Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

Or is it?

Recap: Leafs fall to Sens
Everyone is fired, and the rebuild will start now, not in the summer.
PPP LeafsCathy Squires

A 4-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators last night, struggling to keep a hold on home ice for the playoffs, let alone taking advantage of a weaker division to get the number one spot, and random line making that sees one of your best offensive players put on the third line, and you have a fanbase that is used to being let down feeling like it's absolutely futile to even have a shred of hope in the team.

Craig Berube after the Maple Leafs’ fifth loss in their last six games: “They need to make their mind up in the room about the importance of the start of the game and 60 minutes of urgency”
Craig Berube addressed the media after the Maple Leafs’ 4-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators, which dropped the team’s record to 39-24-3. On the team’s performance and where it fell short: I would use the word urgency. There was some detail stuff. Their three goals were all about losing battles inside the blue line. We […]
Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff

The team that has players on it we've been craving for 20 years. Players that will set records for the team, some who have spent their entire career here, some that dreamed of putting on the blue and white since they were barely able to skate. So much expectations, so much time invested, and so little payoff.

Nick Kypreos’ latest defense of Mitch Marner badly misses the mark
This week, Nick Kypreos penned a Toronto Star column encouraging Maple Leafs fans not to vilify Mitch Marner if he walks away this summer as a UFA. In the piece, he also argues that the Maple Leafs haven’t given Marner any reason to trust the organization’s loyalty. Kypreos specifically cites the recent examples of Mikko […]
Maple Leafs HotstoveAlec Brownscombe

We are 16 games away from the playoffs, but it feels like we're still in November, trying to figure out the team. Our stars players are approaching 30. It's time to make an impact.

So.....do it.

What is wrong with Auston Matthews? He's not himself all season and even took off to Germany for magical medical care. He isn't skating some days, and it doesn't seem to be helping. Should he just sit until the playoffs?

Maple Leafs Refuse To Adequately Answer Important Question About Auston Matthews
Auston Matthews was absent from Maple Leafs practice on Saturday, but the team’s head coach refused to confirm or deny whether Matthews is hurt.
H&L Media IncMike Armenti

Some places are making drastic changes, like the developmental leagues.

NHL to meet with CHL, other junior leagues
Some big decisions on the future of junior hockey could be made soon.
Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff

Eight goals left for number eight.

How close is Alex Ovechkin to breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record?
Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is closing in on the NHL goals record of 894 held by Wayne Gretzky.
Yahoo SportsThe Canadian Press

Will the Leafs path be clear or obstructed by teams that made bigger moves?

NHL Playoff Push: How deadline moves altered contenders’ potential paths to Cup Final
With the dust settled on the trade deadline, Sonny Sachdeva takes a closer look at how the moves impacted the potential path to the Stanley Cup Final for each conference’s best.
Sportsnet.caSonny Sachdeva

There's a big fight in the PWHL standings and teams are moving up and down more than our moods watching the Leafs. The playoff race is rocking.

Chance to close gap in PWHL playoff race eludes Ottawa Charge in loss to Boston Fleet
Ottawa loses the game and a chance to gain ground in the race for the final playoff spot.
Ottawa CitizenDon Brennan

Tomorrow night is Takeover night in Detroit as Minnesota takes on New York.

Professional Women’s Hockey League game in Detroit chance to show ‘hockey is viable career’
Taylor Girard, Elle Hartje lead New York Sirens against Minnesota Frost on Sunday at Little Caesars Arena in Professional Women’s Hockey League tour.
Detroit Free Press, Detroit Free Press

Finally, Frank Popkie is playing for a future in hockey, even if he can't hear his teammates as well as they can hear him.

BEYOND LOCAL: Hearing disability not stopping ‘gifted player’ from chasing his OHL dream
‘I believe that disabilities aren’t always a wall blocking you from success, more so just a different path’
InnisfilToday.caChris Dawson

Enj9oy your day everyone!

From The Branches