TORONTO - They didn't know it at the time, but as 29 Maple Leafs prospects hit the ice at the MasterCard Centre late Thursday afternoon, their big boss offered motivation via Twitter.
When asked if rookies would have a shot of making the vastly retooled Toronto NHL franchise, the club's president, Brendan Shanahan, said the help wanted list is open to all.
"Everybody has a chance to make the team," Shanahan wrote. "It's up to each individual to force their way into the lineup."
Whether Shanahan's words were genuine remains to be seen, but in a rebuilding organization coming off a shameful 2014-15 season, the list of protected employment should be rather lean.