Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

One more weekend before the new hockey season begins, and while it may be tempting to sit and watch pre-season game highlights to avoid the cold that southern Ontario will sit in, I say we exercise those brain wrinkles by avoiding the screens and picking up a book. Or use your device to listen to an audiobook.

I have a few hockey books I've enjoyed so here's what I can go through on a nice day.

Between the Lines - Ray Scapinello

I'm not looking for to start with a challenge, I just want some stories and this book is all stories. Former linesman Ray Scapinello gives a look back at being a linesman, and losing his game used stick collection to a tomato garden.

Between the Lines
An insider’s look at life on the linesTo hockey fans, Ray Scapinello’s name and face are as recognizable as any star player or coach in the NHL. Scampy, as he is affectionately known has had a long and storied career as a linesman in the NHL. His 5-foot-7 frame and 163 pounds belie his ability and endurance on the ice.
Rivendell BooksRay Scapinello

Rebel League - Ed Wiles

The story of the WHA, a chaotic, unplanned hockey League that helped players in both league get paid

The Rebel League by Ed Willes | Penguin Random House Canada
The wildest seven years in the history of hockey
Penguin Random House Canada

Crossing the Line - Derek Sanderson

Moving not too far from the WHA story, Derek Sanderson went from being the highest paid hockey player in the world to sleeping on a bench in Central Park.its quite the ride.

Crossing The Line by Derek Sanderson, (Paperback) | Indigo
In this national bestseller, Derek Sanderson holds nothing back about his hockey career, his drug and alcohol abuse, and the tough road backDerek Sanderson was a key player with the Big Bad Bruins in the 1970s. At one point the highest-paid athlete in the world, Sanderson played with and against the era’s legends, winn
IndigoHarperCollins Canada

When the Lights Went Out - Gare Joyce

Gare Joyce has a few hockey books to read but this one was the first I picked up. The Punch Up in Piestany, Canada and the USSR fighting in the dark in a pre-TSN world juniors.

When the Lights Went Out by Gare Joyce | Penguin Random House Canada
When the Lights Went Out tells the story of a moment in the 1987 World Junior Championship that forever changed the lives of the players involved, and ignited a debate that has yet to subside about the way the game is mea
Penguin Random House Canada

Fabric of the Game - Chris Creamer & Todd Radom

Picture books aren't just for small children, we can enjoy them too.

A story for every teams* logo, colours, and design. I love SportsLogos.net and this book is the perfect offline version.

Fabric of the Game — Todd Radom Design
Todd Radom Design

That's enough for a few days before the games begin. Drop your reads in the comments

Now, some news.

The Owen Sound Attack became the first corporate OHL team when they were purchased by a private investment firm, what does it mean to the smallest market in the league?

When private equity buys the home team
As Owen Sound lost factories, jobs, and other gathering places, the Attack became one of the few institutions left that still brings the community together. The team’s economic value comes partly from something that cannot be easily monetized: belonging. When those institutions become financial assets, the community that created their value loses control over them.
James Adair

Conor Hellebyuck is sitting at home. The Jets* aren't moving him. It's a stalemate we don't see too often, but it's come up before,

8 Times NHL Stars Forced Trades Out of Town - The Hockey Writers Winnipeg Jets Latest News, Analysis & More
Two NHL stars are trying to force their way out of town, which reminds us of eight other times stars didn’t rest until they got out.
The Hockey WritersRyan Womeldorf

The Maple Leafs are taking a different post-camp team bonding trip, trading in the forests of Muskoka to the sands of Arizona.

Maple Leafs move training camp from Muskoka to Arizona, where team leadership has deep ties
Recent destinations for Leafs training camp have been closer to home, like Gravenhurst or Bracebridge.
Toronto StarKevin McGran

The prospects are dispersing, TLK is heading back to Sweden.

Finally, do the Maple Leafs need more good players? Can they afford them? It's always the Maple Leafs name thrown into trade rumors, and here's another one: Kirill Marchenko.

Real Kyper’s Trade Board 1.0: A first look at who could move this season
In his first trade board of the new season, Nick Kypreos takes a look across the league at the top candidates to move right now, plus several other players to watch as their own outlooks could change early in the year.
Sportsnet.caNick Kypreos

Enjoy your day everyone!

From The Branches