Let us pause this day and give thanks to our good fortunes as Toronto Maple Leaf fans. We might have some grumbles about Babcock, we might think the Leafs are still flawed as a team, but you know what?

They are faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar from the tire fires that are a lot of other NHL teams right now. In fact, they’re pretty great. They have all kinds of skilled players, they’re still young, and they have one of the top records in the entire league a quarter through the season.

They’re not the St Louis Blues, who made their own big acquisitions but have struggled to win games. They’re not the LA Kings or the Chicago Blackhawks and THANK GOD they’re not the Edmonton Oilers either — all of them have struggled and fired their coaches only 20ish games into the season.

Maybe we can acknowledge all that? Maybe Babcock isn’t a terrible coach and mostly knows what he’s doing?

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe?

But then they’ll get outshot to all hell by Carolina tonight and maybe still win, but we’ll all forget that stuff and go back to grumbling. As is tradition.

ONTO THE LINKS!

Marlies snap losing streak on Sunday with OT win | by Species

Nikita Kucherov on William Nylander’s contract dispute: ‘I would have done the same thing” | by Joe Smith at The Athletic. MORE LIKE NIGREEDA KUCHEROV

Weighing the pros and cons of various William Nylander trade destinations | by Down Goes Brown

Leafs Notebook: Taking stock at the quarter mark, anticipating Auston Matthews’ return & more | by Anthony Petrelli

MORE BLACK FIREDAY DEALS! ACT NOW!

The firing of Mike Yeo returns the onus to Doug Armstrong and players | by Dan Buffa Deez Nuts at St Louis Game Time

Oilers Fire Todd McLellan, Hire Ken Hitchcock | by Jeff Chapman at Copper n Blue

McLellan takes the fall for Oilers’ woes | by Frank Seravelli

Last, but certainly not least...

Have a great Wednesday everybody!

Who’s the next coach to be fired?

Randy Carlyle173
Mike Sullivan60
John Hynes12
Rick Tocchet8
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