Read on Twitter
Time to put on the tinfoil hat.
Did the Leafs have a coronavirus outbreak in February?
Did the Leafs have a coronavirus outbreak in February?
Dermott misses game due to illness - February 1 https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/1223752259370135553
Nylander doesnt travel with team after missing game due to illness - February 7 https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/1225983815220416513
Tavares/Holl game time decisisons due to illness - February 11 https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1227278250520514563
Leafs cancel practice in order to rest due to illness going through room - February 14 https://twitter.com/lukefoxjukebox/status/1228152004255604736
Keefe mentions gametime decisions, Gauthier/Timashov projected to be in lineup but callups Marchment/Korshkov inserted into lineup - February 16 https://twitter.com/TSN_Sports/status/1229130205459034112
This came at a time when diagnostics were nearly impossible to obtain, and 99.99% of people were legitimately convinced there was no community transmission of this virus outside of Asia so the possibility this was spreading here was not seriously considered.
You look at where we're at now with cases at all time highs but hospitalizations far below where they were in April there were almost certainly thousands of cases here at that time that just went undetected because a vast majority of cases are mild and dont require healthcare
From the Babcock firing until the Dermott illness the Leafs were 18-7-3 and playing pretty well, then they suddenly started playing like shit in February and mustered only 2 regulation wins in 12 games
Given that they are pro athletes in their 20s/30s the odds of there being a severe case was incredibly slim but this would be something that could explain the lethargic play.
Id be curious if a beat reporter looked into this and asked players/coaches about what was going on then
Id be curious if a beat reporter looked into this and asked players/coaches about what was going on then
