KISS gets Leaf jerseys, confirms team's tanking strategy

It all makes sense now. Retain coach Randy Carlyle and GM Dave Nonis after missing playoffs and posting horrible possession numbers. Bringing in young, possession-oriented assistant GM Kyle Dubas as an understudy. Sign a defenseman fresh off two broken legs in one year, and add many plucky veterans on tradable, one-year deals. Lastly, get KISS Leaf jerseys before a Tuesday concert in Toronto. Brendan Shanahan's plan is clear now: this is a rebuild, a tank-job for Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel. It wasn't a sure thing until KISS happened. Any team associating its jersey with the most overrated rock band in history has nowhere to go but down, right?

It was fun to see the band members sporting their own custom Leaf duds, though. Especially Paul Stanley. Something about that name on that jersey... Har har. Come on, you thought it as soon as you saw it.

Matt Larkin is an associate editor at The Hockey News and a regular contributor to the thn.com Post-To-Post blog. For more great profiles, news and views from the world of hockey, subscribe to The Hockey News magazine. Follow Matt Larkin on Twitter at @THNMattLarkin