The Toronto Maple Leafs made a series of cuts from their training camp roster with seven players, including top prospect Nick Robertson, getting assigned to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
Forwards Mikhail Abramov, Jack Kopacka, Jeremy McKenna, along with defencemen Joseph Duszak, Noel Hoefenmayer and Teemu Kivihalme were also sent to the Marlies.
Robertson was in tough to make the Leafs’ opening night roster with the logjam at forward. The 20-year-old made a strong impression during the team’s rookie camp and will look to build on that while playing top-line minutes in the AHL.
Toronto selected the Pasadena, Cali., native in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft. Robertson appeared in six games last season, registering an assist. He also played in 21 games for the Marlies, where he had six goals and 21 points.
Abramov is making the jump to professional hockey after spending the past three seasons in the QMJHL with the Victoriaville Tigres. The Russian forward was selected by Toronto in the fourth round of the 2019 NHL Draft.
The Leafs re-signed Duszak to a one-year, two-way contract extension back in August after joining the team as an undrafted free agent. The 24-year-old skated in 25 games with the Marlies, last season, registering four goals and eight assists.
Kivihalme is in the final year of his extension that he signed back in 2020. He recorded 11 points in 20 games with the Marles last season.
Hoefenmayer signed a two-year deal with the Marlies skating in 18 AHL games while recording six points and added 10 points in 23 games in the ECHL with the Wichita Thunder. The former Ottawa 67’s defenceman was named the CHL defenceman of the year after leading all three major-junior leagues with 26 goals and 82 points over 58 games before the 2019-20 season.
McKenna is in the final year of a two-year contract with the Marlies where he recorded 13 points in 28 games in the AHL and 13 points in 20 games with the Thunder. Kopacka joined the Marlies after spending the 2020-21 season with the Belleville Senators where he had an assist in nine games.
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