Toronto Maple Leafs Send Fringe Defenseman Back Down to the AHL
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Marshall Rifai has been called up on numerous occasions this season, however, he has yet to actually log any minutes with the team.
Marshall Rifai has been a stud defenseman with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL and there has been this sense that he is ready to take the leap at the NHL level.
Unfortunately, the Maple Leafs are crowded when it comes to defensemen and it has prevented Rifai from seeing any meaningful action.
Marshall Rifai goes back down to the Toronto Marlies
Following an injury to Jake McCabe, the Marlies defenseman was called up and there was an underlying hope that he might get into the lineup.
However, with the rest of the lineup healthy, Rifai was subjected to being the seventh wheel and he never got an opportunity to play.
Today, it was announced that Rifai was being sent back down to the American Hockey League, which suggests that Jake McCabe is ready to return to the lineup.
Rifai has only played two games with the Toronto Maple Leafs throughout his entire NHL career.
In these two games, he was a +1 and did not register a single point, although it's not like that is inherently a bad thing.
Moving forward, it will be interesting to see if Rifai gets another chance to show the team exactly what he can do.
If not, then the Maple Leafs may just have to consider a trade for either draft capital or another fringe player who has a better chance of cracking the roster.
Only time will tell what's next for Rifai's career and whether or not he ever develops into a perennial NHLer.
