Leafs place Liljegren on LTIR, call up two players from the AHL's Toronto Marlies

First, the Leafs have placed Liljegren on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), which means that he will miss at least 10 games and 24 days of action.

In a pair of corresponding moves, the Leafs have recalled a pair of minor league defensemen in Simon Benoit and Max Lajoie from the Toronto Marlies, giving the Leafs a bit of extra flexibility on the blueline.

Benoit, a hard-nosed defensive defenseman, likely has the edge and may draw in tonight against the Buffalo Sabres. The undrafted 6'4, 205-pound defender has amassed 137 games of NHL experience, spending his entire pro career in the Ducks organization.

Meanwhile, Lajoie had the more impressive showing at Leafs training camp, but has far less NHL experience, playing just 70 games since being drafted in the 5th round by the Ottawa Senators back in 2016.

The injury issues in Toronto to begin the season have only highlighted the Leafs' need to scour the trade market to improve their defensive depth. The problem, as always, appears to be the salary cap. The Leafs are tight up against it and were already playing with a slim roster before all the injuries. Ultimately, if they want to improve their blueline, they'll have to shed some salary in the process.