Ilya Mikheyev, although in what form that movement will come is still up in the air at this time. 

What is clear however is that Keefe was not happy with what he saw against the Flames and now the team is feeling the effects of that letdown.

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