The only game relevant to the faint hope that the Leafs drop to fourth overall – the lowest they can go – was Colorado vs Calgary, and it was a late start, so you already know the answer to what happened.

The Leafs are doing locker cleanout and media availabilities tomorrow, the actual final day of the NHL regular season, a sign the team doesn't care about anything but the future.

But before all of that, we have today, the last day, the last game in Ottawa.

Speaking of Ottawa...

Yesterday the Leafs signed Landon Sim to an NHL contract, likely a sign that some of the RFAs will go unqualified.

Maple Leafs sign Marlie Landon Sim to an ELC
Good luck in the playoffs this year!
PPP LeafsCathy Squires

Of course any organizational opinion on who will stay or go has to be on hold because opinions on a lot of things are likely to change.

Now we know what Peter DeBoer was doing while he was waiting for a coaching job to open up:

With the offseason here for half the NHL, this article might be a nice break from the relentless focus on Canadian teams:

NHL teams’ offseason keys, including free agency, draft needs
We explore the next moves each team should make this summer and forecast expectations for 2026-27.
ESPNRyan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton

As for the Leafs, I agree with that article's summation:

Realistic expectation for 2026-27: It's too early to say what the Leafs can reasonably accomplish next season. There are too many variables with the front office in a state of flux.

There's so much presumptive takery going on. What Matthews will say, what he should say, his body language, some people are sure of that!

What the team will do, how they'll just hire someone who will be bad.

They won't fire Craig Berube, or they will, but they'll just get someone the same, or they won't but it will be bad some other way.

It's all yet to be.

Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only?

In a lot of cases they are the shadows of thing that are very unlikely to be.

Just wait for it. The game is tonight, tomorrow is talking, and then the real work begins. There is no way to even imagine where the team will be come September. Just like an odds table can't tell you who will win a draft lottery.

The preview will be out later, and the Sceptres are in action again, so we'll have two GDT! Oh the humanity!

From The Branches