When humanity is threatened only the super powered might of the Toronto Maple Leafs can be counted on to save the day. The Leafs have undergone a major overhaul this year. Of all the changes, none has been more impactful than the addition of a squadron based tactical deployment that head coach Mike Babcock and GM Kyle Dubas designed to keep the peace on the mean Toronto streets. Today we follow Damasque squadron: the defense

On the top floor of Toronto Maple Leafs tower Mike Babcock watches a bank of  computer monitors. The Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach wears his frustration openly as he watches. His city is under siege. A swarm of rats pours from the lake shore spreading East, North, and West in unceasing numbers. The Leafs Damasque squad is on the scene working containment. The screens show the battle from the many different viewpoints of a flock of aerial drones, controlled by Kyle Dubas.

The Toronto Maple Leafs GM is also frustrated by the assault on his city, though he shows nothing but calm concentration as he skillfully manipulates over a dozen drones to keep a comprehensive overview of the expanding disaster.

Morgan Rielly and Ron Hainsey have secured the Hockey Hall of Fame. Ron is the only Leafs defenceman who does not have super powers. He compensates for this lack with an overabundance of guns and explosives and artillery (including an actual antique cannon that he’d mounted on a Toronto Maple Leaf mag-lift hover platform). The rate of fire pouring out from Ron’s general direction is appalling. Morgan only has one gun which he uses well. Any of the rats that actually survive Rons barrage are cut down, but covering his partners flanks is the least that Morgan is doing. Morgan is a technopath, so while he’s focused on what’s in front of him what he’s really doing is wielding the Toronto Maple Leafs army of robots, hundreds of them, desperately working to stem the verminous tide. Morgan and Ron are keeping the North of the city from being overrun.

On Bathurst Street, under the expressway, Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev are making it look easy. Nikita is a Cyborg, plain and simple. He strolls through the rats even as they cover him, impervious to the teeth and claws. To small to weigh him down there is little the rats can do but get brushed off. With each sweep of his arms he kills dozens of the critters but he seems in little rush to do so The slow casual pace is necessary due to the more complicated nature of Jake’s power. Jake can turn himself into either one giant snake or thousands of smaller ones. He is currently thousands of bodies and fangs shredding through the rodents, feeling the street under his scales and the fur on his tongue. A few hundred pairs of eyes notice Nikita pointing left. Jake slithers to the right. A laser lances out from Nikita’s fingertip cutting thousands of rats in half in a second. The West flank is secure.

Connor Carrick and Travis Dermott are running rampant on Cherry street. Travis has grown to gigantic size and stomps happily through the swarm, sending hundreds of rats into the lake with a single kick and flattening hundreds more with a slap on the ground. Following in his wake Connor relishes the opportunity to unleash his full powers. A living flame thrower he struts, grinning as he pours fiery death out of his hands. With so few chances to really cut loose Connor can’t help but appreciate whoever sent these supernatural rodents into the city. Even though they’re having fun, Connor and Travis have the East flank under control.

Mike and Kyle can’t help but enjoy the show their Leafs are putting on. But the rats seem limitless. No matter how perfect the defense some of the horrible critters are starting to slip through. Mike chews his lip furiously, then suddenly stops.

“I see the pattern” Mike says. “There, the docks at Queens Quay, that’s where they are coming from.”

“I’ll get closer.” Kyle says, and one of the drones dips toward the docks. After a few passes there is no doubt that the docks are the epicenter of the disaster.

“We need to get closer.” Mike says. “I can’t tell what’s underneath them.”

“I know.” Kyle says. “Who do you want to send in?”

“I’ll go.” A voice says behind them.

The two men turn and see Hayley Wickenheiser watching the monitors.  

“It might be fun.” She says with an ironic grin before flying away.

Mike and Kyle watch the monitors as Hayley lands with an impact that meteors would envy. Instantly the swarm drops dead. On the monitor they see Hayley slowly weaving her way through the swarm, nudging rats out of her path with her toe.

“Any sign of where they came from?” Mike asks.

“No.” Hayley answers.

“You okay?” Kyle asks.

“Sure.” She says, then reaches up to her ear and deactivates her Toronto Maple Leafs communicator.

“Well, fun’s over boys.” Mike says to Damasque squad. “Get to work cleaning up all those rats.”

The squad gets the job done, and well.