There’s not much to play for this season, except pride and having fun. You know what’s fun? Watching a healthy Auston Matthews play hockey for the Toronto Maple Leafs. I want to see more healthy Auston Matthews playing hockey this year for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

I feel like the Islanders really robbed us all of seeing a healthy Auston Matthews play hockey for the Toronto Maple Leafs for these last few weeks. As recompense, I demand they give us John Tavares!

They can have our pressbox. It comes with a near mint-condition Josh Leivo glued to it.

NHL Board of Governors: Now you can blame Toronto for goalie interference reviews too | by Katya

More Marlies: Pierre Engvall and Brady Ferguson join the team on tryouts | by Katya

Women’s Hockey Wednesday: NCAA season for the history books | by Annie and nafio

Checking in with all the other playoff races | by Katya

Toronto Maple Leafs prospect report: Some playoffs end as others begin | by elseldo

ICYMI: 2018 NHL Draft Rankings: March Edition (#16-31) | by Kevin

This lede by the Toronto Star though...

Speaking of Canadian teams, I wouldn’t normally link a Mark Spector article but I will make an exception because this time it’s a troll job I actually find funny.

A Canadian hockey fan can’t avoid the Maple Leafs even if they tried — but why would you? Toronto is perhaps the most entertaining team we have this season, with a budding superstar in Auston Mathews, enough offence to keep the lamp lit, and just loose enough defensively that Frederik Andersen (when healthy) is one of the three stars whenever Toronto wins.

And the Jets, that club you’ve been hearing about all winter and have no doubt been meaning to watch, with a sniper in Patrik Laine who is on his way to becoming a generational goal scorer. Now that your club is toast — we’re talking to you Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, Ottawa and Montreal — do yourself a favour and see what a proper, slow and successful build is supposed to look like.

If there was one other Canadian team I would (and do) cheer for, it’s the Atlanta Thrashers. They’re a fun, skilled, young hockey team. Laine, Scheifele, Ehlers, Trouba, Connor, Perrault, Little, and now Statsny. They’re exactly the kind of team I want to see NHL clubs build.

To the other Canadian teams, as my girlfriend would say: “Get good, bitch!”

Speaking of not being good...

[Ron Howard voice]

Buffalo did not, as it turned out, score more goals than Arizona.

[Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic...]

In terms of ACTUAL good players and teams, there was this ridiculousness from Sidney Crosby:

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Which young Marlie has been your favourite to watch this year?

Kasperi Kapanen102
Travis Dermott171
Andreas Johnsson12
Josh Leivo’s ass groove on the pressbox couch11
From The Branches