Friday's FTB: More Traverse City

If 12 minutes of hockey from Traverse City wasn't enough for you, there's another game today. Hopefully they will have fixed their ice problems and the whole game will be back on the rink with the TV cameras.

Today's sole game is Dallas at Toronto at 6:30 pm. The final Leafs prospect game is on Sunday afternoon.

Yesterday the Leafs got smoked and because of the camera angle, the LD was the most noticeable player. This is likely why I thought Mikko Kokkonen was the best defender (not a good sign) and Noah Chadwick needs some work on his defensive decisions making. Jonny Tychonick looked good by comparison – not a good sign either.

As originally reported, the NHLPA and NHL are investigating the statements made on that podcast about Mike Babcock:

As others have reported, there is a meeting between the NHL and NHLPA today. The Babcock situation will be the main focus, however, this is a previously scheduled meeting between the PA and league with other items also on their agenda.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) September 15, 2023

Bob talks draft:

Macklin Celebrini leads ‘Big Three’ atop Bob McKenzie’s TSN pre-season NHL draft ranking | TSN

Nine out of 10 NHL scouts surveyed to determine TSN’s Pre-Season Top 16 Rankings slotted the 17-year-old Boston University freshman from Vancouver at the top of their respective lists.

TSNBob McKenzie

Gord Miller was invited to Ukraine to receive an award for his efforts in helping the tour of their team in Western Canada. He has some Twitter threads about it his visit:

🧵# 1: Why would I go to Ukraine?

I was invited. In June, the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (parliament) notified me that they were awarding me a certificate of merit for my work in helping to organize the Canadian tour by the Ukrainian U25 hockey team in January. 1/8 pic.twitter.com/H4FQ5wrkNx

— Gord Miller 🌻🇺🇦 (@GMillerTSN) September 14, 2023

🧵#2: What is daily life like in Ukraine?

I spent five days visiting the country, spending three days in Kyiv, while also visiting Kremenchuk and Lviv. The only way to describe it is that life appears to be simultaneously very normal and extremely horrifying. 1/9 pic.twitter.com/GcwUvLOeVg

— Gord Miller 🌻🇺🇦 (@GMillerTSN) September 14, 2023

The rest of the posts are on his timeline.

NHL considering changes to digital ad boards

The NHL is considering changes to its digitally enhanced dasherboards (DED) after fan criticisms during their debut season.

ESPNGreg Wyshynski

Contrast the Babcock investigation which the NHL and the NHLPA are making a fairly public fuss over – in ways unlike them – with this one:

Update on alleged corruption within the GTHL minor hockey league:
NDP MPP Jennie Stevens told Ontario sport minister Neil Lumsden on Wednesday during a committee hearing that she has spoken to a whistleblower about the allegedly illegal sales of GTHL teams and organizations.… pic.twitter.com/AEfzBcJiED

— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) September 14, 2023

If the NHL is serious about getting rid of the rug they normally sweep things under, that's good, but will they revert to hockey norms for something more serious than photo-gate?

That's it for now, and we'll try to post the link to the game later. As mentioned for game one, the Leafs Youtube is geoblocked (so very stupid) so look for the Red Wings feed on their site if you are in the USA.