Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

First off, the Maple Leafs defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 5-1 last night and I think that's neat.

TOR at CAR | Recap | Toronto Maple Leafs
Game-changing highlights from the matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes
Toronto Maple Leafs logo

What wasn't neat though is that they didn't make it through the game with only one goalie.

Is it bad?

Hopefully not.....

Apparently Anthony Stolarz is due back on the weekend, but maybe don't rush him? Let Hildeby and a shooter tutor go for a bit.

I did look up the NHL rulebook once and there is no rule saying the goalie must be a human, so perhaps just put some pads on an elephant seal?

It's now December, and that means the winter break is coming up for schools and that means one thing: hockey tournaments.

Youth leagues will be filling local arenas with scores of players, running the rink rats ragged, tormenting hotel workers, and running raffles that can include some big prizes.

When I was in seventh grade I was at my cousin's hockey tournament on Boxing Day, got a few bucks to buy raffle tickets and was excited to win a coffee mug full of candy.

What I didn't notice is another ticket of mine was listed under grand prizes. After a day of born noticing and eating my well earned swedish berries I saw my number next to a name: Darryl Sydor. I had no idea who that was so I told the person at the table that they put the wrong name on the winner list. That was my ticket, not his.

No silly Adam, that was the prize. A game used Darryl Sydor stick. Why it was a prize I didn't know. Also why would I want a used hockey stick?

I complained to my uncle and he set me straight. No kid. That's a great prize. Oh. Ok.

They didn't have it, and it took a while so the organizers gave me two tickets to a Sabres vs Panthers game as an apology. Front row seats, next to the Sabres net featuring prime Dominick Hasek against the eventual Stanley Cup losers.

Sabres 6 - Panthers 1

I love Hockey Reference.

As a seventh grade kid sitting on the glass for his first NHL game at the mold Buffalo Memorial Auditorium it was a wild time. A Rob Ray fight. A Brad May fight. Pat LaFontaine had a hat trick. A wild crowd and we made the usher mad because we kept pushing on the glass. The old glass would wobble really nice.

The stick arrived and it wasn't just a used stick. It was a game used stick signed by the entire 95-96 Los Angeles Kings. Signed by the team right before Gretzky was traded to the Blues. In 96 everyone was jealous, and a little mad this kid who didn't even like hockey got it.

I still have it. It's on my hockey wall alongside a 97-98 signed Bruins team stick I found at an antiques store for $20, a Jason Spezza signed stick, and some jerseys and photos.

It's not just kids that are busy, the pros and prospects are also getting ready for some tournaments.

The Men's U20 World Championships kick off on boxing day, and my favourite holiday tournament is coming up as well: The Spengler Cup.

Six European club teams, a Team Canada made up of Canadians playing in Europe, and this year they invited an NCAA All-Star Team.

U.S. Collegiate Selects roster finalized for Spengler Cup
Twenty-five NCAA DI men’s hockey players will compete against international competition as part of the U.S. Collegiate Selects team at the Spengler Cup for the first time in the tournament’s 102-year history. Here’s everything you need to know about the tournament and the U.S. Collegiate Selects team.
NCAA.comTorin Smith | NCAA.com

My bucket list trip is always entertaining and something to watch in the morning on the days off between holidays.

We have some former Leafs there this year. Olli Jokinen is coaching IFK Helsinki and Martins Dzierkals is playing for Sparta, plus the yet to be named Team Canada will surely have a former Leaf on it.

Maple Leafs prospect Sam McCue is on his way to his third team in three years as he's sent from the Brantford Bulldogs to the Ottawa 67's.

Finally, the hockey community supports each other and former Toronto Sceptres goalie Erica Howe honoured Ottawa Charge coach to open last night's game.

Enjoy your day everyone!

From The Branches