There is offically less than a week until Christmas and just four more sleeps until the first day of Hanukkah (which used to start with a "C" when I was growing up, don't know where that extra consonant went).
I'm not sure who has a busier schedule over the next few days, Santa and his elves or the Leafs. Santa has to get gifts ready for countless children while the Leafs play four games in the next six nights, starting tonight with a match-up against the dreaded Boston Bruins.
As we use this last week to search out ideal gifts for loved ones (and those that inexplicably end up on our to-buy for lists: teachers, old-friends, housekeepers, in-laws, etc.) numerous bloggers keep putting up great content for our reading pleasure. No doubt they're procrastinating due to crowds at the mall or confusion over to get that loved one (word of caution, a dual bag vacuum is not a good gift idea) but we appreciate their ongoing insights into all things Leaf.
After the jump, let's have a look at just what are those procrastinators up to...
- Ninja at Raking Leafs has a post about Mats and the Rangers (nice to see one of the old school guys back at it)
- MF37 (Hey, I know that guy!) has photos of the fabled NHL war room
- Vintage Leafs has some great photos too: a scan of the Hamilton Spectator's coverage of the Leafs last Stanley Cup championship and the boxscore from Sittler's famous 10 point game against the Bruins (If anyone wants to see the actual game sheet from that historic night, it's on display at Pantheon Jewellery on the Danforth in Toronto)
- Toronto Sports Media brings some common sense and fun images to the media's obsession with Mr. Sundin's impending decision.
- Mirtle has found some incredibly strange photos of NHLers that should eat up a good 20 minutes of your morning. I think Bobby Commodore used to want to fight me by the bike racks in the early 80s and Chris Heatley is a dead ringer for my high school guidance counsellor who advised me to drop out of college.
- The Hockey News names Jason Blake as one of the top 10 most overpaid NHLers - no word on how many of those "bad" contracts are fresh(ish) UFA signings.
- Michael Aldred at Maple Leafs Hot Stove files on Leaf prospect Chris DiDomenico and the World Juniors and Alec Brownscombe offers up a preview of tonight's Leafs - Bruins tilt.
- CBS has a nice Leafs-Bruins pre-game write-up, including the interesting fact that the Leafs are the only team to win in regulation in Boston this season.
- The NHL has done a really nice job of packaging up the highlights from the previous nights action - you can see the best of the best here (second item down on the right hand menu: click on Ice Pix)
- Neate Sager offers the inside scoop on the mess that is the Kingston Frontenacs. Looks like Gilmour has his work cut out for him.
- Nothing to do with hockey, but a whole pile o' indie bands have worked with a Montreal company to design and sell t-shirts with the proceeds going to charity. The perfect gift for the Wolf Parade fan in your life.
If I've missed any links, post them in the comments and we'll update the list...