The Toronto Maple Leafs may be eliminated from playoff contention, but the team will get a glimpse of another key part of its future in the season finale on Saturday.
Centre Joe Colborne has been called up from the AHL’s Marlies and will play in the Leafs’ final game of the regular season against the Montreal Canadiens.
Colborne practised with the big club on Friday, skating on a line with Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul.
The Leafs acquired Colborne, along with a first-round pick in this summer’s NHL Entry Draft, from the Boston Bruins in exchange for veteran defenceman Tomas Kaberle. The 6’5″ Colborne was a first-round pick (16th overall) of the Bruins in the 2008 draft.
In 19 games with the Marlies, Colborne has eight goals and seven assists with a plus-2 rating.