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Toronto Maple Leafs: Offseason Excitement

By Rachel Halliwell

Apr 6, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs during the singing of the national anthems before a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 6, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs during the singing of the national anthems before a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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There are a lot of reasons for Toronto Maple Leafs fans to be excited for the off-season.

The Toronto Maple Leafs still have a lot of buzz surrounding the organization even though they’re golfing as usual. Here are five reasons to be excited even though the off-season is early again:

CHL Playoffs: The Toronto Maple Leafs have plenty of prospects competing in either the OHL, WHL or QMJHL Playoffs. F Mitch Marner and D Travis Dermott kick of a series against each other tonight (London vs. Erie). Dmytro Timashov (Shawinigan) and  Martins Dzierkals (Rouyn-Noranda) are awaiting an opponents for the semi-finals of the QMJHL Playoffs.

Marlies: The Toronto Maple Leafs season may be finished, but the Marlies is just getting started. They kick off the first round of the playoffs Saturday against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The Marlies finished 1st in the AHL this season with 114 points (54-16-5). The exciting part, is all the Leafs prospects that will be in action. Nylander, Hyman, Soshnikov, Sparks, Bibeau, Lindberg, Brown, Carrick, Smith, Brennan and more. The list is really endless. The Marlies have a legitimate chance to go all the way to the Calder Cup finals. That’s exciting not just for this season, but for many seasons to come, as it shows that the future of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks good. They have a very talented team of up-and-coming young players.

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NHL Draft Lottery: The only guarantee is that the Toronto Maple Leafs will select somewhere between one and four. Even knowing that is enough to be excited about. The talent is rich at the top end of this years draft and the Toronto Maple Leafs hold the best odds to get a potential generational talent in Auston Matthews. The next few players are no slouches either.

NHL Draft:  The Toronto Maple Leafs have accumulated a pile of draft picks and after the lottery balls have dropped and they know exactly where they’ll select in the first round excitement will be even higher. With Mark Hunter’s meticulous scouting, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in good hands. That’s evident from last years draft where several of those players have had great seasons this year for their respective clubs.

NHL Free Agency: The highlight of July for hockey is the very first day. Does the name Steven Stamkos ring a bell? He’s been linked to Toronto for over a year now, and the rumors just keep coming. He’s not going to be cheap and it remains to be seen how invested the Toronto Maple Leafs will be in free agency this year. There are other solid players on the open market. David Backes, Kyle Okposo, Milan Lucic, Kieth Yandle, Kris Russel, James Reimer and more. There is plenty for the Toronto Maple Leafs (and everyone else) to choose from, if they want to.

Next: Marlies Calder Cup Preview

Overall, the next few months will sure be interesting for the Toronto Maple Leafs. With the rebuild underway, there’s really no telling what the lineup will look like for Game 1 of the 2016-17 season. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy what should be the most exciting Leafs offseason in a long time.

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