Beloved Toronto Marlies Defenseman Makes a Compelling Case for a Maple Leafs Roster Spot

Training camp and the preseason are great times for players on the periphery to come through and show their team that they have what it takes to be on the roster.

For the Toronto Maple Leafs, the roster is pretty well set in stone, although there are still a couple of positions to be won. While the team's defense is almost locked in, there is an opportunity for someone to win a job in the event of an injury.

This is where Marshall Rifai comes in. The defenseman has been grinding away with the Toronto Marlies for the last three seasons and has become a fan favorite.

He has only two career games with the Maple Leafs, but he remains someone who can fill in if needed. In fact, Rifai got to play against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.

During the game, Rifai had a very eventful outing as he made his presence felt throughout. It was such a good performance that some believe he should get a roster spot.

Unfortunately, the left-handed shot isn't an offensive guy, which is a huge need for the Maple Leafs right now. Having said that, yesterday's statline speaks for itself.

This performance may not get Rifai a spot on the team, but it will ensure that he is the first person the Leafs call whenever they need an extra body.

The 27-year-old continues to improve his game, and it feels as though this is the year in which Rifai actually gets more than just a couple of games with the Leafs.

Rifai and Ben Danford both had good games on Sunday, which is a positive sign for the future of the Maple Leafs' blue line.

Only time will tell what the Leafs have in store for their hopefuls this week, as more cuts will surely be made.