“It takes at least five years to build a proper contender.” If you’ve followed the NHL for years, this is a logical thing to think. It’s practically a cliché. Rebuilding an NHL team is typically seen as about a five year process. So how did the Toronto Maple Leafs rebuild so quickly?
The Salary Cap Era changed everything. It wasn’t immediately noticeable, because it took the NHL a long time – both managers and players – to get used to operating in the cap system. The Leafs were one of the last teams to adjust, as the Dave Nonis era made clear.