From the Branches: Drouin blanks

The Jonathan Drouin debacle gets more and more heartbreaking (for Tampa fans) as people weigh in from around the league, and Yzerman looks increasingly like he doesn't know what the ef he's doing. What's going on, Yzerman? When even Brett Connolly is asked to weigh in, you know shit's getting real.

Brett Connolly can (and can’t) relate to Jonathan Drouin situation | BBB
Actual 40 year old Brett Connolly essentially says, suck it up, kid.

Cooper: Drouin trade request surprised everyone | Sportsnet
Here's Jon Cooper and Steven Stamkos widening their big ol' eyes in their best pretenses of innocence.

Drouin: Who's to blame for a sticky situation? | PPP
PPP's hottest taek.

Is anyone not rumoured to be coming to the Maple Leafs? | Dangle
Just so you don’t fall behind, here’s a list of some of the people recently rumoured to be coming to the Leafs, regardless of how legitimate or phony the rumours are.

Speaking of Dangle, he got PPP's Christmas present!

Thanks for the hat @tanyarezak! Matches my shirt! Yes this photo was purposely taken next to Stamkos. @OrlandoHockey pic.twitter.com/wjKPlpwKtL
— Steve Dangle Glynn (@Steve_Dangle) January 5, 2016

OK Orlando Hockey, we'll take our 10% publicity fee now.

(By the way, they did pretty well this past weekend.)

From the Front Page

Furies swept up by the Thunder | Nafio
The Brampton Thunder have been a bigger challenge than the Blades this season, and the Furies were just not up to the task.

The Lady Hockeyists of Ontario | PPP
To understand the challenges that restricted aspiring women athletes from playing sports during the Victorian era, you must be aware the cultural obstacles they faced.

Hockey Canada reminds you not to point fingers over loss; then points fingers at players | PPP
The fact of that matter is we came up short. We have to sit back and evaluate why and look for solutions and not point fingers.

Finland 2 vs Sweden 1 World Juniors Recap: Kapanen to play for gold, Timashov for bronze | PPP
After beating Canada in dramatic fashion, Kasperi Kapanen and Team Finland looked to continue their strong play against Dmytro Timashov and the undefeated Swedes.

World Junior hockey 2016: Largely unheralded Russian team downs Auston Matthews, USA | PPP
Yegor Korshkov had the game winner on an amazing spinarama solo effort. Check out the video and the recap of the game.

Maple Leafs trade Richard Panik to Blackhawks for Jeremy Morin | PPP
An exchange of spare parts takes place between the Leafs and the Blackhawks

Report: Leafs interested in Blue Jackets' Kerby Rychel | PPP
According to Columbus Blue Jackets reporter Aaron Portzline, not only has former 19th overall selection Kerby Rychel requested a trade from the team that drafted him, but the Leafs are one of the teams that is interested.

Sheldon Keefe to coach at the AHL All-Star game | PPP
Cool.

Damn, we were a mouthy bunch yesterday.

More Leafs Stuff

Should the Toronto Maple Leafs move for Drouin or Rychel? | Editor in Leaf
Fine. Leafs can have Drouin. Leafs can have Stamkos. BUT HANDS OFF BRISEBOIS.

Maple Leafs enjoy their moment in the sun: Feschuk | The Star
"Let’s not get carried away (about the value of road-trip team building)," Babcock said. "Team building, as much as it can be about doing ropes courses and doing all this kind of stuff, team building is when you block a shot. Team building’s when you get it out on the wall. Team building is when you get to the net, you get cross-checked in the head, and you tip it in. That’s real team building, because you can trust one another."

Will Maple Leafs' Mike Babcock be coach of the year? | Fansided
Well, it sure won't be Jon Cooper.

Goal-scoring Leo Komarov a pleasant surprise for Maple Leafs | Toronto Sun
"He’s been way better than I expected," Babcock said on Monday after the team practised Monday at the Honda Center, Day 1 of seven in Southern California in a three-game road trip that starts here Wednesday against the Ducks.

Toronto Maple Leafs: State of the Crease Part 2 The Pipeline | Editor in Leaf
Bibeau time!

Stars, Maple Leafs exploring trade options? | The Fourth Period
Phaneuf for Seguin? Aw, I mean, we couldn't. OK sign right here.

Other Stuff

Watch: Minor league hockey game ends with massive brawl | SI
As I mentioned in my Solar Bears recap, things can go very south very swiftly if your teams meet 14 times a year.

To save the Winter Classic, the NHL must kill it first | Washington Post
Kill your darlings, NHL.