Finally...NHL Hockey has come back to Torontooooooo! I understand the need for bye weeks as everyone needs a break from work once in a while, but man is it agonizing waiting for it to end. Sure you can watch other teams and see how they’re doing if you’re a double or triple agent, but it doesn’t have the same sense of enjoyment, you know?

The Leafs will be breaking their 'plast‘ (playing-fast) against the St. Louis Blues who are coming off their bye-weeks as well. It was the tale of the almost comeback game the last time the two teams faced each other. Andreas Borgman opened the scoring and then before anyone knew it St. Louis had a 4-1 lead which turned into a 6-4 victory.

Does that happen again? I think that question deserves a collective shrug. As well of a team we know the Leafs are, they’ve had their fair share of hiccups, and oh no’s. We can’t hang it all on the head of Roman Polak as the players we believe in have messed up as well.

On the other hand, it would be very nice to see Travis Dermott back in the lineup considering he and Frederik Gauthier were called up yesterday. If Babcock is sticking to his rotation rule, then I’m pretty sure it’s Dermott’s turn on the Merry-Go-Round. However, I’m not the coach.

In Case You Missed It (This Week)

Toronto Maple Leafs prospect report: Ryan McGregor is injured, everyone else is fine - Pension Plan Puppets
The future of the Leafs are trotting along to end of their respective seasons. No one has us salivating as much as last year, but there's still time for a young player to reach a new level.

The Schadenfreude Hockey League - Pension Plan Puppets
Schadenfreude: when one takes pleasure in others displeasure

The only stat that matters is goals - Katya
We can look at every stat in creation, but if you're a team that doesn't score, you don't win.

Get to know your (likely) playoff opponent: Boston Bruins - Pension Plan Puppets
Has anyone ever told you that revenge should be avoided at all cost? Yeah if it's the Leafs and Bruins in the first round (*knocks on wood*), please through that advice right out the window

Around the Hockey World

Methodology: How we built one of the best NHL prediction models anywhere - The Globe and Mail
If you're a fan of The Globe's NHL predictions model, this is how it's all done.

Watching Alexander Radulov Score Is Pure Joy - Defending Big D
Have you ever seen that meme of Wolverine holding a picture while laying on his bed? Put Radulov in the picture and crop the Habs logo on Wolverine.

Moral of the story: Stay on your feet

The Emergence of Pierre-Luc Dubois - The Cannon
Jarmo Kekäläinen shocked a lot of people when he called for Pierre-Luc Dubois instead of Jesse Puljujärvi at the 2016 NHL Draft, but it looks like that decision is paying off.

Hope you’re as happy for Leafs hockey being back as I am.