This week is a little different as Michael (LeafZone44) is away on vacation, so Jordan (Willyston Riellander) takes the opportunity to answer listener questions in the first Leafs Lab AMA episode.
Before getting into the mailbag, we break down the Leafs' hiring of Judd Brackett and why bringing one of hockey's most respected talent evaluators to Toronto could be one of the most important moves of the offseason.
Topics covered include:
• Judd Brackett's hiring and what it means for the future of the organization
• The Leafs coaching search
• Jeff Halpern as a potential coaching candidate
• Which Marlies have the best chance of making the roster next season
• How Toronto should remodel its defence corps
• The search for a second-line centre
• Offseason priorities and roster construction
• Buy-low trade and free-agent targets
• Mats Sundin, Ivar Stenberg, and the 2026 NHL Draft
• Power-play deployment with Gavin McKenna
• Morgan Rielly's future
• Bowen Byram and other realistic trade targets
• Players Jordan was most right and most wrong about
Also, apologies in advance for the slightly clunkier and shorter episode. Solo podcasts are a different challenge, but hopefully this gives everyone something to listen to while we wait for Michael's return.
Keep an eye out for the Trade Proposals Teaser this week!
As always, thank you for listening, supporting the show, and sending in questions. Let us know what you thought of the AMA format and whether you'd like to see more episodes like this in the future.
","author_name":"Willyston Reillander"}