Toronto Maple Leafs waive Michael Hutchinson after rough start to season

A day after a tough loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, the Toronto Maple Leafs have waived backup goaltender Michael Hutchinson.

The Toronto Maple Leafs‘ backup goaltending position has been somewhat of a dark spot for the team over the years with Michael Hutchinson.

Since the arrival of Frederik Andersen, there hasn’t been a need for a No. 2 that needed to tend the cage for more than 20 games a year. Curtis McElhinney did a solid job in that position, posting a 2.14 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage in 18 appearances during the 2017-18 campaign.

Past McElhinney, however, it’s been tough sledding for the Buds, as they’ve seen Antoine Bibeau, Jhonas Enroth, Calvin Pickard, Garret Sparks and, most recently Hutchinson, man the crease when Andersen needs a night off.

Following a 5-4 loss at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks over the weekend, the Leafs opted to waive Hutchinson on Monday.

Hutchinson was picked up by the Leafs off waivers last season after Andersen went down with a mid-season injury. He played a handful of games for the Buds but was ultimately sent down to play for the Marlies for the remainder of the year.

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He played in a committee role in the AHL alongside Kasimir Kaskisuo. When it came to the postseason, the Marlies rode with Kaskisuo, who helped backstop them to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Hutchinson was named the Leafs’ backup out of training camp after Sparks was moved in the offseason in exchange for David Clarkson and a draft pick.

During a rough run of back-to-backs that saw Hutchinson appear in six games, the 29-year-old had a 4.44 GAA and a .879 Sv%.

In the event that Hutchinson clears, he would again feature with the Marlies and likely serve as their starter while 21-year-old Joseph Woll continues his development as the team’s backup.

With the Leafs up against the cap and the looming return of Zach Hyman, there’s no trade for a backup on the horizon for the Leafs. This move opens the door for Kaskisuo, who’s had a great start to the 2019-20 campaign with the Marlies.

Kaskisuo is in his fourth full season as a member of the Leafs’ organization. He signed with the organization after two years at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

He’s spent nearly that entire span with the Marlies. He featured with the Orlando Solar Bears in stretches from 2016-18. Kaskisuo was also loaned to the Chicago Wolves during the 2017-18 season, as Sparks and Pickard were cemented as the Marlies’ goaltending duo.

Despite finishing the 2018-19 regular season with a 3.07 GAA and a .896 Sv% in 30 appearances, Kaskisuo was lights out for the Marlies in the postseason, posting a 2.14 GAA and .927 Sv% in 12 playoff games.

Kaskisuo went into this season as the AHL starter, and he’s run with the chance, starting the year 6-1-1 with a 2.13 GAA and a .928 Sv% while helping the team sit tied for first in the North Division.

The 26-year-old Kaskisuo will be thrown directly into the fire upon his arrival. The Maple Leafs will travel to New York for a showdown with the Islanders on Wednesday. They’ll then return home to face the Boston Bruins before heading to PPG Paints Arena on Saturday to play the Penguins in what will be the team’s sixth back-to-back of the season.

Kaskisuo has certainly proven that he’s earned the opportunity at the job. But now, he’ll have to prove himself in a spot that hasn’t been kind to others in the past.

Are you surprised to see Hutchinson get waived? Do you think Kaskisuo can get the job done if he gets called up? Let us know in the comments below.