It's now 90 days since the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs played.
Caleb Joseph doesn't profile as a power-hitting catcher, but in his first regular season at bat with the Blue Jays, he went deep. It was over two years - 766 days, to be exact - since the backstop hit his last home run. But he celebrated like it was his first. Joseph also worked with hitting coach Guillermo Martinez, adjusting swing paths and altering his thoughts at the plate. The seven-year veteran wasn't planning to go yard in his first at bat as a Blue Jay, but he felt a sense of belonging by contributing to the team in his first game.
Brad Treliving, the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, made a savvy move by signing goaltender Anthony Stolarz to a two-year, $5 million deal. Stolarz's first season in Toronto was a success, as he and Joseph Woll formed one of the NHL's top goaltending duos. Stolarz recorded career-highs in several categories and led the league in save percentage, showcasing his strong performance throughout the season. Despite this success, the Maple Leafs have reasons to be cautious about extending Stolarz, given his injury history and the need to evaluate his long-term viability.
Ryan Reaves expressed gratitude for his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, stating, "I just thought that this wasn't obviously a good fit." He mentioned the difficulty of not being in the lineup consistently and the feeling of a lack of trust early in the season.