As the veterans depart, Mike Babcock wants Toronto Maple Leafs fans to know that this is all part of the plan - and nothing's going to be handed to the kids.
Roman Polak and Nick Spaling were traded to the San Jose Sharks on Monday, one day after Shawn Matthias was sent to the Colorado Avalanche.
Related: Maple Leafs trade Polak, Spaling to Sharks for 2 second-round picks, Torres
"(The) guys who left were good people," Babcock said after practice Monday, according to TSN's Mark Masters. "That's the people part of the (business). The (business) part of the (business) is we're excited to have the kids."
Babcock on trades: "We try not to confuse the players & the people. We have a plan to do the right thing for the Leafs."
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) February 22, 2016
Toronto's accumulating draft picks as it continues to gut its roster, and that means spots for younger players are opening up. Defenseman Stuart Percy and forward Brendan Leipsic were recalled from the AHL's Toronto Marlies, who are currently sitting in first place, after the trade.
"Nothing's going to be given to them, they have to earn it," Babcock said. "That's just the way the league is. It's a hard league and it exposes weakness in everybody.
More trades are coming, which means more young players will get a chance with the big club. Michael Grabner, P.A. Parenteau, Brad Boyes, and James Reimer all have expiring contracts.
"If you work hard today, everything's going to be OK for you," the head coach added. "That, to me, is the key thing and the message to our team."
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