Thursday FTB: that's Captain Ben Danford, to you

The Leafs were in Bracebridge, Ontario on their tour through preseason. A barn full of screaming kids is always a fun experience.

Leafs practising in front of around 800 kids today in Bracebridge, Ont. as their team-bonding trip winds down

Jani Hakanpää & Connor Dewar are on the ice in regular sweaters @TSN_Edge pic.twitter.com/dlsXC3S8j3
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) October 2, 2024

There were a handful of players who were injured before who showed up to this practice to skate. Tavares and Järnkrok both returned from injuries up front. Connor Dewar was skating (shoulder surgery). And Hakanpää was out there. I could be missing some others.

Berube on when Hakanpaa will be ready for game action. "Yeah, that's a tough one. I can't really answer that question right now. We have to wait and see. We got a little bit of time yet and see where he gets to and where he's at, he's got to be comfortable with getting in there…
— David Alter (@dalter) October 2, 2024

He's making the team.

Nikita Grebenkin's popularity soared with the #Leaf during the Muskoka trip.

Berube: "Grebenkin is one funny guy. He's quite a character, this kid. He's got a real bright future in this league. He's close. He's impressed me just with his play and he's a good player obviously and…
— David Alter (@dalter) October 2, 2024

As mentioned before, Dewar has shoulder surgery, here's the story on that.

"But mine (shoulder) got to the point where it would just stop flexing almost every night and it just had to get taken care of."

Connor Dewar reveals the reason behind summer shoulder surgery after his first full practice back with the Maple Leafs.⤵️https://t.co/MhLFNPvwIG
— Nick Barden (@nickbarden) October 2, 2024

According to Nick Kypreos, TOR and Jake McCabe are working on an extension. Talks are going well and it could get done before the season starts. Kyper thinks 5Mx6 gets it over the finish line.
— Marie (@mariezo34) October 2, 2024

Ben Danford is the new captain of the Oshawa Generals!

Your 2024/25 Oshawa Generals leadership team.

🗞️ READ | https://t.co/q2KsKhQv2S #GensNation pic.twitter.com/gUks2dVcfz
— Oshawa Generals (@Oshawa_Generals) October 2, 2024

Alex Plesovskikh (I may learn to spell that on my own one day) scored on the power play in the MHL yesterday.

#LeafsForever prospect Alexander Plesovskikh with an absolute bomb on the powerplay, scores his 3rd goal of the season. He's up to 9 points in 9 games to start the MHL season. pic.twitter.com/foDch7P0z8
— More like Nikita GREATbyonkin (@brigstew86) October 2, 2024

PuckPedia is getting some upgrades.

🚨News🚨

Our annual LTIR primer & opening roster predictions are now live! Read them before it's old news!
Read why:

*#VegasBorn might trade for an injured player

*#ALLCAPS could waive/send down a large cap hit

*#GoHabsGo might send down a key guyhttps://t.co/rBc2sRoBLX pic.twitter.com/NEDxe8HWjN
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) October 2, 2024

The NHL are giving the Blue Jackets some time getting up to the salary cap floor this season. Plus there's the new salary cap ceiling for next year: $92.5 million.

Columbus was granted a grace period to reach the salary cap floor. The $2M bonus paid last summer to Johnny Gaudreau is included in the team’s overall number. They are approximately $1.4M below where the need to be, and will be given time to get there if necessary.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 1, 2024

I don't even want to know (but I really do).

The Costco chronicles of Jack McBain and Dylan Guenther continue.

“We were running low on water. We went in for some sparkling water and we came out with a hot tub,” McBain said.
— Belle Fraser (@bellefraser1) October 2, 2024

Something to keep an eye on down the line. Local Bally broadcasters are not stable following their bid for bankruptcy. They're likely to lose a number of stations as they downsize.