The possibility that the Toronto Maple Leafs would tear down their roster and start from scratch is no longer a hypothetical. According to The Globe and Mail’s Cathal Kelly, the decision has been made to dismantle the team’s core and begin again, building around a few key young players. The question now is whether that is really the wisest course for the club.
On Thursday, Kelly reported that the board of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment had approved team president Brendan Shanahan’s plan for a long-term rebuild, which would see the club retain key young players but trade away established older talents, including Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf. From Kelly’s piece:
Mr. Shanahan and his lieutenants have now finally received a broad mandate from ownership to scorch as much earth as they see fit in order to return the Leafs to contention, according to two sources familiar with that meeting. It will mean a new philosophy on building slowly through the draft and long-term projects, rather than quick fixes via trades for established players. It will mean at least three more years of pain for fans, and as many as fi ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Jonathan Willis
Is a ‘Scorched Earth’ Approach the Best Way to Fix the Toronto Maple Leafs?
February 12th, 2015 by Jonathan Willis Leave a reply »
Advertisement