Good morning, PPP! The Maple Leafs are back in action tonight in Carolina, and according to Babcock, Martin Marincin is due to cycle into the lineup for Alexey Marchenko. Our long national nightmare is over, or something. I'm sure you're all deeply relieved.

While you're waiting for the Maple Leafs game at 7:00, have some links for your Saturday:

In Case You Missed It

We need to talk about Auston - Pension Plan Puppets
Are we taking the man for granted already?

Toronto Maple Leafs acquire Sasky Stewart from the CWHL - Pension Plan Puppets
The CWHL’s loss is definitely the Leafs’ gain.

Maple Leafs News

Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov is still striving for perfection – The Athletic
Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov wasn't in a celebratory mood following the team's 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night.

Mike Babcock on William Nylander: "He's becoming a more complete player" | Maple Leafs Hotstove
Mike Babcock met with the media after practice on Friday, discussing William Nylander’s shot, the decision to swap out Alexey Marchenko for Martin Marincin tomorrow vs. Carolina, Morgan Rielly’s performance against Philadelphia, and more. (Bonus: Mike Babcock employing the delightfully folksy turn of phrase "use your coconut")

Leafs’ Frederik Andersen doesn’t mind heavy workload | Toronto Star
‘Numbers are not something I care about too much.’

Maple Leafs take playoff chase on the road - TSN
The Toronto Maple Leafs got back in the win column this week with a pair of victories over Eastern Conference foes, but those contests were just the beginning of what will be a demanding final three weeks of March.

News About Other Teams

NHL owners should stop thinking about themselves and let players go to the Olympics - Broad Street Hockey
For once ... just this once, maybe think about the fans and the players.

Hockey’s biggest shift: Fifty years of evolution in NHL coaching - The Globe and Mail
There was a time coaching meant instructing from the bench – changing lines, directing traffic, trading pleasantries with officials. But those days are gone, for better or worse.

Study says minor hockey body-checking ban has led to fewer injuries - The Globe and Mail
Researchers found that concussion rates dropped after Hockey Canada disallowed body checking at minor hockey’s pee-wee level.

2017 NHL Entry Draft Profile: Don’t Sleep on Nick Suzuki – The Bloggers' Tribune
Over the past few year, there has been a philosophy that is becoming popular in the mainstream when it comes to draft eligible prospects - that a player's birthday matters.

And finally, because it wouldn't be a Baseball Annie FTB without a women's hockey item, the Indian Women's Ice Hockey Team beat the Philippines 4-3 for their first victory in international play!

From The Branches