Robidas Island, the destination no Toronto Maple Leafs player wanted to go last season because it effectively meant that their season would be done, no questions asked.
The Toronto Maple Leafs very own “Island of Misfit Toys” was created when the organization made defenseman Stephane Robidas disappear once they placed him on injured reserve prior to the start of last season.
This type of loop hole has Lou Lamoriello written all over it, he somehow got Robidas to see that he indeed have a “knee injury” and had to be placed on IR for the entire season.
With this loophole-Lou move, a running gag had been born.
For most of the season, Robidas Island was exclusively for the former Maple Leafs defenseman because he just didn’t fit in the Maple Leafs plans anymore, he was paid to stay away from the team and remain in his native province of Québec.
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Then, something changed.
Once the calendar turned to 2016 there would be a number of players receiving a one-way ticket to the island for the remainder of the season as it was clear that the Maple Leafs were indeed trying to tank as they tried to secure the highest odds for the number one overall pick.
Prominent players such as James Van Riemsdyk (non-displaced fracture in his left foot) and Joffrey Lupul (sports hernia surgery) were pretty much told not to rush back and to take their time while they rehab any injuries.
As a result, they were jettisoned to Robidas Island to make sure that they did not attempt any sort of comeback in attempt to salvage their season which would would also jeopardize the tanking that was going on. The Maple Leafs knew that sending these players to the island would be in the best interest of the franchise because the would not pick up meaningless wins and lost out on having the highest odds to win the draft lottery.
Needless to say the jettisoning didn’t just end with the players that were injured as players like Alex Stalock and Jared Cowen were also jettison there when the Maple Leafs did not see them in their plans going forward. However, Cowen is still on the roster and might make another trip to the island if he is not bought out.
Lou Lamoriello says Stephane Robidas's career could be over. Says he doesn't know whether Robidas or Joffrey Lupul will play next season.
— Jonas Siegel (@jonassiegel) April 10, 2016
Lou Lamoriello, asked about Joffrey Lupul's status with #leafs: "I have no comment on that situation right now."
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 1, 2016
Now with the new season just around the corner there will renew talk about who is next to join Robidas on the island on a permanent basis and all signs point to Lupul being given residency on the island for next season.
With so many young wingers like William Nylander, Zach Hyman, Connor Brown, Nikita Soshnikov, and Mitch Marner trying to make the team next season and then add in the veteran wingers already penciled into the roster and it just looks like Lupul might be the odd man out of the lineup.
He may try and fight it throughout the season, but there’s no way he gets out of there for as long as Lamoriello is general manager of the team and with his health also being a question, it just looks more and more clear that Lupul will be given permanent residency on Robidas Island.
Next: Lessons Learned From A Painful Decade
Robidas Island is a running gag for those who follow the Toronto Maple Leafs, but it’s no joke that when someone is sent there. They are never to be heard from again and so the island will await which players will be paying a visit for the 2016-2017 season.