Lost Leivo

You have to feel bad for a guy like Leivo. You have all the talent and hockey smarts to make a roster spot on an NHL team. But there's only problem that is holding you back. You are in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, arguably the franchise with the deepest pool of forwards. But what is this, there an expansion draft. Maybe you'll get picked up by the expansion team and get lots of playing time with a new team. Oh but the Leafs protect you from the draft, they must have plans. Then the season starts and what's this, you again have season tickets in the press box.

I understand why the Leafs have kept Leivo, eventually there will be injuries or there will be a trade of some sort. And in either case he's a good asset to have on the shelf.

JVR took an awkward fall last game and I'm sure Leivo was anxious to see if that would mean a spot for him. At practise today it looks like he just may get a game in, but they could also be giving JVR a day to rest. Either way that's why you have Leivo. He is that box of canned goods you keep in the pantry for an emergence. Hopefully he has a good game and makes good use to the minutes he gets. That will give Babcock the trust he needs and it will also help management if other teams start knocking on the trade door.

But what could you get for a Leivo? I think that in order to get anything of value in return youl have to give him game time. That way other teams can see what he has to offer. Which leaves me to believe that the Leafs have very little desire to trade him, but are content to keep him to use as needed and to potentially use if they trade another forward, maybe one of the UFAs in house. Time will tell.