Elliotte Friedman Humiliates the Maple Leafs With New Comments

This was hilariously evidenced this week when NHL insider Elliotte Friedman essentially dismissed the idea of star winger Patrick Kane signing with the Leafs. In discussing Kane's free agency options, Friedman bluntly stated:

Ouch. With the Leafs currently outside a playoff position while teams like the Rangers, Red Wings and Bruins thrive, it's hard to argue with Friedman's assessment. Toronto has mightily struggled on defense and in net this season, undermining their star-studded group of forwards.

Meanwhile, those aforementioned teams linked to Kane find themselves near the top of the standings. It's easy to see why Kane would prefer those destinations to boost his Cup chances this season over the floundering Leafs.

Of course, it's not too late for Toronto to turn things around. With just two points separating them from second place in the Atlantic, the Leafs have time to fix their issues. But there's no question the team's poor first half play has already damaged their reputation around the league.

If the Leafs can't find some consistency soon, more damning criticism from pundits like Friedman is sure to follow. For now, his humorous dismissal of Toronto's chances at nabbing Patrick Kane reflects the growing negative sentiment around hockey's self-proclaimed center of the universe.