The Maple Leafs say they will approach team toughness with a “pack mentality” now that they’ve placed enforcers Colton Orr and Fraser McLaren on waivers.

“My feeling is fighting is part of the game, everyone says Detroit doesn’t fight. Well, they do, they have fights and we have to have a pack mentality regardless of whether (Orr and McLaren) are in the lineup,” Leafs GM Dave Nonis said as the club trimmed four players from its roster Monday morning.

Toronto placed its two enforcers, as well as defenceman Korbinian Holzer, on waivers for the purpose of sending them to the Marlies. All three players have 24 hours to clear, or be claimed by another team.

The Leafs also told 18-year-old first-round pick William Nylander he wasn’t going to make the club.

“When I talked to him, I said his focus should be on getting stronger,” Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said about his meeting with Nylander.

“Do an inventory of what you accomplished here (in training camp) . . . you showed you can play at an NHL pace in exhibition season, but you need to get stronger. Don’t go back and expect things will be easy. He kept up with the pace here but he had opportunities — three or four breakaways, and didn’t score. We want him to get stronger and come back and play on this team.”

Nylander said he will return to the Swedish Elite League and play for his former club in Modo.

“My goal is to come back here next year and play for this team,” said Nylander, who was clearly disappointed at the decision.

With Modo, he’ll play under highly regarded coach Anders Forsberg. The teenager is expected to represent his country in the world junior championships — Sweden’s initial games are all in Toronto — and could return to the Leafs, depending on his performance and the status of Toronto’s roster at that time.

The cuts Monday left the Leafs with 25 players remaining in camp. Nonis must reduce that number to the 23 man limit — and be cap compliant (payrool at or under $69 million) by Tuesday at 5 p.m.

There were smiles all around for camp standout Brandon Kozun, who has made his first NHL roster and will play in his first career NHL game Wednesday.

Defenseman Stuart Percy also appears to have made the Leafs season opening roster, given that regular blueliner Cody Franson is injured (knee) and is not ready to start the season.

Josh Leivo, another camp standout, left practice Monday, still nursing a bruised foot from a blocked shot last week. That leaves the door open for bubble players Carter Ashton and Matt Frattin.

The Leafs lines in practice llows:

Kessel-Bozak-Van Riemsdyk

Lupul-Kadri-Kozun

Winnik-Holland-Frattin

Komarov-Santorelli-Clarkson

Ashton was the lone extra, though he worked onto a line with Winnik and Frattin.

On defence, Percy paired with Roman Polak, Dion Phaneuf with Stephane Robidas, and Jake Gardiner with Morgan Reilly.

The buzz after the cuts centred on the Leafs apparent departure from carrying an enforcer-type player, at least to start the season. It was called a dramatic change in team philosophy — the club made no secret of carrying an enforcer (Orr) ever since Brian Burke took over the GM reins, and this marks the first season opener a true enforcer type is not on the roster.

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“We have to have a pack mentaility regardless of whether Orr or McLaren are in the lineup,” Nonis said. “We have to stick up for reach other and stick together, and figure out a way to support each other.”

Orr and McLaren accounted for 15 of the NHL leading 48 fights the Leafs were in last season. Clarkson, Lupul and Phaneuf all combined for another 15.

“I don’t think its a shift in philosophy,” Nonis said. “Like I said, we have to figure a way out to support each other.”

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