Is there a team you don’t want to see the Toronto Maple Leafs play anymore? I know we all mostly want to be rid of the Boston Bruins, or the Montreal Canadiens, but right now I am sick of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Let’s look at the recent past:

Last night, 2-0 loss.

Leafs miss the net, get shut out by Penguins 2-0

October 23rd, 9-2 loss

Maple Leafs gift depleted Penguins with sweet turnovers, lose big

Wayyy back in 2020, February 18th, a 5-2 loss. (okay the Leafs won 4-0 a couple day later), then in November 2019 we lost 5-2. Before that a 5-0 loss,a 3-0 loss, like, come on. It’s even worse with the fact that the Penguins are a combined 10,000 years old. Kris Letang? Old. Evgeni Malkin? Old. Jeff Carter? Old. Sidney Crosby? Old as dirt. At some point they need to be bad. Just be bad dammit!

Anyway, I’m sick of those jerks.

Speaking of jerks, the Maple Leafs are in New York tonight to play the Islanders in their new arena. I have to admit, I’m happy for them that this seemingly never ending saga is actually over.

UBS Arena represents the end of an interminable, improbable journey

That game is at 7:30 on Sportsnet Ontario.

Speaking of jerks, again, the USHL Omaha Lancers are full of them:

The Omaha Lancers, members of the USHL — the only Tier 1 Junior A hockey league in the U.S. — are embroiled in controversy as players from the team refused to practice on Thursday and are planning to boycott this weekend’s games, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation.

The players’ frustration is multi-fold, but came to a head this week when head coach Chadd Cassidy and the team parted ways four months into a three-year contract with the club. In a press release from the Lancers after reports surfaced that Cassidy was removed from the team, they stated that Cassidy had stepped down. Multiple sources dispute that claim, stating that Cassidy did not resign but was told not to return to team facilities.

If you’re not following Brigs on twitter for his prospect GIF’s you’re missing out:

Wait, why is this a thing?

No meetings planned between Quebec, NHL over possible Nordiques return

I’m a big anti-Nordiques guy. To me it’s not a good market. It’s a government town, so they can’t take comps or buy tickets or suites. It’s a small market in a billion dollar franchise, hundred dollar seat world. It’s french Ottawa. People only get on that bandwagon for nostalgia or misplaced patriotism. To me the only market in canada that can support another NHL team is Toronto, and that ain’t happening unless Bell and Rogers have a huge fight and break up MLSE.

Anyway, it’s Sunday, so I’m off. Enjoy your day everyone!

From The Branches