The Maple Leafs played their last game for this season against the Canucks last night, and they made it a game the Canucks would like to forget, easily defeating them 5-1.

Recap: Leafs snore their way to the win over Canucks

So that’s it for the Canucks, and the Leafs have already finished up with the Oilers and the Flames for the season, so what’s left?

Next week the Leafs have three games against the Habs; Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Monday’s game is in Montreal, while the others are in Toronto. Saturday’s game is also the final home game for the regular season. These games could help determine who the Leafs play in the first round since the Jets continue to flounder, losing six games in a row, and are now only two points up on the Habs. Some Montreal wins next week could put them in third place, knocking the Jets down to fourth where they would face the Leafs in the playoffs. That would also mean the Leafs would have to lose to the Habs all week, which... I don’t like any of these options! Just win all the games, Leafs.

The following week the Leafs wrap up the season on the road, with a trip to Ottawa, and then ending it rather unceremoniously on Friday in Winnipeg in what looks to be a regionally blacked-out game broadcast only on TSN4 in Toronto. That certainly lacks the grandeur of the final scheduled game of previous seasons, but hopefully it will be the start of a very long playoff run. The playoff games will all be on Sportsnet with no blackouts on NHL Live.

ICYMI

Hardev caught us up on the Marlies yesterday morning.

Catching up on the Toronto Marlies post-shutdown

The Marlies played the Senators yesterday afternoon and lost 5-3. Joseph Woll was in net. He’s being backed up by Veini Vehvilainen who you may recall the Leafs picked up in exchange for Mikko Lehtonen in early March.

The Marlies host the Senators again this afternoon at 3:00 p.m.

Other News

Sportsnet is at it again with the wonky charts. I don’t even know what to do with this one. As Fulemin noted, if Matthew Tkachuk is down to bringing nothing but “size” to his line, it’s no wonder the Flames are having such a bad season.

Then again, this all sort of played out last night as the Flames lost 4-1 and Tkachuk fought (checks notes) Tyson Barrie? What?! Yes, it actually happened. Here’s the video!

The Hurricanes’ goalie picked up a primary assist on this game winner. Also <3 Dougie

The next Connor: Hockey's latest phenom went distance to find a game in pandemic - CBC
Connor Bedard, the first player granted exceptional status to suit up in the WHL a year early and tabbed as the likely first pick in the 2023 NHL draft, saw his inaugural junior season put on ice by COVID-19. That began a long road, including a trip to Sweden with his sister, to where he is now.

Capital Gains: Van Riemsdyk Making Most of Opportunity - Japers' Rink
The 29-year-old has maintained a positive attitude despite an up-and-down season, and it’s paying off in his return to the lineup and sudden resurgence.

High school hockey in desert flourishing despite lack of AIA sanction - PBS
Hockey is one of the few sports not sanctioned by the AIA, but it has managed to be successful. Much of that has to do with the Arizona High School Hockey Association.

Enjoy your Sunday. Our Back to Excited podcast has been postponed until Tuesday this week.

From The Branches