Tonight is the second of three Maple Leafs vs. Canucks games in a row and wouldn’t it be nice for a repeat of the Leafs knocking it out of the park again? This time on national TV, starting at 7:00 p.m., or 4:00 p.m. Pacific time, of course as it should be.

This also means that, yes, the Leafs are on CBC tonight, unlike last weekend when the Leafs game was scandalously shunted over to Sportsnet, leaving the CBC to air a Canadiens vs. Flames game. What has this country come to that we now allow hockey games with teams from Alberta and Quebec to be on Saturday night prime-time terrestrial TV? The CRTC should hold hearings about this outrage!

If you are interested in watching the Habs or Senators, which, why would you be, but, let’s say you want to watch hockey all day today, they are playing the very early game starting at 1:00 p.m. ET.

We’ll have our preview of tonight’s Leafs game updated later this morning. For now, just enjoy Gord Miller eating a large helping of crow about his comments from August 2020 on the Canucks.

[Transcript] Keefe: “We have had a lot more chatter on our bench [this year] from everybody” - MLHS
“Simmonds and Bogosian have added a lot in that regard, and Jumbo when he was in the lineup.”

Other News

The AHL started their 2021 season last night, at least in the USA. The league has not yet published a schedule for the five teams in the all-Canadian North Division as it waits on the Ontario government to make a firm decision on a date for the Toronto Marlies and Belleville Senators to begin to play at their home arenas, or their temporary home arenas as it may be. One possibility is that both teams start on the road for two or three weeks while the schedule for home games is sorted out. The Ontario government announced last night a phased plan to exit the lockdown which will be implemented over the next three weeks with the start date determined by region; those regions with the lowest spread of the virus (meaning not Toronto, Peel, or York) will start on Tuesday. Other regions will follow in weekly batches.

In any case, the first goal of the 2021 AHL season was officially scored last night by Zach Shenshyn of the Providence Bruins.

Shenshyn was drafted 15th overall by the Bruins in the 2015 draft—the one where they had three first round picks in a row—but has obviously not turned out to meet the expectations of such a draft position given that six years later he’s still playing in the minor league. I wonder who the Bruins could have picked in that spot instead of him? Oh, right!

[Ron Howard voice]: “They didn’t.”

In other news; his hands, they are magic, people. They are so good.

Rangers Promote Chris Drury to Associate GM - Blueshirt Banter
Look out from below, Jeff Gorton.

Williams returns to Hurricanes in front-office role - Canes Country
Justin Williams is ready to learn the behind the scenes aspects of building a successful hockey team.

Koskinen’s Play in March and April 2019 Should Be a Warning for 2021 - The Copper & Blue
In the latter half of the 2018/19 season, Mikko Koskinen played 14 games in a month and things looked great, and then suddenly they looked the exact opposite of great.

The Toronto Six were a dominant possession team in Lake Placid - The Ice Garden
The Six were a force to be reckoned with at even-strength in the National Women’s Hockey League tournament.

"The most humble person:" Granddaughter remembers George Armstrong - CBC
London hockey coach Kalley Armstrong remembers her grandpa, longtime Maple Leaf George Armstrong.

NHL legend Iginla to coach minor hockey in Kelowna - CBC News
Jarome Iginla will move from Boston to coach an under-15 team in Kelowna B.C. next season.

From The Branches