One of the bright spots this season for the Toronto Maple Leafs has been the emergence of Pontus Holmberg as a legitimate NHL option so early into his North American career. After missing the last few games with an illness, though, the team has reassigned the young forward to the minor leagues. The move likely will give him a chance to get back into game shape before returning to the NHL squad down the road.
Holmberg, 23, was a sixth-round pick of the Maple Leafs in 2018, but quickly became one of the most successful players in the SHL. By last season, he was scoring near a point-per-game pace with Vaxjo HC, took home Swedish forward of the year, and was SHL playoff MVP after leading the postseason in goals and points.
After just 15 games in the minor leagues, where he racked up eight points, he was with the Maple Leafs, taking a regular shift and scoring 11 points in 28 games. For a team so heavily invested in their top players, entry-level performers are critical. Holmberg will likely be back with the NHL club at some point, though it may not be for a little while. The Toronto Marlies are headed out on a long road trip and won’t play another home game until February. Holmberg obviously doesn’t need to stay with the team for that entire stretch, but the team may want to let him get back into the swing of things with several minor league tilts.