It might just put some out. My purple ghost has a couple new bright purple leaves over the faded green ones.

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

My old carpet cleaner had a long water hose you hooked up to the kitchen sink. How far out is your garden?

Personally I now leave the leaves on,though it does look ugly.I did remove the leaves,leaving the petioles on a 'Skeeters' once,and every branch I did died back.The leaf removal may well not have been the cause,I'm not sure,but I'm wondering if doing so caused the petioles to die prematurely,ruining the new buds beneath.As Toranado said,you may get some new growth,or just some tantalising new buds waiting to open,my Suminagashi has both.I guess the tree knows best what to do.