The new NHL CBA comes with a bunch of new changes to the league, with one particular rule giving the Maple Leafs no leeway to start the year.
The 2026-27 NHL season will no doubt be an exciting one but it will also be a season that is full of changes. A new 84-game schedule gives teams a bit more time to fight for a postseason spot, and eight-year contracts are a thing of the past.
But one rule that was implemented could come back to haunt the Maple Leafs especially when it comes to the beginning of the season - no more paper transactions.
Toronto opens its season twice before the Marlies play once
The Maple Leafs open up their season on Sept. 29 against the Montreal Canadiens at home, then head right back on Sept. 30 and face off against the Islanders - once again at home. However, their AHL affiliate, the Marlies, won't be playing their first game until Oct. 2.
What that means is that the Maple Leafs will no have the luxury of sending a player down in order to recall him a day later, whether that be for salary or roster reasons. The NHL in instilling a rule that players sent down must play at least one AHL game before being recalled.
Toronto not having any AHL games in the span of them playing two regular season games means that they won't be able to do some minor lineup swaps by means of sending players down. It's either you send them down for a week, or you keep them around - there's no more in-between.
Toronto can no longer treat waiver-exempt players like movable cap numbers
While it's very unlikely that Gavin McKenna or Easton Cowan are going to be sent down unless it's absolutely necessary, Toronto wouldn't be able to send them down without them playing a game. If the Maple Leafs decide to send one of them down and the Marlies don't play for three or four days then you've just lost a part of your NHL team when it could matter most.
Teams can't just decide to loan a player to their AHL team whilst they travel, then magically recall them while essentially never actually being moved down. What was once a valuable asset insuring cap space has become a much more difficult puzzle to put together.
Waiver-exempt players such as Jacob Quillan are the cleaner example. If Toronto recalls one, sends him back down, then suddenly needs him again before he appears in a Marlies game, the Leafs would have to turn to someone else.
Unfortunately for the Maple Leafs, things in 2026-27 and beyond are going to be a little tougher in terms of managing their lineup and Toronto's easiest player to send down on paper may no longer be its easiest player to get back - so they must tread carefully when it comes to deciding who needs to be demoted.
Do you think the Maple Leafs will be able to handle no more paper transactions?
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