Good morning fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs and others who have wandered in here wondering why some jerk from Canada is being mean to Bills fans.

Look, it’s not like I enjoy pointing out how the Pegula’s are greedy jerks who take advantage of their passionate fans...

Maple Leafs vs Sabres: A tale of two development camps

Or that they force themselves into the day to day operations of the teams they own...

Are the Pegulas the new Harold Ballard?

They just make it so.........easy.

This time they’ve decided that they want a new $1.1 billion stadium for their NFL team, the Buffalo Bills, and another $400,000,000 for upgrades to the Buffalo Sabres home, the HSBC Marine Midland Keybank Memorial Auditorium Centre, which, to be fair, is in need of a scrubbing.

Sabres' arena in pictures: Trouble spots, areas of...

You can read about this incredibly ballsy ask at the Buffalo News here:

Bills seek new Orchard Park stadium costing at least $1.1B – paid for by public

It’s the gall of asking a city whose finances have been called some of the worst in the US, for A BILLION DOLLARS so their fancy toy can have something new and shiny to play in.

It’s not all falling on the shoulders of the city of Buffalo, they also want the state of New York to chip in some cash too - a state that is headed for a $180 billion deficit.

Currently the penny pinching Pegulas (estimated net worth $5.4 billion) are using the typical playbook for sports owners who want something for nothing. “It will spur investment! It will benefit the local economy! Think of the poor fans, who have been through so much.”

($1 billion would build a lot of social housing and schools that would do a lot for the local residents/economy too)

Now they’ve resorted to “reports” and “sources say” about how interested the city of Austin, Texas is in having an NFL team.

Austin Bills? NFL Owners Are Running Out of Threats - Sports Illustrated

You know, like how the Pittsburgh Penguins were moving to Kansas City, Edmonton Oilers were going to Seattle, or how every OHL team may move to Chatham.

This is a dance every city needs to do, as Calgary and the Flames are currently butting heads about, but no one should give in, as it never benefits them.

How the NFL Fleeces Taxpayers

So, that’s me complaining about the Pegulas again, as I do once a year, but what about the Leafs?

Well, Brigs looked at the Leafs prospects playing at the World Junior Summer Showcase:

Three Leafs prospects shining at the World Junior Summer Showcase

MLHS did some work, looking back at free agency.

Anthony Petrielli breaks down the Maple Leafs' offseason moves and the question marks entering the season | Maple Leafs Hotstove

And uh....it’s August. so there’s not much else.

Around the league...

NHL’s Top 10 UFAs remaining: Latest rumours, reports

As I said, it’s August, go enjoy the summer.

From The Branches