Leafs roster looks set, but silly season approaches

It looks like we finally have our 2016-17 Maple Leafs roster. Or at least our Wednesday, October 12th, opening night roster. 

Yes, the once-waived have now cleared, Naz is back from injury, and the Leafs are practicing today with a lineup that’s likely what they’ll go with against the Senators in just over 48 hours.

From Kristen Shilton at TSN, who’ll be on the Leafs beat all season, here’s how things are looking right now:

Hyman – Matthews – Nylander

Van Riemsdyk – Bozak – Marner

Michalek – Kadri – Komarov

Martin – Holland – Brown

Rielly – Marincin

Hunwick – Zaitsev

Gardiner – Carrick

And of course the two goaltenders are Andersen and Enroth.

Aside from Laich, the others who were waived yesterday have been sent to the Marlies, along with Soshnikov. It looks as though Laich will stay on with the big club to practice as an extra forward for a minute, but since he’s cleared, he can be sent down in the next thirty days (or ten games) without having to clear again. Prust stays on his pro tryout for now, but doesn’t look to factor into the actual lineup. 

There’s not much to get excited about on the blue-line, but we knew that going in. Overall it’s pretty bleak, but there’s obviously a lot of uncertainty, in a good way. As far as the scratches go, it’d be nice for Corrado to get into some games sooner than later because I really don’t think he’s any worse than sixth in this group, and let’s hope we don’t have a repeat of last year where Babcock leans on Hunwick like a drunk on a lamp post. 

Now, we have to mention who’s on waivers from around the league, because there are a few notable options out there, and of course a claim would shake up this roster a little.

First off, P-A Parenteau, a familiar face who put up 20 goals for the Leafs last season, has been waived by the Islanders. It’s sort of a surprising move, and with a cheap cap hit of 1.25-million he’s only a depth forward price-wise, but I’m guessing Toronto could have had him back in the fold for that number in the summer if they wanted, so it’s doubtful they put in a claim. 

Far more intriguing is Teemu Pulkkinen, who the Wings just sent to the waiver wire; a 24-year-old who’s put up an astronomical 65 goals in his last 117 AHL games. I suppose the Wings don’t see him as a fit in their “gritty” bottom six with rodents like Steve Ott, and now he’s available for the low price of his $812K cap hit. Keep in mind that the Leafs have top priority when it comes to waiver claims due to their last-place finish in 2015-16, so he’s theirs if they want him.