Leafs' CEO shows how out of touch he is with crazy comments about the Montreal Canadiens

In the wake of yesterday's news that the Toronto Maple Leafs had fired GM Brad Treliving, Leafs CEO Keith Pelley held a press conference and took questions from the media.

In a wide-ranging media availability that spanned a number of subjects, there's one particular quote from Pelley that Leafs fans seem to be hung up on.

When breaking down what went wrong for his team this season, Pelley admitted that the team simply didn't predict a surge from Atlantic Division teams like the Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens.

From Pelley:

“We definitely didn’t see the train coming which was the Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens, and how strong those two teams are…Buffalo and Montreal have shown that they’re young, energetic teams who are gonna be here for a long time.”

Interesting...

The Sabres, sure, I get that. I mean, after a decade and a half of futility who had the Sabres leading their division prior to the start of this season? But the Habs? C'mon now... this is a team that made the playoffs this past season and a team that has some of the best young players in the NHL. They have last year's Calder winner and two potential Calder candidates on their team this season... and that's saying nothing for "veteran" players like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. They even acquired a bonafide #1 defenseman this past offseason in Noah Dobson.

How does a team with the Leafs' payroll on pro scouting staff not see the Habs as a threat?

You know what? Why don't I have Leafs super fan Steve Dangle lay it all out there?

I hate to say it, but this might be the first time that I am in absolute agreement with Dangle.

This is an absolutely insane take from Pelley and the Leafs' front office...