Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

Last night’s game wasn’t a masterpiece, but you can’t win them all. The Leafs are still first in the North Division and second overall in the NHL (by points percentage, they’re first in points). A 14-4-2 record after 20 games is much better than I anticipated just after a quarter of the season. When there’s a lead like this, you start experimenting with your lines and get creative like they tried last night.

Recap: Toronto Maple Leafs lose a sloppy game

The only big concern would be if Frederik Andersen is out longer than a game or two because the Michael Hutchinson / Joseph Woll combo doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

I didn’t want to dwell, so I thought I’d poke around in Leafs history and hey! I found a trade from the past on this date! It’s not exactly a barn burner, but it’ll do.

The Trade

Toronto Maple Leafs send C Craig Charron to the Los Angeles Kings for LW Don MacLean on February 23rd, 2000

Craig Charron

A 1989 Montreal Canadiens draft pick, Charron would play out his career at U-Mass Lowell before turning pro. He was an AHL star with the Rochester Americans, but never made the NHL. In 1999-00 he joined the St. John’s Maple Leafs after another AHL trade between the Islanders and Leafs, where he scored 29 points in 32 games before he would get traded to the Kings and play out the season with the Lowell Lock Monsters before re-joining the Americans for the rest of his career.

Don MacLean

Drafted by the Kings in 1995, MacLean would play 22 NHL games in his rookie season. He wouldn’t see the NHL again until he joined the Leafs for 3 games the season after this trade. He would play mostly for the St. John’s Maple Leafs until his contract expired  in 2002. e would split NHL/AHL time until he left for Europe in 2007. His final team was Medvescak Zagreb, which is where he started his coaching career. and it would end in 2015-16 with the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL.

Overall it was a completely insignificant trade that didn’t have any trades connected after it, and just one minor trade before. This isn’t so much of a trade tree as it is a trade stump.

Now, the news.

Aside from last night’s game the action was with the Toronto Marlies who also have a recap out, thanks to Hardev:

Marlies vs. Moose Series Recap: Robertson scores first AHL goal, Sandin injured

Fulemin dove into the mania of Leafs fans:

Why Leaf Fans All Hate Each Other

The injuries are piling up:

Leafs' Muzzin suffers broken bone in face; Hyman, Thornton both day-to-day

It’s been pretty good.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Season-To-Date Review

Around the NHL:

Panarin takes leave of absence with full support of Rangers, NHL - TSN.ca
Thoughts on the Artemi Panarin leave of absence from the Rangers

After showing support for Vladimir Putins biggest political opponent, Panarin is away from the Rangers and I hope everything works out for him.

Jake McCabe will miss the remainder of the season with a significant knee injury

The Sabres take a big hit.

The Maple Leafs don’t play tonight, but have their second game against the Flames tomorrow. Tonight’s only North Division game is the Canadiens vs Ottawa Senators. Hopefully it’s as much fun as Sunday’s game was.

From The BranchesMaple Leafs History