Leafs keep Soshnikov on injured reserve

Nikita Soshnikov is still in purgatory.

With his AHL conditioning stint up on Sunday with the Toronto Marlies, Soshnikov remains on the NHL injured reserve list, permitting Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello to head off a roster decision.

Eyebrows were raised Monday when Soshnikov wasn’t cleared to play. Coming off a lower body injury, Soshnikov looked fine on the farm, with two goals, three assists and 17 shots in five games, but Lamoriello told reporters the Leafs were not circumventing any CBA rules, as the player had never been taken off IR, a juggling act other NHL teams have pulled off this season.

Activating Soshnikov would have put the Leafs one man over the roster limit of 23 and though the team could have sent winger Kasperi Kapanen back without waivers, he’s played too well to be taken out. That would leave one of two forwards who would have to be risked on waivers or be traded, Josh Leivo or Matt Martin, with the club not wanting to lose either.

Soshnikov will have to be assessed by a doctor, but the Leafs might be able to stretch this saga out a couple of weeks until closer to the Feb. 26 trade deadline when either Soshnikov is moved or others are swapped to reopen a roster spot.

Soshnikov also has a contract clause allowing him to return to play in Russia if he’s not on an NHL roster.

TALL ORDER

Leafs centre Auston Matthews has faced Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning as an opponent and sat with him in the Atlantic Division all-stars dressing room.

“He’s big, you can all see that,” Matthews said of the goalie before Monday’s game. “Most of the time, you’re not going to beat him off just one shot, you have to get guys in front of him and get second chances.”

Matthews, Babcock and many Leafs could not help but look at Monday, and Saturday in Pittsburgh for that matter, as “measuring stick” games against possible playoff opponents.

“Any time you’re playing good teams you want to know where you’re at,” Babcock said. “We’ve been lucky, we’ve had a lot of good teams in (Nashville and Anaheim as part of this home stand) and this will be a fun week for us. Bottom line, we feel we can get better.”