LEAFS SET ROSTER: Trade Carrick, place McElhinney, Pickard on waivers
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And then there were 23.
The Maple Leafs have settled on their roster heading into the 2018-19 season, trading defenceman Connor Carrick to the Dallas Stars on Monday and placing goaltenders Curtis McElhinney and Calvin Pickard on waivers.
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LEAFS SET ROSTER: Trade Carrick, place McElhinney, Pickard on waivers Back to video
For Carrick, the Leafs received from Dallas a conditional draft pick in 2019. As it stands, the pick is a seventh-round selection, but that becomes a sixth-rounder if Carrick plays in 50 games for the Stars this season.
Carrick, who will earn $1.3-million US this year, fell out of the Leafs’ plans and failed to make the team out of camp ahead of Justin Holl and Martin Marinčin, who are part of the final roster and were paired at practice on Monday.
If McElhinney and Pickard clear by noon on Tuesday, the expectation is that each will be sent to the Toronto Marlies.
The offshoot is that Garret Sparks, the American Hockey League goaltender of the year, will start the season as Frederik Andersen’s backup.
“All decisions are very hard,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. “They are good people. In Mac’s case, he is unbelievable for us, unbelievable man, great veteran, has a family, all these things go into it.
“On the other side, Sparks has been in the organization for a long time and built himself a history. His camp was not what got it done. It was the history of knowing the guy and understanding that he has a long way to go but he’s a 25-year-old guy going in the right direction has the chance to get there.”
Sparks, naturally, was thrilled to crack the opening-night roster. Sparks played in 17 games for the Leafs in 2015-16 before putting together a couple of fine seasons with the Marlies, helping the club win the Calder Cup last spring.
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“Really exciting morning,” said Sparks, a seventh-round pick by the Leafs in 2011. “Tough even sleeping in until 7 o’clock. Just wanted to get to the rink and see what was going on.
“Just walked in here and saw the lineup. I wasn’t going to ask anybody. I’m really happy it ended up working out in my favour.”
And yes, Sparks, a native of Elmhurst, Ill., was fully aware that his likely first start of the season will come on Sunday in Chicago, the second game of a Leafs back-to-back set.
“That has been on my calendar for a few months now,” Sparks said with a smile. “That was a focal point of my summer.”
Once William Nylander signs, and provided there are no injuries, the Leafs will have to send a player to the Marlies.
Holl, Marincin and Frederik Gauthier, who rotated in on the fourth line during practice, would require waivers to be sent to the minors.
The final roster is due to the NHL by 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
The Leafs open the regular season at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday against the Montreal Canadiens.
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