Good morning.

I don’t normally do these, but Seldo got seasick.

On Monday, the NHL dabbled in an offseason trade for some UFA rights along with playing a hockey game of some kind, but the majority of the world’s eyes fell towards the Newfoundland Growlers practice at Mile One Arena in St. John's, Newfoundland.

The Growlers are up 3-2 in the series and could win the whole thing in their inaugural season in front of their home fans. If they do it, they’ll be the second franchise ever to win the Kelly Cup in their inaugural season, the South Carolina Stingrays won the ECHL title in their first season in 1996-97.

Puck drop is at 5:30 EST. RogersTV and ECHL.tv should have a stream of the game. There is also the radio feed through the Growlers Mixlr.

From the Puppets

Here’s the news:

A friend texted me yesterday with his theory on why Patrick Marleau is asking for a trade - Katya
He said, “I heard he wanted the trade so we could afford to pay Mitch and he’s just being a good dad.” And I believe it.

Mitch Marner will never sign an offer sheet, so stop making fetch happen. - Seldo
He wrote this before the seasickness so I’m going to trust him on it.

Other Leafs News(ish)

Teams are asking about Nazem Kadri because he’s a good player and why the hell not, right?

My first thought on seeing this was, “surely he just means growing up in the Ontario system and watching Marner kick butt a few levels above,” but then I checked and Kirby Dach grew up in Alberta and plays in the WHL.

From the Other Branches

The Leafs aren’t drafting in the first round at the end of June, but it never hurts to window shop. - Lauren Kelly @ Raw Charge
Check out one of the network’s best prospect writers’ take on the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft.

The Vancouver Canucks want Jake Gardiner (or his evil twin Waluigi Tyler Myers)

Kevin Hayes will be a UFA on July 1st after finishing a disappointing season with the Winnipeg Jets (that no one seems to want to talk about). Anyone is free to talk to him beginning June 28th during the Free Agency negotiation window. The Philadelphia Flyers decided to get a jump start on that negotiation by trading a 2019 fifth-round pick to the Jets* for his rights. - Broad Street Hockey