Rookie Matt Frattin is back for his third stint with the Maple Leafs this season.
But will Saturday’s game against the Washington Capitals be his last in a blue and white uniform or is the former North Dakota sniper back with the big club to help get Toronto into the playoffs?
Frattin, 24, has been playing exceptionally well with the Marlies since being sent down on Jan. 5.
But his name has also surfaced as being one of the young players other teams have been asking about should Leafs GM Brian Burke pull the trigger on a big trade before 3 p.m. on Monday. He could be showcased for such a deal.
With the Marlies, Frattin has scored 12 goals and four assists in 21 games. The 6-foot, 200-pound winger from Edmonton had five goals and five assists in 37 games with the Leafs.
Meanwhile, the Leafs lost Darryl Boyce. The hard-working and always personable penalty killer from P.E.I was claimed off waivers on Saturday by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
In many games this season, Frattin had plenty of chances to score. It seemed only a matter of time before the strong skating forward would start cashing in his chances. But with the Leafs injured players returning, Frattin was the odd man out mostly because Toronto didn’t have to put him on waivers.
He’ll likely play on the Leafs’ third line against the Caps Saturday with Tim Connolly and either Matthew Lombardi or Joey Crabb. One of them will be a healthy scratch against the Caps because coach Ron Wilson said earlier on Saturday that they wouldn’t be calling up anybody from the Marlies if they didn’t intend to play him.
Boyce, 27, had a goal and an assist in 17 games this season with the Leafs. He was a healthy scratch nine times but until being waived had been a solid member of Leafs fourth line with David Steckel and Mike Brown. He was recalled from the Marlies on Dec. 20. He had four goals and six assists in 20 games with Toronto’s AHL affiliate.
Columbus has the worst penalty killing in the league and Boyce should help them in that department going forward and into next season.
Jay Rosehill, 26, cleared waivers on Saturday and reported to the Marlies. A healthy scratch for 45 games, Rosehill had zero points in 16 games with Toronto.
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