Yesterday Fulemin and Arvind recorded an episode of Back to Excited about the returns on the Leafs’ 2018 NHL draft — Dubas’ first at the helm.

They did a great in-depth discussion on the five players from that draft class who have already played NHL games from that class: Sandin, Durzi, Hollowell, Kral, and Holmberg. None of them have become high impact players yet, but five NHL depth players coming out of a draft class of a playoff team is very solid. Check out the episode here:

Back to Excited Episode 192: Evaluating the Leafs’ 2018 draft

And then, also yesterday, the Leafs announced that Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, another player from that draft class, will be making his NHL debut today against the Stars. Looks like Fulemin and Arvind will have to head back to the recording booth to cover him too!

In other hockey news, Canada and the US have released their World Juniors training camp rosters, and no Maple Leafs prospects made it to either team, which means that we won’t be watching any Leafs prospects at the WJC this year.

Bedard highlights 29 invitees for upcoming Canadian world junior selection camp
2023 U.S. National Junior Team Preliminary Roster Unveiled

The main Leafs prospects who had the potential to make the World Juniors would’ve been Ty Voit for the USA and Fraser Minten for Canada, but neither of them made it. Ty Voit will just have to continue his stellar OHL season instead.

And, finally, the Devils’ captain Nico Hischier huddled up his team after practice yesterday.

Evidently he was laying out the rules for Secret Santa nice and early, like any good captain should. That got us on the masthead thinking... What rules is John Tavares laying out for the Leafs’ Secret Santa?

We had some ideas:

  1. No giving guys that hat you bought for 5 grand that makes you look like a fool
  2. No garbage bag coats
  3. My gift must fit in my backpack
  4. No self-help books, we’re all getting one from Kyle anyway
  5. If you draw Mitch’s name, see me after and I’ll make sure you get him exactly the same thing someone gets Auston
  6. Stealing gifts is cancelled, too many guys on IR already
  7. You can’t ask your family/wife for help
  8. No doing the “fermented herring is a delicacy in my country” gift this year. You all know who you are.

What rules did we miss?

Happy Tuesday!

From The Branches