The Leafs had a busy day yesterday, hiring three assistant coaches (D.J. Smith, Jim Hiller, and Andrew Brewer) and a strength and conditioning coach (Matthew Herring). Our friends in Chicago did their best to soldier on despite their Malort hangovers. Our significantly less happy friends in Tampa hopefully looked forward to many contending years to come.

Only nine days until the draft. My evenings suddenly feel so empty.

Leafs Links

Pension Plan Puppets: Jim Hiller, Andrew Brewer, and Matthew Herring added

Pension Plan Puppets: Leafs hire Generals coach D.J. Smith to four-year contract

The Leafs Nation: Leafs' first round draft selections in the mock draft

Sportsnet: Leafs' JVR goes extra mile to see brother win the Cup

Matchsticks and Gasoline: Should the Flames be inquiring about Phil Kessel?

No, go away.

Vintage Leaf Memories: Can the Maple Leafs turn things around as the Blackhawks franchise has done over the past decade?

Stanley Cup Links

Down Goes Brown: Lord Stanley once again takes up residence in Chicago

This is an old one, but a good one: Bill Simmons wrote this in 2012 about his daughter's first hockey heartbreak. He comes across as kind of a d-bag towards his daughter's fandom at times, but man, he really captures it.

Sports is a metaphor for life. Everything is black and white on the surface. You win, you lose, you laugh, you cry, you cheer, you boo, and most of all, you care. Lurking underneath that surface, that’s where all the good stuff is — the memories, the connections, the love, the fans, the layers that make sports what they are. It’s not about watching your team win the Cup as much as that moment when you wake up thinking, In 12 hours, I might watch my team win the Cup.

Second City Hockey: This Stanley Cup might mean the most to the Blackhawks

Puck Daddy: Kimmo Timonen ends 17-year career as a Stanley Cup champion

Stephen Burtch: Blackhawks earn title as NHL's model franchise

Bruce Arthur: The puck has its way of deciding Stanley Cups

“I think it hits you when you come in this room and you look around and you see the guys, how hard everyone’s worked. I mean, you just get a rush of emotions and you realize how tough it is to get here,” said Steven Stamkos in Tampa Bay’s dressing room, his voice bubbling. “And you never know if you’re going to get this chance again. Pretty lonely feeling. You know, you get that sick feeling in your stomach, knowing how hard you worked to get here, and to see it all go away, it’s tough.

“It almost seems like it’s for nothing. I know it’s not, but that’s what it feels like. You know, some people didn’t make the playoffs, they’re enjoying their off-season, you’re sacrificing, playing through so many different things. People don’t even have a clue what some guys are playing through, and it seems like all for naught when you don’t get it done. It’s tough to say, ‘We’ve been here now, and we got the experience,’ but like I said, you never know if you’re ever going to get this chance again. So it sucks.”

This room is suddenly really dusty...

Raw Charge: Playoff experience gained

Puck Daddy: The Stanley Cup champion of beards

A very important picture of Johnny Oduya shirtless

Around the League

Lighthouse Hockey: Yashin Independence Day

Puck Daddy: Coyotes, City of Glendale stay legal course after Tuesday meeting

From The Branches