It’s July 8th, 2026, and if you’re as confused as I am, you aren’t alone. Usually, by this time of year, I’ve long since accepted my fate, shoved my blue-and-white jersey into the back of the closet, and spent my evenings weeping over the lack of a parade since 1967. Yet, here we are, staring down a bizarre mid-summer schedule. MTL at TOR, TOR at MTL—it’s like the league is trying to torture us with back-to-back heartbreak in the middle of a heatwave.
Beyond the inexplicable games on the slate, the rest of the NHL is seemingly ignoring the calendar entirely. We’ve got DAL at STL, WPG at EDM, and a late-night West Coast swing. Honestly, if this is the league’s way of keeping us from dwelling on the Leafs’ latest off-season 'retooling,' it’s a brilliant distraction. I’m already preparing my heart for the usual cycle of cautious hope followed by the inevitable realization that we are who we are. So, grab a cold one, ignore the fact that it’s mid-summer, and let's watch some hockey. After all, if the Leafs can find a way to make me suffer in July, they truly are a special kind of franchise.