Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

The Maple Leafs are still looking for a new head coach, and rumours came about yesterday that former San Jose Sharks, Edmonton Oilers, and most recently, Los Angeles Kings head coach Todd McLellan was spotted on a plane heading to Toronto.

Okay. We went though this with the Blue Jays in the winter when we were used as pawns in Shohei Ohtani's negotiations with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Fake flights, misinformation fed to credible reporters, broken hearts.

‘He’s gonna be a Blue Jay.’ Inside the day Shohei Ohtani did not fly to Toronto
The Dodgers feared they had lost Shohei Ohtani to the Blue Jays when rumors spread that he was flying to Toronto. Ohtani was sitting at home wondering what to make of all of it.
Los Angeles TimesFollow

So, are we headed there now?

Well. The report came from the morning host on 88.1FM in Toronto, who seems to have been on vacation in Los Angeles.

McClellan was fired in February from the Kings, so stands he would still be there since he wasn't planning on leaving and is still locked into his lease I would assume.

Coaching the Leafs is a big job but I don't think it's worth all the deception that we saw with Ohtani. No one's negotiating a billion dollar deal here.

So, maybe Todd's in. How's that being received?

He's not well liked. He hasn't won anything as a head coach, one cup as an assistant in Detroit in 2008. He had pretty much the same team in Edmonton (two top of the league players and some question marks) and did nothing. Okay.

So are the Leafs really interested? Or is this just a coincidence?

We'll find out.

Ugh. My two least favourite playoff series played yesterday. The Bruins and Panthers did not destroy each other. Sadly one team was victorious. It was Florida.

Panthers rally, push Bruins to brink with Game 4 win | NHL.com
Bennett, Barkov score 3:50 apart in 3rd for Florida, which is on verge of Eastern Final
NHL logoJoe Pohoryles

Panthers are now up 3-1 and uhh.....what's this going to be about?

The other game was Vancouver vs Edmonton and boy did I not stay up for that.

(Canucks won 4-3. Have a 2-1 lead.)

The Stanchies: Embracing the hate is back in Vancouver as Canucks take game three over the Oilers
You would think after being outshot 45 to 18 in a thrilling Vancouver…
CanucksArmyThe Stanchion

On deck tonight is game five of Hurricanes vs Rangers. Carolina is hoping to start alive with a road victory over New York, who lead the series 3-1.

The game is at 7PM.

We also have game four of Dallas vs Colorado. The Stars are up 2-1 in that series.

Game time is 9:30PM.

Speaking of the playoffs...

Oh wait, I said playoffs not Leafs.

PWHL Toronto is in Minnesota for game three tonight. They lead 2-0 in their best of five series, so a win tonight and they're going to the finals!

Game time is 8:00PM and you can catch it on TSN, Bally Sports, and the Women's Sports Network.

Compher’s late go-ahead goal lifts PWHL Toronto past Minnesota for series stranglehold | CBC Sports
Jesse Compher scored the go-ahead goal with 1:25 left in the third period to give Toronto a 2-0 win and 2-0 lead in its best-of-five semifinal series against Minnesota in Professional Women’s Hockey League playoff action on Friday.
CBCAbdulhamid Ibrahim

Their opponent in the next round is looking to be Boston. They've taken a 2-0 lead in the other semi-final series after a triple overtime win on Saturday night.

PWHL Boston puts Montreal on the brink with 3OT win | CBC Sports
Taylor Wenczkowski scored at 11:44 of the third overtime to give Boston a 2-1 victory over Montreal on Saturday night in Game 2 of the Professional Women’s Hockey League semifinal series.
CBC

We may see one more Toronto / Boston series this spring.

At the World Championships, Canada only beat Denmark 5-1. What is wrong with this country?

Bedard’s three-point effort leads Canada past Denmark at hockey worlds
ConnectedCanadian Press

Such disappointment.

Try to enjoy your day everyone.

From The Branches