This has been a tough start to the year for the Leafs, both as a team and for a lot of individual players. It doesn’t really have to do with where they are in the standings, or with how they’re doing in the boxscores. But they’re taking a beating from all angles about not looking as dominant as we all hoped they’d be.

But, you know, hockey’s a sport. A game. And the players are human beings, who are capable of being monumentally stupid... but they can also be alright sometimes.

On Saturday night, this tweet started a firestorm:

It’s a sad story, one many people can empathize with. What started as a crappy birthday ended being pretty amazing, as current Toronto Maple Leafs players all chimed in to wish him a happy birthday... Zach Hyman, John Tavares, Mitch Marner, and Auston Matthews.

Then a former Toronto Maple Leafs legend, Mr Doug Gilmour, offered his support.

On the Rogers Hometown Hockey broadcast on Sunday, they gave him a special shoutout.

Leafs fans were swarming over each other to make their own offer of goodwill:

Then things broke the hockey barrier when Luke freaking Skywalker wished him a happy birthday.

There were so many tweets from other players, media people and pop culture stars I won’t show all the tweets, but here is a list of others who also wished him a happy birthday:

* Alyssa Milano

* Lance McCullers, a pitcher with Houston Astros who offered to drop off a belated birthday when he next comes to Toronto

* Ben Stiller

* Will Arnett

* Tom Cochrane

* Former NFLer Ryan Harris

* Morgan Fairchild

People can be alright. Sometimes.

Back to Excited Episode 79: Benching Nylander + Bad Takes | by Arvind and Acting the Mathematician

Toronto Marlies Recap: regression befalls Baby Buds on road trip | by Hardev

European Report: If it weren’t for bad luck, only Vladislav Kara would have any at all | by Katya

October Fashion Recap: Fall Foliage | by Annie

Women’s Hockey Wednesday: The NHL’s “plan” for a women’s league | by nafio and Annie

The Toronto Maple Leafs Special Teams: How much are they holding them back? | by Bill Comeau

Leafs prospect Nick Robertson is tied for the OHL lead in goals scored with 19 after a two goal performance on Sunday. Here’s the second goal:

Note: he has played fewer games than the co-leader. Unfortunately, he has one more PP goal and that means he sucks shit and we should all shame him.

Hey, speaking of, it is important to remind our children that this is what happens to you when you fail out of clown college. You get dunked on, routinely.

AROUND THE NHL

Beyond Headlines: Jets, Byfuglien have complicated negotiation ahead | by Chris Johnston

Habs recall Poehling, place Kotkaniemi on IR | by TSN.ca

Milan Lucic of the Calgary Flames got suspended two games for this incident:

Adam Boqvist scored a beauty of a first NHL goal

Ryan Getzlaf played in his 1,000th NHL game last night.

From The Branches