The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced their opening night roster and with that a number of players have been placed on the long-term injured reserve in order to become salary cap compliant.
Jani Hakanpaa, Calle Jarnkrok, and Dakota Mermis were all placed on the LTIR, which prevents the Maple Leafs from activating them for at least 24 days and 10 games, but allows for salary cap relief up to the dollar amount that the Maple Leafs’ roster was at with those players. The move also means that the Maple Leafs will not be accruing additional cap space that could be used at the trade deadline until they are no longer utilizing players on LTIR.
Hakanpaa’s injury was a topic of discussion throughout most of the offseason as it had appeared the Maple Leafs had signed him, but nothing was officially announced until right before training camp. Hakanpaa spent much of training camp working with the Maple Leafs’ prospects and minor league players while wearing a red “no-contact” jersey. It was only recently that he began practicing with the main group and the intention was that the Leafs would be taking the time to get him ready before activating him.
Jarnkrok is coming off a season where he had two significant injuries and has been injured once again in the preseason. While his injury has been listed as day-to-day throughout training camp, the Maple Leafs appear to be shutting Jarnkrok down for October gaining the flexibility of cap room as well as not rushing his recovery process.
Mermis was another player injured during training camp and while it is likely that when he is healthy he will be assigned to the Toronto Marlies, for the time being his salary being placed on the LTIR allows for some of the additional roster moves the Leafs have been made. It is likely that the dollar amount on the Pacioretty deal is also part of helping the Leafs optimize their LTIR relief.
When Mermis is activated he will require waivers to be sent to the Toronto Marlies.
All three of these players will be eligible to play on November 2nd against the St. Louis Blues, if they have recovered by then.
