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Leafs forced to make emergency recall as yet another defender goes down with an injury

Published February 18, 2024 at 12:53
BY SAM
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have faired adequately to this point in the season, having moved back into 3rd place in the Atlantic Division after dismantling the Anaheim Ducks last night by a score of 9-2, but it even with such a lopsided victory in the books, they still didn't get out of the game unscathed after defender William Lagesson left the game with an upper body injury.

Today, The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced via their X account that the team has called up defender Marshall Rifai on an emergency basis presumably to take Lagesson's spot for now.


The @MapleLeafs have recalled D Marshall Rifai from the @TorontoMarlies on an emergency basis.


G Dennis Hildeby has been loaned to the Marlies.

Not much is known about Lagesson's injury or how serious it is, other than it being an upper-body injury of course, but the Leafs recalling yet another player to help out on the back end isn't a good sign.

Rifai, 25, has never played a game in the National Hockey League as of yet. This year with the Maple Leafs American Hockey League Affiliate, the Toronto Marlies Rifai has skated in 34 games collecting two goals and adding 9 assists for a total of 11 points.

I'm not in an NHL front office, but it might be time to look at the trade market to add a defender or two
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February 18   |   229 answers
Leafs forced to make emergency recall as yet another defender goes down with an injury

Do you think the Leafs need defensive help?

Yes16270.7 %
No146.1 %
They've needed it for a long time5323.1 %
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