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# Friday's FTB: Leafs and Marlies and other news
- URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-leafs-marlies-news/
- Published: 2026-08-28T10:00:24.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-28T11:12:44.000Z
- Description: Yet another ranked list of prospects.
- Author: Cathy Squires
- Tags: From The Branches

It was Leafs day at NHL.com:

[Inside look at Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL.comPoised for playoff return after overhauling front office, drafting McKenna No. 1 overall![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-5ed7a0d0-8e5a-4037-8a9e-4e144785bb6c.png)NHL logoMike Zeisberger![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/rgyolldjsrt0gfqejcmi-4d990695-ea7d-439d-9422-e377ed07d463.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/toronto-maple-leafs-inside-look-for-2026-27-season-32-in-32?utm%5Fsource=xdotcom&utm%5Fmedium=nhl%5Fsocial&utm%5Fcampaign=media)

[Top prospects for Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL.comNo. 1 pick McKenna could step into lineup immediately, become playmaker alongside Matthews![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-a970a3cd-7b89-47a2-9df7-3f640d960204.png)NHL logoMike Zeisberger![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/gpgijqicqkscddgsgfpo-ff049520-67f1-4d38-85f5-c2b7bf3fe18a.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/toronto-maple-leafs-top-prospects-for-2026-27-season-32-in-32?utm%5Fsource=xdotcom&utm%5Fmedium=nhl%5Fsocial&utm%5Fcampaign=media)

This goalie was slightly injured near his eye when a puck went through his mask. There is a (sensible) suggestion that the grill be made slightly different to prevent this. 

> Pucken gick genom masken – kräver nu förändring [https://t.co/bkucslaT2C](https://t.co/bkucslaT2C?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — HockeyNews.se (@HockeynewsSe) [August 27, 2026](https://x.com/HockeynewsSe/status/2092915055343849841?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

The Marlies made some moves official:

> 🖊️ We’ve signed Reese Johnson, Timofei Obvintsev and Jackson Kunz to AHL contracts [pic.twitter.com/QowGbHlKRl](https://t.co/QowGbHlKRl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [August 27, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2092975448787419626?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

The first two, Reese Johnson and Timofei Obvintsev we knew about already, Jackson Kunz is new news.

Kunz is 24, a left shooting winger from Grand Forks. He was a fourth-round draft pick of the Canucks in 2020, played for their AHL team last year after graduating college and spent half the season in the ECHL. 

He really means it: 

> Statement from Connor Hellebuyck: [pic.twitter.com/hW8sNw1LJi](https://t.co/hW8sNw1LJi?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Ray Petkau (@RayPetkau) [August 27, 2026](https://x.com/RayPetkau/status/2093048644731879640?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

And an interesting choice here. Alberta is copying Ontario's opening up of gambling because they discovered most of the gambling there was not going to the provincial site, but to offshore sites. They have begun with some of the rules about advertising put in place that Ontario only came to when it became obvious they needed them. Thus proving you can learn from someone else's mistakes.

> Interesting news \[not sure this is already out there\]:  
>  
> Service Alberta, the ministry responsible for the new legal gambling landscape, has confirmed to CBC that betting on the CHL (including WHL, OHL, QMJHL) is prohibited.  
>  
> But providers CAN offer betting on U SPORTS games
> 
> — Salim Nadim Valji (@salimvalji) [August 27, 2026](https://x.com/salimvalji/status/2093100024481648674?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

A name much bandied about during coaching circles. This is nonetheless an odd choice. He's handy to Edmonton, since Hockey Canada works out of Calgary, but it sure seems like he's breathing down the neck of Mike Babcock, doesn't it? 

> The [#Oilers](https://x.com/hashtag/Oilers?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) have announced that [@HockeyCanada](https://x.com/HockeyCanada?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)'s Misha Donskov will be joining the club as a coaching consultant. [https://t.co/w4Dpwioley](https://t.co/w4Dpwioley?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) [August 27, 2026](https://x.com/EdmontonOilers/status/2093081126235697273?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

And that is it for now! Enjoy the last few days of August, before everything gets serious as September rolls in next week.