Thursday's FTB: New Marlies

As expected the Maple Leafs are signing undrafted NCAA graduates to ELCs. So far they have two:

When the CHL ends shortly and as teams drop out of the playoffs, more signings will come.

Both Brandon Buhr and Vinny Borgesi are on PTOs with the Marlies, and may play in games soon. In case you were wondering, neither is eligible to play on the Leafs this season.

The goaltender interference conversation at the GM Meetings got intense. "Erik Tulsky said he felt the standard was slipping on goalie interference coach's challenges."

Gary Bettman accused him of speaking for his owner.

Okay, sure. He is known to have trouble thinking for himself.

The more interesting discussion is about select 19-year-olds playing in the AHL. The GMs felt that if they didn't allow this those players would just go to the NCAA.

And in news that amuses me a very great deal: there is no problem on the horizon for any team regarding the playoff salary cap. The new LTIR rules made that entire concept moot. It's an absurd administrative hurdle all for the optics of closing a "loophole" that did not exist.

Somehow the optics of player injuries and just what the hell counts as a goal don't matter, though. And you know they don't. The sheer volume of crap spread all over social media about teams cheating via LTIR and faking injuries – that entire fantasy construct – is what got the rules changed. Reality of player health and the game's integrity? Who cares. This is why I hate the word optics.

My take on this DoPS business is that when player agents complain, as they have, the response from the league is to claim the NHLPA just doesn't have an issue. Or as we say where I'm from, "Let's you and him fight." The NHL walks away, and the PA spends even more time fighting the big player agents who want more sway over the game.

For the NHL, it's an instinctive response of an organization that will dig its heels in seemingly forever with great passion for their position until suddenly they love gambling! Someday, if they're forced to, they'll love keeping the players whole too.

They'll never have a goalie interference rule that works and makes sense, though.

It's March, and we've got UFA lists? I guess. There are five Canadian teams not making the playoffs. (Sorry Ottawa, I don't believe in you.)