Maple Leafs place Dakota Mermis on IR, recall Henry Thrun

The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to be battered and bruised this season.

With a laundry list of players currently on IR, the team has added defenceman Dakota Mermis, who suffered a lower-body injury against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday, and now hits the shelve for what sounds like, a few weeks.

The Leafs recalled defenceman Henry Thrun from the AHL's Toronto Marlies, and he's expected to see his first action in blue and white on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks.

Mermis suffered the injury three minutes into the third period of Monday’s game when Lightning forward Gage Goncalves was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for kneeing the Toronto defenceman.

Gage Goncalves received a 5-minute major and a game misconduct for kneeing on Dakota Mermis pic.twitter.com/hGtUJbZjcl

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) December 9, 2025

Mermis had been filling nicely for the Maple Leafs, as they are currently without Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo on the back end. Mermis was averaging 13:01 of ice-time per game, and had one goal in 11 appearances. 

Thrun, 24, is having a strong season in the AHL, posting three goals, and six assists, for nine points in 19 games with the Marlies. The former San Jose Shark has over 100 NHL games under his belt, and could be someone the Leafs wind up falling in love with, much like what's going on with Troy Stecher at the moment. 

Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images