Aaron Korolnik

He should not be playing NHL games.

He should be shut down.

They should deal with whatever's plaguing him now so it doesn't linger into the summer and he doesn't need to play out meaningless hockey games for the rest of the season.

This just seems like the most obvious thing of all time.

Yes.

Absolutely.

And when I speak to the level of disconnect within the organization, I think this is an interesting one.

Because, I guess, you could debate...

Maybe you want the Leafs just to give up this first-round pick and roll it into 2027.

Or, excuse me, use this first-round pick, and then you don't have to roll it into 2027 and 2028 when they're unprotected to Boston and Philadelphia.

But I think everybody around the Toronto media scene, based on what we're hearing, there's no expectation that this is a team that's going down to the studs.

They are going to try to contend for a playoff spot next year.

And if that is the case...

then why wouldn't you be doing everything within your power to try to be as bad as possible for the final 13 games?

And I should add, I don't think they're any good.

I think they're going to get smoked by Carolina tonight.

I think they're going to lose to Ottawa tomorrow as well.

So it could happen naturally.

But if we've learned anything from the NBA, it's that you need to take advantage of these situations when they arise, and the Leafs are in a position to plummet into the bottom five, give themselves the best chance.

There's no guarantee...