When the members of Toronto’s NHL brain trust were asked to account for the sixth straight first-round playoff ouster of the Shana-plan era last spring, the rationalizations were many. As former coach Mike Babcock insisted more than once, the young Leafs would surely use those “battle scars” of disappointment as a “springboard” to a more prosperous era. But as the Leafs begin another season in Montreal on Wednesday night, Dubas might want to check a calendar. Toronto’s average age of 29.0 is a full four years older than that of the league’s youngest roster in Buffalo. Until then, let’s face it: In what seems like the blink of an eye, the Maple Leafs have squandered their youth.

Source: thestar October 13, 2022 03:17 UTC