He's back. In a Senators' jersey. People will cheer. People will boo. There will be a video tribute (sorry, Phil). Whatever. This will no doubt be hyped by the media, but it doesn't feel like a big deal at all, partly because both teams are so awful, but mostly because The Leafs feel like they have moved on to a totally new era. I'm looking forward to Nylander or Kapanen getting their first NHL goals tonight.

You know who else is coming to Toronto? The Solar Bears! The Bears are coming to Toronto next week to play the Brampton Beast (the Habs affiliate) for three games. It is the first time the Solar Bears have ever come here. The Beast were previously in the Central Hockey League, which merged into the ECHL for the start of this season.

Together with Eyes on The Prize we are planning some fun stuff to get everyone excited and rowdy about this first ever match-up. Stay tuned!

Site News: We're changing up the style of the FTB in response to your feedback. Gone are links to recaps (except our own) and GIFs, unless something particularly crazy happens. You probably already follow enough people on Twitter to see all the funny GIFs, and game recaps are easy to find. The number of links will be cut to only the most interesting of what we find. 'Interesting' is defined by the FTB writer of the day, so there will still be different styles and ranges of links. Please continue to share what you find interesting, and feel free to give us more feedback on these changes in the comments. You are ultimately what makes PPP so great.

Why the Kris Russell Trade May Not be as Bad as the Skeptics and Analytics Claim - Defending Big D
A lot of skeptics, critics, and analytics experts claim that Dallas' trade for Kris Russell was terrible. Jim Nill gave up a lot, but perhaps Nill has earned the benefit of the doubt.

'We're at a critical time' - Eyes On The Prize
US National Team member Hilary Knight talks about the direction her sport is headed

Is it a goal? Is it not a goal? Did it cross the line the first time, or the second time? Who knows? The officials say they do!

Editorial: It's time to be done with Jonas Hiller. - Matchsticks and Gasoline
Stop if you've heard this one recently: "It was another rough outing for Jonas Hiller..."

Battle of the Super Hockey Ladies: Flyers Bra Thrower vs. Nassau Coliseum mom - Lighthouse Hockey
It's Flyers bra thrower Anne Duggan versus Nassau Coliseum mom Joy Rosen in a battle of who's the best and brassiest Super Hockey Lady.

O’Ree provides example for Flyers, younger generation - Courier Post
The NHL's first black player is in town this weekend to provide an example for the next generation of hockey players.

From The Branches