Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

Its Wednesday, and here I am bringing you news and somewhere to avoid responsibilities. I thought we could start off light.

Wayne Gretzky slapped with $10M lawsuit over alleged weight loss gum lie

Yes, that's right. A weight loss gum.

Sparks claims, however, that things started going downhill after Wayne made up a lie about the product Janet was paid to promote — saying he lost 35 pounds in two months from chewing the gum. Sparks believes Wayne made up the lie to help boost the company’s stock, which Gretzky “surreptitiously purchased under his family’s name,” per TMZ.

I can’t believe this. I was always told he was a standup guy. Guess everyone should have listened to bitter Leafs fans from 93 after all, eh?

Next up, a nice prospect who loves the Leafs.

«После лучевой терапии был будто в тумане, как пакет на голову надели». Российский хоккеист Амиров борется с раком

Yes, this is in Russian, it’s an interview with Rodion Amirov about his fight with cancer, and recovery. Some highlights:

How did they help you in Toronto ?

- They supported me, recorded a video, it was nice. They helped in the treatment, financially - many thanks to them, as well as to Salavat Yulaev. Support was from all sides.

Why didn’t Toronto announce for a long time?

- They didn’t want to talk at first, but then the rumors began. We decided that it was right to say officially.

Often in such cases there is too much pity on the part of people.

- Yes, even now they often ask me: “How is your health?” It pisses me sometimes off, of course. I am a healthy person, I train - no need to ask that.

Did you feel the special hockey atmosphere in Toronto?

Yes. Even when I flew out of Toronto, I was recognized at the airport, although I am still nobody there. Come and ask. I was at one game, but it was without fans.

Amirov has great things to say about the Leafs, and talks about getting out of his military service as well.

Now, something not so great.

Callers reporting misconduct to helpline were referred to law firm chosen by Hockey Canada | CBC News

When the telephone service launched in March 2019, Sport Canada collated a list of contacts provided by national sport organizations so that the helpline’s operators could refer callers to resources available for their respective sports.

Marie-Claude Asselin, the director in charge of the helpline, told CBC News that, until recently, Hockey Canada provided two potential contacts for callers that wanted hockey complaints investigated: Henein Hutchinson, a firm that specializes in criminal defence cases and civil litigation; and Crawford and Company, which offers insurance loss adjustment services.

Some new Covid rules for this season, which are mostly gone aside from players who can’t cross the border being suspended for the time the team spends without them.

Finally, we’re coming up on the last entry of the first five players in the Top 25 this year. Yesterday we had a 2020 draft pick making his debut in the top 25:

2022 Top 25 Under 25: Ryan Tverberg is #22

Today its number 21, and that will be out soon. Or now, depending on when you’re reading this.

From The Branches