Happy Monday!

The greatest song ever written:

Okay, onto the links...hmmm....let’s see what’s up in the hockey world:

Maple Leafs 5-Game Points Process: That was a great set of games! - Pension Plan Puppets
Time to set the feelings over one loss aside and look at the big picture.

Toronto Marlies Recap: Michael Hutchinson carries Marlies to win on his birthday - Pension Plan Puppets
James Reimer’s former teammate made 34 saves on his 29th birthday.

Back to Excited Episode 53: Here’s Johnny - Pension Plan Puppets
We discuss the Leafs two Johns and more

Toronto overruled the no-goal call, and the Caps won the game.

Flames' Garnet Hathaway won't have hearing for hit on Wild's Luke Kunin - Sportsnet.ca
Calgary Flames forward Garnet Hathaway won't face any further discipline for his dangerous hit on Minnesota Wild forward Luke Kunin.

Yeah, I don’t get it.

After yesterday’s exciting March hockey, the Capitals lead the Metro, CBJ is out of a playoff spot, and the Flyers are only three points back.

Later today we’ll have the Euro Report, getting you up to date on the prospects in the playoffs and heading there. One poor guy has seen his season end, however.

After that is something much more stylish, if you know what I mean, and I figure you do.

The preview will be up just before lunchtime, and then you get to wait a loooong time for the game, which is at 9 p.m. tonight.

Today is the AHL trade deadline. That is the deadline for trading players on AHL contracts before the playoffs. Toronto called up Kristians Rubins, and defender on a two-way AHL deal they signed this summer who is leading the Growlers in points from the blueline. Given the injuries on the Marlies, and the almost certainty that Calle Rosen will get a call up when he’s healthy, this feels like a fill-in move, not the sign a trade is coming. However, for the Marlies to get help at forward, where they are using several AHL-contracted players, they would have to give up something.

Speaking of the Growlers, they are third in the ECHL by points percentage and are, essentially, the Golden Knights of the ECHL. They are playoff bound.

In news this morning, one of the greats is gone:

He wasn’t merely one of the founders of the NHLPA, he was the progenitor of the idea that NHL players deserved fair treatment. He also took no shit:

One of the very best, who made the game into something that would last even if the owners had no idea that’s what he was doing at the time.

From The Branches