We are the Champions!

Of the AHL All-Star Game, that is.

Andreas Johnsson finished off a 10-minute flurry of goals in the semifinal, and the North, featuring Johnsson, Justin Holl and Coach Sheldon Keefe won the final. Making it a Marlies reunion, Antoine Bibeau was in net for the Pacific team that lost in the final.

If you haven’t already laughed at the idea of trading William Nylander for Shea Weber, read it and chortle:

Trading Shea Weber is a risk for the Habs, but also worth considering - Eyes On The Prize
The return for Shea Weber could jumpstart a rebuild in Montreal.

In a serious business note, this is how you discuss this business of Voynov coming back to the NHL. With blunt honest.  Kudos to Scott Cullen:

TSN Hockey's Top 10 Storylines of the Week - Article - TSN
The end has arrived for one of the best players in history, All-Star weekend, Vegas, Marchand, Blackhawks, Rangers, Voynov and more in TSN Hockey’s Top 10 Storylines of the Week.

Expressen has figured out that you can’t get more women in your sports department just by waiting for them to appear. So they are offering a scholorship to help grow young writing talent:

Search Sportsexpressen's scholarship for your best idea | Sport | Expressen
Why? Actually, it's quite simple. Sport journalism has been and has long been a powerful male-dominated profession. It appears on editors, it appears in reporting. Our workplace is no exception. SportExpressen wants to break up as far as possible from segregated structures and patterns.

The Jets don’t use logic, obviously:

Michael Hutchinson to start for the Winnipeg Jets tomorrow - Arctic Ice Hockey
Please explain the logic here.

The Captain of Team USA is getting in one game before he joins the Olympic team:

AMERKS SIGN GIONTA TO ONE-GAME PROFESSIONAL TRYOUT
Rochester Americans General Manager Randy Sexton announced today that the team has signed Brian Gionta to a one-game Professional Tryout. Gionta is expected to be in the lineup on Friday, Feb. 2 when the Amerks resume their 2017-18 regular season schedule following the AHL All-Star break against the Toronto Marlies at The Blue Cross Arena.

This is the dumbest thing ever:

Could Matthews talking to other All-Stars about coming to Leafs be considered tampering? - Video - TSN
Leafs Lunch guest host Jim Tatti with Gord Miller & Andy Chiodo discuss the possibility that Auston Matthews could chat to other players at the All-Star about coming to Toronto and if it would be considered tampering.

Not that light. This is still Lou’s team:

Lighter side of Auston Matthews emerges during NHL all-star weekend - Sportsnet.ca
This was Auston Matthews, relaxed and in his element. We saw a different side of the Toronto Maple Leafs centre throughout the NHL’s all-star weekend.

Meanwhile in Florida, Dzierkals is back after missing a few games:

Big first period leads Solar Bears to win over Gladiators | Pro Hockey News
Facing a third game in less than 72 hours, the Orlando Solar Bears limped into Duluth to face the Atlanta Gladiators in search of offensive answers after two tough losses to the South Carolina Stingrays.

Our Stuff

Aggressive Armchair General Management: An Insane Leafs Trade Deadline - Pension Plan Puppets
Let’s get wild!

Toronto Maple Leafs prospect report: Nicolas Mattinen scores big. - Pension Plan Puppets
The top teams did their stuff, the bottom teams floundered, and everyone we expected to score did. And one we didn’t.

Kasperi Kapanen is back on the Leafs very overstuffed roster - Pension Plan Puppets
It’s starting to look like one of those puffy coats all the kids wear these days.

We have researched this heavily and have discovered that the next Leafs game is not until tomorrow! Try to last until then.

From The Branches