Are Toronto Maple Leafs in for step back year? Looking at organization’s long-term outlook

Are Toronto Maple Leafs in for step back year? Looking at organization’s long-term outlook

is this a step back year for the Maple Leaves the hockey news’s David alter seems to think it could be we’ll discuss that and more with alter on today’s edition of the lockon leaves podcast part of the lock on podcast Network it’s your team every [Music] day you’re locked on Maple Leafs your daily podcast on the Toronto Maple Leafs part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day hello and welcome into the lock on leaves podcast a daily Maple Lea Center podcast hosted by myself Mike Toano and my co-host Dave moruti today’s episode is brought to you by indeed still searching for a great candidate for your company don’t search just match with indeed start hiring now with a $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post at indeed.com logdon TS conditions apply need to hire you need indeed what’s going on Dave how you feeling on a Tuesday not too bad uh it’s gonna be a very we talked about in the last episode just a very quiet week on the sports calendar like Wednesday uh like there’s not even anything we can to refer to for the for like Wednesday there’s nothing going on you sport you’ve got the allstar Derby which is going on what you got the allstar Derby is that tomorrow the Derby so the Derby happen Monday tomorrow and then I think the game The Game’s Tuesday and then the the there’s just a break on Wednesday yeah nothing oh so the Derby would have happened yesterday technically for those who are listening yeah Wednesday’s going to be boring I mean I’m going to be on TS all week I’m I’m covering him for uh for for Matthew Cause 2 to four on gameplay 1050 shout out go listen uh yeah there’s not GNA be a lot to talk about like it’s a gambling show fantasy and gambling show and there not a lot not a lot to talk on when we’re talking about that Futures Futures Futures a lot of Futures yeah yeah we’re pretty much just going to be looking at Futures think you got the NFL uh you got some training camp starting up but not a lot of hockey talk definitely not a lot of hockey talk uh these days this is truly this is now the dog days of summer like this week is officially Dog Days that’s that’s what it’s all about but luckily we ended up having a great conversation actually with David alter uh a couple of days ago and he joined us and we had that chat yesterday about kind of the Mitch Marner uh media Fiasco that went down at at the assist at the Marner assist Foundation um and we end up getting into a a longer convers ation afterwards which is what we’re about to show you today and it was more about what’s going on with the maple e in the future how does he feel this season is going to play out for Toronto and he had a really interesting perspective and essentially David alter somewhat thinks that this is going to be a bit of a step back and evaluate season for Toronto it was a really interesting discussion so why don’t we get there let’s hear it it’s David alter M police reporter from the hockey news welcome back into the locked on leaves podcast with Mike sto and Dave morisi we’re joined by David alter of the hockey news and uh we’ll put Mitch Marner conversation to the side for now we’ll focus on the other elements of of the Maple Leafs um we haven’t had you on in a in in a little bit Dave I think just right after the maple leaf maybe got eliminated so the team looks a little bit different from uh from that day until now uh Chris tanav is in Oliver Ekman Larson uh stolar is now in for Ilia samsonov and uh uh we’re still not sure what’s going on with hockin paa I don’t know if you’ve got some updates there but what uh what are your thoughts overall on the offseason so far and are the Maple Leafs a better team today than they were when we last spoke I think defensively they are a better team I think you look at the pieces that they added and from a short-term standpoint those are upgrades I mean the Chris tanv one is supposed to be the big upgrade you just never know at 34 is this where the declin starts or is it going to be uh good but in terms of a shutdown right shot right hand shot that could play either top pair or second pair automatic in one of those two spots it’s a great ad for them they they really did need something like that and um it’s one of those things where the Leafs really kind of wanted to do something last year but the flat cap couldn’t during the season they obviously couldn’t execute any trades to kind of address the area and you just kind of got a sense that the moment this player was available to Brad tree living He was going to pull the trigger somehow and get it done and he did so there is that the Oliver emman Larson one is very interesting to me because um you know he had that buyout and when he spoke with us he actually I don’t I didn’t do a lot of research on on emman larsson’s situation with Vancouver but he said in that when I asked him about the buyout that when he was making as much money as he was there and like the role that he was occupying like the last couple of years he was playing through some like injuries he said he was pretty beat up but because of the the money and all that other stuff he felt this pressure to keep playing interesting and then when when he got bought out and it’s obviously a more of a minimal investment it freed him it kind of freed him to be like and they’re like look if you need if you need like time or whatever like fix yourself right do that stuff and and so that that pressure off said he said made the biggest difference in kind of getting his game back and and he kind of said he felt he feels better now than he did when he was 25 which was a very interesting comment so um so there’s that I still don’t know if like not just how that contract’s going to age but more so is he the second pair guys is either the third like third pair he would be on some other teams even still at three and a half but kind of have to put him in that top four because of the commitment that’s made or at least try him out that way to start and then it it helps when benois and uh and mcab are only making like three in change as your second pair to have him on the third pair making three and change for sure and so that that looks like you know there is that element there and so if you have to move him down or do whatever you can kind of move into that spot um the Timothy lilligren $3 million deal was but it just spoke to the marketplace and how much everything went up for like certain type of depth forwards and especially defenseman like TJ broy getting 3.75 million per year was a shocker to me but really kind of spoke to the market for defenseman all across the league so when you look at that and the prices that were set that way in Joel Edmonson I think got 3.8 so you look at all you look at all that it’s like okay I I think the Leafs did fairly okay with what the asking prices were so there is that the hawen pot one and a half that is really strange you’re right because they’ve still not announced it bride tree living did speak about him so we felt it was a matter of time then the Simmons the Simmons reports came about him and then um nothing radio silent ever since right so who knows maybe it’s being contested like and they just kind of really can’t say or do anything but he’s not on an official across the league so as far as we know that’s not done so you take all that into account the Leafs are under the cap I like their moves and I think for the first time since 2021 they have a really good chance of going into the season without having to go into LTI if they keep the roster the way it is right now and that could actually benefit them in ways they probably couldn’t before because if you can stay like a million under the C or whatever it is all season long and then at trade deadline you can add as much as five million to your your team in terms of having the to add guys instead of doing double retention or you can do double retention and add even more guys right so I think in this crazy year of transition they’ve improved the defense the forwards are kind of the same but I think the real bread and butter of this Leaf’s team is going to be this my prediction is if everything kind of stays status quo there’s a whole year of transition going on right now that they can just kind of see where they’re at as the season goes along and a crew cap space by avoiding LTI and then if it looks like their Gang Busters really load up that team without having to give up much for for a run what do you think also when we talk a lot about the defense but also the goal tending like how do you think that kind of looks especially not just with bringing Anthony stolar would seem like a formality when we heard the two names but also Matt Murray back as well I had heard whisper a year ago that the Leafs were interested in bringing Murray back like they really yeah I remember I I I think Dreer may have reported something about that about a year ago and and I think it was when I was still with TSN and and it was like oh yeah he may not be done and I remember being like what but I never envisioned him coming back as a third goalie I think it’s a third goalie people can’t be that upset about it right like it it there’s an issue when he’s making six million or whatever it was 4.8 I guess that’s an issue when he’s taking up that amount of cap space and you know sitting on ltir and and not allowing you to acrew but at what 875 it’s a no-brainer third golender in my opinion it’s an upgrade on Martin Jones if he’s healthy right and uh yeah I mean he did play in the Marley’s he looked okay there he didn’t look but it was kind of hard to gauge it evaluating a goalie at the HL level is on a conditioning stint is kind of a bit of a wash you’re really not doing it for for anything other than seeing if he can move laterally if I’m not mistaken krie price had like goals against like above four in like three AHL games he played before playing Toronto in the series back in the bubble if I’m not mistaken I believei Anderson played oh no Frederick Anderson did play in the Marley’s then got one game they activated him for the final game it was against Winnipeg um in the regular season before the play they started the playoffs to Jack Campbell in that same series the bubble year seems like so far away doesn’t it yeah but I mean look a lot we talk about this team and and whatever the past frustrations I won’t go too deep into it but as far as like um the team now I think this is a transitional year like if the Marner stuff doesn’t get resolved this season and it just plays itself out you have a new mlsc CEO you still don’t know what the ownership of that is going to look like with the reported Sunset Clause with Larry Tannon bomb I think it’s by 2026 it has to happen but it could happen earlier where his stake is bought out and then it’s Bell and Rogers co- like co- running the team without a third party and then maybe there’s a different direction there and so like you see what’s happened with Bill Manning with the Argos and with TFC I wrote about this today but one of the things that stood out to me I over my years I’ve read a lot of press releases and I like what’s in them and I also like what’s not in them when I normally see what’s not and and the interesting thing to me in that mlsc news release how short it was it didn’t still Manning one you’re referring yes yes it did not say like a lot of them do like a search for an immediate like a a replacement will begin immediately it did not say that and usually usually with positions you’re replacing you usually have like that article it’s almost standard and that was not there and to me what it didn’t say was more telling than what it actually said so I look at that and I look at Shanahan’s deal which we think expires at the end of 2025 but you didn’t want to entertain questions about it and the season any news conference but um yeah I think there’s just so much going on at the higher higher level that the more I think about it this is just going to be one of those transition years and just play it dayto day in terms of what else you need to do to be competitive and then if there’s a fundamental change with like Marner and Tavarez or or at the top with Shanahan or whatever 2025 is going to be the year of that big change because of the cap space that opens because of the potential own ownership adjustments and all that stuff that the more I think about it this is just going to be a tinker add things to what you have and then if a trade comes up great entertain it but other than that there’s still a lot of TBD with this organization we’re driven by the search for better when it comes to hiring the best way to search for a candidate isn’t a search at all don’t search match with indeed if you need to hire you need indeed indeed is your matching and hiring platform with over 350 million Global monthly visitors according us indeed data and a matching engine that helps you find quality candidates fast just a busy work use indeed for scheduling screening and messaging so you can connect with candidates faster and he doesn’t just help you hire faster 93% of employers agree inde delivers the highest quality matches compared to other job sites according to recent indeed survey so join more than three and a half businesses worldwide that use indeed to hire GR Tom fast and listeners of the show will get a $75 sponsor job credit to get your jobs more visibility at indeed.com lockon just go to indeed.com lockon right now and support our show by saying you heard about indeed on this podcast any.com lockon terms and conditions apply need to hire you need indeed I I I I tend to agree with you and I hate it though because know feels L Duck Right like it it just it feels like everything’s happened like a year too late right like this all should have happened two years ago you know what I mean like if you were getting rid of dubis you should have got rid of the coach as well and you should have started this you know okay can you know can coach X you know work with Marner let’s find that out before his free agent year you know like is is it the coach the problem is it the players a problem well let’s find out year early and now it’s like every year okay we’re going to move on for the GM but the coach is still there and the players are still there and they go through that year okay that didn’t work let’s now re relieve ourselves of the coach so now you got a new coach but all the players are the same it’s like should have just scrapped everything two years ago and then made that decision right then and there if this team needs to Pivot or not and done it instead of like making little incremental change over the course of two years it’s really just set this organization behind two seasons in my opinion and which is why this year I I agree with you I think this is going to kind of be a let’s wait and see kind of how the season plays out but you know we’re talking about year one of a four-year deal of of Matthews that you’re just wasting almost and it’s not gonna sit well with Lee fans if if that’s the case I mean that’s not the messaging they’re obviously going to push but reading between the lines I’m with you that’s kind of what it feels like this season and you know they’ll they’ll see what happens with Marner and with Taris and whether they stay or they go one stays one goes whatever happens um next year next summer there’s a lot of flexibility that this Maple e team will have so it kind of makes sense that that’s kind of maybe the path and Avenue that they’ go down this year yeah and then the cap is like more than likely going to go up another 5% on top of that as well which would help um with whatever they decide to do extension wise or not um but yeah I mean I just look at it and if I’m looking at it from a cap management standpoint you don’t have a lot of space but you also have an opportunity to not delve into LTI which can really help you if things really go right and you want to just what’s the one thing that people are just sick of now in the market right it’s just waiting for the playoffs it’s like okay regular season like great right so like it’s not a bad strategy to just kind of put together a team leave some space leave contract slots and then if it really starts to feel like all these additions are making you feel Elite and you’ve got something well then you have that window with staying under the cap to really add and and pull off whatever you’ve got to do where if you do it now and then you don’t leave yourself you’re doing these double retention trying not to trade your first round like least don’t have a first round pick this year um which I almost forgot about Pi a two they got a two they they yeah yeah so they they picked up a two at the last draft Yeah so so yeah there’s a lot there’s a lot there and then yeah there’s also who’s going to run the draft um probably D Clancy or or or somewhere there that’s something else we haven’t talked about but yeah so there’s a lot of different kind of things kind of going on and it just seems like after the dubis thing like with West Clark and other staffers that everything has just been like a slow transition a trickle down before things really kind of fully change like to me it’s like the defense is a real full Mark of this is TR living’s team but it’s still not really fully his team I’m still curious to see like what he could do with like the Slate clean and doing things his way but it’s shanny’s team and so it’s yeah like to me a lot feels the same even though tree living is there but he’s sprinkled in his little flavor of it I want to ask you one more question then we can we can let you go it’s just because you brought this up and I am curious actually because you’re around the team and you you were at development Camp if I’m not mistaken correct I was for three of the five days so was there any indication because I I think I had read that West Clark was in attendance at development camp and then two days later gone and in Pittsburgh like was there any indication of that happening was there whisperings of that happening like you being so intertwined with the team and the the daytoday ongoings like that you off guard certainly caught Dave and high off guard I I was a bit surprised but in the days that I was there I didn’t see him and I just figured maybe like he didn’t have to be there like it didn’t raise suspicion to me right like I thought he was I thought I had read someone said he was spotted there he might have been but I didn’t see him but I didn’t look for him like it wasn’t one of these things where it’s like oh that’s weird he’s not there like he might be there but like you know once they’re drafted yeah he can be there and look at all that stuff but he doesn’t have to you know a lot of his responsibilities were picking the thing right like once it’s there you don’t have to be that visible you’re there but you’re there but yeah it is a bit of a surprise because all these contracts usually expire July one so so the only other thing I could see is if he was operating without a contract or if he did have anything the one thing that really stood out in that press release is they gave him a vice president title and usually when you’re trying to pry or or like there’s a gentleman’s agreement around the league that if the position is deemed higher you let them go and in the case of West Clark he’s wasn’t the highest in the pecking order of Player Development so there wouldn’t be any sort of like no we’re keeping him and we’re going to stunt them there because he was he’s overseeing it all now he’s Derek Clancy he’s Haley wickiser like he’s all that in Pittsburgh now so so it’s a very different position as far as him going I don’t think it surprised anyone at all when it was actually announced or whatever the timing of it sure but yeah maybe I slip through that one I I didn’t really look too closely at who was watching at that point but I don’t remember I can’t spot I like I I know tree was there I saw Shanahan there obviously Haley was on the ice um well whether he was there or not like really you know all that necessary but it’s the fact through the draft and there was just like no no nothing and then all of a sudden it was like oh West Clark appears to be leaving the maple leafes two minutes later West Clark is now the VP of the Pittsburgh person like he he might have he might have been operating with something and then they just let him go because there was a higher position but it’s a higher position so it’s not one of these things El would have ever stood in his way if he wasn’t but yeah um yeah and just like how um you know the leaf didn’t the leaf didn’t do the Calgary thing and make Kyle dubis wait until July one before he could be president of of the Pittsburgh Penguins right like they let him speak right away and do his thing and they didn’t stand in the way where like uh it’s very different sometimes like like you’re hearing about what happened in Columbus Now with uh Todd mlen and like not being able to get a deal or an arrangement done with the LA Kings yeah and a lot of that is compensation like that happened so dumb so bogus that that’s part of how they go about things like this now probably they’re considering circling back on Pascal Vincent now well I think that was uh I think that was a fake tweet I hope so I I I got I got fooled I got fooled by that I hope that I looked I looked it was like brain hedger instead of Brian hedger and I was like oh but you know that the old Twitter for you algori it’s hard to avoid but anyway going back to your point the reason why that stuff happens now it’s not that the the team is just willing to let like it holds a grudge and wants to keep them it’s that they don’t want other teams getting high price staff at a discount so it’s like if you’re G to take them come close to what we were paying him don’t think you can pay him like a buck or a mill when he’s making five and we’ll just cover the difference and let him go so that’s what happens there in those situations like yeah that’s why that’s why Columbus had to wait till July one when they initially announced Babcock because M give an inch to announce it earlier because of the price difference if if our coaches if I I would like I’m assuming there’s like a like there’s the player association I’m assuming there’s some sort of coaches association a coach association but it’s kind of Toothless I would probably try and argue that like it just becomes a 5050 thing like realistically like there there’s got to be a way where the team has to offer 50% of what they’re making and then they just because either way the the the other team has to pay him like regard be compens remember they used to have to give draft picks yeah yeah toell and then that created more problems that yeah they they uh that created yeah Columbus and Vancouver right when they got Pella yeah so it was like a Toronto when they got Babcock didn’t they uh he was contract I think yeah he was done his contract was he okay yeah his contract it was either him or Laro I thought that the leaves were the larella one actually sounds familiar possibly Lou yeah possibly Lou but Lou but Lou had actually been demoted um like a week prior they gave him like a symbolic role within the Devils it was like a week or too prior where they like took away the GM stuff and then that’s when he got that job in Toronto but yeah they is a third round pick for Lamar I just looked right so they used to have that and apparently that created problems because it wasn’t even that like they had to give compensation the team still had to agree too and they got the compensation so then they started taking it away because the because teams that were getting the staff it’s like well if they still have to give us permission why are we giving them anything like if I if I’m giving them something I don’t want to ask them permission that was the problem so that’s why they just scrapped it entirely I don’t know how you go about it it’s the same in the NBA it’s the same in a lot of these things because even though you’re not even though you’re you’ve been dismissed or relieved from your duties you’re still technically an employee fun story I remember when Randy Carlile was dismissed he had a year left on his deal and I saw him in Anaheim like in the Press Box and like actually said his credentials said Toronto mate beliefs because he got in under them because his way of getting in was he was territory of the Leafs even though he wasn’t doing the coaching role he had under the Toronto M polia I think it said Scout or something like that but even though that wasn’t official that’s how they had to designate him uh for a press Fox seat or for like a scout seat for that game because he has ties Anaheim and wanted to go so I remember when I saw that I was like huh I’m like okay that’s that’s kind of nice little like behind the scenes of how that works when you do have term like what the teams it never happens but a team could reassign you based on whatever but just out of respect they wouldn’t do it right like they relieve you of your coaching duties but now you’re gonna be an area Scout for whatever yeah but he wasn’t actually scouting they just like wrote it in like one things but yeah I remember seeing like in TV stuff like Network contracts where like technically if they wanted to they could recall you and be like we want you to be coach or whatever again and recall you and we’re paying you to be that so you can I do believe that they would have to like if if the team was stubborn enough they could do it but I just don’t think out of respect and recruiting I don’t think any NHL team would have the goal to ever do it no that would just be embarrassed like to go back to the Pascal vinsent thing that’d be embarrassing like actually we can’t find anyone so come come on back there’s no right but legally I believe they could do it interesting be embarrassing because because like yeah they’re paying you to be the coach whether they choose to or not if you’re paid there and they’re asking you to do it you have to do it if they if they like end it but then they want you to come back and go back to work you go back to work right like that’s that’s the legal ease of it now it’s it’s a nice little perk to get paid to do nothing but if they want you to come back to work I’m pretty sure they could do it just out of embarrassment and for around the league no team would ever actually do that I what’s that I said fun little topic we ventured into no it was interesting it wasn’t like I think it is I didn’t know that that was the case that technically they were still under contract and if they wanted to I don’t think anyone would ever do it but they’re paying you right fulfill this job the only the only owner that I think would have ever done that is Alex MLL he probably would have done that and I mean that’s obviously not a problem anymore since he’s there have I’m sure I’ll look it up but like there have been like coaches who’ve come back it’s a different contract or whatever but there’s whatever like we want you back would you be willing to come back and some will do it because they just want to be a head coach again right like if they don’t have a gig anywhere else like years down the line you mean as opposed to like right right away no I’m just saying if if that situation happened where it’s like listen like or a different GM came in and they’re like would you be open to it you have this or whatever and some some head coaches might do it just for the sake of being a head coach again like if they’re not doing anything else right like it’s it’s weird but I don’t think legally it’s like they absolutely say no I guess they could defend you you relieved me of the duties contract says if you relieve me or whatever but you’re still rights of the team and you’re paying them to do the job they’re just not doing the job because you’ve told them not to do the job like if you like it’s just like if if a boss sends you home but you’re on a salary you’re still getting paid for that day well I do also want we’re we’re getting so deep in the weeds in this conversation but I do wonder if it has to if it has to deal with it’s okay we’re g to split this up into two episodes I made that decision literally like 10 minutes ago um I I I do wonder if this is summer radio anyways what we talk about um you know if you’re in that situation could you now I’ve lost my train of thought I stumbled myself into losing my train of thought what were just what were you just saying it again I was about uh the coaching stuff and coming back to work um like if someone sends you home and then oh yeah I wonder if it has to do with the wording like fired as opposed to reliev like if you’ve fired like Babcock when he was fired like that was mik Babcock has been fired by the Toronto M police like I’m pretty sure that’s how it was kind of word it was it really I have to look I don’t I don’t remember if it was actually written that way well I wonder differ right if that’s the difference if someone is fired as opposed to just relieved of his got paid for the whole thing so yeah it’s different maybe maybe the Columbus one was a little bit different but um yeah it’s uh it’s interesting because you remember when Brian Burke was relieved in that weird way just as the lockout ended in 2013 and still did in his Z news conference at the building I remember that that was the most I don’t think I’ve ever seen a general manager have a press conference with the team backdrop as he’s getting fired well and then they said they were going to reassign him to something and then he said well I got here and they it’s actually not what they said it was going to be like it was but yeah it was you know they’re still like within team so they can do that right like they can and a lot of times when you see like an exec kind of moved over to like whatever symbolic a lot of times it’s because they still have money on their deal so it’s like well we’re just gonna right so as a it’s it happens all the time because you know as things kind of progress there’s a real movement of like paying people to not do work it’s kind of nuts no pays me to do work and now people are trying to pay people not to do work what the hell I’m in the WR business so I just looked this up because I had to clar find it so he was relieved of his D yes I think if it was fired it would be different because there would be cause if they actually said fired they would there that would mean there’s like cause or something I’m curious of how it was worded when he was when the Blue Jackets oh that’s I Wasing mutually agreed ually yeah that was mutually he resigns from what I understand that wasn’t that was like a a settlement yeah yeah you’re right not like um not getting the whole thing but not getting nothing either right yeah so I think that was oh Babs so it’s it’s fun I love that stuff like I was talking the other day just like the economics of everything and with things like with things like friendly shutting down there’s more of an onus on someone like me to kind of delve deeper into the numbers because whenever teams kind of make these decisions it’s on us to kind of explain why and how this is or how it works so it’s really interesting well mlse and the M beliefs I guess like it’s it’s less uh you know like it doesn’t matter as much I guess like you they’ll spend as much money as they want off the ice but for other teams like it does matter right the fact that you’re paying you know like the otwa Senators are still paying you know coaches so it’s like okay do we want to go out and buy the most expensive coach probably not so then they have to settle for like you know coach b as opposed to maybe what coach a would have been and there’s other teams around the league too that have a bit of an internal cap when it comes to what they’re willing to to pay right so it definitely like the economics off the ice definitely is a very interesting part of the game that doesn’t get talked about a lot but certainly influences how Coes and GMS um you know are you know how that whole ecosystem Works um it is interesting to to talk about uh all right Dave appreciate it thank you very much is there anything else you want to get off your chest while we’re no I think you’ve exhausted all of it um we’re good um it was a fun fun day uh fun week and it should be a really fun summer in leaf land for sure what’s uh what do you got planned for this week when it comes to uh to the writing got anything or just waiting for stuff to Waiting For Stuff following following up listening seeing what’s seeing uh what the scuttlebutt is with sources or whatever and just kind of just seeing what’s up but it’s pretty quiet I imagine it’s going to stay somewhat quiet for the next week or so but um I think August is where it’s going to kind of Ratchet it back up again it’ll yeah well August is I guess when uh do they have any arbitration I just do con Connor derer is eligible for arbitration I don’t see that being too acrimonious like the elas Sam one was um but yeah they’re they’re gonna have to be mindful of trying to stay under the cap the cap number that’s out now with the sites that do it is not in accurate reflection because like a lot of them three goalies on and they’re obviously not going to carry three goalies yeah exactly and there was nine defensemen I actually had someone from one of the cap sites when I pointed out in one of my initial articles about that staying under the cap stuff he’s like you could have just told me that I had nine there I just updated it I’m like okay I’ll put the update in but I wasn’t doing it to call you out I was doing it to to just tell readers when they look at stuff that when you’re looking at cap numbers it’s not always in the context of how they actually manage it yes right educ David alter educational as well God’s work do God’s work for everyone absolutely everybody grinder the true G grinder the true gck grinder of Maple Leafs media Dave Dave grinder alter all right buddy really appreciate taking the time to join us man you got it thank you uh that’ll do it for us here today on the podcast I’d like to thank you all for listening and supporting the show you can subscribe to the lockon leaves podcast on all platforms and receive daily leaves content follow myself on X Mickey KF fellow Dave dormi and follow David alter at D alter on Twitter as well we’ll be back with another episode for you guys tomorrow but until then keep locked right here on lock on leaves

Did the Toronto Maple Leafs off-season suggest that things could be different heading into the 2025? Mike DiStefano and David Morassutti are joined by reporter David Alter from the Hockey News to discuss the moves made by the team in the off-season and what he thought of the major additions. David also looks at what the moves could mean about the team’s approach for the season, especially considering the potential to have some salary cap flexibility. David also explains how potential organizational changes, especially with ownership, could impact how the club operates going forward. To end the show, Mike, Dave, and David dive into some other topics including the Wes Clark departure and how that works not just with front office staff but with coaches as well and more.

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For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotors.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.

Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.

FanDuel
FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. As playoffs wind down, the sports stop sporting like we want them to. But this summer, FanDuel is hooking up ALL CUSTOMERS with a boost or a bonus, DAILY! That’s right, there’s something for everyone, every day, all summer long! Visit FANDUEL.COM and add a big win to your summer bucket list!

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
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Locked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More
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