Maple Leafs' latest acquisition in the Timothy Liljegren trade sent to the AHL

Matt Benning who was acquired from the San Jose Sharks on October 31 in a trade that also brought a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a sixth-round pick in 2026 an he has now cleared waivers.

Following the statement, the Leafs announced that he would report to the AHL's Toronto Marlies.

Benning was brought in as part of a roster reshuffle and with the Leafs seeking to manage their limited cap space.

The veteran defender had played seven games with the Sharks this season and registered modest contributions. He is also signed through 2025-26 with an annual salary of $1.25 million.

The decision to place Benning on waivers comes even with reports of a potential roster crunch in Toronto and the Maple Leafs may be looking to move him to free up space.

His arrival in Toronto was part of the trade that saw defenseman Timothy Liljegren sent to the Sharks, with the Leafs aiming to balance their blue line and bring.

With Matt Benning's now assigned to the Marlies, the Leafs now have 22 active players and this situation highlights the team's ongoing adjustments to ensure they have the right mix of talent at the NHL level.

In other NHL news, former Leafs goaltender James Reimer was also placed on waivers.

The 36-year-old goalie had signed with the Buffalo Sabres in the off-season but was waived by Anaheim following the return of their starter in John Gibson.