Maple Leafs Recall Henry Thrun On Emergency Basis

Ahead of tonight’s game against the Minnesota Wild, the Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled defenseman Henry Thrun on an emergency basis. He will draw in for blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson tonight.

Ekman-Larsson has arguably the best reason to miss a game. Per Toronto’s announcement, Ekman-Larsson has returned to Toronto, and he and his wife are expecting the birth of their child. There’s no timeline for when Ekman-Larsson is expected to return, but the Maple Leafs return home on Tuesday for a matchup against the New York Islanders.

Meanwhile, Thrun gets the third recall of his season with the Maple Leafs. He was acquired by Toronto last summer for the trade that sent enforcer Ryan Reaves to the San Jose Sharks. Thrun spent three years with the Sharks before joining the Maple Leafs organization.

Given that he had only been recalled on two occasions this season, Thrun has primarily played for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. He’s been a stabilizing presence on the back end for AHL Toronto, scoring four goals and 20 points in 42 games with a -4 rating. In terms of scoring output, it’s his best professional season to date.

In his two previous recalls with the Maple Leafs, Thrun appeared in four games. It was a largely forgettable showing with Toronto, going scoreless with a -1 rating while averaging 14:52 of ice time per game. Given that the Marlies are the only team in the organization preparing for a playoff run, it’s a foregone conclusion that Thrun will return to the AHL once Ekman-Larsson returns.