Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

I see from the comments yesterday that Top 25 Under 25 arguments have begun. Good to see we're still on top form after the move.

Speaking of moving, the only news we have is one defender in a new home and one considering one.

Tony DeAngelo is back in Carolina, signing a $1.6 Million dollar contract for next season. It's always annoying when players insist on their favourite numbers in their deals but so it goes.

Hurricanes Sign Tony DeAngelo to One-Year Deal
Ending weeks of rumors and speculation, today the Canes officially brought the defenseman back to Carolina
Bob WageCanes Country

The other one everyone is talking about is San Jose Sharks star Erik Karlsson, who has spoken to a few teams this summer about moving on from the struggling Sharks.

ERIK KARLSSON TRADE SPECULATION CONTINUES TO SURFACE

Teams include the Maple Leafs (of course they're included), the Penguins, and Carolina Hurricanes.

The Leafs are a no go and always good to include in a story. How would the cap work? Seriously.

The Penguins and Hurricanes hold all the cards in this deal, because if the Sharks want to move $10M worth of cap space they have to pay heartily. I'm not convinced last season wasn't an anomaly.

Why an unlikely key to resolving the Erik Karlsson trade logjam could be...Drew O’Connor?
Why a young fourth liner might be the key to the Penguins getting the reigning Norris trophy winner (or not)
Hooks OrpikPensBurgh

Speaking of on the move, the Maple Leafs have a prospect on the move.

The Dallas Stars signed GM Jim Nill to a two year extension. Nill has built a team that went to the Stanley Cup Final and Western Conference final, so is keep him around too.

Stars sign general manager Jim Nill to two-year contract extension
The Dallas Stars have signed general manager Jim Nill to a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the team through the 2025-26 season, the club announces Monday.
| July 24, 2023, 11:27 AMSportsnet

Finally, to share just in case you missed the big picture and headline on the front page, Cathy wrote up a little preview of the Top 25 for this year.

The 2023 T25U25 is right around the corner
This year is going to be the most interesting T25 in some time. There are only two people on the eligibility list that were drafted in the first round: Timothy Liljegren and Easton Cowan. Conor Timmins missed by one, and the rest are a mix of free agents and later-round picks.
Cathy SquiresPPP Leafs

Enjoy your day everyone.

From The Branches