The sticks won’t be made of wood and banana-curved. The goaltenders will not be maskless. But the National Hockey League’s latest stab at COVID-era hockey comes attached with a decidedly retro touch.
And if you’re a fan of the Maple Leafs — or heck, if you’re a member of the Leafs management team that’s spent the past few years lamenting the team’s annual lack of consistency over the usual 82-game grind — there’s a lot to like about this season’s all-Canadian division. Plenty of details still need to be worked out, including where the games are going to be played, since various provincial health authorities have yet to approve the plan.