It's halfway through Reimvember and we know why Reimer has won the starter job.

Bernier let in a Toskala-esque goal from centre ice.

Babcock was not happy.

Neither was Matt Hunwick

Good thing we traded away David Clarkson.

Everyone gets a pass for a flub now and then, but Bernier is on thin ice at a 0.895 season sv%. And while Reimer has been spectacular this month, that doesn't mean we can expect him to be in beast mode for every game. As for the tank? We've got a lot of company right now in the Oilers, Flames, Blue Jackets, and the Hurricanes. Remember the first three picks are up for grabs the next draft lottery. The worst team in the league will have about a 50% chance of being knocked back to the fourth selection.

Recaps

Rangers 4, Leafs 3: Leafs lose ugly, boring game on bad goaltending - Pension Plan Puppets
The Leafs were in the game despite sloppy play, but a poor showing by Jonathan Bernier took them out of it.

Mirtle: Leafs’ hot streak wasn’t so bad for the rebuild - The Globe and Mail
A surprising burst up the standings has ended, but the resulting optimism could be more important long-term than draft picks

Reimer's path clear as Bernier struggles - TSN
"I’ve got to have that. I cost two points for my team tonight."

Katya's Game Thoughts | ILYWYB
"Toronto hung with one of the best teams in the league in the Rangers and lost due to a heartbreaking goal in the last minutes of play on really shaky goaltending by Jonathan Bernier."

There was only one other NHL game last night in which the Hawks doused the Flames. It unfortunately did not produce any fun GIFs :(

Kane & Panarin Show leads 4-1 win - Second City Hockey
The second line earned another win for Chicago on Sunday night.

Big Read: Baby faces of the Maple Leafs franchise - Sportsnet.ca
Fear not, Leafs fans. The Toronto Marlies are fast, fit and highly skilled. This year might be hard for the big club, but the seeds are planted.

Who is the greatest No. 13 of all-time, Mats Sundin or Pavel Datsyuk? | THN
I mean.

Marie-Philip Poulin scores a hat trick in Les Canadiennes' 5-0 win over the Inferno | HEOTP
"At the start of the weekend, Les Canadiennes and the Calgary Inferno were the only two remaining undefeated teams in the CWHL. When all was said and done, each team walked away with a win."

Boston Pride dealt first loss by the Riveters | SCOC
"Well, if they had to lose one, at least it was a game like this. Two words: Nana Fujimoto."

Sequel to cult classic ‘Goon’ takes closer look at decline of enforcers | THN
"This is about an age that’s drawing to a close," Baruchel said. "It’s a role, the goon, that’s going out of fashion. It was the stuff of talking heads when we made the first movie, about whether or not these guys have a place and how much of a place they should have."

Traumatic injury still slows Fisher 16 years later | D&C
"His brain is still hurting because of an open-ice check in that game back on Nov. 12, 1999. The traumatic brain injury he suffered forever changed his life."

NHL offside calls are up, but should coach’s challenge get the blame? | PD

Team Europe leadership ready to build World Cup squad from scratch | SI
"Right, like a month ago, it was just three of us, right?" Satan added. "And nothing else, no federation, nobody. We’ve mentioned it many times today. It’s basically brand-new thing. We’re basically a new creation."

Spitfires’ Vilardi a top 2017 NHL Draft prospect | Sportsnet
"Vilardi is already an important player at the major-junior level. He has seven goals and 12 points in just 14 games for the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires; he’s the only player under the age of 17 on his team with more than two points. His skill level is not in dispute."

Report: Tyson Barrie could find himself on trading block | Prohockeytalk
"During Saturday’s latest Headlines segment on Sportsnet (worth a full watch, by the way), Elliotte Friedman said that defenseman Tyson Barrie might just get bandied about if the Avalanche believe that they cannot re-sign him."

No links yet, but reports are coming out that in the league's 2013-14 season tax filing Gary Bettman earned $9.6M. That's Steven Stamkos money!

That's all for today. All is quiet out there in the hockey world for the moment.

From The Branches