Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

The Leafs hit the left coast last night and started out their road trip with a bang.

Recap: Leafs start California road trip with shutout against Kings
California dreamin’ on such a winter’s day!
PPP LeafsSpecies

Martin Jones gets the shutout, and William Nylander became the first Lead this season to score 50 points. He is having one heck of a season. I wonder what's motivating him....

Aha.

8 years, $11 million or so dollars per year. It's pretty pricey but when you put off an extension, you motivate the player to prove his worth. And when no one else takes a good discount to stay, why take one yourself?

Besides, who doesn't want more of this?

Really, I think it's more of a concern for Bertuzzi, and getting an extension or staying with the team post-deadline.

Bertuzzi’s Lack of Scoring Should Raise Maple Leafs Concerns
When Tyler Bertuzzi signed for one season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, many fans expected him to have a strong season. What happened?
The Hockey WritersThe Old Prof

Of courses maybe they don't make moves?

An argument against the Maple Leafs being trade deadline buyers
You know recency bias can be one hell of a drug and recently the Maple…
TheLeafsNationJon Steitzer

The PWHL opened in Ottawa and a record crowd for professional women's hockey filled the stands to see a close game end in overtime. 8,318 fans crammed into TD Place, showing the Ottawa Senators that people will come to games, if the team is good.

Montreal edges Ottawa in OT as teams set pro women’s hockey attendance record in PWHL debuts | CBC Sports
Ann-Sophie Bettez scored 64 seconds into overtime as Montreal recorded a 3-2 win over Ottawa in the inaugural game for both Professional Women’s Hockey League teams on Tuesday night in front of 8,318 fans at TD Place.
CBCLisa Wallace

Speaking of, figure it out Marcus.

Connor McDavid scored his 900th points last night, and the speed he did it in puts him with elite company.

Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid becomes fifth-fastest player to score 900 points
<span style=“font-weight: 400”>The best player of all time just hit an…
OilersNationBrennan Delaney

Speaking of scoring records, Sidney Crosby is now 12th all time, having passed Joe Thornton last night.

Sidney Crosby moves into 12th place all-time on NHL scoring list
Crosby passed Thornton on the league’s all-time points list with a goal and assist on Tuesday night.
PensBurghMike Darnay

Finally, Canada was ousted from the World Juniors much earlier than expected and now come home with the shame of an entire nation weighing on them. Also it's CHL trade deadline time so many will probably be kicked out of their homes and sent away.

Defending champion Canada ousted from world juniors on late Czech goal in quarterfinals | CBC Sports
Jakub Stancl scored his second goal of the game with 11.7 seconds left in third period as the Czech Republic survived a blown 2-0 lead to defeat Canada 3-2 and advance to the semifinals at the world junior hockey championship on Tuesday in Gothenburg, Sweden.
CBCJoshua Clipperton

Good luck kids!

Take a nap before dinner, the Leafs are in Anaheim and will take on the Ducks at 9PM tonight.

Buds all day baby!

From The Branches