The Toronto Maple Leafs, their GM and his staff, must be having a nice vacation.
Other than signing Martin Jones last week, the Toronto Maple Leafs have not done anything of significance in the last month of so.
This is to be expected, as August is typically the slowest month of the NHL calendar.
Still, news is happening, it’s just not about the Toronto Maple Leafs.
That, however, doesn’t need to be the case. As you are likely well aware, Toronto is the centre of the NHL universe and every story that happens has a Leafs connection (and if not, we’ll make one!).
Here then, is the most recent NHL news filtered through the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Making the Most Recent NHL News All About the Toronto Maple Leafs
- Jeff Petry traded by Canadiens to the Red Wings.
This move is somewhat bizarre. The Canadiens took Petry from the Penguins as part of the Erik Karlsson trade (and they got other players and a second round pick, which is just good business) and now they’ve picked up another asset and a 4th round pick.
What’s bizarre about the move is that Detroit is adding a veteran when they play in the toughest division in hockey and have almost no shot at making the playoffs (after near locks Toronto, Florida, Boston, and Tampa, there is only one possible Atlantic team left and Detroit would have to overcome both Buffalo and Ottawa who have better rosters).
To be honest, this trade doesn’t really have any affect on the Leafs – Jeff Petry is no longer an option for them, but he never was. A trade between divisional bottom-feeders is beneath their notice.
2. David Krejci Retires
Krejci tended to destroy the Toronto Maple Leafs whenever he played them, so his retirement is great news for the Leafs. No longer will Krejci and Bergeron make Boston seem invincible when they play the Leafs.
3. Tom Wilson Signs Really Dumb Contract
You know that old NHL saying “if an injury prone declining player is hitting 30, lock him at a massive overpayment.”
What I liked about Kyle Dubas is you knew he’d never sign these kinds of deals. Brad Treliving? I am not so sure. This is obviously a bad contract, but the Capitals are just paying off a legacy player and thanking him for the Cup, while trying to keep the band together for as long as Ovechkin wants to keep playing. You can’t really blame them, but it’s a bad deal.
4. Kale Makar on Cover of NHL 24
I guess this qualifies as news! It should have been Marner (who is insanely underrated, by the way).
Here is hoping that the Toronto Maple Leafs make some news in the upcoming week, hopefully by fixing their terrible blue-line in some way.