Puck bounces in a loss, 25 goals for Matthews, and celebrating JT's 1000th point.

Recap: Leafs lose to the Pinball Wizard (and themselves)
Jones was good, just not good enough to carry a team unable to counter the Rangers defence.
PPP LeafsCathy Squires

I am respectful of the level of comfort of the reaction to the comments made by Keefe after this game.

Here are all of Keefe's quotes.

Sheldon Keefe after the Maple Leafs’ 5-2 loss to the Rangers: “I had no issues with our game... It could’ve been the same score the other way pretty easily”
Sheldon Keefe addressed the media after the Maple Leafs’ 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers which dropped the team’s record to 16-7-6. On the team’s performance: I thought we were a little slow and cautious in the first period. I thought we adjusted fine to the game, though, in the second and third. When […]
Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff

Convinced these kids just have no long term memory. Lafreniere's tournament winner was in 2020, boys. You were 15-17 then. What about Canada's 2015 win – their first in six years – with Reinhart, McDavid, and god's greatest hockey player Nic Petan?

Despite losing all hope for the youth of today and gaining several dozen grey hairs overnight, here's some goals from Canada's exhibition win over the U-25 team from Denmark yesterday. It was an 8-0 win for Canada.

Back in the CHL, the Top Prospects Game rosters have been released. The honourary head coaches this year are Gerard Gallant and the un-google-able name Mike Kelly. I'm pretty sure he's the guy from NHL Network and was a coach for a while until last season, but I just couldn't get this meme out of my head – and RIP Andre Braugher.

CHL announces 40-player roster for Top Prospects Game
ConnectedSportsnet Staff

Moving back to the NHL, Dylan Larkin has serious concerns about "the message being sent down from the top" when it comes to player safety. It's about time, things have been becoming more of a free-for-all these past few seasons.

HE'S BACK! Michael Hutchinson is on an NHL contract again after the Wings lost Ville Husso to an injury.

I thought this was a joke, but the Prince Albert Raiders are going to become the Prince Albert Cobra Chickens on January 26th. "There is nothing scarier than being chased by a Cobra Chicken, and these birds will be ready to strike at the end of next month to take on their biggest rivals from Saskatoon." Amazing ad copy.

Raiders to rebrand as Cobra Chickens for one night this season - Prince Albert Raiders
The Raiders will be rebranding as the Cobra Chickens on January 26th against the Saskatoon Blades.
Prince Albert RaidersKyle Kosowan

Here is Team USA's roster for the WJC.

U.S. World Juniors roster ‘deep group,’ GM Vanbiesbrouck says | NHL.com
McGroarty, Gauthier, Brindley return for U-20 tournament that starts Dec. 26
NHL logoMike G. Morreale

Happy Wednesday!

From The Branches