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Toronto Maple Leafs: I Know It’s the Boring Period, but Come On…

By James Tanner

SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 12: Goaltender John Gibson #36 of the Anaheim Ducks warms up prior to the game against the Florida Panthers at the FLA Live Arena on April 12, 2022 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 12: Goaltender John Gibson #36 of the Anaheim Ducks warms up prior to the game against the Florida Panthers at the FLA Live Arena on April 12, 2022 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs fans and media have collectively gone crazy.

If you’re just joining us, maybe this seems weird, but trust me, it’s an annual tradition for the Toronto Maple Leafs media and fans.

You see, the NHL off-season is pretty fun.  There is the draft, the awards, free-agency and trades.  After the Stanley Cup is awarded, there are enough events to keep you busy until the fun of  Training Camp.

But, in those six weeks between the Leafs annual first round loss and the day the Cup is awarded, things get crazy.  You can’t blame us, we’re bored and we love hockey.

But there are no trades, or signings, or games or anything to keep us busy, and so, collectively we all lose our minds.

Toronto Maple Leafs Fans: Welcome to the Crazy Season

We’ve been having fun so far:

John Gibson!  He’s declined for three straight years, has the NHL’s worst contract, but sure, he’s totally on his way to the Leafs.  And for a Franchise Player at that.   I mean, even for the “crazy time” of the hockey season this is absurd.

Even for Leafs Media it was frighteningly dumb idea, and that is saying a lot.

Then there is all the talk about Rasmus Sandin.  Hey, I know hockey is the only sport in the world that finds excuses to ignore a player when he puts up top-of-the-league stats without the name or pedigree to back it up, but even for us this is bad.

Sandin was legitimately one of the best players in the NHL last season, but yeah, sure, the Leafs are totally going to let him go so they can keep three left-side defenseman over 30.

Offer sheets?  They don’t exist.

Salary Cap problems?

How does a team who can instantly create over $10 million in cap space have a problem?  They could have $20 million if they wanted to force their two veteran defenseman to waive their no-trade protection.

Kerfoot, Simmonds, Clifford, Holl, Mrazek = $10.96 Million in Cap Space.  

Those players are easy to move, and if the Leafs want to move them, then-a cap space they will have, sir. *doffs hat*

Pretending the Leafs don’t have cap space is like looking at the start of chess game and saying “that knight ain’t going anywhere, what’s the point”?

Talking as if the Leafs don’t have cap flexibility and then pretending that they are going to lose great players instead of fringe players is ridiculous.

Not as ridiculous as trading a franchise player for a crappy goalie, but still.

Next. Is This the Single Worst Idea in Hockey History?. dark

So let us sum up: No offer sheets are happening, no young, future star defenseman are leaving the team, the cap space is  plentiful and John Gibson will never don the Blue and White.

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