Kristiāns Rubīns

July 2022 – In a somewhat surprising move, Rubīns was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Maple Leafs. He will become an unrestricted free agent. Nick Richard

May 2022 – Rubīns made his NHL debut early in the 2021-22 season and suited up for three games with the Leafs but overall, it was a bit of a difficult season for the hulking defender. The Marlies struggled as a whole and Rubīns finished the season with a negative shot attempt share while registering just 11 points through 58 games. His average ice time did increase by a couple of minutes per game so he was trusted with a bit more responsibility but he will have to fend off newcomers like Mikko Kokkonen and Axel Rindell to maintain his role in 2022-23. Nick Richard

December 2021 – Rubīns is a player that Leafs brass has been high on for some time, and with injuries piling up on the blue line, he was called up and became the first Latvian to suit up for one of the NHL’s oldest franchises. He has come a long way from his days of toiling in the ECHL as an undrafted player and the fact that he has grown into a viable NHL option is a testament to the work he has put in. It seems that Rubīns is firmly in eighth place on Toronto’s defensive depth chart – at least for now. Nick Richard

October 2021 – After a strong showing with the Marlies in 2020-21 where he became one of head coach Greg Moore’s most trusted defenders, Rubīns has been named as one of the first three players for the Latvian squad for the upcoming Olympics. His game doesn’t have much flash but he continues to develop into a reliable, defense-first blueliner and getting a chance to compete against the best in the world will provide Rubīns an opportunity to show just how much his game has grown. Nick Richard

October 2020 – Rubins has been loaned to the Danish hockey league for some 2020-21 campaign play until the AHL resumes activities. This isn’t a particularly high-level league but may allow for some big minutes for the freshly-inked AHL blueliner to keep him in shape for the Marlies. Hayden Soboleski

April 2020 – The Maple Leafs have sign Rubins to a two-year ELC. The undrafted d-man has gone from the WHL to the ECHL and to the AHL all thanks to consistent development as a reliable all-situations blueliner. His scoring totals have never jumped off the page, but his complete game is there and coaches love him. He will remain a fixture on the Marlies’ back end for the duration of this contract – don’t expect an NHL push in the near future and hold off fantasy-drafting him for now, but he does have 3rd-pairing potential if all things go well. Hayden Soboleski