Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

Two seasons ago, Chicago had one goal in mind: tank hard enough to draft Connor Bedard.

And it worked! They drafted the exceptional status player first overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, and are looking forward to selling many outdoor game jerseys every season.

However, tanking so hard has repercussions. Mainly you're going to be bad a season or two afterwards.

Chicago doesn't want to though. They signed Tyler Bertuzzi, TJ Brodie, and Teuvo Teravainen expecting to be more successful and moving on from the bottom of the standings.

That did not work, as they currently sit last in the NHL and last on their division with an 8-16-2 record.

So, they acted.

Chicago Blackhawks fire head coach Luke Richardson
The Blackhawks are promoting Anders Sorensen from Rockford to become interim head coach
Daily FaceoffColton Davies

The former Maple Leaf has been coach in Chicago since the start of the 2022/23 season after being assistant in Montréal, Ottawa, and Long Island, and the Head Coach of the Binghamton Senators. He also won the Spengler Cup in 2017 as the Head Coach of Team Canada.

Replacing Richardson will be Anders Sörensen.

He has been working with Chicago since 2014, starting as a Development Coach, and working his way up to Head Coach of the AHL affiliate Rockford IceHogs. He is now the first ever Swedish Head Coach on NHL history.

As a player he played lower levels in Sweden, France, and Norway before coming to North America for a couple season in the CHL and ECHL before retiring in 2000.

So, Chicago begins a new journey, with a new head coach.

I hope Michael Misa likes the color red.

In other news...

Players from Manchester City of the English Premier League visited Toronto and learned some tricks from the Leafs.

Maple Leafs teach Manchester City legends how to skate during Trophy Tour
The Toronto Maple Leafs hosted Manchester City legends Nedum Onuoha and Shaun Wright-Phillips for an afternoon of fun.
Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff

Fraser Minten has been playing well. Well enough to stay?

Mark Masters: ‘Competitive’ Fraser Minten makes compelling case to stick with Leafs | TSN
Fraser Minten didn’t pick up a point Wednesday in Toronto’s win over Nashville but still made an impact, continuing a trend that’s caught the eye of his head coach. Mark Masters has more.
TSNMark Masters

From a Flames perspective, sure. Who wouldn't want a $7M cap hit moved.

Flames Should Do Everything Possible to Move Kadri to Maple Leafs - The Hockey Writers Calgary Flames Latest News, Analysis & More
According to several reports in recent weeks, the Toronto Maple Leafs have real interest in Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri.
The Hockey WritersRupert McDonald

Immortality is a bit of a stretch. It's a fake world championship. No one remembers who coached the 1996 world cup team.

Immortality – and the whole hockey world – is opening up for Jon Cooper
Coaching Team Canada isn’t hard but Cooper is the right sort for the job after a remarkable career
The Globe and MailCathal Kelly

Finally, it doesn't matter what level it is, being involved in hockey long enough to coach 2,000 games is damn impressive.

Richmond hockey coach nears 2,000th-game milestone
AJ Sander’s Richmond Ravens will face the Tri-City Predators on Dec. 17 in Coquitlam to mark his achievement
Richmond NewsAdam Campbell

Enjoy your day everyone!

From The Branches