The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed a goaltender to an amateur tryout agreement for the fourth game in a row with Samuel Richard the latest to get a role as backup on Thursday against the New York Rangers.
The University of New Brunswick goaltender will back up Joseph Woll for the team's season finale.
University of Toronto goalie Jett Alexander, who played 1:10 in relief in a blowout win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, Owen Sound Attack goalie Nick Chenard, and Windsor Spitfires netminder Matt Onuska served as backups the past three games.
The Leafs are in this situation because Matt Murray is out with a concussion and top netminder Ilya Samsonov is dealing with an undisclosed injury as the club seeks for him to return to full health for the playoffs next week. Toronto has been locked into a playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning for a couple of weeks.
Richard had a 1.59 goals-against average and .933 save percentage with New Brunswick this season, helping the Varsity Reds win the U Sports title.
The 22-year-old native of Sainte-Catherine, Que. spent the previous three seasons with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL.
In non-goalie news, both John Tavares and Sam Lafferty were absent from the Maple Leafs' morning skate due to personal reasons and are not expected to be in the lineup against the Rangers.
Sports Illustrated's David Alter also made note of the Maple Leafs' lines for the morning skate, and it appears that Connor Timmins will get another look as a forward, skating on the fourth line with Zack Aston-Reese and David Kampf.
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