Despite their first-round exit from the NHL tournament, playoff hockey lives on for a few members of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
After clearing waivers at noon Wednesday, forward Ryan Hamilton has joined fellow Leafs call-ups Joe Colborne, Korbinian Holzer and Jesse Blacker in returning to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
The Marlies are in the thick of their second-round playoff series with the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Detroit Red Wings’ AHL affiliate. The best-of-seven series is knotted at one game apiece with Game 3 set for Wednesday night in Michigan.
Hamilton, who served as captain of the Marlies prior to being recalled by Toronto’s big club, needed to clear waivers before rejoining the AHL team because he played more than nine games for the Leafs this season.
In Hamilton’s 10 regular-season and two playoff games for the Leafs, he registered three assists.
In 58 games for the Marlies this season, Hamilton scored 30 goals and added 18 assists.
The 28-year-old Hamilton is about to play out his fourth one-year deal with the franchise and will become an unrestricted free agent on July 5.
