Toronto Maple Leafs Claim Former Defenseman Off Waivers
The Toronto Maple Leafs wasted no time re-claiming the defenseman they lost the last time he was placed on waivers, as they snatched him up from Utah.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have claimed defenceman Dakota Mermis off waivers from Utah and immediately reassigned him to the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies.
Dakota Mermis, 30, was waived by Utah just a day earlier. Utah had originally picked him up on December 12 after Toronto attempted to send him to the Marlies following a conditioning stint.
In his short time with Utah, Mermis played in only one game, logging 10:47 of ice time and a -2 rating against the Ducks on December 22. He was a healthy scratch for eight other games.
Utah had brought in Mermis to address a string of injuries to their defensive corps. With Robert Bortuzzo ready to return from injured reserve for Friday's game against the Flames, Mermis became expendable.
Mermis signed a one-year, one-way deal with Toronto in the off-season but did not play for the team due to a jaw injury suffered in training camp.
That comeback to the NHL with the Maple Leafs will be on further hold as Mermis has been assigned to the Marlies. Fans were hopeful that when the Leafs signed him in the offseason, he would have made an immediate impact, but that never happened.
In his eighth NHL season, Mermis has 12 points and a +3 rating in 75 career games. He appeared in a career-high 47 games with the Minnesota Wild last season, one of only two seasons in which he avoided significant AHL stints.
