This season, a rare salary cap loophole is emerging as a game-changer, thanks to the 4 Nations Face-off in February. NHL clubs have occasionally used this window to create cap space, and it looks like Leafs GM Brad Treliving is ready to exploit it.

Here’s the inside scoop: By moving players to the minors during this Face-off period—when no NHL games are played—teams can free up valuable cap space. For example, sending two players with a combined $1.7 million cap hit to the minors could yield an extra $106,000 in cap space.

While that might seem minor, these temporary savings can accumulate over time. By the trade deadline, this strategy could provide enough additional cap room to add a player with an annual cap hit of up to $485,000, potentially making a significant difference in bolstering the roster.

For Treliving and the Leafs, this cap management tactic could be crucial. With the team operating near the salary cap limit, this maneuver could provide the flexibility needed to make a key acquisition at the deadline, pushing them closer to their first Stanley Cup since 1967.

If this loophole helps bring the Leafs their long-awaited championship, their fans will surely be thrilled with this clever approach.