The Waiting Game is Over: Why the Maple Leafs' Latest Move with Dakota Mermis Changes Everything

Last week, the Leafs announced they would not have the services of Chris Tanev for the foreseeable future. However, softening the blow was that Brandon Carlo returned from a foot injury that required surgery.

Carlo's return helped solidify the top-four for the Leafs amid Tanev's injury, but there are still some uncertainties surrounding the rotation on the bottom pair, with Simon Benoit, Philippe Myers and Matt Benning all rotating through in recent weeks.

That rotation may soon come to an end for one, or even two of them as Mermis took a significant step towards a return on Monday.

The Leafs announced that Mermis was assigned to the Toronto Marlies on a conditioning stint, indicating that he could return to the Leafs' lineup by the end of the week.

Whether or not Leafs head coach Craig Berube chooses to shuffle his defensive pairings and get Mermis into a game will depend on two factors. One, being how his conditioning stint goes, and two, the play of his bottom three defensemen.

In all likelihood, the return of Mermis will see Matt Benning sent back down to the Marlies, and possibly Myers placed on waivers, as he has struggled when he has drawn into the lineup recently.

The Leafs having a capable, reliable, steady #6 or #7 defenseman like Mermis soon becoming available to them allows them to stop using the likes of Myers and Benning, who were warm bodies at best.

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