It is curious that they called up Frederik Guathier and not Brooks Laich. It’s curious that they consider Gauthier worth calling up at all.
Guathier, the 6’5 ex-first round pick, has three points (2/1) in 18 NHL games this year. He also has six points (1/5) in 26 AHL games. Personally, I would have thought Brooks Laich may have been the better option – they have similar totals, but Laich would bring a veteran presence and tons of experience. In addition, Laich brings possession numbers that Gauthier isn’t even close to.
To me, this signals that the Maple Leafs are still more interested in development than they are in winning.