Due to COVID-19 and the NHL opting out of the Olympics, it’s a little difficult to wrap your head around the fact that the Maple Leafs still have 46 games left to play in their 2021-22 regular season.
The NHL trade deadline, which would traditionally fall a month or so from now in the schedule, isn’t taking place until March 21 this season. If all goes according to plan with the schedule, that means the Leafs still have 17 games to go before the deadline arrives – a stretch of games in which they’re going to need to seriously evaluate their needs.