As I write this, the players are voting on the memorandum of understanding. Once that is ratified then the league will quickly release the new schedule for the 2013 season and we can begin planning our lives for the next few months. We already know a few games that the Leafs will be playing. The Maple Leafs will open the 2013 season in Montreal at the Bell Centre on January 19 and then two days later their home opener will see them line up against the Buffalo Sabres. A possible copy of the Winnipeg Jets' schedule leaked as well that shows Toronto playing in Winnipeg on February 7th and hosting them on March 16th.

Update: The RDS Schedule is out so we know when Toronto will be playing in Montreal other than January 19th: February 9th.

Anyway, we'll see later this morning. On to the links

Leafs need to get focused

The team needs to move past the circus

Burke firing improves Stanley Cup betting odds for Leafs
Not sure if this conclusion is correct but it's a neat post anyway. Mclea is predictably a shithead.

The failure that isn’t: Burke’s Toronto tenure defined by Kessel deal
Cam Charron with a good post. It's not the trade that was a failure, it's everything that came after it that killed Burke.

Brad Boyes didn’t become an Islander to do the little things, or something

It's possible that Brad Boyes is pretty funny...or an idiot. Either way, he stinks.

Kovalchuk should get himself to New Jersey ASAP after the KHL All-Star Game

Bourne scribbles some words

Which Montreal Canadien Wore It Best: #19
Vote Ribinsoin

While you were out - The things that have happened since the last NHL game was played

The lockout’s been over for a couple of days now, and fans are only just realizing how rusty our collective NHL memory is.

What I don’t get about the Brian Burke firing

Lambert wonders why Burke was let go when he finally got his own sense of honour codified in the CBA

The Big Goodbye: An Alternative Perspective

Jon Steitzer risks life and limb criticising Burke over at MLHS

Many questions in the crease with or without Brian Burke

Remember when we had great goalies? Yeah, me neither

From The Branches