It's not just the Leafs who are starting their offseason early. After the big Vegas shocker, it's hardly even news now that Patrick Roy is out and Peter DeBoer is in.

Islanders relieve Roy of duties, hire DeBoer as new head coach
The New York Islanders have relieved Patrick Roy of his duties and have hired Peter DeBoer as the team’s new head coach, general manager Mathieu Darche announced on Sunday.
TSNTSN.ca Staff

Meanwhile Porter Martone and the Flyers knocked the Islanders out of a playoff spot, at least for now.

Martone’s OT goal lifts Flyers past Bruins, keeps playoff push alive
Sportsnet.caAssociated Press

Both playoff races are too close to call with only 11 days left in the regular season. For teams already out, it's like it's June already:

Panthers’ Mehta expected to be among Maple Leafs’ GM targets
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Florida Panthers assistant general manager Sunny Mehta is expected to be among the Maple Leafs’ targets to step into the vacant GM job.
Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff
‘That’d be awesome’: Why Maple Leafs should bring back Scott Laughton
How much do the Toronto Maple Leafs miss Scotty? Laughts. Luke Fox lets the Leafs and Scott Laughton himself make the case as to why the glue-guy centre deserves another shot.
Sportsnet.caLuke Fox

I am not on board with the idea that Scott Laughton was terribly underused, but also, yes, yes they should bring him back.

The Leafs should be back in practice action today ahead of a tough set of games that starts on Wednesday with the first of the last back-to-back set.

After the weekend action, the Leafs, at 0.506, are seventh back with Florida and Seattle at 0.500 closer to the bottom of the NHL. The Leafs have more points and fewer games left than both of those teams, so we'll see where it stands on Wednesday, but it's looking like a tough job to win less in these conditions.

Today marks the start of some offseason style features. It's my hope that this shall continue on through the playoffs as we wait for a new head of the hockey ops department and the prophesied bigger changes.

There's not been much to say about the Leafs this season. They were never really in it, they have multiple problems, looking at their results is not going to tell you who they are in this moment and the problems keeping those results from having meaning are all too well understood. The future is the only thing worth talking about, in my book. So that's what I plan on doing.

That's all for now, have a great Monday.

From The Branches