Maple Leafs: Lou goes shopping, Matthews switches agents
There certainly is a lot going on behind the scenes — and in front — with the Toronto Maple Leafs in a week that should be dubbed Champions Week in North American pro hockey.
The Stanley Cup could be awarded Thursday in Las Vegas if Washington wins Game 5.
The Calder Cup could be awarded as early as Saturday if the Toronto Marlies win the next two in Texas.
Then we’ll be done with hockey for, oh, 10 or 12 days or so until the June 22 draft in Dallas, when the 2018-19 season gets underway. That’s followed by free agency starting July 1, and everything gets underway again after two months of bad ice.
Things are certainly looking interesting for the Maple Leafs, who have been breeding a tradition of winning with the Marlies. Young players are learning what it takes to win. Hopefully the lessons stick. But there’s more at work that could affect the Leafs:
With ex-Leaf GM Lou Lamoriello now fully in charge with the New York Islanders — firing GM Garth Snow and Doug Weight — the rumour mill instantly turned to two characters: John Tavares and Sheldon Keefe. (It should also be noted that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman advised all teams not to make major announcements during the Stanley Cup final. Once again, the rules don’t apply to Lamoriello.)
The Islanders hope their moves — notably adding the credibility of Lamoriello — will help keep Tavares. To this point, Tavares is supposedly fine with Lamoriello’s moves. But Lamoriello is now looking for a coach, and maybe Keefe is ready for the NHL. Lamoriello knows and trusts Keefe. And what a nice way to get a dig back at an organization that he might feel a little bit snubbed by.
Another name? Leafs assistant coach D.J. Smith, who has a Memorial Cup under his belt with the Oshawa Generals, where Tavares played.
Then there’s also word that Auston Matthews has switched agents from Pat Brisson’s CAA agency to Bobby Orr’s The Orr Group. Of note there, Orr also represents Connor McDavid, who signed an eight-year, $100million extension a year before he needed to. We’ll see if Orr employs the same strategy with Matthews. The Leafs would be wise, of course, to ink Matthews and Mitch Marner to long-term deals sooner rather than later. I have my doubts either will sign extensions this summer.