Maple Leafs’ Sign University of Toronto Goalie Alex Bishop

Maple Leafs Sign Goalie Alex Bishop to Back Up Campbell

Just this morning, Sportsnet’s Luke Fox wrote that the Toronto Maple Leafs had come up so hard against the salary cap that the team was unable to bring up Michael Hutchinson from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies to back up starting goalie Jack Campbell. As a result, the team was forced to sign a University of Toronto student – young goalie Alex Bishop – as the backup for tonight’s game.

How Interesting an Evening for Bishop

Although it’s not a perfect solution, it does give a young student-athlete something to remember probably forever. And, like it or not, the reason was the salary-cap issues. Maple Leafs’ goalie 1B Petr Mrazek was injured during the second period of the Maple Leafs’ second game of the 2021-22 regular season – a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators. As a result, the team’s issue with the salary cap’s upper limits made it impossible for them to call up Hutchinson.

The NHL’s Salary-Cap Rules Don’t Allow Relief

As Fox reports, the salary cap rules are that a team must play short for a position for a single game before getting needed salary-cap relief. Thus, the Maple Leafs simply couldn’t make a recall. In this case, the young University of Toronto’s Bishop was signed a one-day amateur tryout. He’ll watch from the team’s bench as Campbell is in the net. 

Sometimes these difficulties can be the stuff of movies, but probably things will go well and Bishop will emerge with a contract and a memory.