Joffrey Lupul will Start Season on LTIR
Joffrey Lupul made a statement this morning that confirmed that he would not be attending the Toronto Maple Leafs training camp. Lupul further elaborated that he would start the season listed on the long-term injury reserve.
Here’s the full statement from Joffrey Lupul. Tough time for him. pic.twitter.com/cKpiAzeJNC
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) September 22, 2016
Lupul No Stranger to Injuries
Lupul, 32, has suffered many injuries throughout 13-year NHL career. Since the 2009-10 NHL season, he has played over 50 games only three times. Over that same span of time, he has played fewer than 30 games in four seasons. He is currently trying to recover from a sports hernia that held him to only 46 games last year. Over those 46 games, he accumulated 11 goals and three assists while adding 12 penalty minutes.
Effective When Healthy
Joffrey Lupul, when healthy, can be a key contributor to any team’s offense. Over the course of his career, he played for the Anaheim Ducks and Philadelphia Flyers before moving to his current home in Toronto for the last five years. Across a total of 701 games played, he has scored 205 goals and 215 assists for 420 points, and has accumulated 407 penalty minutes. 132 of his total points have come on the power play, where the Leafs have generally been awful in his absence.
Salary Cap and Roster Implications
With Joffrey Lupul on the LTIR, the Leafs will be able to take advantage of $5.25 million in cap savings. His current deal is set to expire after the 2017-18 NHL season. His roster spot will also allow the Leafs an opportunity to give what is arguably one of the deepest prospect pools in the league a chance to perform at the NHL level. With high-end talents such as like Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner and others looking to make an impact, the absence of Lupul gives them a larger stage to excel.
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