Yesterday, the Maple Leafs did something a little different for practice—while visiting St. Paul, Minnesota, Jake Gardiner’s dad John hooked them up for an outdoor practice at a rink near their hotel.

The Leafs borrowed two high-school goalies (it is Minnesota, after all), and played a three-on-three tournament, competing for one of Gardiner’s childhood hockey trophies. The interview clip is fun, with Gardiner talking about how the practice came to be, and also his personal disappointments on the day (Kadri and Rielly winning, which I imagine he’s going to hear about for a while).

The Maple Leafs play real hockey (we hope) tonight against the Minnesota Wild, at 8pm. We’ll have a preview up for you later this morning.

ICYMI

CWHL: Toronto Furies trade Erin Ambrose to les Canadiennes de Montréal - Pension Plan Puppets
Toronto will receive first round picks in 2018 and 2019, third round picks in 2018 and 2020

Maple Leafs by the Numbers: #6 Ron Ellis - Pension Plan Puppets
Yes, it’s retired for someone else....

Women’s Hockey Wednesday: Russian hockey and the Olympics - Pension Plan Puppets
Les Canadiennes hang their banners, the Pride get another win and college hockey winds down for the break.

Stuff We Didn’t Write

Thoughts on the Unbalanced Devils Power Play Units - All About The Jersey
After trading for Sami Vatanen, the Devils now have a 1-defender unit and a 2-defender unit on the powerplay. I look at how it’s been working.

Leafs not going to rush Auston Matthews back from injury - Sportsnet.ca
As the Toronto Maple Leafs prepared to play without Auston Matthews for a seventh time this season, Mike Babcock made it clear that he’s in no rush to see his star centre return from an undisclosed injury.

Kyle Turris says he thinks Senators’ owner Eugene Melnyk didn’t want to sign him | Toronto Star
“It’s tough because I think management did want to sign me, but I think that the owner didn’t,” Turris said.

MLSE buys Toronto Argos, now owns every major Toronto sports team but the Blue Jays | Ottawa Citizen
Argos will get support from the heft of MLSE's promotional, ticketing, operational and financial operations

Marleau's love of everyday grind should rub off on young Leafs - Sportsnet.ca
A 38-year-old man glides around a frozen outdoor rink in sub-zero temperatures. He has a balaclava pulled up underneath the chinstrap of his helmet, and he’s smiling. For Patrick Marleau, this has to be, what, the 4,000th time he’s gone through this ritual as a NHLer?

Vegas Golden Knights claim Ryan Carpenter off waivers - Fear The Fin
So long, sweet prince.

With Dubnyk in the doctor's office, the Wild may be forced to tap on their options in Iowa - Hockey Wilderness
It may be a bit over dramatic, but there will be a shake-up in net for Minnesota over the next few games

How Travis Konecny’s trash talking help his hockey
The second-year forward got under an opponent's skin Tuesday night, helping lead him to score the game-tying goal.

From The Branches