Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

After a bad loss to the Oilers, the Leafs fought hard against the Flames and guess what happened!

Recap: Cowboy hats fly for Matthews in Calgary
Auston Matthews and a short bench can do wonders.
PPP LeafsHardev

With the first two games out west out of the way, we have a busy weekend ahead of us. The Leafs are playing the Canucks at 7pm Saturday night - that's a 4PM start local time and we all know Canucks fans love that when the Leafs come to town. After that on Sunday night the Leafs take a quick jaunt down the coast to Seattle to face the Kraken at 9pm our time, so the start is 26 hours after the Canucks game.

So, with the trade deadline a month or so away, and talk coming out about the team not deserving a move.... What should they do?

Scout’s Analysis: How the Maple Leafs should approach the NHL trade deadline
On Thursday morning the Toronto Maple Leafs sit in a wild card spot in the East and haven’t won in four games. Are they contenders? Should they be deadline buyers? Jason Bukala looks at the team and shares his recommendations.
Sportsnet| January 18, 2024, 12:27 PM
The Countdown: 5 trade targets the Maple Leafs should be tracking
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a fragile group at the moment. The team is…
TheLeafsNationShane Seney

It takes a former Leafs to know the Leafs.

Maple Leafs, Sheldon Keefe have a booster in former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau
“I’ve always had a saying: Losing streaks follow winning streaks, and vice-versa.”
Toronto StarKevin McGran

Speaking of coaches....

Do the Toronto Maple Leafs need to fire Sheldon Keefe?
The Maple Leafs are 21-13-8 with 50 points, fourth in the Atlantic Division.
Daily FaceoffHunter Crowther

In less important, non-Leafs news:

Will the Wild punt on the season now?

What the NHL standings would look like using PWHL points system
ConnectedRory Boylen

The Leafs would be three points out of a playoff spot, so it's bad.

Former Canuck Cody Hodgson signs PTO with Nashville Predators’ AHL team
As first reported by Elliotte Friedman on Saturday night, former Vanco…
CanucksArmyDavid Quadrelli

Cody Hodgson is doing his best to keep his career going.

Post-game handshakes are back in Newfoundland and Labrador amateur hockey
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Hockey players in Newfoundland and Labrador are once again allowed to line up and shake hands after their games.
SooToday.com

I never actually looked into this, but now it's over!

Speaking of being over, so is this post!

Enjoy your day everyone!

From The Branches