It's interesting to think about the two storylines going into last night's game -- about all of the young kids, just starting their NHL careers, and the one grizzled veteran who finds them cute. The veteran, Mr. Laich, was lauded at his long-time home last night when the Leafs visited the Caps, and they paid him the respect of a video honoring his career.

And the first of the kids scored a beautiful goal!

Leafs News

Recap: Best Team In NHL 3, Worst Team In NHL 2 | PPP
Nafio's Leafs recap debut happened too, and it was a lovely one!

Capitals players reflect on Brooks Laich’s tenure following trade to Maple Leafs | Washington Times
"Laich had been the longest-tenured member of the Capitals‘ roster, joining the team via trade on Feb. 18, 2004. Nearly 150 players were teammates with Laich, whose 742 games played ranks eighth in franchise history."

Capitals Pay Tribute to Brooks Laich | JapersRink
"The longtime Cap made his first appearance on Verizon Center ice since being traded, and got a well-deserved salute."

Shanahan and Soshnikov – The Kid Who’s Scared of Nothing – Part V | MLHS by Mr. NotNorm
"Intense kid. He’s got some speed and a nice shot, but mostly he’s a real puck predator. He wants the puck, he wants to take it to the net, and he wants to shoot. He’s not afraid to hit people, work on the boards, or drive into traffic, either."

Zach Hyman flying low on Maple Leafs prospect radar | Dangle
"He’s a tenacious worker, excellent on the forecheck, and not just getting there and rattling guys around on the forecheck, but getting there and getting the puck back and letting us play on offence, which to me is the key thing. Possession-wise he’s one of our best players, if not our best player, and now he’s starting to also score."

Maple Leafs News: The Kids Finally Get the Call | THW
The Maple Leafs’ future is certainly very bright. Think about all the Marlies’ debuts we’ve seen this year. The four players already mentioned, plus Brendan Leipsic, Josh Leivo, Garret Sparks and more. The youth movement is in full swing as the Leafs build for the coming years.

Capitals Beat Maple Leafs 3-2 Despite Being Outplayed | Whyno
"[T]he Maple Leafs were full of the energy of youth. Soshnikov and fellow prospects William Nylander, Kasperi Kapanen and Zach Hyman were playing in their second NHL games. Their speed allowed the Maple Leafs to skate circles around the Capitals at times."

Other Hockey News

Phil Kessel the biggest surprise omission from first 16 | ESPN
"One has to imagine that a strong finish to the end of the regular season and a good playoff showing for the Penguins, if the Pens end up qualifying for the postseason, will see Kessel among the final four forwards named on June 1. But it's far from a lock."

World Cup jerseys have nice touches, but all have one problem | ESPN
"The bad news is that they all share a common flaw: Adidas has put its signature triple-stripe design on the sides of each jersey, making the countries feel like they're all playing for Team Adidas and chipping away at their individual identities."

Check out all eight World Cup logos! | ESPN
"The best part of playing in international competition is wearing your country's colors, so here are the World Cup of Hockey logos for all eight teams -- even Team North America and Team Europe."

Connor McDavid wins round one of his Jack Eichel rivalry | SBN
"Emphatically."

From The Branches