NHL GM's are going out of their way to make the Leafs a punchline and Kyle Dubas has had enough
It seems as athough any Leaf that is put on waivers ends up getting claimed by another team. Since 2018, the Leafs have lost 11 players to waivers, including Harri Sateri who signed with the Leafs out of the KHL and instead will suit up for the Arizona Coyotes. The 11 players lost to waivers doubles any other team and it could mean one of two things. Either the Leafs have an excess of NHL level talent or NHL General Managers are trolling Kyle Dubas. On the Steve Dangle Podcast, Steve Dangle hinted that his sources have told him it's the ladder.
This season, the Leafs have lost a player to waivers 5 times, though Adam Brooks accounts for two of them. That being said, it's odd that it happens to the Leafs more than anyone else.
When Brooks was waived by the Vegas Golden Knights, no teams except the Leafs put a claim on him - but when the Leafs waived him in hopes of stashing him in the AHL, the Jets claimed him. A move that was justified at the time, as Brooks being young and from Winnipeg, but perhaps it was Kevin Cheveldayoff getting one up on Kyle Dubas.
The Michael Amadio's of the world pass through waivers on a regular basis. Unfortunately for the Leafs, when they put him on waivers he was claimed by the Golden Knights. Granted, GM Kelly McCrimmon does need inexpensive NHL players due to his team's cap structure, but come on.. Michael Amadio?
Eleven players lost to waivers in 4 years seems a little lofty to be a coincidence. Dubas himself even called out his fellow GM's during his post trade deadline press conference, cracking a joke about how many players the Leafs have had claimed and telling agents to recommend Toronto as a stopgap destination to find them a guaranteed home.
I've gotta say.. I loved Kyle Dubas' newfound sarcasm and willingness to break GM kayfabe to call out some of the things he's seen unique to Toronto that we just don't see with other franchises.
