TSN director of scouting Craig Button has offered a blunt assessment of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ playoff chances this season.
Appearing on SportsCentre with Jay Onrait, Button shared his honest thoughts on whether the Leafs should be considered a playoff team this year.
“No, not at all. I look at the Atlantic Division, and I don’t see this iteration of the Toronto Maple Leafs being better than at least five teams. It might be six…I just don’t see a team that, quite frankly, is anywhere close to being a playoff team. I think the Atlantic Division is too tough,” said Button.
Here’s how fans on X reacted to Craig Button’s assessment of the Leafs, with one tweeting:
“He is a notorious Leaf hater, so I actually don’t care what he thinks.”
Another chimed in:
“Shocker @CraigJButton doesn’t think the Leafs are a playoff team. They could be reigning champs, and he would still say that. Always a big Leaf hater haha.”
Here are some of the other top reactions on X:
“It’s going to be a really tough division this season. I see the Habs, Panthers, and Sabres making the playoffs, with possible wildcard spots going to the Lightning. It’s a toss-up between Boston and a Metro Division team,” a third fan wrote.
“Button has no idea what he is talking about. Toronto is a playoff team, it is just how far can they go. Move on Button,” one X user wrote.
“Leafs are winning the division this year, I love when this guy doubts them,” another chimed in.
“Even TSN standings have them in last before the start of season (jk I know it’s alphabetical),” added another.
Longest-tenured Maple Leafs D-man vetoed a blockbuster trade
The Maple Leafs were open to moving their veteran defenseman Morgan Rielly during the offseason. However, no deal materialized, and Rielly is now expected to remain with the team and play a significant role under coach Jim Hiller.
According to Frank Crupi of Ozoon Canada, the Maple Leafs and Penguins discussed a deal involving Erik Karlsson, but Rielly’s decision kept it from moving forward.
“I was talking with one of my insiders the other week, who is legit, and he said to me that the Leafs had a deal in place with Pittsburgh that would have sent Morgan Rielly there for Erik Karlsson this past summer. He didn’t think Toronto was retaining any money, but it was done, and they were just waiting on Moe’s decision. And apparently he kind of considered it, but ultimately passed,” said Crupi.
Morgan Rielly is currently signed to an eight-year, $60 million contract that includes a no-move clause.
Edited by Abhishek Dilta
