Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

It's still the bye week, and only Tuesday, and there was only one game last night. And it was a Senators game.

Ugh.

So, without any news what are we to discuss?

Well, we can ponder what the PWHL Toronto team name could eventually be.

Toronto Torches was the original copyright and dear God no, do not do that. The torch is a filthy Montréal hockey tradition. Let them keep it.

Toronto Towers gets us the much beloved alliteration sports teams aim for, but it's not great. It's meh.

Toronto Trash Pandas is a fan play on the mascot of the city, but that's been parodied on our current teams logos so much and it has more of a minor league feel to it.

For now, I will stick with the Toronto TBDs, and hopefully by the end of the season we will have an organic nickname to stick with.

It is all star week, so there are plenty of events happening. The NHL alumni association is hosting panel discussions with former players. Tomorrow night you can catch up with Curtis Joseph and Mats Sundin at Hotel X (formerly known as Hotel Twitter).

NHL Alumni All-Star Speaker Series: Featuring Curtis Joseph & Mats Sundin
Come join us for an epic hot stove/meet & greet, the NHL Alumni All-Star Speaker Series, with hockey legends Curtis Joseph and Mats Sundin!
Eventbrite

Then on Wednesday it's Zdeno Chara, Doug Gilmour, and Glenn Healy.

NHL Alumni Speaker Series: Doug Gilmour, Zdeno Chara & Glenn Healy
Eventbrite - NHL Alumni Association presents NHL Alumni Speaker Series: Doug Gilmour, Zdeno Chara & Glenn Healy - Friday, 2 February 2024 at Hotel X Toronto by Library Hotel Collection, Princes’ Boulevard, Toronto, ON, Canada, Toronto, ON. Find event and ticket information.
Eventbrite

Just after the weekend, on February 5th the City of Brampton is hosting a public skate with the Hockey Night in Punjabi crew and the NHL United by Hockey Mobile Museum.

City of Brampton keeps NHL® All-Star week going with free community skate:In partnership with NHL® United by Hockey Mobile Museum and Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi
BRAMPTON, ON (January 29, 2024) – The City of Brampton, in partnership with the NHL® , United by Hockey Mobile Museum and Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi, will be hosting a free community skate at Gore Meadows outdoor rink on Monday, February 5.

The Alberta Jr A league - AJHL -is seeing multiple teams defect and join the BCHL, which is now considered a "rebel league"; they are not affiliated with Hockey Canada and don't abide by their roster rules. Junior A, especially the BCHL, is popular with high level players who are looking to go the NCAA route and skip Major Junior. With the BCHL not bound by residency rules anymore that can play anyone from anywhere and that is worrying other leagues that more teams may go that route. Junior A and below are pay to play leagues for the most part, so there's big money at stake.

Prairie super league a possibility after AJHL defections to B.C.
Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada
Winnipeg Free PressMike Sawatzky

Finally, it's a special day for myself personally. It's a special day for the entire country of Canada. After ten long years a wrong will be righted. What we've been denied for so long will come back.

Folks, it's the day the McRib returns.

I'm going to line up for lunch now, and if I don't die from overeating to make up for lost time I will talk to you tomorrow.