During the summer’s court proceedings involving the bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes and their prospective move to Hamilton, Ontario, an old memo to the league from the Leafs emerged that may have indicated that club officials believed they had veto power over such a move, because Hamilton lies with the Leafs’ designated territory.

But even if the Leafs do believe that, Daly said, it wouldn’t matter. "They can be dead-set against it, but that doesn’t mean they can stop the league from putting a franchise here if the league thinks a franchise here makes sense,"