Yesterday, Connor McDavid was asked about his feelings on the NHL not participating in the Winter Olympics. As might be expected from someone who might as well have come out of the womb in a Team Canada jersey, those feelings were not positive! [Warning for autoplay video, which is a scourge upon the Earth].
“I’m really upset by it,” he says in that video, in approximately the same tone I use when asking my roommate to buy some milk on the way home. I’d like to take lessons from McDavid in sounding completely and utterly nonplussed, no matter what he’s discussing (Brandon Manning excepted). I can’t talk about the NHL skipping the Olympics without wanting to swear; how on Earth does someone who would be a shoe-in for Team Canada manage that level of calm? That’s good media training, folks.
Unfortunately for McDavid, Canada has already started looking in Europe for its Olympic roster. Yesterday, they released tournament rosters for a pair of pre-Olympic events that GM Sean Burke will use to evaluate potential players. There are a bunch of former Maple Leafs on those rosters, including Brandon Kozun, Mason Raymond, Carlo Colaiacovo, and Ben Scrivens. We’ll see if any of them end up making Team Canada.
ICYMI
Top 25 under 25: The case for Dakota Joshua - Pension Plan Puppets
The Ohio State forward had an excellent sophomore season on the ice and looks to improve
Will Butcher fit with the Toronto Maple Leafs? - Pension Plan Puppets
The Hobey Baker-winning Denver grad is heading for free agency.
Stuff We Didn’t Write
[Leafs Links] Dan Noble: "Mitch Marner is pound for pound one of the strongest players in the NHL"; Montreal signs Mark Streit, Andrei Markov's destination up in the air | Maple Leafs Hotstove
But does he have his Man Strength yet?
GAR, the Wild, and Arbitration - Hockey Wilderness
One fancy new stat that is being kicked around is GAR (not to be confused with the metal band, GWAR), so let’s see how the Wild broke down this season and what it could look like when it comes time...
New Jersey Devils Sign Five RFA’s To New Contracts - All About The Jersey
The New Jersey Devils re-signed Blake Coleman, Stefan Noesen, Blake Pietila, Ben Thomson and Kevin Rooney.
Updated: Bruins Officially Sign Spooner to 1 Yr $2.825m Deal - Stanley Cup of Chowder
Bruins avoid arbitration with their young center
Down Goes Brown: Seven abandoned plot points from the NHL offseason
The writers in charge of the NHL’s off-season script are struggling.
Bonus cuteness for your Thursday:
Watch this Instagram video of Jordan Subban owning his nephew (in a Leafs jersey, no less) at keep-away. Brutal! Yet still adorable.