The year was 2013, the Maple Leafs were an okay team in the lockout-shortened season and were about to head to a first-round playoff matchup with the Boston Bruins. Randy Carlyle, the head coach, was two years away from being fired — the move that began the great changes in Toronto.
In a game in April, Joffrey Lupul took a hit to the head and left the ice. In discussing his status, Carlyle said the following:
“I have a theory on concussions,” he said. “I think the reason there’s so much more of them — obviously the impact and the size of the equipment and the size of the player — but there’s another factor: everyone wears helmets, and under your skull when you have a helmet on, there’s a heat issue.