We're only one day away from a hockey game with players wearing Maple Leafs jerseys! OK it's going to be much more like a Marlies lineup, but some hockey is better than none, right? And we'll get to make sweeping conclusions about the whole coming Leafs season and all the players based on the first game! Come on, you know you want to do that.

The team is probably off to Traverse City today, if they aren't already there now. You can catch up on the information about the roster and game times here:

Traverse City Leafs roster and schedule
Matthew Knies headlines the Maple Leafs Traverse City Roster.
PPP LeafsCathy Squires

And here's some news to get you through this last day before hockey is back... sort of.

Kraken prospect Shane Wright will be allowed to play in AHL if he can’t make NHL squad
Top prospect Shane Wright will have at least one less major thing to worry about next week when attending his second Kraken training camp.
The Seattle TimesGeoff Baker
Father of late Leafs prospect has a message for fans: “Thank you from our family and from Rodion”
Ruslan Amirov says the Leafs “embraced Rodion, empathized and took part in his journey.”
Toronto StarKevin McGran Staff Reporter
NHL open to third expansion attempt in Atlanta
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly is optimistic a third franchise in Atlanta would yield better results than two previous failed expansion teams in the market.
ESPNGreg Wyshynski

As for what's going on with Mike Babcock, I really don't think there's anything there, though it's an odd way he's going about what he does and it's hard to know how he asks for your photos unless you are there. In either case, I'm not interested in giving the two Barstool clowns any airtime in this FTB.

From The Branches