Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment Sale Shocks the Hockey World

The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to report to the team's facilities on Wednesday for medicals and a special training camp media day, which should yield some exciting comments from players and staff who are itching to get back to work. However, I don't think anyone was expecting MLSE to drop a bombshell like this just hours before the players meet with the media for the first time this season.

According to Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico, Bell has sold its shares of MLSE to its partner, Rogers Communications. Rogers Communications acquired Bell's 37.5% stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment for CA$4.7 billion. The move means that Rogers now owns 75% of MLSE with the other 25% being owned by Larry Tanenbaum.

The sale of the stake now raises the valuation of MLSE to a whopping $9.3B as an entity that includes the Maple Leafs, Toronto FC, Toronto Argonauts, Toronto Marlies and the Toronto Raptors. Additionally, Rogers owns the Rogers Center and Toronto Blue Jays.

With Maple Leafs training camp set to kick off today with player medicals and media availability, the sale will seemingly overshadow the start of what Leafs Nation hopes is a long season and lengthy playoff run.