Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

Taking a slight break from vacation to welcome you to your Friday.

It's mid-August, so we're deep into the top 25 and once that ends it means one thing:

Pre-Training camp skates!

Everyone will start arriving in town after Labour Day, we'll see video of players skating laps, shooting picks, and people dissecting every frame like it's the Zapruder Film; trying to find hidden injuries, or evidence of healing from them.

Then the Leafs will bring the prospects into Montréal for the rookie showcase:

Canadiens renew rivalry with Maple Leafs in “Prospect Showdown” presented by IGA in collaboration with Voisin | Montréal Canadiens
Pair of games featuring top young stars to be held at the Bell Centre September 14 & 15
Montréal Canadiens logoMontreal Canadiens

Official training camp will follow, with the Leafs first pre-season game happening on September 22nd.

Maple Leafs Announce 2024 NHL Preseason Schedule | Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today the club’s 2024 NHL preseason schedule, which begins on Sunday, September 22nd against the Ottawa Senators. The club will play six preseason games in total with three games at home and three games on the road. The Maple Leafs will play two games against
Toronto Maple Leafs logo

So enjoy the still mostly quiet times until we're absolutely flooded with Leafs content.

Brad didn't really have much choice other than modest off-season, but we need even modest changes to have a big impact.

Treliving satisfied with Leafs’ modest offseason changes
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said he’s satisfied with the team’s offseason despite not making franchise-altering moves many fans wished for.“I know sometimes people fall in love with ‘let’s make a big change just to make a big change,’” Treliving told TSN’s “OverDrive.” “But at the end of the day, you can go out and make big changes, if they’re not making your team better, to me it doesn’t make any sense.“Maple Leafs brass raised eyebrows following the club’s first-round elimination to the Boston Bruins by saying everything was on the table for the future of the roster. Instead of making blockbuster trades to alter the core, Treliving signed defensemen Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson in free agency while also awarding contract extensions to Max Domi and Joseph Woll.“Every once in a while, you try to hit a home run,” Treliving added. “The reality is, whether it be our business or any other business, you just keep trying to hit some singles, right? ... Keep picking away at different things to alter the group, to, again, push it forward.“The Maple Leafs also replaced head coach Sheldon Keefe with Craig Berube this summer and named Auston Matthews captain earlier this week.
theScoreSean O’Leary

Copy, paste, replace Canucks with Leafs.

5 remaining NHL UFAs the Vancouver Canucks could sign to a PTO this offseason
It’s officially the middle of August, and that is exactly when teams a…
CanucksArmyTyson Cole

A story about a two time Flames.

Two-time Flames: Carey Wilson had a unique path to the NHL
This coming season, Stanley Cup champion Ryan Lomberg will be returnin…
FlamesNationRyan Pike

Rec hockey drama from Regina:

Long-time users angry about Young Guns Hockey Academy bumping them from Brandt Centre
A group representing senior hockey teams was told REAL’s new board was not informed about the agreement
Regina Leader PostDarrell Davis

Oh an outdoor game at Wrigley Field. Again. How exciting.

College hockey games to be played at Wrigley Field during Winter Classic week
Four college hockey games will be played at Wrigley Field during the weekend following the NHL’s Winter Classic.
USA TODAYJohn Fineran, USA TODAY

Finally Matthew Knies is just happy to see some hockey even if he has to go to Thorold.

Enjoy your day everyone!

From The Branches