The Maple Leafs are continuing their western road trip, making their second of three stops tonight, this time to play the Vancouver Canucks on Hockey Night in Canada. As one from Toronto would expect, tonight’s game is scheduled in the 7:00 p.m. slot on CBC, meaning in local Vancouver time it’s at 4:00 p.m., which will no doubt make Canucks fans irate. Just how we like them to be.

We’ll have our full preview of tonight’s game out this afternoon, but there was some good news from yesterday’s practice that Ondrej Kase was participating in full contact, allaying any fears after that big hit that forced him out of Thursday’s game.

ICYMI

The Leafs shored up the lower decks of the goalie pyramid yesterday.

Maple Leafs sign Joe Woll to a 3-year minimum salary deal

Olympics

At the Olympics last night the Canadian women defeated Sweden to confirm their place in the semifinals, along with the Russian Team, Finland and the USA.

The Canadian men are still playing in the preliminary round games right now. Last night they lost 4-2 to the USA. There was a positive for Leafs fans on the prospect front though.

Other News

5 P.E.I. minor hockey players suspended over racial slurs aimed at Black goalie from Halifax - CBC
The teenage boy who had racist slurs hurled at him during a hockey tournament in Charlottetown last fall says he’s satisfied with the results of a Hockey P.E.I. disciplinary committee process, but adds that overall, “there’s no winning in this.” Connors said he wished the people involved had owned up to their actions. He’d also like an apology (all five still deny it happened).

PHWA mourns the loss of trailblazing member Robin Herman – PHWA
Herman was the PHWA’s lone female member in 1974-75. After being denied at various team facilities throughout the league, she burst through at the 1975 All-Star Game in Montreal, when the game’s coaches – Fred Shero and Bep Guidolin – said they had no problem with a woman entering the locker room. Herman, just 23 at the time, and Montreal-based radio reporter Marcelle St. Cyr, broke the barrier when they walked into those Forum locker rooms, forging a path forward for so many women interested in covering pro sports.

The Philadelphia Flyers hire of Danny Brière feels very old school - Broad Street Hockey
The Daniel Brière hire feels almost like a direct response to the last decade of Flyer hockey. His new position, combined with the quotes coming out of the Chuck Fletcher and Dave Scott “state of the Flyers” press conference, hint to a return of free-wheeling, big-spending thinking.

Last 1000 tickets on sale next week for Hamilton’s Heritage Classic - TheSpec
Maple Leafs vs. Sabres at Tim Hortons Field, March 13.

Plenty of intriguing names lead off TSN's Trade Bait list six weeks to the deadline - TSN
A goalie headed to the Hockey Hall of Fame and a captain headed to his team’s Hall of Fame are featured on TSN’s first Trade Bait board. [SPECIES: You won't believe #10!]

Bonus points to the first person who figures out who is the Canucks goalie in that game photo.

From The Branches