Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

After months without news we got a deluge over the past few days with the NHL and NHLPA settling on a CBA extension that will last until 2026, well past the start of the Seattle expansion team and it includes a big perk for the players. We’ll have a more indepth look to the CBA once it’s finalized, but to summarize:

2020 NHL CBA Memo of Understanding is ready for voting

  • The Olympics are back! If they ever happen again....
  • Something about escrow! Players were worried about that!
  • The minimum salary is going up, good for the bottom of the roster./

There’s probably a lot of other finicky details like swapping the dental plan for a free keg of beer at NHLPA meetings, and our very own Acting the Fulemin got his hands on a page:

The NHL also has set up it’s Phase 3 and 4 protocols about return to play, and for that we have a story coming out later this morning, but if you want a quick summary:

Phase 3 and 4 details leaked - CBA negotiations ongoing

  • Teams gets 30 skaters and as many goalies as they want to bring.
  • Players can opt out without penalty.
  • No media or business staff come in contact with players, hockey ops only.
  • Teams must supply one social media person, and boy will they tell you how important they are if you even make one joke about that.
  • Testing is every two days in phase 3, daily in phase 4./

Phase 3 is set to begin July 13th, teams move to the hubs July 26th, play begins August 1st.

Maybe.

Here’s some other news:

The Top 25 under 25 gets to the top 10 with....a second round pick?

Top 25 Under 25: The Leafs 2nd round pick sets the bar at #10

The Hockey Writers...write about the Leafs Director of Player Evaluation:

Toronto Maple Leafs' Jim Paliafito: A Valuable, Little Known Employee

You wanna hear about cap recapture?

NHL Adjusts Recapture Penalties

Daniil Gushchin of the USHL could be a surprise hit of the first round.

Why Daniil Gushchin is a First-Round Talent - Last Word on Hockey

Check back later today for #9 in the Top 25, more Return to Play coverage, and any more news.

From The Branches