After days of speculation about whether an LTIR stint was in the cards for defenseman John Klingberg, the Toronto Maple Leafs have finally announced that the 31-year-old has been placed on LTIR due to his ongoing injury situation.

With Klingberg placed on LTIR, the club also announced that they recalled forward Alex Steeves from the AHL. The 23-year-old is in the middle of a breakout season with the Marlies, registering 11 goals and seven assists for 18 points in 14 games.

The addition of John Klingberg that new Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving made has not worked out how everybody had hoped for, and, sadly, it has come to this point with him being placed on LTIR and not being able to play for the foreseeable future.

In just 14 games with the Maple Leafs this season, he has registered just five assists, with all five coming in the first six games this season, and has struggled mightily with his play away from the puck. Although plus-minus isn’t the best stat, he is a – 7 on the season, which ranks him second worst on the team, just ahead of Ryan Reaves (- 11), another signing from Brad Treliving.

After the news of Klingberg being placed on LTIR, the Maple Leafs now have five players (Jake Muzzin, Matt Murray, Timothy Liljegren, Conor Timmins and John Klingberg) on LTIR.

According to this X post from Cap Friendly, after placing Klingberg’s $4.15M cap hit on LTIR, the club has now just under $17M in cap hits on LTIR and has $3.4M remaining in LTIR, which is enough room for them to activate Conor Timmins ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

After the club eventually activates Conor Timmins from LTIR ahead of tomorrow’s game, they will have just over $2M in cap space with Klingberg on LTIR and the call-up of Alex Steeves.

It’s unknown how long Klingberg will remain on LTIR. However, for the time being, it gives the Toronto Maple Leafs some flexibility to activate Conor Timmins from LTIR and Timothy Liljegren when he’s ready. They can also send some players down to the Marlies to create a little more room and, of course, maybe make a trade to improve their blue line if they continue wanting to pursue that route.