Over the years I have learned a lot about reading the tea leaves in the NHL...Some things are obvious to me, while others are not so suddenly apparent...this one however...this one goes into the obvious column...

Last night, during Hockey Night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman said about the Leafs, “They’re at a point where they’re beginning to test the market...Word is that they have asked teams to inform them who teams or interested parties would not be willing to move and also to begin preparing formal offers for the unsigned Toronto winger.”

This is not really news, because on the down low the Leafs have held several discussions with multiple teams and gotten a feel for what's out there for almost a month...

However, Elliotte Friedman is one of the best in the business, and the Leafs know when he puts something like this out there, not ONLY on HNIC, but in his twitter feed as well it is the equivalent of the Maple Leafs sending a memo to all the teams and their fanbases...

So why would they allow Elliotte Friedman to put this out if they already are talking to people? First off...course they are already talking..it would be irresponsible of Dubas were he NOT listening to offers...and would be irresponsible of 30 other GMs were they not making offers at for a player of this level who is so obviously at an impasse with his current squad...you don't need to be an insider to know that.

So to repeat the question...

Why is Elliotte Friedman reporting they are suddenly listening to ideas and offers?

The tea leaves on this one are obvious. The Maple Leafs are not getting the right kinds of offers that interest them and they want to make sure that teams know this. But since the teams already know they will listen to offers...because they are...Why?

Two reasons that come to mind right away..

#1. This isn't a message to the teams the Leafs AREN'T talking to. This is a message to the teams they ARE Already talking to..This message says to those teams, "You aren't putting up serious enough offers and we are looking elsewhere.."

#2. When a reporter at the level of a Friedman tweets this out it gets the fans in cities whose teams are struggling and would like Nylander to get their pitch forks and torches together and prepare to storm the castle demanding Nylander..

At least thats how I see it....What about you

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