Maple Leafs Shut Down 3 — Could This Be Goodbye for Good?

According to Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube, defenseman Brandon Carlo, forward Dakota Joshua, and goaltender Anthony Stolarz are all done for the season. Given that the Maple Leafs are out of the playoffs, it’s no surprise that Toronto is shutting down its players.

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Some fans will see this as just a polite way of tanking what’s left in the season, but there really isn’t much of a point in pushing these players if there’s not much left to play for and all are dealing with nagging issues.

After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016, it’s a bit shocking that the Leafs haven’t pulled what the Florida Panthers did and shut down more players. An argument could be made to pull William Nylander, Joseph Woll, Matthew Knies, and others who have dealt with injuries this season.

Knies might be the biggest question mark of them all. There was talk a few weeks back that he should sit out the remainder of the year. Towards the end of March, Knies addressed his situation, explaining that he did have an injury but it wasn’t comfortable. He was not in a position where he felt the need to sit, however, the Leafs were still trying to make the playoffs. Now, there’s no excuse.

Who Sticks With the Team After This Season?

What’s interesting about all three names now being pulled from the lineup is that their respective statuses with the team are unclear moving forward. Brandon Carlo was the subject of trade rumors leading up to the deadline. Joshua’s season hasn’t gone the way the Leafs were hoping. It’s clear the Maple Leafs will likely move a goalie this summer, with Stolarz being an early favorite to be traded. Stolarz’s injury is serious enough that it could impact his offseason.

Could all three of these players have just played their final games with the Maple Leafs? All still have time remaining on their contracts, thus it would be trades sending them elsewhere. But, with a new GM coming in soon, it’s anyone’s guess who might be in danger on this roster.

William Villeneuve Makes Maple Leafs Debut

William Villeneuve will officially make his NHL debut tonight for the Maple Leafs as they host the Florida Panthers at home. The 24-year-old from Quebec, drafted by the Leafs in the 4th round of the 2020 draft, has 40 points in 55 AHL games this season.

Next: 3 Reasons Matthews Could Leave the Toronto Maple Leafs