FTB: everyone is upset the Leafs learned how to be tough

Despite Brian Burke’s attempt to make the Leafs “truculent,” this franchise has been getting pushed around for decades. A lot of people have it in their heads that it takes a team that punches hardest gets the last laugh, but the reality is no one gets respect unless you win. This year, the Leafs are winning a lot — the most in Canada at my last count — and the other teams are finally starting to feel that pain.

Wayne Simmonds on #Leafs/Jets series:

"Every time we've played them, they've tried to come and run us out of the building to start games. So we come back and we're physical and now we're a dirty team? I don't buy that. I just think we're defending ourselves." https://t.co/PwIQiv7InU

— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) April 23, 2021

“Poor” was a, heh, unfortunate choice of words.

I gotta say, thank you Paul Maurice for the highest compliment this franchise has had in decades. We’re tough enough and hard enough to play against that you have to consider us dirty in order to lick the wounds of yet another loss to the Leafs, one where your Vezina goalie was chased after three goals on six shots.

What a great feeling, to be feared, I could get used to it.

Wayne Simmonds for Premier.

Various Leafs and Branches

Zach Bogosian out four weeks with a shoulder injury | by: Omar

Joe Thornton fined for interference on Mathieu Perreault | by: Katya

How did Nick Foligno do in his first game for the Leafs? | by: Katya

Power plays, penalty kills, and the art of presenting video to a team | by: Sportsnet

NHL’s Kraken sued by Seattle’s Kraken Lounge over planned Northgate restaurant name | by: The Seattle Times

We sure love speeches.

Rasmus Sandin on welcoming in Nick Foligno:

"Before the game [yesterday], he made a speech of how excited he was about being a Leaf. That's the kind of players that we really want on our team. So it's a privilege for all of us to get a guy on our team like that."

— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) April 23, 2021

A pretty good excuse to give some money to the Black Girl Hockey Club!

Honouring a true hockey icon who blazed a trail for future generations.
@wmnylander & @NickFoligno's Willie O’Ree skates are up for auction with all proceeds supporting @BlackGirlHockey » https://t.co/KFVDtXUuzv pic.twitter.com/IpH19swBda

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 23, 2021

The IIHF is adding that extra 30% of effort towards organizing a Women’s World Hockey Championship this summer after Nova Scotia shut down the original plan due to COVID.

Letter of IIHF President René Fasel on the #WomensWorlds following the cancellation by the host province Nova Scotia. New dates are being sought for summer 2021. https://t.co/aI68NXX6Rd pic.twitter.com/Q20kCcZtci

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) April 23, 2021

Divisions or Conferences (or League). State your case before we answer this question in the Monday Mailbag.

One of the subjects discussed by NHL GMs yesterday was the proposed schedule matrix going forward, whether the league should stick with divisional playoffs for the first two rounds or go back to the old conference format.

— Gord Miller (@GMillerTSN) April 23, 2021

Playoff format