Maple Leafs Make Roster Changes Ahead of Blue Jackets Game

The Toronto Maple Leafs gear up for game #27 on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Leafs are coming off a winless weekend and will be looking to get back to their winning ways. Turns out they will be relying on some new faces to get the job done against the Blue Jackets.

The Maple Leafs will be without Mitch Marner, Rasmus Sandin, Travis Dermott and Jason Spezza for Tuesday's contest. Marner and Dermott are dealing with shoulder injuries, meanwhile Sandin is expected to be out for several weeks with a knee injury. Spezza has been suspended by the league for his knee to the head of Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk, which was seen as retaliation for the Sandin injury.

Travis Dermott absent from Leafs skate

Kristians Rubins with Timothy Liljegren @TSN_Edge
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) December 7, 2021

The Maple Leafs sit 17-7-2 on the season, including 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Jack Campbell is expected to start on Tuesday after sitting out Sunday's game against the Jets for rookie Joseph Woll. Campbell is one of the league's best netminders this season and has played his way onto Team USA's Olympic team from the sounds of it.

Expected to make their NHL debuts against the Blue Jackets are forward Alex Steeves and defenseman Kristians Rubins. Steeves is a 21-year-old undrafted winger who has impressed in the American Hockey League this season where he's recorded 12 points in 12 games. The University of Notre Dame product will start the night on the Leafs' fourth line with Pierre Engvall and Kyle Clifford.

Rubins on the other hand is expected to be paired with Timothy Liljegren and was someone who impressed management in training camp. He's a towering presence who is will be representing Latvia at the Olympics. In 16 games this season with the Toronto Marlies, Rubins has recorded four points and has played a great shut-down role.

Puck drop against the Blue Jackets slated for 7pm from Toronto. Leafs Nation will have a couple of new jersey numbers to get used to.

The undrafted Alex Steeves, wearing No. 46 for his first Maple Leafs skate, has put up seven goals and five assists in 12 games with the Marlies. Not a bad start to your pro career.
— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) December 7, 2021