Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

Last night the Maple Leafs returned to action and were rating to go, coming out of the gate post-Four Nations hard and fast and dominated the Carolina Hurricanes at first, jumping out to a 4-0 lead, but had to fight off a third period comeback that cut things a little too close for comfort.

Recap: Toronto won it - don’t ask how
Toronto tried to re-enact the Canada-Finland game.
PPP LeafsCathy Squires

Nice how things got back to normal right away.

But what isn't normal, is this years NHL Draft.

Los Angeles to host 2025 NHL Draft | NHL.com
Event to be held June 27-28 at Peacock Theater
NHL logoNHL Public Relations

It's a quasi-virtual draft where prospects, their families, and fans will be in the theatre but NHL team staffs will stay behind in their respective cities.

Talk of the draft going virtual full-time has been around since the 2020 Draft which was virtual for obvious reasons, and doing it this way will save teams plenty of money, not having to pay travel for media teams, front office staff, and all of the scouts is a big plus to this.

So, it will be something to watch if you're into that kind of thing and hopefully everyone's connections stay strong.

The draft will be June 27-28.

We are just over two weeks away from the trade deadline, so get ready for a lot of this:

Trade Deadline Primer: Toronto Maple Leafs
Will this be the year the Maple Leafs reach the Stanley Cup Final? Visit PHR for more details.
Pro Hockey RumorsBrennan McClain
1 Move Each Team Should Make Before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline - The Hockey Writers Latest News, Analysis & More
With the NHL trade deadline fast-approaching, let’s look at one move each team should make before the March 7 deadline.
The Hockey WritersAlex Chauvancy

Expansion is coming for the PWHL. Don't get too big too fast.

Here’s Exactly What The PWHL Is Looking For In Expansion
Infrastructure. It’s the number one item the PWHL is looking for when examining the potential PWHL expansion markets. The league wants good facilities for their fans, and their players, for game days, practices, and training.
Yahoo SportsIan Kennedy

The QMJHL has a new award for rookies: The Sidney Crosby Trophy.

QMJHL to award Sidney Crosby Trophy to top rookie starting this season | Globalnews.ca
The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League is naming its rookie of the year award after one of its most famous graduates.
Global NewsSawyer Bogdan

Finally, Columbus Blue Jackets fans celebrated the birthday of Johnny Gaudreau's son:

Enjoy your day everyone!

From The Branches