# PPP Leafs > Pension Plan Puppets is a Toronto Maple Leafs analysis, discussion and fan community. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### About this site URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/about/ Last updated: 2023-12-13T16:20:45.000Z Welcome to PPP Leafs the new home of Pension Plan Puppets. We are a fan blog dedicated the the Toronto Maple Leafs and related teams. ### Welcome new readers and members If you're completely new to PPP please read the [Community Guidelines](https://pensionplanpuppets.ghost.io/community-guidelines/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). The [About Page](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/about/) gives a brief outline of who we are and how we came into being. If you're not completely new, you should read the Community Guidelines. If you need help with something, check out the [How To section, particularly the FAQ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tag/how-to/) If you can't see the comments, go to [the FAQ first](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/i-cant-see-the-comments/) If nothing there helps, drop an email to us. Look for the Contact link in the footer. You have to be a member to comment, and membership works on an email-based, no password system. You will be sent an email with a secure login link or a URL you can copy if you want to use a different browser to where you get your email. This is a fairly uncommon system, so if it causes you trouble, ask for help. If you're going to the trouble of making an account to make trolly comments as a fan of some other team, may I suggest you start your own blog and build out the site and customize the experience for your readers. You suddenly won't have time for that nonsense. Any other questions, just ask, someone will either know the answer or lie convincingly. PPP Leafs is an independent blog, not affiliated with any network or site. Our primary revenue is from subscription. ## PPP Runs on Your Support [Subscribe](#/portal/account/plans) The full archive of the original Pension Plan Puppets blogs is available on our archive page. ### Explain that name Pension Plan Puppets was originally a blog that still exists on the internet. If you want to see it in its natural state: [Pension Plan Puppets at Blogspot](https://pensionplanpuppets.blogspot.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). The tag line of that blog is: ***EVERY LEAFS FAN HAS AN OPINION. HERE'S MINE: WE ARE ALL PENSION PLAN PUPPETS. THE TEACHERS PULL THE STRINGS AND WE DANCE.*** From a history of the site written in 2021, comes the longer story: > In 1994, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan bought a stake in the ownership of the Maple Leafs. The OTPP or “Teachers’” as they like to call themselves, are one of the biggest investment funds in Canada, and their mandate is to create the wealth that will continue to pay out pensions to retired teachers for as long as they need to. They buy shares in businesses, they don’t run them. > At that time, the Leafs were in the post Harold Ballard period after his death in 1990\. Ballard left the shares in the parent company of the Leafs to various charities, and a lot of buying and selling of shares in that company followed. Two things are key, Steve Stavro was one of the executors of the estate and the company had a large debt with TD Bank. Molson had an option to buy some shares for almost nothing, but they were compelled to sell them since they own the Canadiens. Stavro bought those shares, loaned the estate some money when they couldn’t pay a debt, and then, in 1994, Teachers’ joined in and a new ownership was formed with Stavro and TD Bank. In 1996, Larry Tanenbaum also acquired an interest as the business transitioned into a multi-sport enterprise that included the Toronto Raptors. > In 2003, Stavro sold out to one of the forerunners of Bell Media, and Teachers’ ended up owning the majority of the newly named Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment. ... > Teachers’ increased their share of the business as \[Brian\] Burke seemed to be building a better team, and then in 2011 sold out to the new owners Bell and Rogers, and the new era began just as this blog was coming into its own. ### Why don't you change the name? We get this question a lot, and there's a lot of reasons. We basically call the site PPP now. It's our history as it is the history of the team, and it serves to remind us how far we've all come. Also, we're too lazy. For more information on how this blog works, check out: [How To - PPP LeafsHelp and explanations for using PPP Leafs as a member or subscriber.![](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/favicon.ico)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1458419948946-19fb2cc296af?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=MnwxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDI2fHxxdWVzdGlvbnN8ZW58MHx8fHwxNjc4NzM1MDU4&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tag/how-to/) ### ### ### Contact URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/contact/ Last updated: 2024-08-03T21:01:06.000Z [Contact PPP Leafs](mailto:pppleafs@gmail.com) Note: unsolicited PR and other similar business proposals are deleted unread. PPP Leafs does not want to leverage the synergies to optimize the monetization opportunities. Really, I delete them unread, stop sending this crap. Contact email is honestly monitored about once a week, so if you really have an issue the comments of that day's FTB are a better option. **If you're contacting PPP about a technical problem, *please* provide your site username or email, the browser you are using, whether you're accessing the site on mobile or not and a full explanation of the problem.** "It's not working" doesn't count. ### Can anyone recommend a good Leafs blog? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/blog-roll/ Last updated: 2024-07-10T12:06:39.000Z You want to read about hockey? We have suggestions: ### Women's Hockey We're going to cover Team Canada and the new PWHPA league when it gets running – with a Toronto focus. But for the NCAA, Team USA or the PHF, you want: [The Ice GardenWomen’s Hockey News, Rumors, and Analysis![](https://www.theicegarden.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2023/02/TIG_LOGO_Rebranded.png)The Ice GardenSimon Hopkins![](https://www.theicegarden.com/content/images/2023/03/TIG_socials_alt-6.png)](https://www.theicegarden.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [The Victory PressThe Victory Press: dedicated and independent sports coverage![](https://victorypress.org/content/images/size/w256h256/2021/03/400x400.png)The Victory Press![](https://victorypress.org/content/images/2023/04/900968164.jpg)](https://victorypress.org/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Leafs [Toronto Maple Leafs News, Opinion & Analysis | MLHSProviding Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Marlies news, opinion and analysis since 2008, MLHS is one of the largest, most authoritative independent hockey sites online.![](https://www.mapleleafshotstove.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveAlec Brownscombe![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/?s=80)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Toronto Maple Leafs News, Roster, Scores, ScheduleIndependent Leafs news website written for fans of the team by fans of the team.![](https://theleafsnation.com/apple-touch-icon.png)TheLeafsNation![](https://theleafsnation.com/logo.png)](https://theleafsnation.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) David Alter: [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/](https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Numbers [HockeyViz](https://hockeyviz.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Understanding hockey with pictures. [Evolving-Hockey![](https://evolving-hockey.com/wp-content/themes/EH_theme/images/favicon.ico)Evolving-HockeyTony Abbott -- Jan 24![](https://evolving-hockey.com/images/eh_favicon.png)](https://evolving-hockey.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Elite Prospects - Hockey Players, Stats and TransactionsIce Hockey Player Database and Transaction Portal![](https://static.eliteprospects.com/images/favicon/mstile-310x310.png)Hockey Players, Stats and Transactions![](https://static.eliteprospects.com/images/ep-logo.png)](https://www.eliteprospects.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Natural Stat Trick![](https://www.naturalstattrick.com/favicon.ico)![](https://www.naturalstattrick.com/images/newlogo.png)](https://www.naturalstattrick.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [NHL Stats, History, Scores, Standings, Playoffs, Schedule & Records | Hockey-Reference.comGet all the latest information about hockey stats, standings, scores, games, awards, records, leaders, rookies and more for both hockey teams and players on Hockey-Reference.com![](https://cdn.ssref.net/req/202303161/favicons/hr/apple-touch-icon-228x228-precomposed.png)Hockey-Reference.com![](https://cdn.ssref.net/req/202303161/favicons/hr/apple-touch-icon-228x228-precomposed.png)](https://www.hockey-reference.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [QuantHockey.comEasy to use tools for slicing and dicing NHL statistics in every way imaginable. Complete stats for every player, season and team in the National Hockey League.![](https://www.quanthockey.com/favicon-32x32.png)QuantHockey![](https://www.quanthockey.com/img/qh-logo.png)](https://www.quanthockey.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [IcyData » ScoreboardIcyData provides in-depth National Hockey League stats and analysis![](https://www.icydata.hockey/static/images/apple-touch-icon-180x180.png)![](https://www.icydata.hockey/static/images/icydata.png)](https://www.icydata.hockey/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Icy Data is gone as of July 2024 [MoreHockeyStats](https://morehockeystats.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The website that carries statistics not measured elsewhere in the hockey stats world including our innovative performance expectations - welcomes the 2022/23 season! There are plenty of hockey stats sites to go around, but some data, or some methodics are still not there. [That's why](https://morehockeystats.com/about?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) you need MoreHockeyStats.com. [NHLNHL player transactions, contracts and yearly salaries all in one place!![](https://www.spotrac.com/favicon.ico)Spotrac.com![](https://www.spotrac.com/assets/images/thumb/nhl.png)](https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Contains some demographic data and fines and suspensions. [CapFriendly - CapFriendly - NHL Salary CapsCapFriendly is an independent compiler & reliable source for NHL player contracts, draft picks, salary caps, daily cap tracking, Armchair-GM, and NHL CBA information.![](https://cdn.capfriendly.com/images/favicons/favicon-194x194.png)CapFriendly![](https://cdn.capfriendly.com/images/logo_square.png)](https://www.capfriendly.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Cap Friendly sailed into the West in July 2024 [PuckPedia - NHL Salary Cap, Player Contracts and Salary Cap Analysis | Puckpedia![](https://puckpedia.com/themes/custom/puck_tw/favicon-32x32.png)Puckpediautah\_hockey![](https://static.puckpedia.com/puckpedia_alt.svg)](https://puckpedia.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Community Guidelines URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/community-guidelines/ Last updated: 2026-03-25T14:13:18.000Z ### Welcome to PPP Leafs We are a Toronto Maple Leafs blog where fans from all backgrounds gather to share their passion for the teams they love. We strive to create a fun and welcoming place for everyone. We try our best to welcome fans of all kinds, and to make this space a comfortable place for everyone. We might not always do a perfect job, and we don't expect our members to be perfect either. PPP Leafs tends to have a lot of fans who like to analyze hockey numerically. We are not interested in hosting arguments that rehash the analytics vs eye-test arguments of a decade ago. - Be respectful in your interactions with contributors and fellow fans. - Don’t try to disrupt the community or attack other members. - Use the "flag" feature on comments you think violate these rules – don't pile on. - We reserve the right to delete or hide any comment that we feel violates these guidlines. **We do not allow any of the following:** - **As of April, 2024 all discussion of the Israel Palestinian political or military conflict is banned on this site.** - **Personal attacks:** This includes name-calling, insults, threats, hurtful comments about someone’s appearance, name, identity or individual characteristics. - **Attacks on staffers:** Disagreement with articles, posts or comments is always okay, but expressing that by attacking the integrity of staff or contributors or making or engaging in personal attacks is not. - **Offensive language:** This includes racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, or any other expression of prejudice or bigotry. - **Offensive usernames:** Jokes are fine, offensive jokes aren't. Users who refuse to change offensive names will be banned. - **Harassment of staff or other members:** This includes, but is not limited to, intimidation; stalking; posting personal information (doxing); inappropriate physical contact; use of sexual or discriminatory imagery, comments, or jokes; and unwelcome sexual attention. - **Negativity about players:** You don't have to like everyone on the team, but wishing physical harm, or posting unfounded or false information about players such as criminal behaviour, drug or alcohol abuse or any other gossip is not permitted. - **Misinformation and disinformation:** Sharing demonstrably false information or conspiracy theories about news or world events, beyond the scope of reasonable sports opinion or analysis, can be harmful to our communities. These comments will be removed and may result in a suspension or a ban. - **Illegal activity:** Don’t promote, encourage, or make light of any kind of illegal activity, particularly domestic violence, or sexual assault. - **Images and Comments:** Assume all readers are in their workplace or with children. Don't post comments or images that are sexual, violent, or generally offensive in nature. - **Excessive profanity:** We have a relaxed attitude to what is commonly called swearing, but profanity directed at other members or contributors counts as a personal attack. - **Multiple accounts:** Multiple accounts are a violation of the Terms and Conditions. Your account does not have a password. If you lose access to the email you made your account with, contact the site, and it can be changed for you. - **Trolling:** We know it when we see it, and we’ll remove it. Fans of other teams posting negative comments about the Leafs will be banned from the community. - **First impressions:** If you break any of these guidelines with your first comment, we will assume you are here just to be disruptive. Members who make declarative top-level comments only, particularly those that tell other members they are wrong about everything will be considered disruptive. - **Spam:** Do not post advertising, spam or links to illegal game streams. Community managers and moderators have final say on interpretation of violating our community guidelines, and on all decisions resulting in a warning, suspension, and/or ban. Comments arguing with moderation will be deleted. Members who violate these guidelines or the Terms and Conditions, can have their commenting access removed or restricted, or be banned from membership. ### Cookie Policy URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/cookie/ Last updated: 2024-04-08T18:09:15.000Z Last updated: April 08, 2024 This Cookies Policy explains what Cookies are and how We use them. You should read this policy so You can understand what type of cookies We use, or the information We collect using Cookies and how that information is used. Cookies do not typically contain any information that personally identifies a user, but personal information that we store about You may be linked to the information stored in and obtained from Cookies. For further information on how We use, store and keep your personal data secure, see our Privacy Policy. We do not store sensitive personal information, such as mailing addresses, account passwords, etc. in the Cookies We use. ## Interpretation and Definitions ### Interpretation The words of which the initial letter is capitalized have meanings defined under the following conditions. 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The information gathered via these Cookies may directly or indirectly identify you as an individual visitor. This is because the information collected is typically linked to a pseudonymous identifier associated with the device you use to access the Website. We may also use these Cookies to test new pages, features or new functionality of the Website to see how our users react to them. ### Your Choices Regarding Cookies If You prefer to avoid the use of Cookies on the Website, first You must disable the use of Cookies in your browser and then delete the Cookies saved in your browser associated with this website. You may use this option for preventing the use of Cookies at any time. If You do not accept Our Cookies, You may experience some inconvenience in your use of the Website and some features may not function properly. 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By accessing or using the Service, you are consenting to the collection, use and disclosure of your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not consent to the same, please do not access or use the Service. We may modify this Privacy Policy at any time without any prior notice to you and will post the revised Privacy Policy on the Service. The revised Policy will be effective 180 days from when the revised Policy is posted in the Service and your continued access or use of the Service after such time will constitute your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy. We therefore recommend that you periodically review this page. 1. ## How We Collect Your Information: We collect/receive information about you in the following manner: 1. When a user fills in the membership or subscription form or otherwise submits personal information 2. Interacts with the website 3. From public sources 2. ## How We Use Your Information: We will use the information that we collect about you for the following purposes: 1. Marketing/ Promotional 2. Creating user account 3. Enforce T&C 4. Processing payment 5. Support 6. Administration info 7. Manage customer order 8. Site protection 9. User to user comments 10. Dispute resolution 11. Manage user account If we want to use your information for any other purpose, we will ask you for consent and will use your information only on receiving your consent and then, only for the purpose(s) for which grant consent unless we are required to do otherwise by law. 3. ## How We Share Your Information: We will not transfer your personal information to any third party without seeking your consent, except in limited circumstances as described below: 1. Analytics We require such third parties to use the personal information we transfer to them only for the purpose for which it was transferred and not to retain it for longer than is required for fulfilling the said purpose. We may also disclose your personal information for the following: (1) to comply with applicable law, regulation, court order or other legal process; (2) to enforce your agreements with us, including this Privacy Policy; or (3) to respond to claims that your use of the Service violates any third-party rights. If the Service or our company is merged or acquired with another company, your information will be one of the assets that is transferred to the new owner. 4. ## Your Rights: Depending on the law that applies, you may have a right to access and rectify or erase your personal data or receive a copy of your personal data, restrict or object to the active processing of your data, ask us to share (port) your personal information to another entity, withdraw any consent you provided to us to process your data, a right to lodge a complaint with a statutory authority and such other rights as may be relevant under applicable laws. To exercise these rights, you can write to us at pppleafs@gmail.com. We will respond to your request in accordance with applicable law. You may opt-out of direct marketing communications or the profiling we carry out for marketing purposes by writing to us at pppleafs@gmail.com. Do note that if you do not allow us to collect or process the required personal information or withdraw the consent to process the same for the required purposes, you may not be able to access or use the services for which your information was sought. 5. ## Cookies Etc. To learn more about how we use these and your choices in relation to these tracking technologies, please refer to our [Cookie Policy.](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/cookie/) 6. ## Security: The security of your information is important to us and we will use reasonable security measures to prevent the loss, misuse or unauthorized alteration of your information under our control. However, given the inherent risks, we cannot guarantee absolute security and consequently, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us and you do so at your own risk. 7. ## Third Party Links & Use Of Your Information: Our Service may contain links to other websites that are not operated by us. This Privacy Policy does not address the privacy policy and other practices of any third parties, including any third party operating any website or service that may be accessible via a link on the Service. We strongly advise you to review the privacy policy of every site you visit. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services. 8. ## Grievance / Data Protection Officer: If you have any queries or concerns about the processing of your information that is available with us, you may email our Grievance Officer at Pension Plan Puppets, email: pppleafs@gmail.com. We will address your concerns in accordance with applicable law. Privacy Policy generated with [CookieYes](https://www.cookieyes.com/?utm%5Fsource=PP&utm%5Fmedium=footer&utm%5Fcampaign=UW). See also: [Hyvor Privacy Policy](https://talk.hyvor.com/docs/privacy?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) for specific comment provider policies. ### Welcome to PPP Leafs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/welcome-to-ppp/ Last updated: 2023-12-13T17:04:40.000Z _This page is for subscribers only._ ### Site Changelog URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/site-changelog/ Last updated: 2026-03-25T14:18:49.000Z This log will track the changes to the site, the embedded comments and any other updates that might affect user experience. ### Known Issues You need to fill in your username in your blog account settings to see the comments. The log in to comment button does not work on mobile. There are some Firefox bugs in using the comments. ### April 24, 2023 The site is fully functional. The archive of articles has been imported and the commenting system has been moved to V3\. The comments are still in active development with some bugs being worked out of V3. Added some styling to the comments additional CSS field to style the header and to make the number of notifications beside the bell visible. Updated some How To articles to more accurately describe V3 comments. ### April 25, 2023 Fixed a display bug with how authors were listed on image-less posts. ### April 26, 2023 Adjusted the size of some input elements in the comments. ### May 1, 2023 Made some links to log in and to access account settings more visible. ### May 5, 2023 Added a [tag cloud](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/cloud/) page, rejigged the footer, removed some code you all never saw. ### May 9, 2023 Changed the logic behind the layout of the main page so featured posts aren't repeated in the Recent section. ### May 12, 2023 Changed comment styles so a new comment stays yellow when it has enough up-votes to turn blue. ### May 13, 2023 Added the calendar and moved the FTB section to the front page. It will stay until the T25 section gets promoted. ### May 17, 2023 Added a masthead page. ### June 5, 2023 Said farewell to the Back to Excited group on the mainpage. You can still find those posts in the archive. Added the draft coverage for the next month. ### September 11, 2023 Added dark theme and did a major code cleanup. [Dark ModeAll cats are black in the dark.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/size/w256h256/format/png/2023/04/pension-plan-min.svg)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1504903271097-d7e7c7f5f7ad?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDc0fHxsaWdodCUyMGRhcmt8ZW58MHx8fHwxNjkyNDg0NDk4fDA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/dark-mode/) Also moved the About page link to the footer and added a top nav link to BtoE. ### September 27, 2023 Made a change to the notification theme to use one set of colours globally. Text colour in dark theme was changed two weeks ago, and no one noticed. ### October 9, 2023 Added the ability to put a Table of Contents on posts, removed the sharing links below posts, removed the social media links in the footer. Social media is gross, yo. ### May 8, 2023 Added a link in the footer to edit the profile. Added some links in the Account pages and signup pages to help people make a username when they first signup. ### March 25, 2026 Updated how-to pages to include information about the comment navigation link that was added some time ago. ## Posts ### Maple Leafs sign Brendan Brisson URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-brendan-brisson/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T13:45:00.000Z [Maple Leafs Sign Forward Brendan Brisson | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed forward Brendan Brisson to a one-year contract. Brisson, 24, split his 2025-26 season between the New York Rangers and Hartford Wolf Pack. He recorded an assist in three games with the Rangers, and collected 37 points (19 goals,![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-c4564787-abce-4706-ad8a-7244bd9cd046.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/lyyfnuhcjlkzlh7siqqt-127b3cf6-5be0-4582-9913-03162761e4ea.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-forward-brendan-brisson?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Prior to his professional career, Brisson represented the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, scoring two goals in four games, and captured gold at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, skating in seven games and recording a pair of goals. He played for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 2020-22 and had 63 points (31 goals, 32 assists) in 62 games, winning a B1G Championship and earning B1G Second All-Star Team recognition in 2022\. In 2019-20, as a member of the USHL’s Chicago Steel, Brisson was named USHL Rookie of the Year, earning spots on both the USHL First All-Star Team and the USHL All-Rookie Team, after recording 24 goals and 35 assists in 45 games. > Brisson was originally selected by Vegas in the first round (29th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft. Brisson is 24, and is a left-shooting winger. He was in the AHL/NHL last season with the Rangers organization. Although he is an American and from LA, Brisson's father (the agent Pat Brisson) is from Quebec and played junior hockey there. He has a brother, Jordan, who will be playing alongside Zach Olsen in the NCAA this year, in hockey is a small world news. Brisson played with Matt Knies on that fun US Olympic team in 2022 that was full of college players and AHLers. I recall he was pretty good. Touted as a high-IQ forward, he has never quite broken into the NHL on a few teams, and his limited play shows him to be a fourth-line level player with none of the offensive impact his draft scouting promised. But he has never played a regular NHL role on any team yet. His AHL play is very good. He does not appear to have any great gift defensively, which will limit his ability to find an NHL role on any team, and the Leafs, it should be obvious are full to the brim and overflowing with depth options with all sorts of special skills. He is not waivers exempt, but he should clear and start the season on the Marlies where he would be one of a very few wingers with NHL experience. > The [#LeafsForever](https://x.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) signed 24 y/o F Brendan Brisson to a one year two-way $850K cap hit contract > > NHL $850K > Minors: $300K > > 37P in 66GP - AHL > > Rep'd by J.P. Barry [@CAAHockey](https://x.com/CAAHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/ahnLgOOGbD](https://t.co/ahnLgOOGbD?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [September 4, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2095869473752310081?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### 2026 T25U25: Artur Akhtyamov is #8 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-artur-akhtyamov-is-8/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T12:05:59.000Z It's game #3 of the Calder Cup Final. I ask Spiros Anasatas, head coach of the Chicago Wolves, who have yet to win a game in the series why his team is struggling with the Toronto Marlies after trouncing the Grand Rapids Griffins, notionally the best team in the league. He notes they had a great record against the Griffins all season, and most of the Griffins losses were to the Wolves, like they had solved them in a way no one else could, but he adds they aren't very familiar with the Marlies, and that the team had changed up a lot since the last time they had played them months earlier, but then he also drops in one name, a player they can't solve, a player they don't know, an enigma. "Akhtyamov." By that point in the Calder Cup Playoffs, it had already become clear that Artur "Artie" Akhtyamov was the guy. Dennis Hildeby hadn't played in the series or the one prior. John Gruden was asked if he was considering getting Hildeby in a game to give Akhtyamov a rest and the answer was a flat out no, with him adding "I think he's the best goalie in the playoffs." It turned out he was the MVP of the playoffs. > 🗣️MVP! 🗣️MVP! 🗣️MVP! [pic.twitter.com/tmjgazdcLd](https://t.co/tmjgazdcLd?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 20, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2068172467139436743?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | Artur Akhtyamov | Vitals | | ---------------- | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 24.67 | | Position | G | | Height | 6'2" | | Weight (lbs) | 176 | | Shoots | L | | Draft Year | 2020 | | Draft Number | 106 | ### The Player You can't talk about Artie without bringing up two other Leafs goalies, Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby. It's not clear to me why these two so quickly fell out of favour with the organisation, though it follows a long list of goalie names in the history of us compiling this list that have met the same fate, anyone remember Calder Cup Champion Garret Sparks? I won't go through them all, but one that's currently very notable is Woll, who made it on to the Leafs and even played in important playoff games, and now he's gone, traded to the Flyers in the off-season, and never really seeming to make a lasting impact here. [Maple Leafs trade Joe Woll, Simon Benoit to the FlyersI’m told JVR is not the return.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-4edc533b-d0d7-4a6c-8cce-33dcab02bdba.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1581909811589-a1317515f20c-ed166e3c-e2f6-4156-878e-94f357a52de8)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-trade-joe-woll-simon-benoit-to-the-flyers/) Akhtyamov played in 22 of the Marlies 25 playoff games, Hildeby in three. The confidence in Artie was clearly very high, in Hildeby, it wasn't. Though the trade itself is interesting, and perhaps a win for the Leafs, but it's another time that the Leafs have moved out an AHL All-Star goalie. [Maple Leafs trade Dennis Hildeby for Nick PaulAnd some picks are involved.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-63ec8a81-a555-483d-8111-1a365347698a.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1601897690942-bcacbad33e55-37050692-2868-49d7-8a25-75eeb4dcb859)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-nick-paul-for-dennis-hildeby/) Then there's the question of where Hildeby's ranking would be had he not been traded. He was almost the same age as Artie, and was briefly hailed as a future long-term Leafs backup goalie, perhaps more than that if he could continue honing his craft, but now he's gone too, traded to the Lightning in the off-season, and never really seeming to make an impact here. ### The Votes The last time Woll was eligible in 2023 he was ranked at #4, with an average ranking of 4.8\. Hildeby was on last year's list with a ranking tied at #7\. Looking at it from a high level he appears to have been ranked about the same, but the variance of ranking was much higher, with Brian putting him all the way down at #20, while I had him at #5, with a weighted average ranking of 8.5\. Take a peak at the table below and see where Akhtyamov's average ranking sits. | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ---- | | Cathy | 15 | | Species | 8 | | Hound Line | 7 | | Shinson93 | 6 | | Cameron | 7 | | Sclodiggity | 7 | | Brian S | 12 | | Svalbard38 | 7 | | Zone Entry | 6 | | Hardev | 13 | | Adam | 8 | | Weighted Average | 8.73 | | Highest Vote | 6 | | Lowest Vote | 15 | So what conclusions can we draw from this beyond the old trope "goalies are voodoo," because we know good goalies generally stay good, and we better hope that's the case with Bob. Where does Artie belong in our hierarchy in his final year of eligibility for this list? Here's what our voters have to say. ### The Opinions > Shinson93: We’ve seen this story before, where a Calder Cup run by a hot goalie led the team to decide that it was ok to part with much of their goalie depth. That other goalie benefitted from a stronger team and it didn’t work out. He was last seen attempting an ECHL comeback. AA was a different story, taking over the playoff run on a somewhat middling team and really carrying them to the championship and an MVP. He’s not a youngster anymore and seems like he’ll be given every opportunity to keep progressing as the #3 goalie. I love his attitude and how much his teammates love him. I’m hoping he proves the team made the right decision this time. > Cathy: Akhtyamov was my other anchor vote. If he becomes what he currently is not at age 25 – an NHL-level goalie of playable quality as a backup – then he is of a value equivalent to any AHL callup. Jacob Quillan, for example. Since he is not that, and only has some chance of being that, he is not worth the skaters who are close to the Quillan line now or have reasonable chances to become that or more. He was trialled by the Leafs in the Marlies playoffs after they'd already decided Dennis Hildeby had trade value. Akhtyamov was found to be worth hanging onto *in the AHL.* And all of that was about waivers and an asset poor team looking to move out the players at the one position they had excess. > Sclodiggity: I’m bullish on Akhtyamov but for the wrong reasons. I typically assume all goalie picks are long-shots and barely worth following but after Woll and Hildeby hit (yes, even Hildeby already is considered a successful pick), I’m left feeling that young goalies, for all their randomness, can develop into assets of value. We could certainly use a strong goalie prospect, now with a 32 and 37 year old at the top of the pecking order. Further, why not feel good? He played great in the Calder and goalies are subject to insane year-to-year variance. Recall that the current Stanley Cup winning goalies was a waiver claim, made the NHL at 27, and has GAA and Sv% numbers all over the place. Just get excited and cross your fingers. > Svalbard38: Akhtyamov’s the oldest player on the list, so the clock’s ticking on him becoming an NHL difference-maker, but it’s worth noting that Akhtyamov’s taken a step every year. In 2022-23 he became one of the best goalies in the VHL. In 2023-24 he proved he could start at the KHL level, then won VHL playoff MVP. In 2024-25 he made the jump to the AHL, and this season he stole the show as playoff starter and won AHL playoff MVP. He’ll be 25 soon, but this isn’t a player who’s stagnated. He could still have another step in him. The front office sure seems to think he does. > Zone Entry: I have a tendency to rank goalies higher just because it’s so hard to find and/or acquire a great one, my opinion is to hold onto them as long as possible. That being said it felt like the right time to cash in on Hildeby’s value; ironically if AA has a handful of decent NHL starts by the deadline, will he be next? > Brigstew: I love Artie, but with his age he needs to show that same level of play he had on the Calder Cup run throughout a full season. More preferably, he needs to make himself an unquestionably capable goalie in the NHL. Given the age and inconsistent health of Toronto’s current goalie tandem now, and with Hildeby also on a new team Artie is their third goalie. So he’ll very likely get a shot at some point this season, and he needs to make that count. Sergei Bobrovsky's new contract with the Leafs ends in three seasons when he will be 40 years-old, and please don't tell me about how his biological age is different than his chronological age. But Artie's contract ends at the exact same time and then he's UFA. Is this part of a plan? Is Bob here to mentor Artie? We shall see. All of the above being said, I have never heard of a Marlies player talk about Artie in anything other than the fondest of terms. They love him. He's always given respect by rookies and veterans alike. So, in the mean time, let's keep the Artie Party going. "LET'S GO GET IT... AGAIN!" > Warm up at the Coliseum starting for the Toronto Marlies against the Cleveland Monsters. [pic.twitter.com/CTf2YM7gPV](https://t.co/CTf2YM7gPV?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Pension Plan Puppets (@PPPLeafs) [January 4, 2025](https://x.com/PPPLeafs/status/1875642742099079247?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Friday's FTB: Prime Canada schedule URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-prime-coverage/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T10:00:42.000Z > Wednesday nights just got a lot better. 🏒 > > The 2026/27 NHL on Prime Video schedule is here. > > See you soon, Canada. 🇨🇦 [pic.twitter.com/LjGrzgAofM](https://t.co/LjGrzgAofM?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sports on Prime Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) [September 3, 2026](https://x.com/SportsOnPrimeCA/status/2095543597932155167?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > TVA Sports a annoncé une nouvelle entente de 12 ans pour les droits nationaux francophones de la LNH. > > Les détails: [https://t.co/Wvb1DS6J1f](https://t.co/Wvb1DS6J1f?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/DPU2TqukBz](https://t.co/DPU2TqukBz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TVA Sports (@TVASports) [September 3, 2026](https://x.com/TVASports/status/2095626885652783416?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Read up on prospects! Argue about the integrity of the rankers! Heh, we totally haven't had that this T25\. No one has come and claimed we're nefarious beings. Well, there's still time. > Welcome to Prospect Tiers 📕📗📘📙 > > The top 145 under-23 players in hockey, as sorted into five tiers by 15 NHL scouts. > > 🎁 Free to read, with insight from the panel of scouts throughout:[https://t.co/eC0xoViNUH](https://t.co/eC0xoViNUH?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/Ae7QXTWaPC](https://t.co/Ae7QXTWaPC?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) [September 3, 2026](https://x.com/scottcwheeler/status/2095473949928825023?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Speaking of prospects: This is usually good local hockey coverage, so support the local news: [Harry Nansi aims to be among the OHL’s eliteThe Toronto Maple Leafs prospect is primed for a breakout season in the Scenic City and could be one of the league’s top players.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/OwenSoundSun-Times-Icon-Background-512x512-1-c85ed0c9-9606-4f95-a1e6-dd5d5f944cd4.png)Owen Sound Sun-TimesGreg Cowan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/webNansi_NS_3656-95dcba0a-65e7-4a8c-98e9-957e7e1f51f3.jpg)](https://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/sports/harry-nansi-aims-to-be-among-the-ohls-elite/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Speaking of the T25, the summary will be out Saturday as usual and the fun starts up again on Tuesday, so there will be only four revealed next week. Until then, it's the long weekend in a few hours, enjoy it! ### 2026 T25U25: Alexander Bilecki is #9 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-alexander-bilecki-is-9/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T12:00:49.000Z You'd think that after singing praises and hyping up Bilecki even before Toronto picked him in the draft, it would be easy for me to write this. But it actually hasn't been. | Alexander Bilecki | Vitals | | ----------------- | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 18.15 | | Position | LD | | Height | 6'2" | | Weight (lbs) | 181 | | Shoots | L | | Draft Year | 2026 | | Draft Number | 60 | ### The Player If you want to know about who Bilecki is as a player, I recommend reading the profile I wrote about him before the draft if you haven't already. It's as unbiased a take as I could manage since he wasn't actually a Toronto prospect at the time. [2026 NHL Draft Profile: Alexander BileckiBilecki has been buried in the depth chart for a strong Kitchener defensive group, but he’s made the most of his time and stepped up when needed.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-6b45289d-03d2-497a-a350-1a3c8a08b8eb.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1484312152213-d713e8b7c053-e3b31b45-c358-410c-b868-eb5e5c7f4f2e)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-alexander-bilecki/) What I want to talk about when it comes to Bilecki and specifically his ranking among Toronto's young prospects and players, is not really about Bilecki himself. It has more to do with what I value from a defenseman. I've been struggling to write an article, or series of articles, that tries to pin down my always evolving thoughts on what is actually valuable skills for defensemen. In the past couple of years I've had the strong thought that a lot of people don't really know how to watch, analyze, and appreciate defenseman and how they can impact the game. I've said before that what I look for in a defenseman, in terms of prioritizing the potential skills they could have, starts from his own end and moves outwards. Be good at defending your blueline to prevent clean zone entries by the other team. Stop the cycle and breakup/prevent quality scoring chances in your own end. Then, once you get the puck back by forcing a turnover or a change in possession, be good at moving the puck out of your own end with control. Then be good at driving transitions through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone. Finally, once you're there, if you can also be good at having a positive impact on the offense and contribute to scoring chances in some way, that would be swell. While Bilecki's defense isn't his ***biggest*** strength, it's something that I think is still ***a*** strength and something that could project into being above average. On top of that, I think that even if Bilecki isn't at Ben Danford's level for traditional defensive skills, I think his game lends itself well to driving positive possession for his team. And what's the best way to not get scored on? Not letting the other team have the puck! This isn't a profile, so here's a quick list of things I think Bilecki is good at to help drive possessions. They're all ways that basically just mean he isn't turnover prone. - **Retrievals -** Bilecki has good mobility to get to dump ins first helping him win possessions vs forechecks. - **Contact absorption -** This comes up on retrievals but in other areas where he gets to loose pucks first. He pre-scans and shoulder checks to see where forecheckers are coming from and where his outlets are, if he can't elude them outright he will initiate contact on battles for inside position to get the puck and then spins off pressure with control. - **Composure under pressure -** The elusiveness and contact absorption hint at this, but Bilecki shows little panic when dealing with heavy forechecking which helps him avoid panic-induced turnovers and make good decisions with the puck. No turnovers = keeping possession. - **Passing accuracy -** Bilecki has good accuracy with his first passes out of his zone that his teammates can handle. They aren't behind them, in their feet, or in locations that are more difficult to receive cleanly, again helping avoid turnovers. - **Blueline walking -** Bilecki's mobility, decision making and composure helps him walk the blueline with the puck so he can keep it in with delays and manipulating passing lanes to extend offensive zone possessions without turning it over – something that's especially dangerous at the offensive zone blueline that could lead to the other team having a rush chance. ### The Votes Here's how the other voters ranked Bilecki: | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | 6 | | Species | 9 | | Hound Line | 9 | | Shinson93 | 12 | | Cameron | 12 | | Sclodiggity | 11 | | Brian S | 4 | | Svalbard38 | 10 | | Zone Entry | 15 | | Hardev | 8 | | Adam | 16 | | Weighted Average | 10.18 | | Highest Vote | 4 | | Lowest Vote | 16 | I was by far the one who ranked him the highest, and I figured I would be. For reference, I ranked him only behind McKenna, Knies and Cowan – so I ranked him ahead of both Koblar and Danford, who were the other two "top prospects" Toronto has who were the more obvious choices to be considered at fourth. Why did I rank Bilecki so aggressively? The simple answer is because I see his potential as being greater than both of them. Koblar and Danford are prospects I really like, but both are also limited in their projection because they are – ***relatively –*** lacking in some areas. But with Bilecki, he also has his areas for improvement, but he a more broad array of skills while also having some high level potential in very valuable areas... at least to me. I also think Bilecki is going to have a big year for Kitchener. They're coming off a Memorial Cup championship and are losing a lot of their top talent, some they already had and others they traded for as they went all in for their playoff run. It looks like every defenseman they were using in their regular lineup for that run are all moving on except for Bilecki and Andrew MacNiel who was another bottom pairing guy and didn't play every playoff game. One of the reasons why I really liked Bilecki and thought he was underrated is because there were multiple times last year where he had a chance to play higher in the lineup. Players were still at NHL training camps, at the World Juniors, from injuries, and so on. And in those periods of time, Bilecki stepped up and looked even better. I have a good amount of trust that, given an even bigger opportunity with his tools and skills, Bilecki will look even better as a year older, bigger, stronger, and more experienced. In the end, despite me really, ***really*** liking both Danford and TLK as prospects, I just think that Bilecki has an even higher potential. Maybe he and Danford both wind up being a second pairing guy in the NHL, but I could see Bilecki being more valuable as the guy to drive the pairing where Danford remains more specialized. ### The Opinions Here's what the other voters think about Bilecki: > **Shinson93**: Bilecki seems to have a lot of things lining up to allow for a breakout D+1 season. I’ll be watching to see how he handles more responsibility and a bigger spotlight. I have him in the middle of my maybes, giving him the benefit of having a longer runway. I’m skeptical that he’ll blow us away, but he could be a little more fun to watch compared with the other defensemen I have in this range. > **Svalbard38**: When I first watched Bilecki I wasn’t impressed. He carried the puck well but he looked aimless and disinterested in his own zone. When the playoffs rolled around, I watched Kitchener games to see Hlacar, but since Hlacar didn’t play a ton, a lot of my focus shifted to Bilecki, and I started to really like what I was seeing. The game that sticks out to me is the last game in the Soo series. After game 4, Travis Hayes of the Greyhounds said “We have \[Kitchener’s\] number right now and they’re shivering”. Then Bilecki had a slick pass for the primary assist while he was being tripped up, goaded two separate guys (including Travis Hayes) into taking a misconduct against him in the same stoppage (in an elimination game), and then had the primary assist on the empty netter. And in Bilecki’s interview after the game? “We definitely weren’t shivering after one loss like they said”. By the time draft day came around, I was all-in on Bilecki. The night before day 2, I had a dream we drafted him. I’m very happy to have Bilecki in our pool. > **Sclodiggity**: Bilecki looks like a very solid prospect and, of course, benefits from being the top non-McKenna pick from the most recent draft. Biases aside, he had strong tracking data from Kitchener last year and looks ready to step into a much larger role for them. He doesn’t do it all, but no one does (well, very few people do). As a defensemen in a prospect pool with few strong defensive prospects (Danford being the only one with a strong chance at a long NHL career; MacKenzie and Gudmundsson, please prove me wrong) makes him more valuable still. > **Cathy:** I did not vote for Bilecki over Danford because I am a hardcore believer that defence comes first. A defender has to be as good as some of the best in the NHL at offensive aspects of the game before they are allowed to be bad at defence, and so I have to rate Danford higher. That says, potential wins in all other ways, so I bumped Bilecki up as far as I could. Now it's your turn. Let us know what you think of Bilecki! ### Thursday's FTB: more American Prime games URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-more-american-prime-games/ Last updated: 2026-09-03T10:00:33.000Z As a result of the dissolving of Victory+, several NHL teams are moving their local coverage to Prime Video in the USA. I may have the cause and effect backwards there, too. > Prime Video is expanding its NHL coverage. 🏒 > > Beginning with the 2026-27 season, [@PrimeVideo](https://x.com/PrimeVideo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) will serve as the exclusive local streaming home for six nhl teams, including the defending Stanley Cup Champion [@Canes](https://x.com/Canes?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), [@AnaheimDucks](https://x.com/AnaheimDucks?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), [@BlueJacketsNHL](https://x.com/BlueJacketsNHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), [@DallasStars](https://x.com/DallasStars?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), [@mnwild](https://x.com/mnwild?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), and… [pic.twitter.com/uYlaK5OJP8](https://t.co/uYlaK5OJP8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PrimeVideoSportsPR (@PrimeSportsPR) [September 2, 2026](https://x.com/PrimeSportsPR/status/2095168252334739756?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The WHL was also on Victory+ and they have solved their problem for the time being: > WHL Regular Season games are moving to YouTube for the start of the 2026-27 season!🏒📺 > > 📝 | [https://t.co/MlZ3cPTesx](https://t.co/MlZ3cPTesx?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/gaONYutdWW](https://t.co/gaONYutdWW?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [September 2, 2026](https://x.com/TheWHL/status/2095232843865616844?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) All other junior hockey in Canada is on FloHockey, as is the AHL. [Prime, DAZN, amass local sports rights as Victory+ shuttersThe local sports streaming landscape is coming into focus, with Prime Video and DAZN emerging as the top contenders and Victory+ going bust.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/smwfav2-e6ae18a8-970a-4d00-b414-89859aea5739.png)Sports Media WatchJon Lewis![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Prime-Video-DAZN_3-1b5e24b5-7b58-409c-8bae-c4b56b6931cc.jpg)](https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/09/prime-dazn-local-sports-rights-nhl-nba-victory-plus/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Now, to make this clear since we had a lot of confusion when Prime began its NHL coverage: Prime in the USA is not the same "channel" or service or website as Prime in Canada. Or anywhere else. So Canadian Prime subscribers will not see these US games. American Prime subscribers will not see the Canadian teams that Prime has games for. This is exactly the same process where Sportsnet or TSN shows games in one country and ESPN and NHL Network show games in the other. However, Prime games in Canada are exclusive content to Prime. These games in the US are aired under local streaming rights, so the same game may be on television in some other way. --- The Leafs website updates every day now, with a hilarious program of ampersand hunting (you missed one), and some real changes to staffing and some more title adjustment. The Marlies are getting some rearrangement: Denver Manderson is listed as an assistant coach for the Marlies as well as his role as Director of Minor League Development. That makes three assistants to Steve Sullivan. This may have been announced earlier. Very interesting is Chris Bourque, a former AHL star with Hershey who joined as a scout in 2022 has been promoted to Assistant General Manger of the Marlies. He was one of those hires that was met with a lot of positive comments from those covering the minors back in the day. Colin McBride is also gone as head of media relations. He had or has still, it's unknown, a job at MLSE doing the same thing for their MLSE Partnerships venture. This is a very different management shuffle to the previous one under Brendan Shanahan or after the departure of Kyle Dubas. There have been a lot of changes, but it wasn't the big fire everyone on one day and then go looking for staff exercise that Shanahan engaged in, nor was it quite the same acrimonious exit of the Dubas breakup. Speaking of: > For the first time in 23 years, former [#Leafs](https://x.com/hashtag/Leafs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) longtime scouting executive Dave Morrison is working for a new NHL club. ⤵️[https://t.co/LNK2qaIRkk](https://t.co/LNK2qaIRkk?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — David Alter (@davidalter) [September 2, 2026](https://x.com/davidalter/status/2095221141610602525?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Ouch. > Wow ... the NBA lowers the hammer on the Clippers for circumventing the salary cap with Kawhi Leonard: > > \* Forfeit 5 1st-round picks: 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033 > \* $30 million fine > \* Owner and president of business ops suspended for one year > \* Leonard fined $700,000 [https://t.co/dukQXLYpXZ](https://t.co/dukQXLYpXZ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [September 2, 2026](https://x.com/reporterchris/status/2095249595773128830?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, some news that is both sad, but carries hope with it. > Some news… > I’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer. Thankfully they caught it early, I’m feeling great, and they’re very optimistic about my outcome. My strength & resilience have always served me well & I know those qualities will continue to as I face this latest challenge. > > — Christine Simpson (@MsChrisSimpson) [September 2, 2026](https://x.com/MsChrisSimpson/status/2095179029326299259?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### 2026 T25U25: Ethan MacKenzie is #10 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-ethan-mackenzie-is-10/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T12:00:18.000Z In a stroke of unbelievable coincidence, Ethan MacKenzie welcomes us into the top 10 of our T25U25 rankings on his 20th birthday! The Toronto Maple Leafs drafted him early in the third round as a D+2 prospect out of the WHL. | Ethan MacKenzie | Vitals | | ---------------- | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 19.83 | | Position | LD | | Height | 6'1" | | Weight (lbs) | 187 | | Shoots | L | | Draft Year | 2026 | | Draft Number | 69 | ### The Player MacKenzie was one of the youngest prospects eligible for the 2024 draft, so playing as a 17-year-old defender didn't put him on anyone's radar. He was also passed over in the 2025 draft, but by then the pieces were coming together that culminated in last season. MacKenzie is coming off an age-19 season as his team's top defender and getting to play for Canada at the World Juniors. MacKenzie's age and draft situation took a little while for me to get my head around because he's officially a D+2, but also basically young enough to be a D+1\. September 15th is the date cutoff for draft elibigility. Fellow September birthday Harry Nansi (Sept 10th) was in the same boat in his draft year as one of the youngest in his class, as was Nick Robertson (Sept 11th), while Auston Matthews (Sept 17th) was in the opposite situation as one of the oldest draft year players in his class. To put MacKenzie's age in context, he's a year and a half younger than Noah Chadwick, and half a year younger than Ben Danford. And I think those two defenders are going to be the benchmark for MacKenzie over the next two years. Offensively, Chadwick showed similar on-puck skills in the WHL to MacKenzie with his skating, passing, and shooting, so much so that I expect to see Chadwick promoted to PP1 on the Marlies at some point next season. The power play points line up too, both defenders had 26 PPPs in their age-19 and final WHL seasons. I'm curious to see what a middle step to the NCAA does for MacKenzie, though I think it'll help him more defensively. Speaking of, Ben Danford is an exceptional defensive defender in the CHL and showed a lot of promise in the AHL playoffs, especially in his two-way play. In my opinion, he's the bar for MacKenzie when it comes to playing effectively in his own zone. MacKenzie has a lot to work on defensively, as described in Brian's "Getting to Know" article on him earlier in the summer. [Getting to Know Ethan MacKenzieAllow me to introduce you all to the elder statesman of this year’s draft group for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who has a bit of size, snarl, and skating as a two-way defenseman.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-04a21b81-fdf7-4f05-a2ce-a9a519a845cc.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Tim-c9e39b84-1f38-4d7e-9122-197465770b27.png)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/getting-to-know-ethan-mackenzie/) ### The Votes Cathy and I put MacKenzie right behind what we agreed was the obvious top-six, Brian was a bit behind us, and then there was the rest. | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | 7 | | Species | 16 | | Hound Line | 11 | | Shinson93 | 13 | | Cameron | 10 | | Sclodiggity | 14 | | Brian S | 9 | | Svalbard38 | 11 | | Zone Entry | 21 | | Hardev | 7 | | Adam | 10 | | Weighted Average | 11.73 | | Highest Vote | 7 | | Lowest Vote | 21 | Zone Entry, how dare you! ### The Opinions > Shinson93: MacKenzie looked pretty solid to me across the board during his WHL season. One thing that had me put him near the top of my maybes was his performance at the combine. He finished in the top 20 in nine of the 15 tests (often outranking McKenna, who also ranked in 8 of the tests), mostly on strength and agility. While he is older than the other prospects coming in this year, he doesn’t turn 20 until next month. It might be the advantage of being slightly older, or it might indicate that he won’t have a big jump from growing into his body, but I think his physical traits should allow him to hit the ground running as he plays against bigger, stronger and faster players. I think of him as a high floor/low ceiling prospect. > Svalbard38: I’m sure this isn’t how the real scouts do it, but when I look at a re-entry draft pick, the thing I think is, “if we had drafted him when he was in his first year of eligibility at the spot where we’ve picked him now, would I consider him to have exceeded his draft position?” With MacKenzie, my answer is yes. The WJC roster spot dominates the conversation around MacKenzie a bit, and it’s always a feat when a lower draft pick, let alone an undrafted guy, makes team Canada, but even outside of that he had a solid season. When I watched Holinka I liked what I saw from MacKenzie, he’s a good skater with good offence without giving too much back on defence. He’s got some junior habits to work out of his game, hopefully he emerges an even stronger all-around player after his rookie season in the NCAA. > Hound Line: Smooth puck retrievals, good change of direction to create space from forecheckers. He's an accurate mid range passer and effective transition puck carrier. He simplified his game at the world juniors: made the right reads and didn't force plays - D to D to avoid pressure & open lanes. He has good hand-eye knocking down pucks; holding the line and breaking up stretch passes but his defensive positioning can be shaky. He over commits when he should be defending space and can get caught flat footed in puck support on lost 50/50 battles. His transition D is solid with his skating and active stick but his gap control and angles can be sloppy. He relies more on reacting than actively forcing puck carriers into bad spots. He does compete for space and effectively boxes out the net front. His offensive game at the U20 looked pro ready but his defensive game needs to take a big step over the next couple seasons. > Brigstew: Svalbard’s question is something I often do as well. If MacKenzie had been drafted by Toronto at any point before this past summer, we’d be happy to see him leading a team in the WHL and being a significant contributor to Canada’s World Juniors team in his D+2 season. His ceiling may not be very high, but he has such a balanced set of skills he can be a useful even strength and on the penalty kill. He doesn’t have a big weakness, even if he doesn’t have a high level strength either. My one concern would be if he’s big and strong enough for his defense to be as impactful once he turns pro, but we should get a good idea of that with how he looks in the NCAA this coming season in one of the better and more competitive conferences. I hope MacKenzie doesn't spend too long in the NCAA, I'm very much looking forward to seeing what he can do on the Marlies. ### Wednesday's FTB: Things are heating up URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-things-are-heating-up/ Last updated: 2026-09-02T10:00:07.000Z You may not like all those new Leafs signings, but I like that this is not going to be the kind of conversations Leafs fans will have to have: [Adrian Kempe at Center: A Kings Experiment, Not An Answer — The Fourth PeriodTFP’s Dennis Bernstein looks at Adrian Kempe moving to the center position and how it will effect the LA Kings this coming season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-e3beb93a-ad58-441f-9caf-4d2dda7c92dc.ico)The Fourth PeriodRumours![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/header_kempe_1-6a3a1dc7-df42-4312-b6da-e4187a8e4f15.jpg)](https://www.thefourthperiod.com/bernstein/adrian-kempe-at-center-a-kings-experiment-not-an-answer?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Bzzzz: [Latest buzz around Hughes, Hellebuyck, Larkin![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-d227aeeb-6b6e-433a-9a8a-2fcfd55e0b04.ico)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CP175684758-0956f039-9e31-49a2-95b7-841268ea1cb5.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/latest-buzz-around-hughes-hellebuyck-larkin/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Some memory refreshing: [What you need to remember about the NHL for this seasonIn what feels like the blink of an eye, a new NHL season lingers right around the corner. Sportsnet’s Rory Boylen breaks down everything you should remember ahead of puck drop.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-e5d929b2-7b7b-4ffa-9702-be2b8976fc8a.ico)Sportsnet.caRory Boylen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Hurricanes-4-e5d2ddfe-c07e-468a-8bdd-e0b8c21f88ae.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/what-you-need-to-remember-about-the-nhl-for-this-season/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) More on this very worrying story: [Lawyer slams ASU investigation into hockey player collapseAn attorney for Matthew Mayich, who is in a coma, says the hockey player was subjected to a brutal workout, and ASU is mishandling the investigation.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/logo-icon-059a70de-c357-4cf5-a9b8-6da543b39f2a.png)The Arizona Republic, The Arizona Republic![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/224ed2a8-2e8b-4186-a3f4-9bbe0b90abbd-20220818145819_-_MIX-a06a15e9-c8db-4b03-9042-6dbf6f5dedca.jpg)](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2026/09/01/lawyer-slams-asu-investigation-matthew-mayich-collapse/91556657007/?taid=6a96e4f638a91f00010881a4&utm%5Fcampaign=trueanthem&utm%5Fmedium=social&utm%5Fsource=twitter) This is an odd way for medical information to be released to the public. I understand this lawyer wants to goad the school into a more independent investigation, which seems wise, but it all feels so unworthy of the man at the centre of all of this. If this were a Leafs prospect, I would expect the team to be leading the way on overseeing the situation. I would want the NHL to be involved as well. --- A signing! > The [#NYR](https://x.com/hashtag/NYR?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and UFA F Eeli Tolvanen are closing on a 1 year deal. The deal is expected to be for $1.5M. > > 12G 36P in 78 GP > > Rep'd by [@mcurranjr](https://x.com/mcurranjr?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [@ORR4HOCKEY](https://x.com/ORR4HOCKEY?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/5iJxFtPFRO](https://t.co/5iJxFtPFRO?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [September 1, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2094893180835467454?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) A trade! Involving a real player! > 🚨 Trade > > To [#NJDevils](https://x.com/hashtag/NJDevils?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Luke Evangelista 24 y/o F, Yr 2/2 $3M > > To [#Preds](https://x.com/hashtag/Preds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > '28 1st (COL - Top 10 Protected, slides to '29 unprotected) > '28 2nd > > NJD adds net $3M cap hit[https://t.co/YtfJbfMoJ8](https://t.co/YtfJbfMoJ8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [September 2, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2094952519566799182?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And a sign that Nashville is cashing in their chips to fight another day. There was a story yesterday about Victory+ and the Stars moving to Amazon Prime, and now we see the whole network is dissolving: > For WHL fans - the league is deep into contingency planning and it sounds like they will have a free streaming solution for this season. [https://t.co/ubv4zwdS5W](https://t.co/ubv4zwdS5W?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) [September 2, 2026](https://x.com/JeffMarek/status/2094942898286444582?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) --- And now to cap this off, and to get you into the new season feel, a really excellent article about Darren Raddysh. This is the good stuff. I will spoil the future for you a little and say I'm going to cover all the new Leafs in more detail the second the T25 is done, and when I get to Raddysh I'll be referencing this. I have some slightly different views on some aspects of things, but what I found exciting here is that thing discussed at the HALO conference where scouting and analytics work together, because this discussion of Raddysh fits hand in glove with model impact evaluations. It brings the why to the how in the story. Read it. [Raddysh: Toronto’s New Quarterback | Chris Whalen Hockey![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/pfavico-d79aec33-c13b-4026-b599-4b7b16243e56.ico)Chris Whalen Hockey![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/f82f9d_ab1db2da31344610be0bf5d5eb2285af-mv2-10fae2bf-f9e9-41d7-af6e-de1ccc6923db.jpg)](https://www.chriswhalenhockey.com/raddysh-torontos-new-quarterback?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Have a great day! ### 2026 T25U25: Jacob Quillan is #11 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-jacob-quillan-is-11/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T12:00:29.000Z For a lot of his hockey career, Jacob Quillan has been not quite enough to get noticed, and as he turns 25 in this coming hockey season, he may not be quite enough to get an NHL job. He is very, very close, though. | Jacob Quillan | Vitals | | ---------------- | --------- | | Age as of July 1 | 24.41 | | Position | C | | Height | 6'1" | | Weight (lbs) | 204 | | Shoots | L | | Draft Year | Undrafted | | Draft Number | NA | Born in Nova Scotia, he took a path as a young player that would lead to the NCAA like his older brother. The first stop was a prep school in Connecticut where he *was* quite enough to play as one of their better players. When he lined up against the Syracuse Crunch last year in the AHL, he was facing his old teammate, Lucas Mercuri, who was a sixth-round draft pick of Carolina. Quillan was not quite enough to get listed by NHL Central Scouting in his draft year, whereas his taller teammate was deep down the list. Mercuri was 12th in the AHL last year in PIM while he got 0.39 points per game. Quillan was at 0.9 points per game in only 40 AHL games while he played in 23 games with the Leafs. He spent very little time watching from the penalty box. I think that shows something more about the AHL, why it is the way it is, and why a player like Quillan who quietly goes about the business of hockey might be not quite the first guy recalled. The AHL is the comfortable home of players drafted for their "Plan B" playing style. When Quillan got to Quinnipiac, he was one of the top players on his team by his second year at a time when Quinnipiac was not home to future NHL stars. He was second in points to Colin Graf, an undrafted player who has more NHL time than Quillan, possibly because he plays for the Sharks. After college, Quillan came to Toronto, to the Marlies, where he was instantly good, but not quite enough to play on the Leafs. He has gotten better in the AHL, becoming a solid centre for the Calder Cup run, but he wasn't quite enough to hit the Leafs until the team was emptied of centres by the trade deadline and injuries. Prior to March last year, he played in only four games on the Leafs. He averaged less than 10 minutes per game in the NHL at even strength but was a regular on the penalty kill. Bo Groulx, on a shooting heater in the AHL which carried over to the NHL, was favoured to play further up the lineup, but it pays to remember the team was playing the worst hockey in the NHL. ### The Player Who Quillan is in the AHL in detail is interesting to Marlies fans, but it isn't the point of this look at Quillan. The question today is about the not quite enough label, and if it's still true. In the NHL, he shot very, very little. So little, he'd never stick, even on the fourth line in normal conditions. Of course, last spring on the Leafs was hardly normal. There were some players that rose above the overall state of the team, players who could function in the defensive zone well enough to leave it occasionally. Quillan wasn't one of them, but he was also not below the team level of that period. You have to get some time in the offensive zone to have a record of shooting that looks promising and he just didn't. A very good comparison for Quillan is Alex Steeves, a player who many believed deserved a chance to play in the NHL, and when he was signed by a team lacking depth, he showed a very, very modest value as a fourth-liner once he hit age 25\. Steeves shows some very gentle defensive value, the sort of thing easily improved upon by finding a player with some offensive gifts as well if you look around for them. Or, as is also common, the sort of player replaced with a "Plan B" style player who is less boring but not actually better. Quillan is now where Steeves was when he left the Leafs and joined the Bruins at a time they were a little more hungry for forwards and youth for the sake of it. Quillan could be, at his salary of $850,000, the bargain centre who neither adds nor subtracts. He's not going to be that on the Leafs, as they have gone in an very different direction in their depth acquisitions with some attention paid to Plan B as well as some other key attributes like speed. That's where Quillan is right now, not quite enough to take a job on the team, but ready to be the guy who gets recalled when they need someone who has been in the NHL, knows the drill and can just hit the ice and play without causing problems or needing to be told how to fit in. ### The Votes I voted for Quillan in exactly the same spot I had him last year for exactly the same reasons. He was my gatekeeper vote. If any player or prospect was either in the NHL or could reasonably be seen to be there fulltime at any level in the future, they got ranked above him. Otherwise below him. To me he is Alex Steeves, and neither is quite enough to matter to an NHL team in a meaningful way. I have him higher than a lot of people, not because of him, but rather because of my valuation of others outside this list and where I think they stand in absolute terms. Not very high, in other words. | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | 10 | | Species | 11 | | Hound Line | 17 | | Shinson93 | 9 | | Cameron | 9 | | Sclodiggity | 17 | | Brian S | 15 | | Svalbard38 | 18 | | Zone Entry | 8 | | Hardev | 10 | | Adam | 7 | | Weighted Average | 11.91 | | Highest Vote | 7 | | Lowest Vote | 18 | Everyone voted for him, and it a reasonably tight range in this portion of the vote, where the votes have just stepped up by big jumps through our two previous players – similar in many ways to Quillan. How do you pick from this handful of solid centres with no real flash or dazzle to their games? How do you guess who tops out just that little bit higher? And then consider how this bunch are separated from Tinus Luc Koblar, as almost everyone believes they are. It's not an easy task. ### The Opinions > **Shinson93:** Quillan was clearly the best prospect on the Marlies for much of the season, earning the call-up for the 23 games he got with the Leafs. That said, he didn’t really wow anyone in those games (neither did anyone else on the team), but did look pretty good in his injury shortened playoffs back with the Marlies. With all the players added in the offseason, he’s probably pushed a few notches down the depth chart. I hope he still keeps the fire to fight for another opportunity, as he’s still young enough to get more chances. Being waiver exempt might jump him over any veterans that make it through waivers. > **Hound Line:** Jack of all trades, master of none. He's the baseball idea of a replacement level player. I think he's more likely to play 100+ NHL games than most on the list but he's unlikely to provide any value in those games barring a Hyman like mid-twenties development path. His biggest value right now is his waiver exempt status. > **Sclodiggity:** I wrote fairly damning blurbs about a few players that top out as callups (see Sims and Haymes) and how they don’t create significant value. That follows for Quillan (whom I ranked 17th) but he looks head and shoulders above those other two I mentioned (albeit, a few years older). He’s played NHL games in two straight seasons now (only 1 in 2024, but that still made him the top call up at a certain point), and his AHL season was strong. He’ll turn 25 this year and, looking at the Leafs roster, won’t get more than a quick stint once again. I’m very comfortable with him in that role, and think he’d look okay playing 70+ games on a bottom feeder, but this is likely what he is. > **Svalbard38:** I probably ranked Quillan lower than he deserves, but every year, as a community voter and now as a guest voter, there’s a player or two that forces me to grapple with the question “are we ranking players or are we ranking Leafs?”. I believe that at the end of the day, we’re ranking Leafs. Quillan’s played for the Leafs, that’s more than a lot of the guys on this list will be able to say, but what does his future look like? In my Quillan blurb last year I was concerned that Quillan was “the new Alex Steeves” and nothing I’ve seen has changed my mind about that. Given the bottom six depth we added this offseason, I doubt Quillan gets meaningful time in NHL games this season. I hope he makes me look stupid but I have trouble getting excited about Quillan as it stands. > **Cameron:** Used mostly as a defensive centre callup, Quillan was one of my favourite players to watch on a struggling team last year. Quillan played 23 games for the leafs last season, scoring a goal and 3 points, which doesn’t show his offensive potential. I saw offensive skill from a player who was on a line which wasn’t meant for scoring, those numbers may have looked better if he was played in a more offensive role. I probably am more optimistic on Quillan than many others, but I do believe he has the ability to become a bottom 6 C (likely 4C) on the Leafs if he can keep working hard and improve on his performance last year. Your turn. How did you decide between all these players? ### Tuesday's FTB: Leafs make some minor management changes URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesday-ftb-management-changes/ Last updated: 2026-09-01T10:00:20.000Z Yesterday, the Maple Leafs updated their website with some changes to management employees including updating some roles and adding some previously announced hires. Some other new names are: - Dr. David Lawrence has been named the Primary Care and Sports Medicine Physician. He is also with the Macintosh Sport Medicine Clinic at UofT and holds the title of Primary Care Physician with the Blue Jays. - Sean Braziel has been named a hockey operations advisor. He has worked with USA Hockey in the past and has several advanced degrees in science. - Doug Gasper is listed as the Head of Amateur Scouting for Canada West. He has been with the New York Rangers for four years after a stint as the AGM of the Brandon Wheat Kings. He worked for the Canucks as a scout as well. - Paul Mara is listed as a pro scout. He has been an assistant coach in the AHL and coached the Boston Pride of the NWHL/PHF for five years. - Will Sibley, who has been the Leafs Director of Analytics for seven years, is now the Assistant Director, Player Personnel below Jeremiah Crowe, another recent hire. Brad Rossen, previously announced, has the job of Vice President of Research & Development. If true, this is American Amazon's first foray into the NHL: > BIG news! > > Multiple sources have informed [@DLLS\_Stars](https://x.com/DLLS%5FStars?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) that the Dallas Stars plan to move their game broadcasts from Victory+ to Amazon Prime Video, starting this season. [https://t.co/WR98JYc6yQ](https://t.co/WR98JYc6yQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sam Nestler (@samnestler) [August 31, 2026](https://x.com/samnestler/status/2094437434146607388?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Other changes possible as Rogers reworks their hockey coverage: > As most Sportsnet talent who have expiring contracts end date is today, I'm told that it appears Jennifer Botterill will not be back on Rogers Saturday night hockey broadcasts & could appear on the Rogers Monday night games. Not confirmed but lots of banter. > > — Jonah Sigel | Sports media + streaming (@yyzsportsmedia) [August 31, 2026](https://x.com/yyzsportsmedia/status/2094510930461958505?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > And because you are asking , I'm told that both Elliotte and Kevin will essentially be free agents when their deals expire today. This doesn't mean either or both won't return but my sources tell me neither has yet to do so... As they say, could change in a minute .. > > — Jonah Sigel | Sports media + streaming (@yyzsportsmedia) [August 31, 2026](https://x.com/yyzsportsmedia/status/2094513231893270856?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This story should be about the person in the hospital, instead it's about a bunch of lawyers: That's all for now, have a great start to September. ### 2026 T25U25: Tyler Hopkins is #12 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-tyler-hopkins-is-12/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T12:00:47.000Z Tyler Hopkins fits an archetype as player that Toronto as an organization has seemed to covet for quite a while, through three different regimes now. Fraser Minten, Hudson Malinoski, Miroslav Holinka, Jacob Quillan, Luke Haymes, heck even Tinus Luc Koblar and Cooper Williams from the last two drafts. They are all two-way centers with different elements and quality of skill. Minten was the cream of the crop, with TLK coming up behind him, they are the only two who are (or have a good chance to be) good enough to play in the middle six. The others are more faint and unrealistic chances to achieve that, and are far more likely to wind up as NHL depth or even just as an AHL-NHL tweener who will likely never play in the NHL for more than a cup of coffee. So where does Hopkins fit in that spectrum? | Tyler Hopkins | Vitals | | ---------------- | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 19.44 | | Position | C | | Height | 6'1" | | Weight (lbs) | 183 | | Shoots | L | | Draft Year | 2025 | | Draft Number | 86 | ### The Player Hopkins is relatively young, drafted just last year in the same group as TLK. He was drafted with the reputation of being that type of two-way center who was used as a speedy, defensive center both by his OHL team in Kingston and for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky and World U18s. After last season, Hopkins was traded from Kingston to Guelph – who will be hosting the Memorial Cup this year and have gone through a period of partially rebuilding and going all in to prepare for this coming season. He had a small step forward in production, and while points are not going to be what gets him to the NHL anyway, I can't really say he had a big leap in his development. Where I thought Hopkins improved the most last year was in the consistency and level of his physical and defensive engagement. Previously, his defensive impact was mostly based around his positioning, intelligent play reading, and stick work. Last year he started to exert himself along the boards and in front of the net, sealing off his man with proactive body positioning to win loose pucks. He also started to use his speed more actively in his defense on back checks and to physically close the gap on his man in his own end rather than just relying on passive positioning. Along with that improved physical play along the boards was an improved offensive ability to get the puck off the boards, protect it, and maintain possession down low and in front of the net. He also showcased an improved shot, and those two areas helped him increase his goal scoring and scoring chance rate by a noteworthy amount. ### The Votes Here's how the votes broke down: | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | 12 | | Species | 12 | | Hound Line | 15 | | Shinson93 | 15 | | Cameron | 11 | | Sclodiggity | 9 | | Brian S | 20 | | Svalbard38 | 9 | | Zone Entry | 10 | | Hardev | 12 | | Adam | 13 | | Weighted Average | 12.55 | | Highest Vote | 9 | | Lowest Vote | 20 | On the one hand, I'm a bit surprised to see that I ranked him 20th... but also not that surprised. To be clear, even if I ranked him 20th I had him in the same tier as Haymes and Quillan and even Holinka who I ranked 8th. It's a big mushy middle of guys who I think are all longshots to roughly the same degree, the order I ranked them was mainly just how much I liked their game compared to the others in the same tier. But the reason why I ***relatively*** don't like Hopkins' game as much as the others is simple – and I touched on it when I talked about how he improved on how he weaponized his speed last year. I'm wary of players who are fast but don't seem to know how to use it to have a positive impact on the play. Usually, those kinds of players will ramp up their top speeds only in open ice and on scoring chances off the rush. I want speedy guys to use it to harass the other team on the forecheck and backcheck, to take time and space away from them and force turnovers or at least prevent them from making the play they want to make. I'll give partial credit to Hopkins that he started to do it more last year, but I still want to see it on a more consistent basis and in more diverse ways. The other area I have concern with him is his ability to drive the play. This comes partially from my latest thoughts in my always evolving idea of what makes for actually good defensive play, but Hopkins' skill with the puck as a handler or distributor did not seem to improve at all in my eyes last year. For how Hopkins projects as a potential professional player, I don't care about that when it comes to him creating offense and getting points. I care about him turning the puck over and giving up a possession to the other team. Between that and his still generally average size and strength, I'm not fully sold on just how much of a defensive impact I think he can have in the NHL without him having a big leap in his development somewhere. So for this coming season, I want to see him become an all around leader for Guelph. They've swung a lot of trades to bring in other solid junior players who have also been drafted to the NHL – Ethan Czata is the same age, bigger, drafted earlier than Hopkins by a round, slightly better offensive production, and also has two-way pedigree as a top center for Niagara. Owen Griffin is also the same age, a better offensive producer, a bit smaller but he's also been a top center on Oshawa. They have Jaakko Wycisk, who could be a very high first round pick in this year's draft and can also play center. So Hopkins isn't going to be guaranteed to be The Guy for Guelph. He could wind up being something like a third line center who kills penalties and gets some secondary powerplay time. Neither Czata nor Griffin are so high profile as draft picks that either are locks to make the NHL either, so if you want to consider Hopkins to have any kind of NHL potential you should expect him to emerge as Guelph's top all situations center when this season is done. At his age now, he should be who the coaches rely on to hold the lead, to push play in the right direction, and also to be one of the guys they look to when they are pushing to score late in games. Now, I want to make it clear, and I tried to preempt this a bit by emphasizing "relatively" above so much – I don't actually dislike Hopkins. I like speedy guys, I like two-way centers, I like the improvements he made in his goal scoring and physical engagement, and I'm looking forward to seeing him on Guelph this year more than most of the others they'll have returning to junior. If he gets stronger I think he could have a slightly better chance of finding an NHL depth role than the likes of Quillan and Haymes who seem like your classic AHL-NHL tweeners. But while those are ifs and maybes for now, I still see – right now – those pretty fatal flaws that I just can't look past. ### The Opinions Here's what some of the other voters had to say: > **Shinson93**: I got to watch a bit of Hopkins last season and while there was a lot to like, it never felt like he was able to take control of a game and lead his team to something more. I’m sure the trade and switch of coach was a challenge for him. I want to see him take much more of a leadership role with his young Guelph team. I want to see him be more aggressive, especially with play driving. He has the chops to be that strong two way center, but I actually want to see more chance taking that pushes his offensive development and builds more confidence. Right now he’s right in the middle of my “maybe if he makes another development leap” guys. > **Sclodiggity**: Hopkins feels like a classic prospect to follow. Early-ish round pick out of the CHL. Forward with offensive skill but needs to develop in a few areas. Some international play. Legitimate shot of being a middle six forward with an outside chance of being more than that. The comparisons to Minten last year are quite encouraging (and potentially biasing since Minten has exceeded all expectations) but a strong piece to have in the system. He dropped slightly after being ranked 9th last year, but with the first overall pick this year and the Marlies winning the Calder, his potential hasn’t really gained or dropped since last year. > **Svalbard38**: I’m higher on Hopkins than most. He’s not a flashy player, I watched a few of his Kingston games and was surprised to see at the Christmas break that he was leading the team in goals and points, and after being traded to Guelph he led in goals and was second in points. Points aren’t everything in junior, but they’re not nothing, and combined with a solid 200ft game, Hopkins comes across to me as the kind of player who could make a decent NHL career for himself as an all-situations guy who coaches like and trust. He’s got a long way to go before he’s there though, looking forward to seeing how he does on a Guelph team that’s going for it. > **Cathy:** I ranked Hopkins at 12, and he ended up there as part of my final pairwise comparison where I go up and down my rankings and compare two adjacent choices and ask myself which should be higher. I emphasize age here more than in the original ranking. So he crept up and up and got near the players he's like: Haymes and Quillan, and in my final question to myself I popped him up over Haymes. But I think he's a long, long way from TLK or Ben Danford. Much farther than the ranking places make it seem. Let us know what you think about Hopkins! ### Monday's FTB: Contract Sanctity Day URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-contract-sanctity-day/ Last updated: 2026-08-31T10:00:24.000Z It's that time of the year again, as the hockey season approaches as we pause to think about the rights and freedoms of the owners of the NHL's 32 teams. With several players demanding trades or perhaps quietly agitating behind the scenes to influence their teams' actions, we take today to demand they honour those contracts of theirs to the bitter end. No matter how bitter. We all, I'm sure, want Auston Matthews to keep his thoughts on the Leafs trashing years of his peak playing career to himself. On to the news! Lots of photos going around from this cottage country hockey camp: > the question is who wasn't training in muskoka this week lmao [pic.twitter.com/CRWwbRt0iY](https://t.co/CRWwbRt0iY?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — yoyo (@poutingthrough) [August 29, 2026](https://x.com/poutingthrough/status/2093803870690410988?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Big grinning Cup winner centre front, with a few familiar faces dotted around. I hope they didn't do any union-type agitating while they were nose to the grindstone at their own expense. It is now certain that Patriks Plumins with play in the Q this season. This is likely a very good move for him, since he will get to play a lot for the first time in his career. > Première pratique avec les Sags pour Patriks Plumins ✅ > > Le gardien letton de 6’4”, repêché en 4e ronde par les Maple Leafs de Toronto, a fait son arrivée à Chicoutimi hier🇱🇻[#fierdetresags](https://x.com/hashtag/fierdetresags?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/ljbXH1jb2g](https://t.co/ljbXH1jb2g?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Saguenéens (@SagueneensLHJMQ) [August 28, 2026](https://x.com/SagueneensLHJMQ/status/2093321575688802661?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) A refresher: [2026 T25U25: Patriks Plumins is #22The first goalie to make an appearance in our rankings is one of the new guys.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-426dd2eb-3810-4dc9-8f05-bac935c8d60d.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1740171285005-025b5174b546-5385ff77-5206-4b19-91e6-efcdf7fe2c08)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-patriks-plumins-is-22/) Today the T25 is at number 12, which means we start in on the top 10 before the end of the week. That's it for now, find something to argue about! ### 2026 T25U25 Week 3 Summary URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-week-3-summary/ Last updated: 2026-08-29T12:00:26.000Z The list enters it's teen numbers this week and we get to see players with rankings below their age. ### Official Vote [2026 T25U25: William Villeneuve is #17He got 3 NHL games![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-dcbb40cb-3bbd-4621-b512-b9e33703d166.png)PPP LeafsHardev![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1696969049386-ccbce1b314e3-73e7fc39-ef95-4b1f-b40d-c5b505b12aa1)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-william-villeneuve-is-17/) [2026 T25U25: Harry Nansi is #16How far has he come?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-453ebcf4-40be-4cc2-8505-572d168acf1d.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1588192524634-1c3f8490f68b-805a2992-e9d2-44d7-a286-c9e85a2b94a1)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-harry-nansi-is-16/) [2026 T25U25: Victor Johansson is #15Seems like the hype around Johansson has cooled compared to where it was this time last year, but I’m still a fan.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-093e25fd-7fcf-44fc-887a-e419802b5da6.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1602103919719-b3c19822cf9c-95e9f36a-44de-4cfb-82b8-5472d3498822)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-victor-johansson-is-15/) [2026 T25U25: Måns Gudmundsson is #14Måns is this guy pretty Gud!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-d5f9c0e6-0213-4b7a-ba00-656e7e7cb309.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1773435776650-686ab9ac17ad-ed54211f-dcde-4da5-a91d-508418b37ded)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-mans-gudmundsson-is-14/) [2026 T25U25: Luke Haymes is #13Meet Jacob Quillan 2.0![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-ee5eadc6-5a10-4df1-a7b0-5fd001826fd4.png)PPP LeafsHardev![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1640819503769-c679fce64014-f0c9523b-8664-465b-a2a5-7a36fec522ac)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-luke-haymes-is-13/) The average rankings went from 18.18 for Villeneuve all the way to 14.27 for Luke Haymes. The big jump was a two-point leap up for the first unanimously ranked player, Harry Nansi. That's the second very large jump in the bottom section of the list and the rest of the run is smaller jumps up with no clear demarcation in the next week but some pretty obvious ones after that. ### Community Vote #### 17 Tyler Hopkins With a weighted average ranking of 17.75, Hopkins has a very strong consensus vote and very little noise. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/Tyler-Hopkins_community_histo.jpg) #### 16 Ethan MacKenzie Ranked at 17.69, Ethan MacKenzie, newly drafted, is right there with Hopkins, virtually indistinguishable in voting pattern. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/Ethan-MacKenzie_community_histo.jpg) Neither of these two players have appeared on the Official Vote yet. #### 15 Victor Johansson With a ranking of 17.50, last year's it-boy is exactly in line with the prior two choices and his official vote ranking too. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/Victor-Johansson_community_histo.jpg) #### 14 Noah Chadwick At a virtual tie with a ranking of 17.49, there is a glimmer of a split opinion on this older defender. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/Noah-Chadwick_community_histo.jpg) #### 13 Ryan Tverberg The big difference on this section of the vote is the ranking of Ryan Tverberg with 16.63 in average ranking at place 13, 11 spots higher than the official vote. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/Ryan-Tverberg_community_histo.jpg) He got a few votes at a lot of spots on the list, one of the most spread out results of any player. With Chadwick and Tverberg, the N/A count has dropped down and shows something closer to unanimous ranking. Normally, the two votes converge in the top 12 or so, but there will still be some big differences next week as we count from 12-8\. See you next weekend. ### Weekend FTB: The Sunset of the Off-season URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-the-sunset-of-the-off-season/ Last updated: 2026-08-29T12:03:40.000Z It's the last weekend of August and we're one month to opening night on September 29th, but hockey is already happening. Leafs prospects are in action now at a tournament in Europe. > Måns Gudmundsson, (#76 in 2026 by the Maple Leafs) with the 1-0 goal in the U20 five nations tournament vs Switzerland [pic.twitter.com/9JUneXukc4](https://t.co/9JUneXukc4?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Future Tre Kronor (@FutureTreKronor) [August 28, 2026](https://x.com/FutureTreKronor/status/2093318115446645075?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) We're about at the time where players will start having their informal skates before the start of the training camp, so news should come soon on that front. The summer is almost over! Get ready for back to hockey school, Leafs. Our weekly recap of the Top 25 Under 25 is here: [2026 T25U25 Week 3 SummaryA clear tier of players is revealed on the Community Vote this week.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-d15c04e4-1d15-44d1-a673-579894e3c986.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1563177116-acb0c14fa984-4ac5e45f-aaa2-4e21-a02e-31940d50dfdc)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-week-3-summary/) ### Other News Cale Makar got paid ALL THE MONIES! He's the first player to cross the $20M mark, at least in the salary cap era. I really have no idea if someone in the 90's did it, or how you factor in Lemieux's payment in shares of the Penguins. An interesting note on this is year #4, where the signing bonus suddenly dips and the base salary jumps up, then it reverts back to the patterns of the previous years. Year #4 would be 2030, and guess what happens in that year; the NHLPA/NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement ends, so the Avalanche negotiated in a risk control there, and they did that because they think there is a risk. Something to think about in a new era where owners now have to account for star players earning over $20M per season. > The [#GoAvsGo](https://x.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Cale Makar 8 year $20.4M Cap Hit Extension > > Yr 1-3 $4M Base & 16.8M Signing Bonus > Yr 4 $12.8M & $8M SB > Yr 5 $4M & $16.8M SB > Yr 6 $3M & $16.8M SB > Yr 7 $2.8M & $16.8M SB > Yr 8 $1M & $18.8M SB > > No Move Clause > > Rep'd by [@BartlettHockey](https://x.com/BartlettHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > The $20.4M Cap Hit is just short… > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [August 28, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2093451860413927613?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Now here's a throwback article from VICE published ten years ago, but still a fun read or re-read. [Throwback Thursday: How A Beer Boycott Caused the NHL and WHA MergerIf the Red Sox had the Curse of the Bambino and the Cubs have the Curse of the Billy Goat, then the Leafs have the Curse of the WHA.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/cropped-site-icon-1-b1db9168-8b02-4b70-afbe-5883ad557500.png)VICETerrence Doyle![](https://sports-images.vice.com/images/2016/03/03/throwback-thursday-the-nhl-absorbs-the-wha-despite-torontos-best-efforts-body-image-1456965422.jpg)](https://www.vice.com/en/article/throwback-thursday-how-a-beer-boycott-caused-the-nhl-and-wha-merger/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) A New Jersey Devils prospect has created his own website to track his career stats in great detail, with over dozens of metrics. Sunny Mehta must be happy he inherited him as the new Devils GM. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/image-2.png) [Mikhail Yegorov #40Goaltender #40 — Stats Dashboard![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)](https://yegorovstats.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, if you are a GO Train user coming into Toronto for Leafs/Marlies games, or any other events downtown Toronto this fall, a note that Metrolinx quietly uploaded new train schedules on Friday night to be effective September 5, and you know if it's Friday night news dump with no PR announcement, it's bad news. Weekend service is being slashed on Lakeshore West with the 15 minute service between Union Station and Oakville cut to every 30 minutes, while on the Barrie and Stoufville lines weekend train service is almost completely eliminated, with only two or three trips per day. Weekday late evening trips to Stoufville and Barrie are also on the chopping block. Weekday service to/from Niagara Falls is reduced to one train per day. The other lines appear to be status quo, even though I hear riders complain the trains are packed and standing room only at rush hour now on both the Kitchener and Milton lines. See the current and future schedules here if you want to compare: [PDF SchedulesDownload the full schedule for your line or route in PDF format.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-4fad5b90-ed1a-4cd1-8528-b51ee615b86d.ico)GO Transit![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Customer_Experience_Advisory_Committee-f5a9ab38-cfd7-4e77-901f-a38f3ea68432.jpg)](https://www.gotransit.com/en/see-schedules/pdf-schedules?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Enjoy your weekend. ### 2026 T25U25: Luke Haymes is #13 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-luke-haymes-is-13/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T12:40:11.000Z Luke Haymes comes from the family of undrafted college free agents and has developed into a solid middle-six centre for the Marlies and a useful depth option for the Toronto Maple Leafs. With speed, smarts, and tenacity, Haymes could take another step this season. | Luke Haymes | Vitals | | ---------------- | --------- | | Age as of July 1 | 22.93 | | Position | C | | Height | 6'1" | | Weight (lbs) | 192 | | Shoots | L | | Draft Year | Undrafted | | Draft Number | NA | ### The Player Haymes finished 4th in goalscoring on the Marlies last season with 17, scoring all but three after New Year's, following a frustrating shooting slump to start his rookie season. His 33 points in 66 games as a rookie lined up very close with fellow centre Jacob Quillan's rookie season with the Marlies at the same age (37 points in 67 games). During the season, Haymes played as the second or third line centre for the Marlies where his most common linemates were Matthew Barbolini, Ryan Tverberg, and Borya Valis. He also got onto the first power play unit later on in the season, playing the bumper role, using his good sense of gaps and quick release to attack rebounds, tip shots, and generally make it harder for the penalty killers. The power play time wasn't the only cause of his scoring increase, only four of Haymes' goals came on the power play. He did most of his damage at even strength. Offensively, Haymes has good hands with the puck and an eye for the net. There was a stretch in the season where Haymes had a lot of success centring a line with Tverberg and Alex Nylander, a trio that could all handle the puck well and displayed a good combination of tenacity and skill. They scored a lot, especially off the rush and via the forecheck. Haymes fits the mold of a depth centre; one who's hard on the forecheck, reliable positionally, and has good speed, puck handling, and shooting strength. Haymes is very much in the mold of Quillan, Alex Steeves, and I'll even go to Steven Lorentz for fun. One reason I bring up Lorentz is because Haymes got an unofficial assist in his NHL debut on Lorentz's goal back in April against the New York Islanders. Don't remember that game? I wouldn't expect anyone to, and I would advise grass-touching for anyone who does recall that game. Haymes quickly attacked a lost puck and forced Scott Mayfield into a turnover that Lorentz scored on. It completely left my memory that Haymes played four games for the Leafs in the glory of the tank. [Lorentz responds for the Maple Leafs | NHL.comSteven Lorentz flings the loose puck from the circle and into the far side of the net, cutting the score to 2-1 in the 1st![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-423dcd92-feb0-46b1-b4b3-f34624092c60.png)NHL logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ue3ofxvislepo6xui16z-63f3d9ad-b31e-458d-a216-06ddf07ea59e.jpg)](https://nhl.com/video/tor-nyi-lorentz-scores-goal-against-ilya-sorokin-6392831734112?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I wouldn't be surprised to see Haymes on the Leafs again for a longer stint in a similar manner to Quillan's 23 games last season. I'm sure he'd enjoy reuniting with his now-former head coach John Gruden, who got promoted to the Leafs as an assistant coach this season. > “\[Haymes\] is not easy to play against right now,” said \[Marlies head coach John\] Gruden. “He is always in the right position. He continues to grow. He makes plays, too, and sees the ice extremely well. His shot has really stood out to us. He has been able to find ways to put pucks in the net with his pure skill and shot, but he also makes plays. He can find guys and make plays in tight areas. He’s still a work in progress, but he is definitely trending in the right direction.” \[[Maple Leaf Hot Stove](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/03/03/luke-haymes-jacob-quillan-score-big-goals-in-toronto-marlies-5-2-win-over-chicago/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)\] > “\[Haymes\] is not afraid to get into traffic,” said Gruden. “He is making plays and is getting more confident. He had only played 30 games a year, and this would be his senior year (in college). I think the break really helped him — the Christmas break, and this (All-Star) break helped him even more. He is definitely trending in the right direction… He is a smart hockey player with a high IQ, and he is not afraid to make plays under pressure.” \[[Maple Leaf Hot Stove](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/02/16/luke-haymes-extends-goal-scoring-streak-toronto-marlies-eight-game-point-streak-ends-in-laval/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)\] And for fun, here's the highlights of Haymes' lone hat trick of the season against the Laval Rocket. ### The Votes Most voters very reasonably voted Haymes into the upper-middle of the group that followed the core 10-ish prospects. With a weighted average of 14.27, Haymes represents a jump from yesterday's prospect Gudmundson, but is a step away from Monday's prospect as if he's in a metaphorical no-man's-land. Unfortunately, Monday's prospect doesn't have the word "man" in his name. | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | 13 | | Species | 10 | | Hound Line | 16 | | Shinson93 | 10 | | Cameron | 14 | | Sclodiggity | 24 | | Brian S | 14 | | Svalbard38 | 19 | | Zone Entry | 14 | | Hardev | 11 | | Adam | 12 | | Weighted Average | 14.27 | | Highest Vote | 10 | | Lowest Vote | 24 | I found it interesting that freshly-drafted Cooper Williams is the only ranked centre prospect behind Haymes in our list so far. Hopkins, Quillan, Holinka, and Koblar are all still to come. Maybe that's not a surprise, but I'd like to know how you might rank those five (or six) centre prospects. ### The Opinions > Shinson93: Watching Haymes this year with the Marlies reminded me a lot of Alex Steeves. Not so much for his scoring ability, but more for his professional workman-like approach on the ice. I don’t know that he has the skills to be more than an AHL tweener, but I feel like he’s going to work his way to earning whatever chances he gets. > Brigstew: My stance on Haymes remains the same. I think he’s better than Quillan (but not by much) and has some interesting skills as an NHL depth player, but I’m not sure that he offers more than what the slew of NHL depth Toronto typically signs each other. He’s already 23, and I think he’ll need to have one more jump in his development to put him over that hump. I had him 14th I think so this is about right. > Cathy: I switched Haymes and Quillan in my estimation last year. I don't think Haymes' game really does add up to more than Quillan's or at least not in a meaningful way. But essentially, they are in that borderline for me on the ranking where they might be fun players, might make the NHL even, but they aren't ever adding value of any impact. > Sclodiggity: I’m lower on Haymes than most although it seems like everyone has a similar assessment. Decent AHLer with call up potential. To me, that feels like a fairly fixed ceiling for him, where others see some potential to turn into a regular NHL bottom-6er. Strong bottom 6 players certainly do add value to a team (and those who do it on league min contracts can be quite important to roster building) but that's different from AHL caliber players getting called up due to lack of depth. > Svalbard38: Last year Haymes was coming into the pool with the lofty title of “one of the best NCAA free agents in years”. That was always gonna be tough to live up to, and even though he stepped into the AHL and played a solid season, he felt a bit like a big fish who gets put into perspective when you take him out of the small pond. He comes across to me as a player who’s solidly good, and good is a good thing to be. I just need to see him be more than good before I can believe in him as a long-term NHLer. > Species: I really liked Haymes on the Marlies last season, though there were on and off moments, part of which is that certain teams seemed to really be able to push the Marlies to the boards when on the attack and then force turnovers, all of which may have limited his opportunities. I also noted what John Gruden said quoted above about how it was a tough transition for him to go to a full-time pro career where he's playing multiple games each week on top of practices in between and with some long distance travel. That's something I expect he needs to have dealt with by now, it can't be an excuse anymore, so this coming season is the one I will use to really judge him on his future state on the list, but I'm comfortable putting him at #10 for now. I don't see any impediment blocking him from that ranking as long as he continues to clean things up and focus on development. ### Friday's FTB: Leafs and Marlies and other news URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-leafs-marlies-news/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T11:12:44.000Z It was Leafs day at NHL.com: [Inside look at Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL.comPoised for playoff return after overhauling front office, drafting McKenna No. 1 overall![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-5ed7a0d0-8e5a-4037-8a9e-4e144785bb6c.png)NHL logoMike Zeisberger![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/rgyolldjsrt0gfqejcmi-4d990695-ea7d-439d-9422-e377ed07d463.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/toronto-maple-leafs-inside-look-for-2026-27-season-32-in-32?utm%5Fsource=xdotcom&utm%5Fmedium=nhl%5Fsocial&utm%5Fcampaign=media) [Top prospects for Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL.comNo. 1 pick McKenna could step into lineup immediately, become playmaker alongside Matthews![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-a970a3cd-7b89-47a2-9df7-3f640d960204.png)NHL logoMike Zeisberger![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/gpgijqicqkscddgsgfpo-ff049520-67f1-4d38-85f5-c2b7bf3fe18a.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/toronto-maple-leafs-top-prospects-for-2026-27-season-32-in-32?utm%5Fsource=xdotcom&utm%5Fmedium=nhl%5Fsocial&utm%5Fcampaign=media) This goalie was slightly injured near his eye when a puck went through his mask. There is a (sensible) suggestion that the grill be made slightly different to prevent this. > Pucken gick genom masken – kräver nu förändring [https://t.co/bkucslaT2C](https://t.co/bkucslaT2C?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — HockeyNews.se (@HockeynewsSe) [August 27, 2026](https://x.com/HockeynewsSe/status/2092915055343849841?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies made some moves official: > 🖊️ We’ve signed Reese Johnson, Timofei Obvintsev and Jackson Kunz to AHL contracts [pic.twitter.com/QowGbHlKRl](https://t.co/QowGbHlKRl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [August 27, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2092975448787419626?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The first two, Reese Johnson and Timofei Obvintsev we knew about already, Jackson Kunz is new news. Kunz is 24, a left shooting winger from Grand Forks. He was a fourth-round draft pick of the Canucks in 2020, played for their AHL team last year after graduating college and spent half the season in the ECHL. He really means it: > Statement from Connor Hellebuyck: [pic.twitter.com/hW8sNw1LJi](https://t.co/hW8sNw1LJi?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Ray Petkau (@RayPetkau) [August 27, 2026](https://x.com/RayPetkau/status/2093048644731879640?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And an interesting choice here. Alberta is copying Ontario's opening up of gambling because they discovered most of the gambling there was not going to the provincial site, but to offshore sites. They have begun with some of the rules about advertising put in place that Ontario only came to when it became obvious they needed them. Thus proving you can learn from someone else's mistakes. > Interesting news \[not sure this is already out there\]: > > Service Alberta, the ministry responsible for the new legal gambling landscape, has confirmed to CBC that betting on the CHL (including WHL, OHL, QMJHL) is prohibited. > > But providers CAN offer betting on U SPORTS games > > — Salim Nadim Valji (@salimvalji) [August 27, 2026](https://x.com/salimvalji/status/2093100024481648674?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) A name much bandied about during coaching circles. This is nonetheless an odd choice. He's handy to Edmonton, since Hockey Canada works out of Calgary, but it sure seems like he's breathing down the neck of Mike Babcock, doesn't it? > The [#Oilers](https://x.com/hashtag/Oilers?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) have announced that [@HockeyCanada](https://x.com/HockeyCanada?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)'s Misha Donskov will be joining the club as a coaching consultant. [https://t.co/w4Dpwioley](https://t.co/w4Dpwioley?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) [August 27, 2026](https://x.com/EdmontonOilers/status/2093081126235697273?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that is it for now! Enjoy the last few days of August, before everything gets serious as September rolls in next week. ### 2026 T25U25: Måns Gudmundsson is #14 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-mans-gudmundsson-is-14/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T12:00:35.000Z It's been a long time since Toronto has had so many defense prospects of note, even if only a couple of them are high(ish) picks. Cathy got to talk about Fedoseyev, and now I get to talk about Gudmundsson because Swedish defensemen are just my thing apparently! | Måns Gudmundsson | Vitals | | ---------------- | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 18.06 | | Position | RD | | Height | 6'3" | | Weight (lbs) | 185 | | Shoots | R | | Draft Year | 2026 | | Draft Number | 76 | ### The Player Gudmundsson, with a June birthday, is the youngest player in Toronto's system now. Yesterday I talked a bit about him, only in the context of how he and a few other defense prospects related to Victor Johansson. Aside from that, if you need a refresher on who he is as a prospect you can refer to the draft profile I wrote about him: [2026 NHL Draft Profile: Måns GudmundssonUnlike what the refs may call for penalties, you can never have Too Much Måns.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-bc11adef-5cf8-4a00-ad76-0e36548ad547.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1564598522417-e9ac1425d7c6-1-6c0624d0-abef-4421-8ba4-c86dd092cc2f.jpeg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-too-much-mans-gudmundsson/) There isn't much to update since then. I have had the chance to see Gudmundsson in a few SHL pre-season games, where he's been getting a good amount of playing time. He certainly has the size to work there, and I can see him getting into at least a good chunk of pro games this year even though he can be returned to junior. In fact, I've thought that Gudmundsson has looked surprisingly pro-ready in the pre-season. He has the mobility and size to work there, he's made good plays with the puck, and he's generally been solid defensively. He does still show some issues with decision making, where he loses positioning from chasing a hit or something like that. Specifically, the issue crops up when he needs to make quick decisions at the pace of the SHL, but that is something that can improve as he has time to adjust to the higher level. > That's a good pull. Mans Gudmundsson was a solid impact this season. Great on defense and should have turned more chances into goals. The pucks will fall soon. > > Great player. [@SammyT\_51](https://x.com/SammyT%5F51?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) has argued his value as a first-rounder for much of the year. [https://t.co/BoLQn2NeSD](https://t.co/BoLQn2NeSD?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/rqP9NVh1jL](https://t.co/rqP9NVh1jL?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Foley (@NHLFoley) [May 1, 2026](https://x.com/NHLFoley/status/2050046883163201603?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) One blessing for Gudmundsson that could give him an easier path to the SHL this coming season is that his team, Färjestad BK, made Cal Foote one of their off season acquisitions. He's another right shot defenseman, but after being signed the team backed out of the agreement mere days after due to widespread backlash. So as of now, Gudmundsson would be one of only two right shot defensemen on their tentative roster. Two of the other guys on their tentative SHL roster right now are 18 and 21 year olds, and neither are righties. ### The Votes Here's how the votes broke down: | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | 14 | | Species | 15 | | Hound Line | 10 | | Shinson93 | 19 | | Cameron | 17 | | Sclodiggity | 16 | | Brian S | 16 | | Svalbard38 | 15 | | Zone Entry | 17 | | Hardev | 14 | | Adam | 17 | | Weighted Average | 15.45 | | Highest Vote | 10 | | Lowest Vote | 19 | I haven’t been able to see Gudmundsson as much as I did with Fedosoyev to get a larger sample of observation time, but I like him about the same. I have Gudmundsson at 16, and if I wasn’t more uncertain because watching Sweden’s junior games is a lot harder than Russian games, I might have had him higher. Like I said, I've quite liked what I've seen from him in the pre-season so far, even if I can see some more obvious things he needs to work on. The same thing I’ve said about Johansson in years past is true for what to expect and hope for Gudmundsson this year. I think he probably has a relatively easier path to the SHL even when he's still so young, but I still think it's more likely for him to have to solidify himself as a top defenseman on his team and the U20 junior league before he's a full time pro guy. What I want to look for is how much he needs to adapt to the SHL compared to junior, and how quickly he achieves it. I'm aware that pre-season games are not the same as the regular season, considering how veterans typically approach their pre-season games and how often young guys like Gudmundsson get more looks like he is. I specifically want to see how well he handles the increased pace and pressure of professional players, especially when it comes to retrievals and his passing on breakouts as well as his defensive awareness and positioning. I'm not expecting him to become a second pairing lock immediately, but I'd like him to look ready for that by the end of this season. ### The Opinions Here's what some of the other voters had to say: > **Sclodiggity**: The youngest prospect that we have and with an already strong scouting report. Nobody is lauding over Gudmundsson, but he had a strong year in the Swedish Junior league, and kinda does it all. Good defensive position and gap control, strong breakouts, and played on both special teams. That's a complete player, even if the skills are good but not great. > **Hound Line**: He’s a solid skater, generally has good gap control but he can get caught flat footed by quicker forwards with how close he plays. He uses his free hand to stiff arm and obstruct without taking penalties. Effectively angles puck carriers to the boards and separates puck from body. Active stick in passing line, good positioning and awareness of multiple attackers on the PK. He has some physical edge, chippiness and finishes checks. Decent vision on the breakout and can see give and go options in the offensive zone. Hands and passing are solid on the forehand with space but in tight areas and awkward angles off the boards, especially on retrievals, he needs improvement. Really good tools and instincts but, he needs the polish that comes from lots of reps. > **Shinson93**: I like this player profile, but I also take some pause in the fact that Pronman is the only scout that really put some hype on him. Gets a lot of comments about his size and physicality, but to be honest, I don’t think he relies on it from what I was able to watch. Transition is the strength of his game. I have him at the lower end of prospects that I think still have a chance to take a big development leap. > **Svalbard38**: I always have a bit more time for the youngest player in the Leafs draft class, and Gudmundsson looks like he could be a good one. Good skills, good hockey IQ, and he’s not done improving. He could play in the SHL next season. In a very superficial sense he reminds me of how we talked about Koblar last year, although they’re obviously different players with different styles. Can’t wait to see how we’re talking about him this time next year. Let us know how Gud you think Mans is! ### Thursday's FTB: US Schedule released URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-us-schedule-released/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T10:00:13.000Z [Q and A with Bryan McCabe: Evolving from player to NHL executiveBryan McCabe, who played 1,135 career NHL games as a defenceman, has been involved in player development for a decade and a half. After a successful run in Florida, now he’s looking for his next challenge. Jason Bukala chats with McCabe about his career to date.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-6b0dad5d-c8aa-45d2-92d0-0daf891b870a.ico)Sportsnet.caJason Bukala![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-18-01329006-d645-40f7-82af-2267ab9be060.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/qa-with-bryan-mccabe-evolving-from-player-to-nhl-executive/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Two Leafs games included here: [TNT Sports Unveils Blockbuster 72-Game NHL on TNT Schedule for 2026-27 NHL Regular Season, Starting Wednesday, Sept. 30TNT Sports will enter its sixth season of live NHL on TNT coverage with a blockbuster schedule of 72 regular season games, beginning Wednesday, Sept. 30![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon_0-56869612-1772-4eaf-b3d2-68f0251ae961.ico)Pressroom![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/warner-media-v2-logo-de09bccd-4920-4666-bc41-ade4d8ff3307.png)](https://press.wbd.com/us/media-release/tnt-sports-unveils-blockbuster-72-game-nhl-tnt-schedule-2026-27-nhl-regular-season?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) One here: [ESPN announces 100 exclusive National Hockey League games for 2026-27 season - ESPN Press RoomESPN today announced its 2026-27 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season schedule, featuring 100 exclusive games, beginning September 29 through the end![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-7665f3cf-b51c-4035-a2fc-5064b5d3e95a.ico)ESPN Press RoomAndrea DiCristoforo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/NHL-2026-27-Major-Announcements-2-1-8eff3383-b6b7-4caf-b0b3-4974cc92a153.png)](https://espnpressroom.com/press-release/espn-announces-100-exclusive-national-hockey-league-games-for-2026-27-season/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Freddie is as Freddie has always been. > Assuming all 4 players are out to start the season & they begin with 22 healthy players on the roster, [#LetsGoOilers](https://x.com/hashtag/LetsGoOilers?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) previously projected starting cap space of $4.75M is down to $1.9M.[https://t.co/onpGRVAQKN](https://t.co/onpGRVAQKN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/j3ymqKtpHm](https://t.co/j3ymqKtpHm?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/sr3dJkM2Gc](https://t.co/sr3dJkM2Gc?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [August 26, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2092754361944514744?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Now having said that, notice who the Leafs haven't said a single little word about. Although we had a photo in the FTB of him on skates in Arizona. They understand how all-star games just don't work: > The NFL has eliminated the Pro Bowl games, per [@jjones9](https://x.com/jjones9?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > There will no longer be an annual all-star game but the league will name 88 players each season with Pro Bowl honours [pic.twitter.com/9f8oQgdwfK](https://t.co/9f8oQgdwfK?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [August 26, 2026](https://x.com/Sportsnet/status/2092730274794668285?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Cancel it, NHL. Just give it up. This is one of those vaguepost announcements that raises more questions than it answers. I wish teams would find a way to be more direct while still maintaining privacy. This amounts to: yeah, y'all are talking about this, we won't tell you anything. > Blues President of Hockey Operations Doug Armstrong has released a statement about prospect Matthew Mayich. [pic.twitter.com/jyPQjFhgBR](https://t.co/jyPQjFhgBR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) [August 26, 2026](https://x.com/StLouisBlues/status/2092650836044189795?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Atlanta-area city council approves NHL arena planThe NHL’s potential return to the Atlanta area might be one step closer after a key vote this week.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-1c2f413d-8a1c-4eab-827a-68b7784ad87e.ico)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/NHL-Lake-Tahoe-ef302fb8-8b2a-4912-8104-644683c28f33.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/atlanta-area-city-council-approves-nhl-arena-plan/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that's it until the T25 drops later this morning. ### Back to Excited Episode 229: Around the Atlantic URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/back-to-excited-episode-229-around-the-atlantic/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T00:18:46.000Z Welcome to another episode of Back to Excited. Today, we go around the Atlantic division and talk about what many consider to be the toughest division in the NHL. Timestamps: - Boston Bruins \[1:12\] - Buffalo Sabres \[8:56\] - Detroit Red Wings \[21:22\] - Florida Panthers \[32:07\] - Montreal Canadiens \[45:11\] - Ottawa Senators \[58:30\] - Tampa Bay Lightning \[1:11:45\] I will also say that Fulemin makes what I consider to be the worst joke in the history of the podcast during this episode, which is really saying something. We're lucky any part of this episode survived. As always, you can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening! ### 2026 T25U25: Victor Johansson is #15 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-victor-johansson-is-15/ Last updated: 2026-08-26T12:00:05.000Z Last year, Victor Johansson was ranked 10th on that summer's top 25 under 25\. The players ranked ahead of him were: Knies, Cowan, Maccelli (gone), Danford, NRob (gone), Koblar, Hildeby (gone), Thrun (gone), and Hopkins. Players who were ranked behind him that are now ranked ahead of him this year: Holinka, Quillan, Haymes and Akhtyamov. Not only did Johansson drop five spots from last year, and not only did four guys leapfrog him in our rankings this year, but four draft picks from this year were immediately ranked ahead of him. McKenna is an obvious one that makes sense, and the other three were third round picks or as near as to make no difference (Bilecki) where Johansson was a fourth round pick from two years prior. It's also interesting to me that all three of those other players, and the other new addition to this year's rankings (Andrae), are all defensemen like Johansson. I've written before about how Toronto went a long time without having either quantity or quality of defense prospects, so it's easily possible that Johansson simply looked better than he was because he was like an oasis in a desert. But still, I admit I was surprised to see Johansson's rankings drop. And I mean that beyond just just number changing from 10th to 15th. I think it's clear that many people have cooled on him compared to last year. So let's talk about why that might be. | Victor Johansson | Vitals | | ---------------- | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 20.18 | | Position | LD | | Height | 6'1" | | Weight (lbs) | 147 | | Shoots | L | | Draft Year | 2024 | | Draft Number | 120 | ### The Player Johansson's path after being drafted in 2024 has been quite good, considering how much of an unknown he was when the Leafs picked him. Seriously, I've never seen a player anywhere in the draft being taken with so little known about him at all. No one had any scouting reports on him, and I make it my business to dig that kind of info up for my prospect work. Johansson followed that up with a big leap in his development, albeit in Sweden's junior league. He was the top all situations defenseman for a Leksands junior team that had the best record in the league and only just barely lost in the semi finals in the playoff. His offensive output in 47 games that season (39 points) surpassed all the points he had in the three previous seasons he played (35 points) – in 118 regular seasons and playoffs combined. His play was recognized by Sweden, as for the first time in Johansson's life he was called to play for their international team for 7 games. This year, he played in 14 international games, including making their World Juniors roster where he was used as a 7th defensemen – he may have also been hurt in the tournament, as it took him a couple of weeks to return to regular season play back in Sweden when the tournament ended. This was also the first season where Johansson played entirely at the pro level, even though he was still young enough to be sent back to junior. He played his first two games on the U20 junior team, but then spent most of the season loaned to IK Oskarshamn in the second tier pro league (Allsvenskan). There, he was used as a second pair defenseman who got powerplay time and a bit of penalty kill time. He had 10 points in 22 games in the Allsvenskan league, which was good for second most in the league for U20 defensemen. He also got called back to his main team Leksands in the top SHL league, where he had 3 points – good for a tie for 3rd among all U20 defensemen, but the second highest point per game rate. After Leksands was relegated to the Allsvenskan league, Johansson used his status as a free agent in Sweden to sign with Brynäs for the next two years to have a chance to play full time in the SHL this coming season. So far in the pre-season, he's been playing in the top four... but that doesn't always mean much, other than they want to get a good look at him. Brynäs has one of the deeper defensive groups in the league from what I've read, so him being able to carve out any kind of role as the youngest defender on the roster by 6+ years would be noteworthy. ### The Votes Here's how the other voters ranked Johansson: | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | 24 | | Species | 14 | | Hound Line | 14 | | Shinson93 | NA | | Cameron | 15 | | Sclodiggity | 13 | | Brian S | 8 | | Svalbard38 | 17 | | Zone Entry | 11 | | Hardev | 15 | | Adam | 14 | | Weighted Average | 15.55 | | Highest Vote | 8 | | Lowest Vote | 24 | So I wound up being by far the guy highest on Johansson, with no one else having him in their top 10 and most being in the mid-late teens – right where his final ranking wound up landing. I won't focus on explaining why I was higher on him in this ranking than everyone else ranked ahead of him, I want to focus on those three newly drafted defensemen: Bilecki, MacKenzie and Gudmundsson. They are, funnily enough, eerily similar to Johansson in terms of their style and strengths. They are all on the high side of average for height (6'1" to 6'2" depending on what site you check) except for Gudmundsson. MacKenzie is even from the same original draft year as Johansson, but born later in the year with a September birthday. But all four of these defensemen are on the two-way defenseman spectrum, with questions on both their defense and offense in terms of projecting them to higher levels. Bilecki has so much potential that I only ranked him even higher than Johansson, but for the other two I was asking myself... if they were all at the same age (MacKenzie and Johansson are) and were put in the same situations, who do I think would have done the best? I've already seen Johansson play at a much higher level, and play well, than the other three. He still needs to put on more weight and get stronger, but his puck movement and his defense are all better than I think he's gotten credit for. Funnily enough, while people probably think of him as more of an offensive defenseman, last year he was skewing more towards the defensive side of the two-way spectrum: > Victor Johansson sticker ut defensivt med starka xGA-siffror i 5v5 [pic.twitter.com/z3ZMpLYec1](https://t.co/z3ZMpLYec1?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Anton Jansson (@AJanssonn) [April 22, 2026](https://x.com/AJanssonn/status/2046971367057166617?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) He's already established himself as a pro-level player in Sweden last season, even as he was banged up multiple times. If he was playing in the WHL like MacKenzie did, I think Johansson's defense would have looked exceptional as well with even better abilities with the puck. Not to an extreme degree, mind you. And I'm also asking myself if I think Gudmundsson would be at the same level in two years' time? I think he ***can*** be, in fact in watching some of his SHL pre-season games so far I've been pleasantly surprised by how pro-ready he's already looked at times. But he's still inconsistent, especially on the decision making front that's led to some defensive lapses in his positioning and execution. That's not something I can so easily guess will improve like some of the ways Johansson already has gotten better. So I'm keeping some caution on him before I'm willing to consider him ahead of Victor. To summarize my general stance on Johansson and to defend why I ranked him so high, I don't view last year as a step back for him – quite the opposite, in fact. He still has some things to improve, but I just don't think he's done anything to deserve being knocked down in the rankings compared to others who were ranked behind him last year or guys drafted in a similar range who haven't played at as high a level as Johansson has. ### The Opinions Here's what the other voters had to say: > **Shinson93**: Last year had to be a bit of a trying season for Johansson with everything happening around Leksands and being loaned out to Oskarsham. This year he gets a chance at a fresh start with a much stronger Brynas team, getting to play with NHL stars like Nick Backstrom and Jacob Silfverberg, along with Marlies legends Keifer Bellows, Erik Kallgren and Axel Rindell. It’s probably an overreaction to leave him off my rankings, but I hope we get a chance to see him in a few Marlies games after the SHL season. > **Cathy**: I think I ranked Victor Johansson so low this time because I felt like I was way too high on him in the past just because he's fun and he'd been making huge improvements. I may have overcorrected, but on the other hand, I'm not absolutely sure he will play a meaningful role in the SHL this year on a team where getting Axel Rindell was big news, although they lined up together in their first preseason game. He needs to be a pro-team regular rostered player right now, one that no coach would consider sitting for any reason. (This is why there's more than one voter, though, so if I'm totally wrong, it doesn't really matter.) > **Svalbard38**: In retrospect, I ranked Johansson a couple spots too low. He’s a good puck mover, more physical than you’d expect, he’s gotten better and better since we drafted him. He’s also, last we heard, 165 pounds, and I always feel like a jerk when I bring it up but he needs to put on some weight for me to consider him a potential future NHLer. According to nhl.com, there have been four blue liners south of 170 in the cap era. Jakub Galvas, Mac Hollowell, Lane Hutson, and Jared Spurgeon. If you’re asking Johansson to play any substantial number of NHL games at his current weight, you’re asking him to do something that’s been done twice in the past two decades, once by a 1000 game player and longtime captain, the other time by one of the best young defencemen in the sport. Johansson’s good but he’s not on that level. Maybe he’s put on some muscle and it just hasn’t been reported yet. I hope that’s the case because until I see it, I have a hard time putting trust in him. So that's what we all thought. Let us know where you stand on Johansson as a prospect in Toronto's system! > Since being sent back to Oskarshamn, six games, [#LeafsForever](https://x.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Victor Johansson has picked up 4 points, averaging 16:76 TOI playing on the 2nd pair. [pic.twitter.com/qZaFuWOEtF](https://t.co/qZaFuWOEtF?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — LeafsRundown (@LeafsRundown) [March 7, 2026](https://x.com/LeafsRundown/status/2030282168283631736?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Wednesday's FTB: Creeping towards the new season URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-creeping-towards-the-new-season/ Last updated: 2026-08-26T10:00:37.000Z [Timeline might push Canucks towards a Boeser tradeThe veteran Vancouver winger is still a productive player, but he likely makes more sense as a coveted trade asset who could help accelerate the rebuild, Travis Yost writes.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-c2a49225-47db-4917-845e-a2000373ce86.ico)TSNTravis Yost![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/QGDZOL3KAVG3RBDZRRVTRQ5JFQ-137fb321-e7f4-4753-acba-0e0729cf9ff6.JPG)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/timeline-might-push-canucks-towards-a-boeser-trade/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 32 Thoughts is back, which means the hockey season is right around the corner: [32 Thoughts: The PodcastHockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman & Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-96a5493a-9e75-4584-a5ee-9196cd222201.ico)Sportsnet.ca![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/32-Thoughts-podcast-Elliotte-Friedman-Kyle-Bukauskas-c208a3ab-d15d-4f1b-b024-1f8475f6a99f.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/podcasts/32-thoughts/surprise/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Elliotte Friedman discusses expansion and mentions that the NHL has only 25 US-based teams which is the least of all professional sports. This is coming as the US TV deal is due to expire in two years. Friedman speculates that full expansion is coming now, with two teams including Atlanta as well as one in Texas before that new deal is finalized. He also speculates that this will be the big finish to Bettman's term as commissioner, and he will retreat to some advisor role while Bill Daly takew over. This is all very sensible stuff because the NHL has done a very good job lately (after a long period of not doing this) of getting attendance up in all teams and ticket prices right for the market. Yes, obviously, Leafs tickets cost more than Panthers tickets. The open door now to raising revenue is that US TV deal. And that deal goes up if the NHL expands into big markets. Many Canadian fans want more Canadian teams, and in my opinion, we're likely to see fewer not more. This issue of attendance and ticket sales is still very important, and teams like the Jets and the Nordiques have had problems in this regard. With Ottawa finally selling a lot of tickets, there should be zero appetite from anyone in the NHL to put in a competing team for their market. It's not about greed, greed, everyone is greedy!!! It's about having teams that are actually viable and make the league healthier overall. When the Nordiques moved to Denver, they needed time to grow, but they actually did grow, which was the point of it all. The bit that will get the buzz, however, is a second-hand theory, which is not reporting by anyone, about the idea that if Toronto has a good season and the Penguins don't then Erik Karlsson would end up on the Leafs. This concept seems to be based on the connection to Daniel Alfredsson, and is actually plausible. Karlsson is UFA at the end of this season. Puck moving is what the Leafs would still be after. > Rumblings: sounds like Ron Maclean will return to Roger’s Saturday night hockey , barring the unforeseen. Same time neither Elliotte’s or Kevin’s contracts have been finalized as of yet. Some talk about one or both seeking to do work with Amazon too- but nothing done with either > > — Jonah Sigel | Sports media + streaming (@yyzsportsmedia) [August 25, 2026](https://x.com/yyzsportsmedia/status/2092276015699496983?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Rumblings pt 2: all on air talent - who were under contract last season likely to return. Told the NHL was unaware of lack of Roger’s usual participation and were not pleased with certain “talent” being absent from European event > > — Jonah Sigel | Sports media + streaming (@yyzsportsmedia) [August 25, 2026](https://x.com/yyzsportsmedia/status/2092276798155346393?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is the interesting part. That European event was timed in the dullest of dull offseasons, and it also was of interest in Canada to Oilers fans more than anyone else. Rogers isn't actually required to haul someone off their vacation to do an interview with Leon Draisaitl. In other news, it's EBUGs! > From the team release: "He will wear sweater No. 00 with Minnesota." [https://t.co/VLGd74MCst](https://t.co/VLGd74MCst?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [August 25, 2026](https://x.com/reporterchris/status/2092323237363343492?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Further to this, it sounds like every EBUG is required to wear No. 00 for their NHL team this season‼️ > > As a reminder: Everyone will carry an emergency backup home and road this season. Those goalies can't have NHL experience or more than 80 pro games. [https://t.co/tiPr46b99v](https://t.co/tiPr46b99v?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [August 25, 2026](https://x.com/reporterchris/status/2092340134830121283?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And we have a PTO. > Goaltender Cal Petersen will join the Washington Capitals' 2026 Training Camp on a professional tryout agreement. > > — Capitals PR (@CapitalsPR) [August 25, 2026](https://x.com/CapitalsPR/status/2092311089459380409?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Nearly as early as last year. And another one: > Sounds like Alex Nylander will be coming to camp with the [#Flames](https://x.com/hashtag/Flames?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), likely on a PTO. > > 24G 53P in 65 AHL GP[https://t.co/WOLU0PxO7L](https://t.co/WOLU0PxO7L?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [August 26, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2092425262206177390?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The tracker: [https://puckpedia.com/news/2026-nhl-pto-tracker-team-team-player-signings](https://puckpedia.com/news/2026-nhl-pto-tracker-team-team-player-signings?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's all for now. Try to be as good as person as Dolly at least some of the time: > Our thoughts are with Dolly's family, her friends and the millions of people whose lives she impacted through her music and passion for helping others 💛 [https://t.co/Qflzvp1wKW](https://t.co/Qflzvp1wKW?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) [August 25, 2026](https://x.com/PredsNHL/status/2092327905137222048?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### 2026 T25U25: Harry Nansi is #16 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-harry-nansi-is-16/ Last updated: 2026-08-25T12:00:14.000Z Drafted last summer, Harry Nansi is a player who has made some big improvements, but considering his starting point, is that more than just fulfilling the base expectation? The vote – a rise from 19 last year says the latter. The early scouting on Nansi was all about potential, and the tangible ways he can improve and grow beyond initial expectations if given a long runway. He's done some of that, but the hard reality is he's not the youngest guy anymore, and he hasn't got all the time in the world. Potential has to be realized quickly in this game. | Harry Nansi | Vitals | | ---------------- | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 18.81 | | Position | LW | | Height | 6'3" | | Weight (lbs) | 186 | | Shoots | R | | Draft Year | 2025 | | Draft Number | 153 | One of the reasons why he is considered a genuine prospect who can improve beyond the usual growth curve is that he entered the draft with some space for meaningful physical development. He was not a 5'11" guy who might add 10 pounds and a possibly phantom inch. He had grown taller over the course of junior hockey pre-draft, and his body mass had not caught up. Let's talk player size! Go to NHL.com and stroll through the handy biographical information for last season's NHL forwards. A good number of them are right at 6'3" tall, but of those, almost all are at or near 200 lbs. The more lithe players who have succeed are Eetu Loustarainen and Martin Necas, players whose skating is clean and fast and plays a big role in their games. At his current listed body mass, Nansi is undersized for his height as a hockey player. And it is very difficult for players in the OHL to gain mass. They play too much and train too little. That said, he's added 20 lbs since he's been in the OHL. He needs power to overcome some imperfect skating and to give him the ability to become an immovable object that gives players like Dakota Joshua, Nick Paul, Colton Sissons, Brandon Duhaime and Auston Matthews the ability to stake out a spot in front of the net and keep it. This is the same state Tinus Luc Koblar is at as well. ### The Player From the beginning (all of last June) Nansi has been compared to Koblar. It's apt, as they are both tall, lanky, centre/wingers who play with a noticeable commitment and pace. When Koblar was the automatic and expected centre for Gavin McKenna at the development camp this July, Nansi was their winger. They both want to use power to advance their team's cause, maybe more than they currently have, and they want to rev up the pace of play in all ways. The key difference is that Koblar is just a great deal better at the game. He was last summer, and he is improving in the big leaps his age requires of him. Their line at development camp was the runaway obvious serious line, but then it would be, wouldn't it? For Nansi, as much as he might need a longer runway, the time is now where he needs to start showing the acceleration in his growth to try to catch up to Koblar. Named OHL player of the week in November, he was suddenly getting attention from outside the prospect-aware fans. Points got him noticed. The slump the Owen Sound Attack hit in mid-season turned the attention right away from him. In the spring, he joined the Marlies, but did not play, as was the case with most of the juniors joining the team save Ben Danford who walked onto the defence roster and stayed there. Again, that's the status Nansi has to accelerate towards to be a serious prospect and not just another "better than his draft number" guy. Making the scouting staff look clever is not the end goal. His points attracted attention this past season, and as [explained by his coach to Steve Dangle](https://youtu.be/EmgTrv4EPNQ?si=RXLMfrkFyBgoSePv&t=211&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), he got some power play time when the Attack were hitting at an unsustainable PP% for a time. Nansi later played as a winger on the third line. This is actually a key part of his game that can see him aiming for a future in a role like some of the players the Leafs just signed. He has a versatile game. He can be the third-best guy on a scoring line or the motor on a shutdown line that also "spreads out the scoring". He can check and he can make plays. This versatility is why he needs the power to back up his off-puck play. His on-puck play is actually pretty good, given his usage in junior. Nansi, who grew up in Ottawa, spent last summer at the Leafs facility working with the Leafs skating coach, and as detailed in one report, eating the Maple Leafs provided food like the NHLers do, and working out with the NHL trainers. He took about 10 pounds of new muscle back to Owen Sound last year, and it paid off. This is a [very early report from Brigstew](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-prospect-report-harry-nansis-breakout-is-beginning/): > Why do I think \[improving his skating is\] more important for Nansi than most other players? Because he's already so good in so many areas, but also because of the intelligent and power-style game he plays. He has the great hockey sense to be able to get involved in the play and have an impact, with and without the puck, when his skating was so wonky. Imagine how much better his game will be when his skating helps him get to where he wants to go quicker, and quicker? You can already see the evidence of this with how much better he looks to start this season after just a couple of months working with Toronto's development team this summer. He was already obviously better early this past season, but he needed at that point to bend the curve up on his offensive abilities. His subsequent power play points created some buzz, but it's going to be his five-on-five game that gets him anywhere. His early season last year was marked by repeated reports of great playmaking and overall hockey intelligence, so all the signs point to a full toolbox. The mid-season slump his coach characterized as team-wide put the brakes on the points and the excitement, but not his development. He ended up playing primarily as a winger, as he would do at development camp, and perhaps it's time we decide that's his future position permanently. [From development camp](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/standouts-from-the-2026-development-camp/) this July: > Nansi looked much improved from this time last year, especially with his skating. He looks faster and much sturdier on his feet – no more looking like Bambi out there. He was still pushed off his skates a few times, but only by bigger opponents. Otherwise he was everything he has been but with the dials turned up a bit. He used his strength and positioning to win loose puck battles off faceoffs and along the boards. He showed great composure by making accurate passes into the slot while falling and while being physically checked. His improved skating balance allowed him to carry the puck cleanly on transition and score a goal from the slot. He's just so smart and creative with and without the puck and finds ways to impact the play all over the ice. There is one source that indicates he's already put on the muscle he needs to add power, and it listing him at 200 lbs. This might be true, as it has been updated several times, but the Leafs list him at 186 for now. We'll find out when the new roster comes out soon, but having the power, learning to use it and building a game that can get him advancement into the AHL and beyond is his next step. Calling him a long-term project might be a bit misleading because there is a limit on how much time all prospects have. He needs to accelerate his advancement, and so far he has taken advantage of every opportunity for growth that the Leafs are offering him. ### The Votes The votes for Nansi, while the first unanimous choice, cover a wide range reflecting the size of the pool of players who need to take the big leaps he still needs, but also differences in opinion about how likely any of that is. | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | 16 | | Species | 18 | | Hound Line | 13 | | Shinson93 | 20 | | Cameron | 13 | | Sclodiggity | 10 | | Brian S | 10 | | Svalbard38 | 12 | | Zone Entry | 22 | | Hardev | 20 | | Adam | 23 | | Weighted Average | 16.09 | | Highest Vote | 10 | | Lowest Vote | 23 | I landed right in the middle, and with my increasing focus in voting on dropping players sooner if these leaps don't happen, he's on the cusp. Next year when he will be 20 years old, something impressive needs to have happened because the expectation of OHL play will have risen accordingly. ### The Opinions > **Shinson93:** Nansi has been difficult for me. I tried to watch him, but Owen Sound was just unwatchable for me. I don’t know what they were trying to do, but it didn’t seem like hockey. I can’t tell if he was being asked to do things that he couldn’t or if the coach just didn’t have the horses to put Nansi into a position where he could succeed. Whichever the case, he really struggled being on the ice for a lot of goals against. Hopefully, it was part of learning to play a 200 ft game, but I want to see a lot more from Nansi this season. > **Cameron:** Last year at the time of the draft, Nansi was my favourite pick by the Leafs. He never quits and he has the talent to go far, and his biggest downside (skating) has improved a lot since he was drafted. Unfortunately, he has had some trouble with consistency (although his team struggled this year, which may have played a bit of a factor). Ultimately, I think this guy is a hidden gem and I personally have him as one of the guys I’m betting on making the leafs eventually (whether that be in 2 years or 7). > **Brigstew:** Nansi made some big improvements on his game from last year to now, but he still has some ways to go. His skating, balance and strength on his feet got a lot better and that unlocked a lot more for his game. The good news is he’s still quite young, not much older than McKenna or Fedoseyev. So it’s not unreasonable to think he still has more runway than most D+2 guys. The other good news is I think he’s still on track from what I guessed for him last year, as a long term project with those same exciting skills and tools further developed than they were last year. The bad news is that Owen Sound has been kind of a hot mess of a team, and I kind of hope he gets traded to a contender in the second half of the season. I ranked him 10th because I’m still excited by the tools and potential. > **Sclodiggity:** I’m relatively high on Nansi and I’m not sure why. He has a diverse skillset and likely more offense than his stats would suggest. The way people talk about his work ethic, forechecking, and general motor, is both encouraging and a feel good type of prospect. The length of Pierre Engvall and the tenacity of Zach Hyman? How is that not a good combo? Playing on a poor OHL team has upsides and downsides, so it would be good to see him play in another situation to see how he can leverage/complement stronger linemates. > **Svalbard38:** The headline with Nansi when we drafted him was “long-term project”, especially considering he was one of the youngest players in his draft class. What I was looking for this past season was for him to improve on his skating, and to show me that he had some tools to build around. That’s what he did. His skating took a noticeable step, and while his season was inconsistent, he had some excellent stretches, good enough to be voted the OHL Western Conference’s most improved player. When we talk about a long-term project, especially at Nansi’s age, I’m willing to forgive an inconsistent season as long as the highs are high. Next year I’d like to see him put together a more consistent campaign, and, like others have suggested, hopefully get traded to a better team. > **Hardev:** I’m trying to be patient with Nansi. It’s clear he has a long way to go physically, a process of getting stronger that started as soon as he was drafted. It might’ve been mentioned in the article but he’s anywhere between 179 and 201 lbs for a 6’4” player. What I’m trying to be patient about is letting Nansi develop the game his body allows him to play. A season ago in the bottom six, Nansi worked really hard along the boards and as a playmaker. For some reason I saw less of that this past season while he was in the top six when I was hoping to see it more. I wanted to see him challenge the better players in the OHL and win battles. To be fair, I didn’t see much oomph from Owen Sound as a whole at all. The Ottawa 67s, where he now plays, were really tight defensively and run by a coach who knows what he’s doing in Dave Cameron. I hope Nansi learns a lot next season because last year worried me a bit. What do you think? Not just of his ranking, but where he fits as a player in the wider sense. Is he a sign of clever scouts or does he have an NHL future? ### Tuesday's FTB: The Case of the Missing Cup is Solved URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-12/ Last updated: 2026-08-25T10:00:04.000Z > The Walter Cup keeper trophy (which is the one that travels from player to player) was lost in shipment. > > — Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) [August 24, 2026](https://x.com/JeffMarek/status/2092003563773775978?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Avalanche confident Makar will have new contract before start of season | NHL.comSakic says sides ‘continue talking,’ defenseman can become unrestricted free agent after 2026-27![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-2486860f-c3a1-4919-acf4-03b8d8f13734.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/qrz67ub1gj9bzbctqa1w-5ba1bc2e-f960-4571-9eb8-25ee569ca0db.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/avalanche-gm-joe-sakic-confident-cale-makar-will-sign-new-contract?utm%5Fsource=xdotcom&utm%5Fmedium=nhl%5Fsocial&utm%5Fcampaign=media) [What would an under-25 Team Canada look like?A look at who might crack an under-25 Team Canada squad today.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-55a91188-ef2d-4917-92bf-ddd8c3382e2b.ico)Sportsnet.caSonny Sachdeva![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-48-1-212d7c2b-9ea4-4f7e-a495-e7223bd4be16.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/what-would-an-under-25-team-canada-look-like/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) When Swedish club Färjestad signed Cal Foote, it was former Maple Leaf Richard Wallin doing the deal: [Uppgifter: Färjestads miljonsmäll - efter brutna kontraktetFärjestads tvingades backa från värvningen av Cal Foote efter kritikstormen. Nu ser värvningen ut att kosta miljoner för klubben, rapporterar Sportbladet.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-07be291d-069f-448d-9e03-d1b24692e9d1.ico)HockeysverigeAndreas Larsson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/d22a9388cca0-split-screen-31-24-76850807-4b9d-4284-a713-b74d2a93e5e9.jpg)](https://hockeysverige.se/shl/uppgifter-farjestads-miljonsmall-efter-brutna-kontraktet-aer1w4j3r31Q/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Now that they've cancelled his contract under pressure from fans and local politicians, the club could be required to pay his full salary of $3.5 million SEK or about $500,000 Canadian. They're also paying out the contract of a coach they hired and then fired after a few weeks, so bad business and personnel decisions are not new. Leafs prospect Måns Gudmundsson plays for this team. Uh oh. This needs to be a Leafs only version, something like Phil vs JvR or Sundin vs well, huh, Matthews, I guess. Maybe we can do a Top 27 since 1967 (it scans better than 1967). That's the best I can come up with to get you to avoid work today. Have a great day! ### 2026 T25U25: William Villeneuve is #17 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-william-villeneuve-is-17/ Last updated: 2026-08-24T12:00:41.000Z William Villeneuve got a cup of coffee in the NHL as the Leafs spiraled towards the end of their worst season in a decade. Give Villeneuve credit for being the one to get the call-up, and no one can take away his NHL debut, but that's about all it is. And in his last T25U25 season, Villeneuve finishes more-or-less where he's been ranked the entire time. | William Villeneuve | Vitals | | ------------------ | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 24.28 | | Position | RD | | Height | 6'2" | | Weight (lbs) | 183 | | Shoots | R | | Draft Year | 2020 | | Draft Number | 122 | ### The Player Since being drafted in 2020, a common refrain about Villeneuve is that he's an offensive defenseman, even though his point totals directly correlate with power play time. Meanwhile, there's not much to write home about at 5v5\. His Calder Cup winning season with the Marlies paints that picture more clearly than ever. Thanks to the useful site, [AHLTracker.com](https://www.ahltracker.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), Villeneuve had 30 points in 61 regular season games last year for the Marlies. He had three goals and 27 assists, good for eighth in Marlies scoring, which was a bit higher than Henry Thrun who has since moved on. When you filter his points to even strength, he only has 13 points, good for only fourth on the Marlies behind Noah Chadwick, Matt Benning, and Thrun. For someone titled as an offensive defenseman, that reputation breaks down very quickly. Top of that, a brief review of who made goals happen on the Marlies last year makes it clear that it was the forwards who created chances and buried goals. The Marlies didn't have anyone who could play with the top six at their level. What Villeneuve brings to the table is a sufficient combination of confidence with the puck and experience that had him on the first power play unit – one, it must be said, that spent stretches trialing five forwards on it. It's hard to argue Villeneuve added plus value to the power play, instead being a cog in the wheel and playing a role. When Villeneuve came to the Leafs for three game, I will admit he stood out against the background of beaten down, bloodied, and demoralized defenders that remained. The Leafs defense couldn't make a pass, they couldn't get out of the zone. They were slow and exhausted, and had been stuck in a type of purgatory for 70 games. In contrast, Villeneuve played a simple game for about 16 minutes a night where he completed passes and made sure he didn't get tossed around. It was enough to be seen as a breath of fresh air in the same way Troy Stetcher was. At 24, Villeneuve is either an NHLer or he isn't. Last year, the Leafs were one of the worst-performing defenseive teams in the league. Villeneuve got a few games in, but it's telling that he didn't get an extended stay at any time before mid-April. This season, the Leafs project their defense to be significantly improved. I don't see Villeneuve as an option. If he had got himself onto the roster as a 6/7 guy last year, it's a different story, but that's not what happened. Even looking to the Marlies, I wouldn't be surprised if Noah Chadwick gets more looks at PP1\. Chadwick was a better player in junior, especially on the power play. Villeneuve will need to gain a reputation for more than power play points to have an extended pro career. For reference, Henry Thrun is a year older, has 120 more NHL games to his name, and signed as a premier AHLer in Winnipeg this summer. ### The Votes I ranked Villeneuve 17th, right about where he ended up being ranked. Two voters placed him 25th, one didn't rank him, and no one put Villeneuve in their top-10\. | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | NA | | Species | 17 | | Hound Line | 18 | | Shinson93 | 25 | | Cameron | 16 | | Sclodiggity | 12 | | Brian S | 19 | | Svalbard38 | 13 | | Zone Entry | 25 | | Hardev | 18 | | Adam | 11 | | Weighted Average | 18.18 | | Highest Vote | 11 | | Lowest Vote | 25 | Villeneuve was essentially tied with Friday's player, Zac Olsen, who had a weighted average of 18.27\. These two players couldn't be more different – Villeneuve is the 5th oldest on the list while Olsen is the 5th youngest. So the fact they were ranked so closely shows that this series isn't about the "rank" but an excuse to talk about these players at whatever stage in their careers they happen to be in. ### The Opinions > Shinson93: This guy is a good story, winning a Calder cup and getting some NHL games as our own drafted prospect. I don’t think he has the chops to be more than an AHLer, but he’s continued to improve when I didn’t think he would. > Brigstew: The fact that he actually played in an NHL game made me so happy. I’ve always been a fan of Villeneuve, and if he gets another game here or there I hope he enjoys it. I don’t think he’ll ever go beyond that, but him becoming as good as he is now is a pretty big achievement for him for how long he’s come. > Sclodiggity: I think Villeneuve is an NHLer. He won’t be a regular on the Leafs (and is likely to see zero games), but looking around the league, I’d take him over a few team’s bottom pair guys. That’s what defines a tweener, but I think he could be getting 50+ games in the right situation. What does that mean for his value to the Leafs? Well, probably not trade value, but having a solid call up option and contributing to a Calder Cup win definitely counts for something. I could see him getting a call before any of Mermis, Danford, Borgesi, Rifai, or Webber (still gotta jump Myers and Stecher though…) > Cathy: I don't watch much junior hockey, but I watched the Memorial Cup the year Villeneuve won, and he was so much fun. But I've never bought in on his future growth. I think there is a strange idea that offensive skills are innate like being musical or grasping math easily, but that defence is a set of steps you can be taught. The ballet vs line dancing. Defence is not something you can unpick from the rest of the game and draw a diagram of it. But he hasn't got it and he's at the end of the runway. > Svalbard38: Like last year, I ranked Villeneuve probably a bit higher than he deserves, a lot of that is because I can see him being the first call-up on defence in the case of an injury. I don’t see him developing into a every day player for the Leafs though, and I’d like to see one of the younger defencemen, hopefully Danford but maybe Chadwick or one of the college signings, have a monster season in the AHL and displace Villeneuve from his spot at presumptive first call-up. > Zone Entry: I’m not expecting Villeneuve to become a Leaf regular, and probably less of a call-up as other kids develop, but being a strong AHLer still provides value to the organization and is also a higher level than a lot of prospects reach. > Cameron: I was really high on Villeneuve after his final QMJHL season, then his stock started to drop and it seemed like he may not be qualified, and last season he brought his stock up enough to play in three NHL games followed by contributing to a Calder Cup championship. I’m not sure if he will ever be a full time defenceman for the Leafs, but I would like to see if he can make a push this season to be their 7th/8th dman. I still believe he has more to show. This being Villeneuve's last year in the T25, let me share with you where he was ranked throughout his Leafs prospect career. 2025 - 17th 2024 - 21st 2023 - 16th 2022 - 14th 2021 - 25th 2020 - NR That 2020 ranking had Villeneuve in the group of honourable mentions with Adam Brooks, Axel Rindell, Joey Duszak, and Kristians Rubins. What a group! ### Monday's FTB: Expansion is coming URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-expansion/ Last updated: 2026-08-24T10:00:14.000Z [NHL could see expansion team awarded to Houston or Austin before the end of the yearThe National Hockey League is on track to add a 33rd franchise as soon as the end of the year, according to deputy commissioner Bill Daly.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-363ae03a-cf36-4c2a-88bf-b76385cec8d1.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/KGJW3NXFNXXHB6EZGQ2K5TQNEA-01c8c022-34d6-4e5c-ad46-307c20d106b5.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/nhl-could-see-expansion-team-awarded-to-houston-or-austin-before-the-end-of-the-year/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > “We’re moving forward in Texas,” Daly said in an interview at the NHL’s European Media Tour to TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston [in a piece published on *The Athletic*](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7531325/2026/08/22/nhl-expansion-houston-austin-bill-daly/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). “I expect ultimately we’ll be in a position to bring something to the board to get their view on it. So, that’s proceeding at a pace. We’ll probably get together with the group again in September and kind of see where they are in the process and what they want us to do to help, to the extent they need anything. > “If we finalize that and the board approves it, then (at the) end of this calendar year we’ll have an announcement that we’re expanding to either Houston or Austin.” > The two cities in play, according to Johnston, are Houston and Austin. Houston boasts the fourth-largest market in the United States, while Austin is viewed as an intriguing option in a unique, emerging city. As announced in June, the Friedkin Group is the bidder, prepared to buy in with an expansion fee of around $2 billion as well as fronting the cost of building the arena. The projected first season of play for the new team is 2029-2030\. I'd crack a joke about articles about prospective expansion draft scenarios, but they already exist. --- [Matt Larkin’s fantasy hockey top 300 player rankings for 2026-27With the season starting early, get the jump on your competition with this cheat sheet, complete with bios for each player.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-5b30f8af-ec79-4504-862b-a02b8d7cb08d.png)Daily FaceoffMatt Larkin![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-47db6ce1-97be-4627-8fb0-ec96ca43623d)](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/matt-larkin-fantasy-hockey-top-300-nhl-player-rankings-2026-27-list-draft-pool?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Ranking the best all-time seasons by the NHL’s ageless warriorsWith two of the game’s superstars in the ballpark of 40, Ryan Dixon wanted to honour all ageless warriors by identifying the best seasons by a player — including skaters and goalies — aged 41 or older in NHL history.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-6a0248d3-d90f-4c9d-9783-fb9ec678903e.ico)Sportsnet.caRyan Dixon![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-107-738be1a4-fe95-4ef5-90ac-9004ae750c16.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/ranking-the-best-all-time-seasons-by-the-nhls-ageless-warriors/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [‘Zee’s Final Shift’ brings Chara back to ice for tribute game | NHL.comLongtime Bruins captain joined by retired NHL stars, former teammates![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-abf6384f-c837-43fd-b880-591404ec7d69.png)NHL logoMichael Langr – NHL.com/cs Senior Independent Correspondent![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/rvwx8hgy1bg1z5nlylla-5ae29e93-7b06-463e-89ba-bfda4d892855.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/zees-final-shift-brings-zdeno-chara-back-to-ice?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Have a great Monday. The T25 is already up to number 17. ### 2026 T25U25 Week 2 Summary URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-week-2-summary/ Last updated: 2026-08-22T12:00:04.000Z With the T25 fully underway, we revealed 22 through 18\. ### Official Vote [2026 T25U25: Patriks Plumins is #22The first goalie to make an appearance in our rankings is one of the new guys.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-596f4dd9-91e7-4be3-88fd-be8477f245a1.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1740171285005-025b5174b546-c65df5d7-ea5e-4b4f-8c4c-575eb3e6071c)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-patriks-plumins-is-22/) [2026 T25U25: Landon Sim is #21He’s fun. And he knows that’s his ticket to greater things.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-a2f1356b-2aa8-4a58-b174-368d2dcc6369.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1782914149305-bbcdaf9d067c-994ba601-4798-4329-b7c1-a8545857f343)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-landon-sim-is-21/) [2026 T25U25: Yaroslav Fedoseyev is #20A draft steal makes the list in his first year.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-8701a87b-19df-46e2-8dfb-01792b6c8181.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1714948370053-9ea912656142-472ec0d6-5c68-4a38-9772-78e2fef6b369)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-yaroslav-fedoseyev-is-20/) [2026 T25U25: Noah Chadwick is #19Making the jump to pro hockey is hard.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-6f142653-bbaa-47d1-a5fc-c831eaf0eca6.png)PPP LeafsHardev![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1737264044329-785376197150-49ab5264-a354-4738-a738-ed2197c688c6)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-noah-chadwick-is-19/) [2026 T25U25: Zac Olsen is #18Or Zach, you decide.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-41fa0f20-7955-4918-a9aa-8fc2e2fbd383.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1666125875644-5109656136e1-5ea2bebe-93b1-4bd1-86eb-c246bbd0fc58)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-zac-olsen-is-18/) Patriks Plumins at 22nd had a weighted average ranking of 21.64 the next three crept up by small amounts, less than half a point to Noah Chadwick at 20.73, and then the biggest jump on the list occurred with Zach (or Zac, the internet is divided on this) Olsen at 18.27, 2.45 ranking points higher and giving him a weighted ranking almost right on his ranking. What that means is that everyone from 19 on down to 30th place fit in between 20 and 25 in weighted ranking, so they could be considered a large bottom tier of players. Olsen is clearly being taken more seriously by those who voted for him. Not everyone did, and we are yet to have the first unanimous ranking, that comes next week. ### Community Vote #### Borya Valis at #22 With an average ranking of 21.19, Valis is a full point above your 23rd ranked player. He came it at 26 on the official list. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/Borya-Valis_community_histo.jpg) That's a consensus that he should be ranked, but low. #### Zac Olsen at #21 Almost tied with Valis, he's not the player marking a new trend in voting on your list. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/Zac-Olsen_community_histo.jpg) This might be a split vote as it appears, or it's noise since Olsen's original place as a young prospect is at the end of the list. #### Landon Sim at #20 With an average 1.7 points higher, Sim is actually where your average ranking starts to line up with the actual ranking place. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/Landon-Sim_community_histo.jpg) A very firm consensus vote. #### Måns Gudnundsson at #19 Not yet revealed on the Official Vote, you ranked this new defender at a virtual tie with Sim. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/M--ns-Gudmundsson_community_histo.jpg) Note the y-axis is high to accommodate the number of voters who left him where he started, as the last name and youngest player on the list. #### Harry Nansi at #18 Your vote jumps Nansi up to close to his ranking place with an average of 18.85, and is a clear higher choice than the two below him. Also not yet revealed on the Official Vote. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/Harry-Nansi_community_histo.jpg) Note the y-axis, now showing the strongest consensus vote so far with the fewest N/A votes and the least amount of noise around his original place. And that's all for today. The lists are starting to align more with one surprise difference to be revealed next weekend. ### Weekend FTB: Who stole the Walter Cup? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-who-stole-the-walter-cup/ Last updated: 2026-08-22T09:20:09.000Z A cat burglar has gotten its paws on the Walter Cup and no one is sure where it is. The PWHL's trophy disappeared in transit to Lethbridge, Alberta where Dara Greig was to have her day with the Cup. Those plans were cancelled when the case containing the Cup was opened and it was found the Cup was not inside, and no one seems to know where it went. [PWHL’s Walter Cup championship trophy went missing while in transit to AlbertaThe Walter Cup is missing — or at least the replica version of the trophy that belongs to the Professional Women’s Hockey League champion Montreal Victoire, the league told The Associated Press on Friday.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-dd9cb06e-c1bf-4fa9-a491-0db942e8f6cd.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CLTE6TMZ7FFLPAPRLT4BJQQY2E-59343ea8-a315-4d9d-9c7a-c9cccd4de07b.JPG)](https://www.tsn.ca/pwhl/article/pwhls-walter-cup-championship-trophy-went-missing-while-in-transit-to-alberta/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Unlike the Stanley Cup, a new version of the Walter Cup is made each season and gifted to the winning team. The original Walter Cup is brought out only for the on-ice presentation and otherwise resides at the Hockey Hall of Fame, and it is confirmed to be there. This version that has gone missing is the one that permanently belongs to the Montreal Victoire. So who took it and why? I invite your wildest possible speculation. Was it aliens? I feel like it was probably aliens. I'm thinking the Tholians discovered the Cup can resonate at a certain quantum temporal frequency to be a catalyst to open a portal to another dimension. In other news, a name resurfaces that will join the Leafs' ECHL affiliate, but only on an ECHL contract. Burmistrov has some claim to fame for being one of the few remaining active hockey players drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers. Evander Kane and Zach Bogosian are the other two. > Here's a weird one.. > > Remember this name? > > 34-year-old forward Alexander Burmistrov, the 8th overall pick from the 2010 NHL Draft, is signing an ECHL contract with Cincinnati [@CincyCyclones](https://x.com/CincyCyclones?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) \- returning to North America after playing the last eight years in KHL.[@InsideAHLHockey](https://x.com/InsideAHLHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Tony Androckitis\* (@TonyAndrock) [August 21, 2026](https://x.com/TonyAndrock/status/2090802963455373820?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Maybe if he's good he'll get offered an AHL contract and play for the Marlies? We'll see where this goes, but I can't imagine after all this time away there's some reason he really wants to live in Cincinnati. Maybe he really likes Cincinnati Chili? Come up here to Toronto, Alex. I know how to make an actually good pasta casserole. [Cincinnati Chili Spaghetti Recipe | Classic Cincinnati DishDiscover how to make authentic Cincinnati Chili Spaghetti, a delicious twist on traditional chili with spaghetti. Perfect for any meal!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/cropped-The-Homemade-bite-1-1-270x270-6b2e2a5c-2577-4b7c-ae2f-982531e15784.webp)The Homemade BiteViolet![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/cincinnati-chili-spaghetti-ffb2d094-ca96-4879-b282-b2b8c6646f00.webp)](https://thehomemadebite.com/cincinnati-chili-spaghetti/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And another name we know may be making a move. > Breaking: I'm told that barring the unexpected the new voice of the [@MapleLeafs](https://x.com/MapleLeafs?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) on radio will be Marlies voice [@ToddCrocker](https://x.com/ToddCrocker?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) who will join Jim Ralph on the radio this season... More in coming days > > — Jonah Sigel | Sports media + streaming (@yyzsportsmedia) [August 21, 2026](https://x.com/yyzsportsmedia/status/2090844398456033281?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Enjoy your weekend. ### 2026 T25U25: Zac Olsen is #18 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-zac-olsen-is-18/ Last updated: 2026-08-21T12:33:54.000Z Everyone loves that player archetype that's the hard working, fast skating, hard hitting winger that does the dirty work on his line and pitches in on offense by acting like a wrecking ball. The Leafs took a couple of those kinds of players in this year's draft, but Zac(h) Olsen is the only one to crack this year's T25U25. | Zac Olsen | Vitals | | ---------------- | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 18.29 | | Position | RW | | Height | 6'1" | | Weight (lbs) | 203 | | Shoots | R | | Draft Year | 2026 | | Draft Number | 73 | ### The Player A quick reprise for those who want to know more about who Olsen is as a player in more detail: [Maple Leafs Draft Zach Olsen with the 73rd overall in the 2026 NHL Entry DraftToronto took a guy that teams hate to play against, genuinely. If you want a guy who can be an energy checker and a rat, he’s a fun one.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-2e1bf444-b4f7-4876-a0f9-673ebe923219.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1522448241177-ae0afec2bb73-99cd4798-414e-4dbd-aeb4-11e4b8d11752)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-draft-zach-olsen-with-the-73rd-overall-in-the-2026-nhl-entry-draft/) [Getting to Know Zach OlsenWhat if I told you that Zach Olsen could be a fun combination of Landon Sim and Bobby McMann? Would that bring you joy?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-0d494842-bf57-45f6-9bb6-2d64231eb23d.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1673026002361-64b5b15032ee-69050e40-f9d2-4618-8743-3a38fa0f08d8)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/getting-to-know-zach-olsen/) Slight spoiler: the rankings for Olsen were all over the place, in fact he may have the craziest distribution of votes of any other player on the official rankings this year. And the thing is, I can understand both sides – even though I only ranked him 22nd, he's someone I can see making a big jump next year if he has a good freshman season in the NCAA next year. It helps that Olsen already has a solid foundation for a depth/supporting winger. I mentioned the speed, work ethic, and physical play already, which makes a somewhat safe bet for him to make the NHL in some kind of depth role – but it's not a guarantee yet. The advantage he has over, say, a Ryan Tverberg who has a somewhat similar kind of game is that Olsen has already been gearing his play to a professional-style role player for the past two years. It honestly does give a bit of a leg up to know who you are, who you're ***not***, and work hard to be the best in those specific ways. The interesting thing for Olsen now is how he will continue to develop in the NCAA. Colorado College is not a top program, but it is in a pretty good conference and they have a decent amount of NHL draft picks for next year. Mind you, none of them are very high picks. Olsen joining this coming season makes him the youngest by a pretty clear margin – he's the only non-goalie who isn't already 20+ years old, and he's still 18 until next March. There were three things I mentioned about Olsen in his post-draft profile that I thought were his biggest needs for improvement: passing, puck handling, and discipline. I stand by those, as they are the areas that could have the biggest room for improvement. But honestly, to expand on the improvements, I'd like him to start fine tuning the kinds of skills that work well for a power winger – and he need only look at the development of Nikita Grebyonkin in this regard. That means specifically being able to make passes and handle the puck in close, around the net, along the boards, and so on. Those are the areas where Olsen will be making his bread and butter, so he needs to be able to not just cause chaos there by being fast and physical, but be able to make some plays with some consistency. He doesn't need to become a dynamic offensive star, he just needs to be able to fish the puck out of a scrum and keep the puck possession moving for his team. ### The Votes Here's how the votes broke down: | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | 11 | | Species | 13 | | Hound Line | 19 | | Shinson93 | 17 | | Cameron | 23 | | Sclodiggity | 15 | | Brian S | 22 | | Svalbard38 | 14 | | Zone Entry | NA | | Hardev | NA | | Adam | 15 | | Weighted Average | 18.27 | | Highest Vote | 11 | | Lowest Vote | 23 | Like I said, the distribution of his votes are kind of crazy. As high as 11 with two people who didn't rank him at all. But votes pretty much everywhere between 11 and 25\. I wound up being one of the skeptical ones about him, which seems weird but I wanted to see some more certainty from him. ### The Opinions Here's what the other voters had to say about Olsen: > **Shinson93**: Like Hirvonen and Niemela, it’s probably going to be hard for me to not think of Olsen and Williams together. Honestly, I don’t know a lot about either of them, but I found that Olsen’s jump to NCAA as an 18 year old being the reason that he jumped up my list over a few other players in this range. > **Svalbard38**: A “good feeling” isn’t real, it’s not measurable or quantifiable, there’s not always a ton of logic behind it. Sometimes it’s from the way a guy plays, sometimes it’s because he has a name you like to say (you won’t convince me that this isn’t at least a little bit of a contributing factor to how quickly the fanbase embraced Miroslav Holinka). But sometimes you have a good feeling anyway. Olsen is a player I feel good about. A lot of that is his playstyle this time. He’s speed, he’s physicality, he’s intensity, not a top scorer but if he had everything going for him he wouldn’t have been available in the third. A guy like Olsen is a guy a coach wants in the lineup. I’m not saying he’ll be a major difference maker in the NHL but he’s the kind of guy who could make a career as a third line energy guy if he can keep developing. > **Sclodiggity**: Youth is exciting (and legitimately relevant). Olsen is quite young (the 5th youngest on the list) and will switch leagues next year which means exposure to new ideas and coaching which can lead to changes in development trends (hopefully in a good way). The NCAA should be a good place for Olsen to develop as a responsible two-way player as he’ll need those skills to get ice time (and a coach’s praise) there, more so than in the CHL where nifty mitts can take you far. I think the move supports the player he is and will need to be to make the NHL but, like with anyone, we’ll have to see how he does. Speed is hard to teach though so having that helps a lot. > **Hardev**: I’m going to be honest, I don’t see what the hype is here. He skates well and is a rat, he scored a lot of garbage goals (not necessarily bad) and off the rush. I guess I was expecting more from the stuff he has, like winning puck battles along the boards and setting up plays, creating turnovers, that sort of thing. I like that he doesn’t shoot from everywhere but from the slot in. I’m curious to see how the NCAA is for him, maybe he can develop a cycle game there. Maybe I’m missing something and this article is my chance to learn! > **Cathy:** I had two anchor players in my voting, one at 15, and one at 10\. To put someone over 15, I had to believe that they had some chance to be an NHL-level player of some small value. Not a lot of chance, mind you, just some. I think as usual, my overall take is much lower on everyone than most people. There is no wowie zowie upside for anyone in my 10 to 15 range, and I'm much more likely to believe in complementary skills in this range than anyone who just shoots and scores. To bust 10, they had to be more likely than not to be at least an NHL player. Basically, I think age made me take Olsen more seriously than Landon Sim. We'll see in time! > **Zone Entry**: > Zac Olsen > Zac Olsen > Are we pining for Zach Hyman? > He’s still young > So who knows? > Maybe we’ll see him in the pros > GOOD LUCK, > Plucky young Zac Olsen Now it's your turn to tell us what you think! ### Friday's FTB: The jersey series I really want URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-the-jersey-series-i-really-want-nhl-hometown-remix/ Last updated: 2026-08-21T10:32:55.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! Yesterday Fanatics confirmed the new Hometown Remix jerseys will come out this season, and some leaks have already happened. I for one and disgusted that the Florida Panthers keep making jerseys I like. [Report: New NHL City Connect-Style Uniform Program Coming Next Season - SportsLogos.Net NewsA Reddit leak and a Fanatics trademark filing have sparked speculation about a possible new NHL-wide “Hometown Remix” uniform program for all 32 teams in 2026-27.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/cropped-slnet-505x505trans-270x270-6f2c13f8-9310-4645-8905-2317ac52bd29.png)SportsLogos.Net NewsGlenn Cook![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/fanatics-nhl-jersey-announcement-2168ae12-fff4-4f23-bd03-d1dc499fe000.jpg)](https://news.sportslogos.net/2026/01/05/report-new-nhl-city-connect-style-uniform-program-coming-next-season/hockey/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It also appears that the Maple Leafs will be beige and boring and continue to refuse to be creative. Now if I were to make a special third jersey collection I would go farther than retro, more interesting than a 'remix', and probably more expensive when it comes to rights. I want a WHA throwback collection. Now, we already have some WHA jerseys in the NHL. The Edmonton Oilers haven't changed much since their rebel league days, and the Carolina Hurricanes, Winnipeg Jets\*, and Colorado Avalanche throwback to to the WHA as well. There are more though. The Toronto Toros could make a come back. What's not to like about a little red thrown into the blue & white? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/136430f_med.jpeg) Via ClassicAuctions.net We can even bring the Battle of Ontario into the mix and have the Seantors don Ottawa Nationals sweaters: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/Ottawa-National-WHA-Replica-Jersey.jpg) There are lots of teams to bring back and participate, with rivalry games already in place: Edmonton Oilers vs Calgary Broncos Chicago Cougars vs Minnesota Fighting Saints Denver Spurs vs Michigan Stags New York Raiders vs Jersey Knights Even if there isn't a rivalry plenty of teams could get in on it: Philadelphia Blazers, Miami Screaming Eagles, Los Angeles Sharks (vs San Jose, double shark night!). Embrace the past you want to erase NHL. Have standings made for WHA throwback games and award the AVCO World Trophy to the winner. You're missing out on so much easy money NHL. Bring back the Rebel League! While I'm talking about jerseys, here's the new Islanders third. [NHL Trade Alert (@nhltradealert.bsky.social)What do we think of the Islanders new third jersey?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-5337eb4e-4318-45b2-9a5b-4866cdccc378.png)Bluesky SocialNHL Trade Alert![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/bafkreibsex7h4tj4z57oonw5uunotuslkxi6eo3vbfk25xq65mcbc2xcdi-7efb5e7c-af38-441b-af2c-d3ac3a8e0be0)](https://bsky.app/profile/nhltradealert.bsky.social/post/3mtkkjqiugk2b?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I think they should have gone with the wave stripes, but I also think the Mighty Ducks 'Wild Wing' jersey was fun. You know what Morgan? I also expect big things from this very impressive and hyped new player. [Morgan Rielly Expected Major Change, Anticipates Big Presence From Gavin McKenna At Maple Leafs Training CampToronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly will have several new teammates heading into the 2026-27 NHL season, and he expected as much. With 2026 first overall pick Gavin McKenna among those new teammates potentially next season, he anticipates a big presence from him at training camp.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon_y24_48x48-c8b06864-212d-47af-926b-2bf80121a995.png)Yahoo! Sports CanadaAndre Leal![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fmedia.zenfs.com-2Fen-2Fthe_hockey_news_toronto_maple_leafs_articles_721-2Fcab188be26cadb9905b2f437a25b4419-799e1398-4cc3-4930-86a1-553ac3a6847f.jpg)](https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/morgan-rielly-expected-major-change-150820671.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Yes we have a Raddysh, but what about second Raddysh? [Maple Leafs Reportedly Could Have Interest in Acquiring Rangers Forward Before Start of SeasonThe Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly could have interest in acquiring one New York Rangers forward ahead of the 2026-27 season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon_y24_48x48-456e882d-c1b0-4f83-ae0a-48dd5672c7f5.png)Yahoo! Sports CanadaRemy Mastey![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fmedia.zenfs.com-2Fen-2Fthe_hockey_news_new_york_rangers_articles_182-2Ff4a4afbca26a183bd0e7987b93880d42-ec5700bb-b58a-4eb0-bb3c-e3abc3adf97c.jpg)](https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/maple-leafs-reportedly-could-interest-172950438.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Edmonton Oilers announced that they will play games in Leon Draisaitl's hometown of Cologne, Germany next year while the Boston Bruins head to Munich. [NHL takes next step in commitment to Germany with 2027 Global Series | NHL.comGames in Cologne, Munich next season will feature Oilers, Bruins![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-87fbe6c6-9867-4efd-a599-fba8849e5f67.png)NHL logoShawn P. Roarke![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/hp1vqthvundkk2mhj4us-998f0170-fcef-47c1-8282-eaedddbb60f6.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/edmonton-boston-part-of-2027-global-series-germany?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) With the announcement of the NHL Global Series returning to Germany next year, they are also partnering with FC Bayern Munich to promote each others sports in their respective countries. [NHL, FC Bayern Munich partnership to accelerate hockey growth in Germany | NHL.comAffiliation ‘sends a huge message’ Oilers center, Cologne native Draisaitl says![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-ad56b340-a074-4917-82bd-d26ee80351a9.png)NHL logoShawn P. Roarke![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/bfohiiawi5im8ifayup9-bc0b4df6-97d9-48df-837b-14890363c185.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-fc-bayern-partnership-sends-a-huge-message?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, the Dallas Stars are on the move. They'll be leaving American Airlines Arena that they currently share with the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, and moving to the Dallas Suburb of Plano, Texas to anchor a new mega arena district project. [Dallas Stars select HNTB to create the future home of hockey in North Texas | Dallas StarsDesign will establish a new home for Stars hockey while creating a year-round destination for fans and the broader community![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-665379a1-318b-404e-824e-77ffd085b98f.png)Dallas Stars logoDallas Stars Communications![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/xkui04scmkkk7rvmilay-f703cbfb-6387-4525-a886-13ebbb445ad0.png)](https://www.nhl.com/stars/news/dallas-stars-select-hntb-to-create-the-future-home-of-hockey-in-north-texas-081026?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Hopefully everything looks better than the AI renderings that use the wrong logos, jerseys, and....yikes guys. Enjoy your day everyone! ### 2026 T25U25: Noah Chadwick is #19 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-noah-chadwick-is-19/ Last updated: 2026-08-20T12:00:07.000Z Noah Chadwick started his journey in the T25U25 at #18 after a rookie season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the WHL, jumping up to #10 and #11 in subsequent years as his scoring with Lethbridge rose. He is now back to #19 after a rookie season with the Toronto Marlies. The hope moving forward for the tall and mobile defender is he can acclimate to the pace of pro hockey in his second season. | Noah Chadwick | Vitals | | ---------------- | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 21.14 | | Position | LD | | Height | 6'4" | | Weight (lbs) | 207 | | Shoots | L | | Draft Year | 2023 | | Draft Number | 185 | ### The Player It's not a surprise Chadwick's ranking has risen and fallen alongside his point totals, it's an easy way to write or read analysis. However, I encourage you to watch this highlight reel of Chadwick's points with the Marlies, because they are a great example that points don't matter at all. Especially for defenders. This is not a knock on Chadwick at all. It's a critique of points-based analysis in general. Unless a defender is the best player on the ice, they're not the one making goals happen. It was Lettieri, Nylander, Groulx, Quillan, and Shaw who made offense happen on the Marlies and I think you will agree that highlight reel tells that story really strongly. For the vast majority of defenders, how they handle plays in their own end, getting out of their own end, joining the play up the ice, and contributing to the play in the offensive zone is what matters. And all but one of those things might be featured in highlight reels, and only when teammates don't fluff the chance. There is so much to playing defense that isn't points. Despite that, I see many prospect reports that are just "his offensive ceiling is low because points". Instead, let's have a look at where the strengths and weaknesses lie in Chadwick's game after what I'm sure was a rookie season full of learning on the job with the Toronto Marlies. ## STRENGTHS: Physicality and Offense Since being drafted in 2023, Chadwick has filled out his frame to be a defenseman with great size and mobility. And during his rookie season with the Marlies it was clear Chadwick could hold his own in front of the net and along the boards, making the plays you need defenders to make in that area of the game. He was a regular on the third or second pair for the Marlies playing in 68 of the team's 72 games, a feat that is hard to do for rookies with respect to keeping up on and off the ice. Most rookie defenders out of the CHL have regular stretches in the pressbox where practice, strength, and conditioning is the priority. I think it's a good sign for Chadwick that he got to play the entire season and most of the playoffs, only stepping aside after Ben Danford joined the team. We saw Chadwick's ability to box opponents away from the front of the net and battle along the boards in junior, it's a good sign that he was mostly able to hold his own in the AHL and maintain that level over the course of a long (long long) season. And at this point I think plenty of players have proven that you can be tough in front of the net without needing to fight or instigate other antics. Offensively, Chadwick is a capable set of hands along the blueline. He has a good shot, pass, and uses good anticipation to move into useful spots on the ice. He got on the Marlies 2nd power play unit either with or without William Villeneuve depending on whether the Marlies were trialing their five forward power play. His highlights mostly speak for themselves in this area of the game, it's a big plus to have Chadwick's kind of length and mobility on the blueline. ## GROWTH and NEXT STEPS: Zone Exits and the First Pass After watching a lot of video, I have curated these highlight reels because they showed what I think is a representative sample of Chadwick's play in different areas of the ice. I'm mostly going to talk about the Iowa game. First, you see him on the penalty kill. I think he generally does a good job of knowing where to be, cutting off lanes, and boxing out opponents. For someone who was a genuine quarterback on the power play in junior, Chadwick appears to have a good understanding of what it's like on the other side of the puck. Seeing him be a second unit penalty kill time as a rookie and doing more than standing around and reacting to passing plays is a good sign for me. Then he showed some genuine skill with his hands in the offensive zone and was rewarded with a primary assist. Chadwick is good with the puck on his stick, it's a skill he showed in spades in the WHL, but the shorter gaps and decision-making time in the AHL meant we didn't see it as much last year. The next clip revealed the biggest area of growth that Chadwick needs to improve on if he wants to reach the next level. The puck was ringed around the boards to Chadwick's side, he was slow and passive to make a move on it resulting in a turnover and goal against. The goal against isn't my concern so much as seeing how much Chadwick struggled to make a first pass to get out of the defensive zone. I think part of the cause of these zone exit turnovers is that these plays don't need to happen – or happen as fast – in junior, whereas it's a key play to make in the AHL. To me, this is part of what players mean when they say "tough transition" and "pace of play". In junior, forwards give up the zone a lot more easily, the gaps between players are much more conservative, and honestly a player like Chadwick was much more likely to skate past a couple forwards all the way to the offensive zone without much issue. In the AHL, however, it's a much different ballgame. The skill of finding the outlet and switching between defense to offense is something Chadwick struggles with. Defending against rushes also fits into this category. Tying into this, Chadwick struggled to be proactive with his body positioning and stickwork against the rush, meaning opponents could attack the play with more speed. Comparing him to another rookie defender at the at the AHL level, Ben Danford is an excellent defensive defender who has a knack for disrupting rushes before they start by boxing out opponents or getting the puck off their stick. He's an example of a plus skill in this area and already started doing it quite well in the AHL playoffs. In Chadwick's case, experience and practice will do him well. How well is up to him. Chadwick's struggles at denying zone entries and completing zone exits is not necessarily *just* a rookie issue that gets ironed out with time. It cane be, and he's going to need to put in a lot of training time to make those outlet passes more consistent and done with more confidence. I think a lot of readers will nod in agreement when I compare him Morgan Rielly, who also came out of the WHL, but went straight to the NHL at 19\. Rielly was so skilled in other parts of the game that these giveaways mattered less. They more-or-less still do while being the vortex of conversation about who his partner should be (besides Tessa). At the end of the day, Rielly is an example that players often don't fix "that one thing" they need to fix to become the perfect player, and that's okay. Chadwick isn't nearly as skilled as Rielly (no offense, Noah), so his improvements in defensive zone transitions will make a bigger difference in whether he makes the NHL or not. ### The Votes I voted Chadwick 22nd because there's still uncertainty whether he can improve on his defensive zone transitions that were exposed in the AHL. If he can, I think it'll be huge for his game. | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | 20 | | Species | 22 | | Hound Line | 21 | | Shinson93 | 14 | | Cameron | 18 | | Sclodiggity | 21 | | Brian S | 25 | | Svalbard38 | 16 | | Zone Entry | 23 | | Hardev | 22 | | Adam | NA | | Weighted Average | 20.73 | | Highest Vote | 14 | | Lowest Vote | 25 | Chadwick's weighted average is only marginally higher than Fedoseyev yesterday. That number will jump when we get to tomorrow's name. ### The Opinions > Shinson93: Chadwick is another guy that I’ve been all over the place with. I liked the jump he took after being drafted, but thought he was being over-hyped. This season he surprised me at how easily he jumped into a steady AHL role. Usually you see guys struggle in the first season, and kind of figure it out in the second season. If he makes another jump this season, he could put some distance between himself and the large number of D prospects that will be gunning for his icetime. > Brigstew: It wasn’t a spectacular rookie season for Chadwick, but for his age and the role he was used he did do better than I was honestly expecting. The problem is the same with him as it has been for Villeneuve since he joined the Marlies. He just doesn’t have good enough skating to make me think he can be better than a solid AHLer, like Villeneuve. Maybe he can follow in those footsteps to get a taste of the NHL and be an AHL all star at his peak, but without more substantial improvements in his foot speed and agility, that will remain his projected ceiling. I ranked him 25th, still, because I do like him. > Svalbard38: Chadwick is a guy I’ve been high on for a while, he was 10th on my list last year and his drop to 16th on my list this year is more a product of an influx of new prospects than it is a knock on him or his season. He handled the jump to the AHL as well as anyone could hope and became one of the youngest every day players on the Marlies. Points aren’t everything for a defenceman, but offence is how Chadwick made his name, so it was good to see him bring that element in his first season as a pro and end the season second in points among Marlies D. He has work to do on his skating, but overall I like his transition game, his offensive acumen, and I think he’s young enough that there’s room for improvement. I consider him on track in his development. > Sclodiggity: I liked watching him in the Marlies playoff run. The points weren’t overly impressive and a few scratches aren’t great but I thought he played well and was generally responsible. He’ll need to be a regular and define a role for himself before it's worth talking about a shot with the Leafs but there’s still time for him. > Cathy: My skepticism of Chadwick is older than some of the prospects on the list this year (not quite). When defencemen, primarily from Sweden, who could actually skate, handle the puck and play a valuable offensive role began to rise in status in the NHL, a lot of bad decisions started to get made about defence. The result is players like Chadwick with some superficial similarity to this type, but little of the actual game-processing skills that lead them to deny zone entries, retrieve and control the puck and transition effectively. The list of attributes can't stop at "can play a role offensively". Defenders have to have all the on-puck and off-puck skills that help lead to the conditions for winning. Any forward can jump in a cycle and pass the puck to the next guy. To be fair to Chadwick, he's got decent puck handling skills and his transition game in junior was fine, but he's still "if he gets better, he'll be good" and that's why I ranked him in the bottom tier. Even when everyone tells you what to expect, transitioning to a new league is always difficult, and Chadwick definitely felt that with a quiet season. I could barely find much that was written about him that wasn't guessing from points or the odd paragraph from a daily Marlies columnist like Mark Rackham. It took a lot of video to get an idea of Chadwick as a player on the defensive side of the puck, as it often does with defenders. I can easily see Chadwick having a stronger season next year. My eye will be focused on if he can show improvements in his transition game, namely his first pass. The jump from the WHL to the AHL is excellent at exposing weaknesses in players, but credit to Chadwick and his time in junior as the rest of his game is quite solid. ### Thursday's FTB: TLK has a goal URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-tlk-has-a-goal/ Last updated: 2026-08-20T10:49:59.000Z Tinus Luc Koblar, who played in the SHL last year on a team that was relegated to Allsvenskan, signed a new contract this summer in Sweden to play for Rögle this season after his standout performance for Norway at the World Championships. The Maple Leafs signed him to an ELC. and he came to Toronto for the post-draft development camp skate where he immediately centred Gavin McKenna. Today is not TLK day in the T25, though, since we're only up to number 19 and he will come much later. So much later that he will be back in Toronto by the time we're debating how high we should have ranked him. He is training with Rögle and yesterday he played a preseason game where he definitely didn't get any goals (although he set up a nice scoring chance in the very boring, very bad first half). The official results seem to have vanished and who scored the second-half goals after I'd given up on hockey in August are a mystery. Suffice it to say, everyone was very bad and it looked like preseason in the worst way. Per a [report](https://hockeynews.se/nyheter/tva-matcher-med-rogle-sedan-toronto-ska-lyckas?utm%5Fmedium=Social&utm%5Fsource=Twitter#Echobox=1787121753) in the Swedish press, he will suit up for one more preseason game a week from now, and then he'll return home for a short time before coming back to Toronto. He is slated to join the rookie tournament in Gatineau that plays two games on September 12 and 13, and then he is joining the Leafs main training camp. What he wants out of training camp is an NHL roster spot. He has said that if he does not make the team, he will return to Rögle, that he will not play in the AHL. I believe (but am not absolutely sure) that because the contract he signed in Sweden came post-draft, he is eligible for the AHL, and the Swedish team does not have the right to block that as they would if he had been drafted from that team. However, the statement that he will not play in the AHL has come multiple times. From the report yesterday: > Toronto believes that I will succeed in taking a place, with the way I played last season and what I did in the World Cup. That's why I'm going to the main camp as well, says Koblar to Helsingborgs Dagblad. It's good to have a goal to aim for, but I think it's extremely unlikely that he will take an NHL roster spot permanently. The Leafs have a lot of forwards under contract, and the ice time Koblar would get in Rögle would exceed even what he could demand in the AHL far less the NHL. He needs to be a big wow to join the Leafs now. --- Buy stuff.... just you know, later. > Something new is coming to all 32 NHL cities this season. 👀 > > The countdown is on for the first-of-its-kind Hometown Remix program by the [@NHL](https://x.com/NHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and [@Fanatics](https://x.com/Fanatics?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). More details to come after the puck drops on the 2026-27 season next month. [pic.twitter.com/zX1uBNLNZn](https://t.co/zX1uBNLNZn?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) [August 19, 2026](https://x.com/NHLPR/status/2090091784798122396?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Hockey Night in Brampton game ends in a 9-9 tie between Team Morgan Rielly and Team Mark Messier > > Brampton the big winner with [@patrickbrownont](https://x.com/patrickbrownont?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) announcing $2,525,000 raised for a second hospital in the city [@TSN\_Sports](https://x.com/TSN%5FSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/pkJlBEyQ9T](https://t.co/pkJlBEyQ9T?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [August 20, 2026](https://x.com/markhmasters/status/2090244225988272566?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Morgan Rielly at the Hockey Night in Brampton fundraiser: [‘Great things ahead’: Rielly grateful to remain with Leafs after summer of speculationAfter a summer full of speculation about his future, does Morgan Rielly expect to return for a 14th season with the Maple Leafs? “I mean, that’s what I would expect, yeah,” the 32-year-old defenceman said during a media availability at the Hockey Night in Brampton charity event on Wednesday, Mark Masters writes.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-fd5da0ef-7a40-46f9-8dbb-9a2288495afc.ico)TSNMark Masters![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/GPCUWSWPZZHQXGSM2CCNREWVGY-05b3f2e1-4761-464d-a017-4e0402151b59.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/great-things-ahead-rielly-grateful-to-remain-with-leafs-after-summer-of-speculation/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It's a full text recap of his comments, so you can read it in full. [2027 NHL Global Series Germany to feature Bruins, Oilers | NHL.comLeague’s first regular-season games in nation includes games in Munich, Cologne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-44d8e094-bce8-4808-95ba-b065d8419d4a.png)NHL logoNHL Public Relations![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/iyphtdahfjvadkdu7dvc-5cae2a43-2689-4b92-af88-4c18a199e3ac.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/2027-nhl-global-series-germany-features-boston-edmonton?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's all for now! ### 2026 T25U25: Yaroslav Fedoseyev is #20 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-yaroslav-fedoseyev-is-20/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T12:00:48.000Z Yaroslav Fedoseyev was drafted this June in the sixth round. While it's not usual for someone not a goalie to get ranked right away in the T25 if they're taken that low, in some circles Fedoseyev is considered a draft steal so it shouldn't surprise. The Leafs seem to be in those circles. They took the Ottawa 2027 fifth-round pick that they had just got for trading the signing rights to goalie Samuel Ersson and traded it to Vancouver for their 2026 sixth-round pick in order to draft Fedoseyev. That they set out to get him in this way, reminiscent of the draft of Ryan Tverberg a few years back, says they figured he was worth the extra effort. I wouldn't read too much into the "trade back" nature of the pick swap as I don't imagine many people in the current Leafs front office think those picks have different values. I think it's more significant that the Leafs are remaking the defence all over the organization. They drafted four defenders, signed some more AHL-level players as free agents, and let a few go unqualified. The NHL roster has two new additions, even though there were a lot of defenders under contract for this year at or near the NHL level. This remodel is likely to continue as other contracts and rights expire, but the organizational opinion on defending is already becoming clear. Fedoseyev is fits the model the Leafs are building from on defence. | Yaroslav Fedoseyev | Vitals | | ------------------ | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 18.65 | | Position | RD | | Height | 6'1" | | Weight (lbs) | 187 | | Shoots | R | | Draft Year | 2026 | | Draft Number | 161 | ### The Player Fedoseyev is what the Leafs are interested in these days because he defends, first of all, which isn't a given in the points-mad hockey world. While John Chayka spent big on Darren Raddysh who is earning his money with his offence more than defence, he's not a glass cannon. Chayka's other acquisitions share some characteristics, and one of the problems confronting prospect evaluation today for me is that I agree with his take on defence. It's really easy to overrate a player who is of a type you like or you think is who the Leafs should be drafting to raise up into future NHLers. This type is one where a defender needs to have defensive skills like in-zone defending to deny zone entries, to directly defend to prevent goals, but also must have puck skills and good enough skating to move the puck. That sounds reasonable, but it's not exactly easy to find because hockey gets divided up into defence and offence, and the thing in the middle, the puck-moving skills or transition skills are a mix of those, but not measurable by points or goals against. The activities that happen both with and away from the puck outside the defensive zone that lead to better goals against – the ultimate goal of defending – are similarly unmeasured. A defender who only has puck skills is Timothy Liljegren, and that was who the Leafs used to draft. A defender who only has size and reach to defend at the net-front is the "large adult son" which was a bit of a slander on many defenders who happen to be tall, but aren't just tall. But that is indeed how the Leafs used to draft as well. Finding someone who first can defend, second can handle the puck, third can play in ways that make the team defend less, and fourth can make a decent pass in the offensive zone is not easy. Particularly not when you're starting with teenagers. But that's the job. Fedoseyev is an average sized defender (by the skewed reality of the NHL), so he's not going to get knocked as "just big" but he is going to underwhelm with his points. As you can see his career has been all in one place but also fractured over a host of teams. He is from Chelyabinsk, which is an industrial city in the east of Russia. The local hockey club, Traktor, dates to the 1940s, and they've been a playoff team lately at the KHL level. They lost in the first round last year after losing in the cup final the prior year. It is very much part of the mythos around Fedoseyev that he played in the KHL last year because he happened to score a goal. But it was nine regular season games and three games in the playoffs, not a regular role in all five they played. In the playoffs, he only actually saw the ice in two games, for a total of 18 minutes. This very gentle introduction to the big club where a player sits on the bench for entire games is standard practice in the KHL for their prospects. It's not an indication he's ready for the big show more that they hope he will get there in time. To set your understanding of the team, Josh Leivo is their runaway star player followed by Mikhail Grigorenko, and a little further down the points list by Yegor Korshkov and Semyon Der-Arguchintsev. The KHL is now a little behind the AHL in general, and is a comfortable home to good AHLers who have run up against that league's veteran rule and are willing to relocate. Which means the VHL, the farm league of the KHL, is even further below that. The MHL is junior hockey. And Fedoseyev spent the bulk of his season swinging up and down between junior and the VHL (without ever leaving town). Brian calculated this out in his [comprehensive article on Fedoseyev](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/getting-to-know-yaroslav-fedoseyev/). His sequence of games looks like this, from the start of the year to the end: - 11 games in the MHL - 6 games in the VHL - 6 games in the KHL - 3 games in the VHL - 3 games in the MHL - 1 game in the VHL - 3 games in the MHL - 1 game in the VHL - 7 games in the MHL - 14 games in the VHL - 8 games in the KHL (only 6 games with any ice time) - 2 games in the VHL - 2 games in the MHL Fedoseyev was born in November, so he was actually 18 for most of that run, and he will be 19 this coming season, an age at which many European players have played well in the AHL. The meme about playing against men having great importance is very overstated, and it's not exactly unusual for any European player by his age. That KHL playoffs business is part of the hype on this player, and it should be mentioned, he's a Dan Milstein client, so he has an enthusiastic, upbeat and relentless PR machine behind him. It's not a surprise the in-crowd knew his name and had made of him a bit of an it-boy. It's deserved, though. And it's backed up by some tracking stats from various sources you can find outlined in the link above. These are tricky things to interpret as they are very much "thing you did" vs "thing you are no matter the context." It's an attempt to measure those seemingly unmeasurable aspects of defence, but it is absolutely in no way similar to isolation models or anything like what NHL teams produce on their own players. However, it's fair to say that at levels of hockey at times above the level of your average Canadian junior team, Fedoseyev was succeeding at very important elements of defending. He can skate well, handle the puck well and engages physically well, but not as his raison d'être. And yet, at the same time, he still plays like a teenager. All of that is why he was drafted and why he was drafted by the Leafs now at this time, but it's not going to really tell us where he's going in the future. I trust these measures enough to buy in completely that it was a surprise he was still available when the Leafs made the pick trade to take him. He is a steal. The Leafs did well with this pick. But then, the Tverberg pick was a good one too. Fedoseyev attended the Leafs development camp and played on a pairing with fellow Milstein client Alexander Bilecki. [From Brian again](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/standouts-from-the-2026-development-camp/): > He and Bilecki were just such a joy to watch, with Fedoseyev being more consistent defensively. What captured my attention, though, was his decisions with the puck. He was just automatic on breakouts, showing excellent mobility and elusiveness with the puck, and vision to find the best teammate to make his pass to and then nail it tape to tape. He made quick decisions under pressure and pinched effectively along the blueline to keep offensive possessions alive. Defensively, he stopped a one-on-one chance by Pepoy and broke up a dangerous two-on-one rush. There were some technical problems with this broadcast, but from what I saw, these two were playing an accomplished and serious game, not trying too hard to impress but just engaging with the game in front of them. That kind of maturity can make you look better than your peers, but it's also a necessary skill to play the game at a higher level. I was reminded of Noah Chadwick when he was invited to the WJSS where he was placed with a glass cannon partner and had the smarts and tenacity to mold his game to the better offensive partner and play outside his best skillset well enough to keep up. I didn't mistake that for good defence, but the maturity stuck in my mind. In this case, Fedoseyev was put in a position to just use his skills to their best effect, so the context is very different but his approach was similar. He wasn't trying to do too much. That's a long and winding story to say it's very hard for me to rate exactly where his defensive skill are at beyond very, very good *in junior*. ### The Votes As you can see Brian is high on him as are some other voters. Ranking him 17th for me is still putting him in the likely to fall off the list in two-to-three years tier, but at the high end. | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | 17 | | Species | NA | | Hound Line | 22 | | Shinson93 | 22 | | Cameron | 21 | | Sclodiggity | 18 | | Brian S | 13 | | Svalbard38 | NA | | Zone Entry | 12 | | Hardev | NA | | Adam | NA | | Weighted Average | 20.82 | | Highest Vote | 12 | | Lowest Vote | 22 | ### The Opinions > **Shinson93:** I love the idea of a gritty, physical defender that can also move the puck. While I’ve now seen some glimpses of that in highlights and in rookie camp, after watching a couple of his games from last year, it seems somewhat inconsistent. After moving around a lot last year between leagues, I’m hoping that this year he gets a chance to settle in and work on his development within a consistent environment. > **Brigstew:** Of all the later picks I analyzed after the draft was over, the one that surprised me the most with how much I liked them was Fedoseyev. He is on the older side for prospects taken in this year’s draft—he’s only a couple of months younger than Harry Nansi who was drafted the year before. Again, I won’t rehash what I’ve already written in full, but I’ll state that I ranked him 13th because I think he has had more time to physically mature, develop and refine his skills, gain better consistency, and adjust to the higher level of play in the VHL and KHL from last year. I’m expecting him to split this year between the two again, with much fewer (if any) games in the MHL this year. I expect him to be a minutes leader when in the VHL, and compete for minutes in the KHL if and when he gets called up there. He may be more of a project but I am pretty hyped about his all around impacts. > **Sclodiggity:** A right-shooting D that has played KHL games before their draft. And nine games is nothing to sneeze at (plus playoffs!). Hopefully his MHL days are done and a full season in the VHL with another call up or two would be great to see. He has an exciting mix of age, experience, size, and handedness. The skills come with time but he’s already decent at moving the puck and covering the crease. > **Hound Line:** Good size, good mobility. Uses his frame to box out his man, not just net front but also in puck support situations. Effectively reads and disrupts passing lanes with his reach. Makes good and decisive reads defensively on an MHL team that runs an extremely active D-zone system (puck pursuit and switches). He makes simple high percentage plays with the puck. I don’t see a huge upside but, he’s got decent physical tools and good hockey IQ. He could be a really solid 3rd pair Dman in a few years. > **Zone Entry:** Each year I allow myself one pick to be unreasonably hopeful for, just chug some hopeium, and this year it’s Fedoseyev. Much of that is based on Brigstew’s writeups but there’s also just a… vibe, I guess? I feel like it’s not crazy to think we may have something here. That's the darling of the in-crowd described as best we can. What do you think of this draft steal? ### Wednesday's FTB: Oh goody! Taxes URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-oh-goody-taxes/ Last updated: 2026-08-19T12:22:08.000Z This ongoing story of John Tavares's first contract with the Maple Leafs and how the salary should be taxed as finally hit tax court. This case had ostensibly come to a close with CRA finding against Tavares, but this appeal is before the Tax Court. [Toronto Maple Leafs star John Tavares to appear in court to argue against $8-million tax billCanada Revenue Agency regards $15M signing bonus as income, but Tavares says it was an “inducement” to be taxed at a much lower rate.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-np-d4fe3be3-950c-4d8b-8c64-d58633e84d95.ico)National PostJoseph Brean![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/cp175225994_299728496-c9cfa44c-c836-4df4-96d6-308568c8480d.jpg)](https://nationalpost.com/news/john-tavares-tax-court-canada-revenue-agency?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The article above tries hard to find some wider implication to this case for the NHL, but there really isn't one. The gist here is that Tavares signed a contract to come to the Leafs from the Islanders that had a Leafs-typical structure: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-18-083905.png) From Puckpedia. The base salary is at or near league-minimum in every year, with the rest paid as a signing bonus. These contracts give the player some value, assumed to be in return for a lower AAV than they could get from some other team. That value consists primarily of the [time value of money](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/timevalueofmoney.asp?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), or the extra value the player gets by having his signing bonus months before the work he'll do to earn it even commences. Any front-loaded contract (one where the maximum allowable salary is paid in the first few years, which this also is), also adds to the time value, and both the signing bonus and the front-loading make a contract buyout proof. Buyouts are calculated on salary, not AAV, so there is little to buyout in the later years of a deal like this. Both of those things are wholly unrelated to the tax case, but they are the primary reason these contract structures exist, and why the NHLPA and NHL have negotiated the rules for front loading and minimum base salary. John Tavares (and Patrick Marleau, who has had his case joined on here) crossed the border to come to the Leafs, and therein lies the conflict over what exactly an NHL signing bonus is or is not. Both players paid tax on their first signing bonus as if it was US income in accordance with their understanding of the Canada-US tax treaty. They both were US residents at the time it was received. Tavares paid 15% tax on his. CRA says it was not an inducement to cross the border and come to the Leafs, but is instead just ordinary salary that the NHL pays out in the way it does for reasons that have nothing to do with inducing a player to sign. They say the tax should be at Tavares's Canadian tax rate, the one he has paid on every other dollar of that contract save the first $15.25\. The difference is likely in excess of $8 million. The core question is this: Is that first signing bonus an actual signing bonus under the rules that allow it to be taxed at the US rate or is it not. There's two answers, the way you and I might interpret these words by simply inferring meaning, and the way the tax law and treaty actually reads, and ultimately its interpretation by the judge. It seems simple – it's salary. But it isn't simple or it wouldn't have got this far or taken this long, and the CRA lawyer wouldn't be using this sort of emotive language in opening arguments: > A signing bonus is not automatically an “inducement,” Peavoy \[for the Crown\] said in opening remarks. Some signing bonuses in the NHL may well operate as inducements, she said. “It is just that these particular signing bonuses did not.” > She quoted Jonathan Swift, the 18th century Anglo-Irish writer, that a wise person should have money in their head but not in their heart. > Tavares and Marleau had hockey in their hearts, she said, and they chose the Leafs not because of the specific terms of their signing bonuses but because the team fit their goals for themselves and their families. They decided based on “fit” and the average annual value of the contract, she said, not the signing bonus. > “For Mr. Tavares in particular, it was home,” Peavoy said. Tavares grew up in Oakville, just west of Toronto. What this says to me is that the path to having these signing bonuses considered always salary and never an inducement isn't open, so the Crown is pivoting to particular circumstances of the individuals. The Crown is inviting the judge to speculate like fans love to on why Tavares chose the Leafs. And in fact, a great deal of the early testimony of his agent covers his ability to sign a contract for a large sum with multiple teams. Way back when this first came up, my feeling was that the signing bonus should be considered as salary since the NHL CBA treats it as such, and makes no differentiation between the first year's bonus and all the others. But should is not how it works when it comes to what has been written into law or into treaties, and arguing about it is how John Tavares and the rest of us (as represented by the Crown) get to hash out the issue in public, and under the rule of law all paid for by the taxation on Canadians and resident foreign workers. The only broader implication of this decision is these occasional situations where a US resident moves to a Canadian team and is receiving a signing bonus in the first year. That subsection of free agents could pay less tax on one part of their overall salary if this appeal goes through. This report followed Tavares's testimony yesterday. Which covers over the same ground and makes the same effort to make this seem like something that would somehow chill players signing in Canada. [Toronto Maple Leafs star John Tavares testifies in appeal against $8-million tax billToronto Maple Leafs star forward John Tavares was in a face-off of a different kind Tuesday, taking the stand in a tax court appeal of an $8 million bill from the Canada Revenue Agency over his signing bonus to join the team.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-11950af1-1da5-499a-a844-f2d1295c2097.ico)CP24Jon Woodward![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ZABX6MDTUBGD7DB3G2552IMBBQ-b9a25c68-dc12-468f-8a17-aa0983407e69.jpg)](https://www.cp24.com/news/sports/2026/08/18/toronto-maple-leafs-star-john-tavares-testifies-in-appeal-against-8-million-tax-bill/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) --- An interesting look at the new world of cross-border junior hockey. [Petes prospect chases American dream by joining U.S. National Team Development ProgramGerry DiCunzolo’s future in Peterborough unclear.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/android-icon-192x192-4e1c7353-890e-4f5f-bd0b-e0ec260298c4.png)Metroland MediaMike Davies![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/6a8474637e529.image-05afcb17-3442-4149-a1de-a653ebc37ef3.jpg)](https://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/sports/hockey/petes/petes-prospect-chases-american-dream-by-joining-usntdp/article%5F75ae2b55-d9a3-55e8-8451-64816e57d769.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > It wasn’t a simple process to get his transfer. It took weeks to negotiate. The existing rules required Peterborough to release DiCunzolo meaning they’d lose his OHL rights, said Petes GM and VP of operations Mike Oke. > Since the USNTDP doesn’t go beyond the U18 season, the Petes wanted to retain his rights so another OHL team couldn’t sign him. There were other Canadian Hockey League (CHL) teams facing similar predicaments. > Oke said the OHL and CHL led the discussions with Hockey Canada, USA Hockey and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). > The result is an agreement which allows the CHL teams to retain the players as affiliated players. All of this effort may never bear any fruit for the Petes since the player is also planning an NCAA career as soon as the team wants him to start school. --- And for PWHL fans, if you've seen this \[many redacted adjectives\] story around: [After Selling Lakers, Mark Walter Now Looking To Sell Chelsea FC Stake, Could The PWHL Be Next?PWHL owner Mark Walter quickly sold the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers this month, and is now looking to sell off his stake in Chelsea FC according to reports. All while Walter is under financial investigation for possible fraud. Could PWHL teams be next?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/thehockeynews.com-2Ffavicon-3903acf3-bd19-4c9c-925d-97f47a7486d1.png)The Hockey NewsIan Kennedy![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/1bc99d39-3f62-4916-8303-58a4e7c6e273-17b522b4-ea3b-4b96-b3a3-de4fc11fc866.jpeg)](https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/after-selling-lakers-mark-walter-now-looking-to-sell-chelsea-fc-stake-is-the-pwhl-next?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I would urge you to have no emotional response to this. Not even irritation, as you can be assured I've done that for you already. This story is interesting and vaguely sketchy as all American business stories are, but it is about Mark Walter's core businesses, his sale of the Lakers to someone with the last name of Kushner, and has nothing to do with the PWHL. I feel like there is some kind of vague terminally online hockey fan opinion that the PWHL is now suddenly a money spinner. It is not. But it is generating revenue above expectations and has gained some further investment from Larry Tanenbaum's company and the Ilitch family. [PWHL ANNOUNCES FIRST OUTSIDE INVESTMENTS FROM KILMER SPORTS VENTURES AND ILITCH COMPANIESNEW YORK AND TORONTO (June 22, 2026) – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) today announced that Kilmer Sports Ventures and Ilitch Companies, parent company of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, have joined the league as strategic partners, becomi…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/android-chrome-512x512-1760e2b1-d145-4b65-8242-1642b4c5df7a.png)Professional Women's Hockey League![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/EN-June_22-1200x800-e7f8209d-9b34-4ee1-885c-61526503eb6f)](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2026/june/22/pwhl-announces-first-outside-investments-from-kilmer-sports-ventures-and-ilitch-companies?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The exact dollar value Walter pledged to the PWHL is unknown, as the announcement was to fund the league for 10 years. That timeframe indicates how long it takes for a business like this to grow to a level where it is a valuable asset and where teams are taking in more revenue than they spend to operate. There is no indication that the PWHL is ready to transition to a model of individual team ownership, or if they ever will. This other story is about sums in the billions. The b is very important there. Forbes and The Athletic amongst other publications are covering that if you're interested. And yes, yes, that story is just asking the question. Which the PWHL was forced to respond to. Could the PWHL colour the ice purple? Could the PWHL make the nets bigger? Could the PWHL go on a barnstorming tour of Australia? Just asking the questions. Would you could you on a boat... ### 2026 T25U25: Landon Sim is #21 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-landon-sim-is-21/ Last updated: 2026-08-18T12:06:14.000Z When I was watching the Marlies final playoff game this spring, I said, "god help me, I really like Landon Sim." It helps that he'd opened the scoring for the Marlies, not a common occurrence. You see, he's not a player people take seriously. He hasn't got sick hands or amazing deception, he doesn't toe drag or dangle, although he can zip around a bit. He is a fun disrupter, agitator and all around irritant to the other team. | Landon Sim | Vitals | | ---------------- | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 21.96 | | Position | LW | | Height | 5'11" | | Weight (lbs) | 187 | | Shoots | L | | Draft Year | 2022 | | Draft Number | 184 | ### The Player Sim played for the London Knights for four years, finishing with an A on his jersey, 58 playoff games and a Memorial Cup. He played every season with Easton Cowan. Sim's a year younger, about the same size, and there is some similarity in the way they approach the game, but that could be the influence of Dale Hunter as much as natural inclination. Sim's father, Jon, was an NHL player originally from Nova Scotia, and his scouting report (from Elite Prospects 15 years ago) could be the tag line for this article: > A smallish winger who likes to play a physical game. Skates well and enjoys going to the net. Good along the boards despite his stature. Jon Sim finished his NHL career with 469 GP, 139 P and 314 PIM. The challenge for Landon is that the NHL of today is a very different world to his father's era, one which drifted to a close in the years following the 2004 lockout and the changes to the game. Jon used to be in the stands for a lot of London Knights games, though, and the camera would always pan to him when Landon got in a fight or a big scrum along the boards. Landon is not his father, however; he's just above average height for a man like his dad, but he's got a more complex game, more befitting the times. From the Elite Prospects draft guide in 2022: > With the puck, Sim shows skill and creativity. He sets moves and passes up on his backhand, enabling access to lanes that most prospects can’t access. As he approaches defenders, he puts the puck inside his hip pocket and waits for the reach before deking. The details appear in his passing where he uses eye deception and his shooting, as he will pull the puck around a defender’s stick. He was also third on the London Knights in PIM the season prior to that draft as a rookie on the team. And it's telling that this facet of his game doesn't get a mention. That short prospect sketch makes him sound like the classic zippy little winger of the Dubas era. All those fast and deceptive offence-only players who melted like frost as the sun rises when they got near the boards. Sim, to me, looks a bit like Pontus Holmberg, only with more of an aggressive edge and less of a self-sacrificing willingness to just barely survive board battles with the puck in his possession. People who judge by size or carefully worded sketches will get the very wrong idea. In 2010 or so, when Jon Sim was playing some seasons in Europe and Landon was playing ministicks in the basement, the discourse around hockey calcified into this dichotomy of the "skill guy" and the "physical player". Sides were taken, extremes of thinking became slogans and thought ceased. As the years went on, if you believed in Corsi (as if verifiable mathematical concepts are questions of faith) then you were supposed to believe that physical play was bad, speed was inherently good, and small players were automatically better. You know all this, you were there, you took sides, you watched the Leafs go a little too hard on size on defence, speed in forwards, and then they corrected too much. People changed their minds, refined their opinions, and yet, these slogans persist. There is a lot of nostalgia for the simple days of one or the other. Look at that draft report on Sim and what it leaves out. Look at the people today who think all you need to play the fourth-line in the NHL is a big body. We've ended up in a place where it's getting more likely that size fetishists are rare, that the tut tutting over a hockey player (imagine!) being a bit rough with his opponents gets a sarcastic response, and there is a glimmer of light on the horizon that "is the player good" is coming before "what do they weigh"? Is Sim any good? He joined the Marlies last year on an AHL contract, and he didn't score much. He played a few games in the ECHL where that came easier. But he was back in the AHL quickly and he got a lot of playoff time where he took a lot of penalties and managed three points in 12 games. Now, to set up your understanding of him, he was a point-per-game player in his final year on the Knights. He got there with 30 goals. He has a genuinely valuable offensive game. *In junior.* This year, the Leafs signed Sim to an ELC. His draft stature got him taken by St. Louis in 2022, but they let his rights expire. The Leafs tried him out on an AHL deal before they committed to that ELC. This signing came in between the exit of Brad Treliving and the hiring of John Chayka. Is he good is a simple question, he wouldn't even be on the Marlies at all if he didn't have some skill. Good at what, though? He didn't play at the recent development camp, so his Marlies season is what there is to judge him from. I think I've got a higher opinion of his "agitator who can score" game than some others in that I think his pro hockey debut last year is unlikely to be his peak performance. He was also playing a role on the Marlies, one he was raised to understand and to see as a path to the NHL. He was usually on a line with Michael Pezzetta and Mark Johnstone, two hard cases who play like they think the point of the game is the physical aggression. Sim can do that, but he doesn't just do that, and I think it's possible he's got some very small room to fill out his approach to the game with something more valuable. He is 22, which is when the big leaps in ability are usually in the past, and the growth comes from figuring out how to fit yourself into a role that adds value to a team. It's a time of learning what not to do rather than picking up new skills. To be clear, I don't expect an NHL career as his most likely outcome, but I ranked him at all because unlike many players perceived to be more highly skilled, I think it's more likely he can add value at higher levels in more ways than one. When this T25 is all over, and we're talking about NHLers again, I'm going to bring you some thoughts on a new member of the team who has made a career out of a lot of the things Sim does as value-adds. He may have a better basic game of hockey, but it's tough to be sure about that when evaluating someone at Sim's career stage. Think back on this discussion then, and wonder, like I do now, if Sim can't get to the same level someday if all goes well. ### The Votes When I voted, he was the fourth number I entered on the form after 1, 2 and 3\. I wanted him on my ranking, and I put him at 25 and never moved him. Sometimes, you just want a fun player to make the list. | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | 25 | | Species | 19 | | Hound Line | NA | | Shinson93 | 16 | | Cameron | 25 | | Sclodiggity | NA | | Brian S | 24 | | Svalbard38 | 24 | | Zone Entry | 13 | | Hardev | 16 | | Adam | 20 | | Weighted Average | 21.27 | | Highest Vote | 13 | | Lowest Vote | 25 | Sim's average ranking puts him in a clear tier with the players who were ranked, but only just, all with similar numbers of votes and vote spreads. There's a big jump coming in a few days, and I want you to remember Sim when we get to that day. (Sorry for asking you to remember so much!) ### The Opinions > **Shinson93:** This is a guy that will just go through a wall for his teammates. Not a particularly high ceiling, but a player that coaches, fans, and teammates will all love. That is mostly what boosted my ranking of him. > **Brigstew:** A top notch rat with some game to him. It works in the AHL, he could maybe get a bit better still but I’m not expecting anything dramatic. I doubt he’ll make the NHL but I ranked him 24th because he’s at least fun and entertaining and plays an assigned role very well. > **Svalbard38:** I almost didn’t rank Sim, he was a last minute addition to my list. I’ll confess that I let his reputation for physical play cloud my judgement of him when I was doing my initial rankings, as well as the fact that he was undrafted and played in the ECHL for part of last season. Typically when the first thing people say about a guy is that he plays a good physical game, it’s not a great sign about the rest of his game, but there’s more to Sim than that. It’s easy to forget that he was a legitimate offensive tool for London, he led a team full of highly touted prospects in regular season goals and he was 3rd for the Knights in playoff goals. You don’t do that without a bit of skill to your name. Had a couple of goals at key moments for the Marlies too. This year I want to see Sim play a whole season in the AHL and show that his offensive production didn’t get left behind in junior. > **Sclodiggity:** Sim is the highest player on this list that I didn’t rank. He seems like a tweener to me but at the ECHL/AHL level. A full season with the Marlies would be great but he’d still be a low-minute guy and turning 23 this year (which isn’t old, but many age-curves show 24 as the peak year for forwards). Low chance of making the Leafs and unlikely to be an impact player if he does. > **Zone Entry:** > *Landon Sim* > *Landon Sim* > *He’s got vigour and he’s got vim* > *Can he do* > *More than slug?* > *Or is he just a Marlie plug?* > *LET’S SEE* > *Who is this Landon Sim* > **Species:** > *They way he joined the Marlies team and fit right into it was impressive. His impact in the playoffs was also impressive. I want to see a repeat of that in this coming season, and then I will be more confident in a higher ranking, but I will never forget this goal which started the Marlies comeback win in the final game for the Calder Cup.* > LET IT SIMMER BABY! > > Landon Sim tips one home to put us within one! | [@cocacola\_ca](https://x.com/cocacola%5Fca?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/y04NgjbZS8](https://t.co/y04NgjbZS8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 19, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2068121036466384949?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's the question, who is Landon Sim going to be? ### Tuesday's FTB: A harvest of news URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-harvest-news/ Last updated: 2026-08-18T10:00:19.000Z Well worth your time to read the whole article: [Members of women’s hockey team speak out after players on boys’ team repeatedly enter dressing roomOHF disciplinary panel raises concerns about lack of team-level follow-up or educational response after ‘boys will be boys’ incident, Rick Westhead writes.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-164603c9-0666-4c8d-9ecd-a2e7f4edec18.ico)TSNRick Westhead![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/DS7JDAK3DZHD3KACKIXYND5UEQ-8d880da2-6c9b-42f3-a0ec-01a228f90a06.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/other-sports/article/members-of-womens-hockey-team-speak-out-after-players-on-boys-team-repeatedly-enter-dressing-room/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The women who made the complaint seem to care more about the future of the boys and their growth than their team officials and some parents. There was a knee jerk reaction from the boys' team to reject any outsider criticism, and that's an issue every hockey team at all levels has to confront. There is not purpose to initiatives to educate young hockey players if their teams have a culture of rejecting all outside voices. And that culture clearly started with the adults in charge. --- There was a trade for signing rights, something Carolina likes to do: > This was explained in our 2026 NCAA draft-related UFA article[https://t.co/LYdBBY2pkH](https://t.co/LYdBBY2pkH?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [August 17, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2089409681013801314?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There is more than one Cup tour this summer: > A peak day in Colorado 🏆🗻 > > Borya Valis brought the Calder Cup back to Denver for celebrations with family and friends 💙 [pic.twitter.com/ODTY8Gkn03](https://t.co/ODTY8Gkn03?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [August 17, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2089472347673620594?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Jeff Skinner signing a deal in Switzerland is news right now, so that's where we're at NHL-wise. Almost an hour of goalie talk: The SHL preseason is underway so we might have more bits about TLK or Johansson soon. And another name drops on the T25 today – five players this week, it's a full week! ### 2026 T25U25: Patriks Plumins is #22 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-patriks-plumins-is-22/ Last updated: 2026-08-17T12:00:53.000Z Goalies, amirite? For the first time in this year's T25U25, we have to talk about a goalie. Not just a goalie, but one so young we just drafted him where he played in a league none of us probably have the slightest idea how to contextualize compared to other goalie prospects. Naturally, I signed up to write about Plumins. | Patriks Plumins | Vitals | | ---------------- | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 18.48 | | Position | G | | Height | 6'3" | | Weight (lbs) | 216 | | Shoots | L | | Draft Year | 2026 | | Draft Number | 114 | ### The Player Plumins as a goalie prospect has some things going for him. He has some good size (6'3") even if he isn't a giant like Hildeby was, and he got good reviews from various scouts as quoted in his draft article here: [Maple Leafs Draft Patriks Plumins with the 114th overall in the 2026 NHL Entry DraftThe second goalie taken today.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-eac95465-6886-4143-93e6-1ab0a4b66bb1.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1696778076024-045786d44f3d-a6d31e69-15be-40e5-a2db-c5cca15f1a52)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-draft-patriks-plumins-with-the-114th-overall-in-the-2026-nhl-entry-draft/) The other thing Plumins has going for him is quite good numbers where and when he played. In the regular season, he played as the primary backup or 1B goalie on a Latvian pro team, where he had a .927 sv% and 3 shutouts in 16 games. He was also the U18 Latvian team's top goalie – he had a .947 sv% in an excellent World U18 Championship tournament where he caught my attention, and a .902 sv% in seven other miscellaneous games – and he dressed for their U20 junior team at times as a backup. The reason why I care about Plumins playing in a pro league, even if you don't consider Latvian's pro league to be noteworthy, is because of what I wrote five years ago when looking for common traits among top NHL goalies. [Myth Busters: Do you have to draft goalies in the first round?Goalies are voodoo, but to get an elite one you have to roll the dice at some point![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-ef32d23c-51ab-4b7f-b847-b03e3c049a5f.png)PPP LeafsBrian Stewart![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/scott-gummerson-Maple-Leafs-Jersey-unsplash--cropped--1-b2dfbb4b-c038-4787-b197-1f38fd46c82f.jpg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl-draft-myth-busters-do-you-have-to-draft-goalies-in-the-first-round/) Specifically, one of the several conclusions or theories I took from that research I did was: If you want more certainty, draft goalies who played in European pro leagues. Here's what I specifically wrote: > 2) European goalies are likely very underrated. They account for 67 fewer drafted and undrafted free agent goalies as the major junior leagues in Canada and the USA, but they turned into the exact same number of successes AND elite goalies. Their success rate is simply better. What this is telling me is that there’s roughly an equal amount of good goalies to be had in Europe as there is in North America. > 3) It’s perhaps a really, really good idea to give any goalie who plays his draft season in a pro-level league in Europe a loooong look. Even if his numbers aren’t great, even if it’s in a second or third division pro league, and even if they only play in a few games. The simple fact that they’re playing against older players and tougher competition than junior is a strong testament to their ability. Such goalies have the highest rate of goalies who make the NHL, become a success, and become an elite NHL goalie (Jonas Hiller, Kari Lehtonen, Pekka Rinne, Tuukka Rask, Sergei Bobrovski, Frederik Andersen). That’s why goalies like Yarsoslav Askarov last year and Jesper Wallstedt this year are so highly regarded. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/image.png) Does this mean that Plumins is the next Chosen One who will be Toronto's Vasilevskiy for the next decade or more? As nice as it would be, I'm just going to point out that "fail%" number in the European Pro row. Even if that category of league also the highest percentage of goalies making the NHL, having a 'successful' NHL career, and turning into an elite NHL goalie... they're still much more likely to not have an impactful NHL career even as a backup. I'm just saying that if you're going to spend a draft pick on a goalie, Toronto seems to have made as smart a roll of the dice when choosing Plumins as they could have made when it comes to drafting goalies. Now, the fun part is that Plumins may play this coming season in the QMJHL as an import pick by Chicoutimi. There hasn't been any official announcement that he's committed to playing there, so he could wind up returning to Latvia again and try to take a starting job. ### The Votes Here's how we all voted: | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | NA | | Species | 20 | | Hound Line | 12 | | Shinson93 | NA | | Cameron | 22 | | Sclodiggity | 19 | | Brian S | 23 | | Svalbard38 | 21 | | Zone Entry | 19 | | Hardev | NA | | Adam | 24 | | Weighted Average | 21.64 | | Highest Vote | 12 | | Lowest Vote | 24 | Only two people didn't rank him at all – the curmudgeonly Cathy and Hardev. Hound Line really believed in him, ranking him 12th. Everyone else had him in about the same area between 19th and 24th. I personally had Plumins 23rd, and it's pretty much at that point I was running out of players that interested me even if I didn't have even the faintest hope of them reaching the NHL some day. The only reason why I didn't rank Ainasto as well, and why I chose to rank Plumins over him specifically, is because Plumins has both hype ***and*** stats to back it up. Where Ainasto had kinda meh numbers in Finland's U20 junior league, but good numbers in their U18 junior league (a very weak league for competitiveness), Plumins had much better numbers playing in Latvia's pro league and in international tournaments. ### The Opinions Here's what the other voters had to say: > **Hound Line**: I watched a handful of edited down games of Plumins and Ainasto on youtube, including the gem Plumins played against the US at the U18s. These were my notes: Strong technical play. Stays square and actively tracks the puck. Seals the post well. Works to keep good positioning and cover the puck in a scramble. Quick feet on kick saves and going post to post, but skating can look a little choppy when upright. Rebound control is usually good but can get lazy when the game is out of reach. Extremely active and effective settling the puck for his D, clearing it from net front or breaking up cross crease passes. He’s big, athletic, polished and battles; I love the way he plays. > **Shinson93**: While he was outstanding at the U18’s, it doesn’t seem like he’s played that much in his career, so far. That was the primary factor in leaving him off my rankings. > **Svalbard38**: Plumins led his league in SV% and GAA last season, that doesn’t happen in a vacuum, the team’s performance does play a role in that, as does the strength of the opponents he’s facing as a backup/1B, but it’s encouraging that he’s able to put up those numbers against men at his age. I’ve seen his highlight packs and he looked good, but that’s the nature of the highlight pack. Outside of Akhtyamov, Plumins is the most interesting goalie in the pool to me. > **Sclodiggity**: Goalies definitely get a bump for me due to the scarcity at the position. Goalies are hard to find, valuable, and take developmental strides in patterns that I can’t predict. I cross my fingers, smile at positive news, and wait for them to make the AHL where their performance has some context for me. > **Hardev**: I find it very hard to rank young goalies because there is zero chance I know enough about them to pick one or two or three or in any order. So for me: not ranked… yet. > **Cathy**: I see the ranking of goalies higher than similar skaters of whom everyone has similar understanding every year, and I don't understand it. Fool's gold is not more valuable than ordinary iron because gold is rare. That said, some goalies crept into my rankings at the bottom – in the "they will sit in this range and then graduate to the unranked list at 23" area of the list – mostly because the prospect pool is heavily tilted toward very unlikely skater prospects. So that's what I and the other voters thought when ranking him (or not). Let us know what you think of him, and where you would have ranked him (or not)! ### Monday's FTB: Everyone is at this prospect ranking thing URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-everyone-is-at-this-prospect-ranking-thing/ Last updated: 2026-08-17T12:04:20.000Z [Have we seen the last eight-year deal in the NHL?Saturday will mark one month until the maximum term for NHL contracts will drop from eight years when re-signing with a team to seven.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-3d53fd8d-6f78-48a6-af33-1c967dd2bf2a.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/TTAI47HZYJDYVBZJABJXU7XRNQ-d709588d-3b09-4497-8bd7-dce10b3b4770.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/have-we-seen-the-last-eight-year-deal-in-the-nhl/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Panthers’ Marchand confirms he underwent recent surgery, reportedly could miss start of seasonFlorida Panthers veteran forward Brad Marchand confirmed on social media this week that he recently underwent surgery. The 38-year-old said he would be unable to play in former teammate Zdeno Chara’s upcoming charity game in Slovakia as part of the announcement. “I won’t be able to make Z’s game,’’ Marchand said. “Unfortunately, I had to have a surgery, was trying to fix a problem without surgery, but unfortunately that was unable to happen and had to kind of do it last minute. With the time and recovery I am going to need, I won’t be able to make it and play in the game unfortunately.” According to George Richards of Florida Hockey Now, Marchand is believed to be dealing with a hip and sports hernia injury, adding the surgery could keep him sidelined to start the 2026-27 season. Marchand played with the injury for a large portion of the 2025-26 season, including February’s Winter Olympics when he represented Canada. Marchand scored 27 goals and added 27 assists in 52 games with the Panthers last season. It was his first full campaign in Florida after the organization acquired the scrappy winger at the 2025 trade deadline en route to a second straight Stanley Cup championship. The Halifax native is set to enter the second season of a six-year, $31.05 million contract, featuring an average annual value of $5.25 million. Marchand has produced 451 goals and 583 assists over 1,152 career games with the Boston Bruins and Panthers after being selected by Boston in the third-round of the 2006 NHL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-0f986a2b-b6f2-45ef-8dea-15c6c6a9e107.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/MC5CBORDAZGGDCJHJXSRORYDVE-de6e0a88-08e2-4021-80e7-cf06b232133d.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/panthers-marchand-confirms-he-underwent-recent-surgery-reportedly-could-miss-start-of-season/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Five teams with intriguing salary-cap decisions upcomingAfter an off-season of big moves and market-setting deals, it’s hard not to look even further into the future. Sportsnet’s Emily Sadler breaks down five teams facing intriguing salary-cap decisions.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-5121421d-abd4-4804-8cc1-76d71b90ba68.ico)Sportsnet.caEmily Sadler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Anaheim-Ducks-left-wing-Cutter-Gauthier-9dd9027c-523a-488f-a7ec-a6cc1d327f29.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/five-teams-with-intriguing-salary-cap-decisions-upcoming/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Andy O'Brien did a CBC interview as well.](https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.7306630?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) (This one is a little less bros laughing on the radio than that TSN bit, but has a big PEI focus.) And yes, it is very, very unusual to see someone in a role like this doing this much, or any, media. And Jack Roslovic did a bit on Overdrive: Victor Johansson's SHL team played in a preseason tournament game yesterday. He lined up in the third pair with Axel Rindell, who you may recall was a Leafs draft pick. Rindell is a power play specialist and used to play sometimes with Mikko Kokkonen as his defensive conscience. That is likely the role Johansson was playing. Don't read much into the pairing order, the top four on the team are veterans returning to the club and this third pair are both new. No details were available beyond the 3-1 score for the other team. And finally an ambulatory Max Domi at John Tavares's charity event. As are several other members of the team. ### 2026 T25U25 Week 1 Summary URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-week-1-summary/ Last updated: 2026-08-15T12:00:27.000Z The first week was a gentle introduction to the countdown with only three names revealed. When we tabulate the votes for the T25, we average the rankings given by all the voters and also take into account the number of voters who did not rank a player at all. "Unranked" counts as a ranking of 26 for the purposes of weighting the votes to get an average. Because it's possible to give players very similar mixes of votes, sometimes ties happen (this year they were all confined to the honourable mention section below number 25). But the other effect is that the weighted averages will be very similar for tiers of players. You can see that the three players below are all clustered around 23 as an average. ### Official Vote At 25th this year and with a weighted average ranking of 23.18 is Rylan Fellinger. He was ranked by four voters and is only 0.27 higher than Borya Valis at 26th. [2026 T25U25: Rylan Fellinger is #25A promising prospect you have probably never heard of.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-e324b1b4-d118-4129-81e9-fb1f498f0436.png)PPP LeafsHardev![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1580920790557-43158492adb5-f867a9ed-b849-4c8e-9ce6-2b12b4caf297)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-rylan-fellinger-is-25/) Ryan Tverberg is 24, and he got a ranking of 23.73, so not quite half a point higher, but he got eight votes. That marks a pretty serious distinction with the group below him. [2026 T25U25: Ryan Tverberg is #2424 in more ways than one.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-84035391-7d33-47d3-b616-e45ce82dfe9f.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1629550507498-adcd939792f5-2b8d36cc-7bd0-45aa-a0a9-8f707eb0ce67)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-ryan-tverberg-is-24/) Cooper Williams came in at 23rd with a ranking of 22.27, higher by the same jump that moved Tverberg firmly into 24th and also with eight votes. [2026 T25U25: Cooper Williams is #23Cooper Williams fits an archetype that Toronto has seemed to like under three different GM regimes, but his path to the NHL is long and steep.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-528a4608-72d5-43f0-9185-026d368215fd.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1609577592668-c2193e0392d8-a20521d7-8e74-40b1-9b8f-05ab5600e03c)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-cooper-williams-is-23/) Next week we'll have five new names on the T25 and this fairly rapid rise up through the bottom few players will give way to another tier of players ranked by all the voters. ### Community Vote As this is the first reveal of the Community Vote, a little explanation comes first. As you know if you voted, you rank the entire 39 players in one way or another. There is the option to use the N/A box, which places all the players at the bottom of your ranking, and then you can adjust the rank on as many as you want. We tabulate this vote the same way as the Official Vote, by treating all rankings below 25 or the N/A choices as a vote of 26\. That's what goes into the weighted average you'll see for each player. For the purposes of the charts, all votes are included to give a full picture of what people actually did within the constraints of the form. There is some noise in the official vote, but it's just under 300 votes this year which is enough to wash that noise out and give a decent representation of the order of the ranking, but also how close each rank is to the other. First, before the first three names on the Community Vote, are the non-ranked names that fell below 25\. #### Community Unranked - 39 Matthew Lahey with a weighted average of 25.58 (26 is the highest this number can be) - 38 Rylan Fellinger - 25.37 - 37 William Belle - 25.23 - 36 Brody Pepoy - 24.91 - 35 Hayes Hundley - 24.91 - 34 Alexander Plesovskikh - 24.62 - 33 Cooper Williams - 24.52 - 32 Sam McCue - 24.41 - 31 Brandon Buhr - 24.28 - 30 Blake Smith - 24.11 - 29 Patriks Plumins - 23.97 - 28 Yaroslav Fedoseyev - 23.81 - 27 Juuso Ainasto - 23.75 - 26 Timofei Obvintsev - 23.63 As usual, there are a lot of newly drafted players unranked on this vote, and some big differences with order compared to the bottom of the Official Vote. When you consider the small differences in average ranking, though, it mostly amounts to the difference between a firm "no" and a "yeah, but no, though" vote. But 25 marks the line, and we will cling to it! #### 25 Vinny Borgesi With a weighted average of 23.51, this free agent defender was one of the three unranked on the Official Vote. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/Vinny-Borgesi_community_histo.jpg) Borgesi started out on the ranking form in ninth place, as it goes from oldest to youngest. So for him "noise" is at the left side of the graph. Note the 99 voters who selected N/A for him. This is the graphical equivalent of "yeah, but no". #### 24 Hudson Malinoski Unranked on the Official Vote, he got an average of 23.43 in this vote and has a chart just like the one above. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/Hudson-Malinoski_community_histo.jpg) #### 23 Nicholas Moldenhauer Drafted the year before Malinoski and often confused for him, Moldenhauer got a couple of votes on the official ranking. He comes in here with an average of 22.97. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/08/Nicholas-Moldenhauer_community_histo.jpg) Next week, we'll see one of the small steps up in the Community Vote to the start of the list taken a little more seriously as prospects with prospects. See you then! ### Weekend FTB: No news is still no news URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-no-news-is-still-no-news/ Last updated: 2026-08-15T14:37:14.000Z As Cathy mentioned in Friday's FTB, the lack of news is itself news. None of those oft discussed deals for big name Leafs' players appear to be happening any time soon, despite everyone still coming up with theoretical trades for Matthew Knies and Morgan Rielly. "But we're only half way through August," you say. Well remember the new 84-game regular season starts much earlier this year. The first pre-season games are only five weeks away from today, which means the players will be back in Toronto soon as it is now *de riguer* to have informal skates at least a week before training camp starts, though I view those workouts as more of an excuse to get together and then go out to some trendy Toronto restaurant with a private dining room. And the Rookie Showcase will be held in Gatineau at Centre Slush Puppie ([really](https://centreslushpuppie.com/programme/le-defi-des-espoirs-lnh/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)) starting on September 12, in only four weeks. Either way, if a Big Thing is going to happen, there's not much time for it to go down before everyone is getting ready to start playing. As they say, we'll see where this goes. Our Top 25 Under 25 will continue next week and here's recap of our first week. [2026 T25U25 Week 1 SummaryThe first week was a gentle introduction to the countdown with only three names revealed.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-fe937717-f7db-4730-a3ab-1d7262964d45.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1619358974862-d1e03de7b35c-120e31f6-043a-4da9-a9f0-a7ea76d8194a)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-week-1-summary/) There is a tiny bit of actual news out there. A unique piece of Canadian hockey culture has been lost. > Thank you for 18 wonderful years. ❤️ [pic.twitter.com/IYH9UtHvrn](https://t.co/IYH9UtHvrn?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi (@HkyNightPunjabi) [August 14, 2026](https://x.com/HkyNightPunjabi/status/2088294619448815699?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And, well that's it. So let's take a mid-summer break to remember some good old times. Have a great weekend all! ### 2026 T25U25: Cooper Williams is #23 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-cooper-williams-is-23/ Last updated: 2026-08-14T14:30:54.000Z Williams is a guy that fits an archetype that has been in vogue under Dubas, then Treliving, and apparently under Chayka now too. Fraser Minten, Hudson Malinoski, Miroslav Holinka, Tinus Luc Koblar, Tyler Hopkins, Jacob Quillan, Luke Haymes, and now good ol' Coop – your smart two-way center whose impact goes past their skill level. How much skill and how much impact they have may vary, but it's been a while now that Toronto as an organization has seemed to like their players having a high hockey IQ, hockey sense, intelligence, whatever you want to call it. The other thing about all of them, even Minten who is likely to be the best of the bunch, is that they have all been long term projects to some extent. Minten improved by leaps and bounds to become what he is. Koblar has done the same and should be the closest to Minten as a player, and he still has to improve some more. The same will undoubtedly be true of a sixth round pick. | Cooper Williams | Vitals | | ---------------- | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 18.36 | | Position | C | | Height | 6'1" | | Weight (lbs) | 163 | | Shoots | L | | Draft Year | 2026 | | Draft Number | 158 | ### The Player If you want a detailed breakdown of his game, I wrote a full profile on him after the draft that I suggest you read: [Getting to Know Cooper WilliamsHe entered this season as a consensus first rounder, so why did he fall all the way to the fifth round and why did Toronto still draft him?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-eb03a803-e63e-48ea-9aa1-e12a50b106e5.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1642687818664-b3d3347d51df-2813709a-ac7d-4a81-9742-40e944f24b10)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/getting-to-know-cooper-williams/) That out of the way, I'm going to talk about what I'm hoping to see from Williams this season and how where he plays can affect that. When I wrote his profile, I identified three more significant issues that I thought he needed to improve the most: - Lack of physical strength/weight - Skating mechanics and power - Slower decision-making The first two issues are, to me, related to each other. At only 163 lbs, Williams has a lot of room to grow... literally. His skating mechanics could use some refinement for sure, but there are so many elements of his game that are held back because he's just not strong enough. His explosiveness and speed isn't as good as it needs to be because he doesn't have the muscular power in his legs. His shot has the same issue because he doesn't have the upper body strength. His general defensive game and ability to make plays along the boards and in close spaces/traffic is limited by his lack of weight and strength making him easier to push around. The decision making issue is separate from those, and it is probably something that is much harder to improve on. It seems like more of an innate thing you either have or you don't, but I'm not claiming to be any expert in this kind of thing so I could easily be wrong. As of now there's no confirmation on if Williams' returning to Saskatoon in the WHL next year, or making the jump to the NCAA with his commitment to North Dakota starting a year earlier than scheduled. Personally, I think it is more likely he returns to junior but I think North Dakota might be a better place for him to work on improving in those two areas. ### The Votes Here's how everyone voted. Three of the main voters didn't rank Williams at all in the top 25, but everyone was pretty consistent voting him between 18 and 23 otherwise. | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | 18 | | Species | NA | | Hound Line | 23 | | Shinson93 | NA | | Cameron | 19 | | Sclodiggity | 22 | | Brian S | 21 | | Svalbard38 | 23 | | Zone Entry | 18 | | Hardev | 23 | | Adam | NA | | Weighted Average | 22.27 | | Highest Vote | 18 | | Lowest Vote | 23 | Personally, I ranked Williams 21st. There were just too many players who I thought had better tools and/or skills, and didn't have the same level of issues to improve on. Of all those two way centers I mentioned that share his archetype as a player, Williams is (to me) clearly at the bottom in terms of quality. He's also the youngest, so he has the most time to improve. I thought he definitely had some interesting potential that was held back by those two issues, so while I ranked him more conservatively this year I wouldn't be surprised if he jumped up a good chunk in next year's voting. ### The Opinions Here's what the other voters had to say about Williams: > **Sclodiggity**: Cooper Williams was drafted 3 slots before Yaroslav Fedoseyev yet I ranked him 4 spots after. Weird. Anyway, a two-way center with average size. Cool. Great. I found myself unable to get too excited about Williams but I did hear that he had more hype last year after his D-1 year, so hopefully that hype was real and his big development step comes post-draft and not pre-draft. The Leafs have made a thing of targeting guys who show signs of late-blooming but I’m not sure Williams shows those signs (e.g. a large increase in scoring rate in the latter half of the season). > **Shinson93**: I feel torn on whether Williams is a high hockey IQ guy that’s just hit the wall in terms of physical skills to push to the next level, or if he’s a guy that’s accepted a defensive role that will allow him the runway to make it to a next developmental jump. Right now he feels too generic of a 2 way center to break into my rankings. > **Hound Line**: He's positionally sound but I don’t see the skill or skating or physical game to project on; every attribute is just ok. I think his upside is Quillan. He's gonna need to make big strides in the next two years just to stay on the list. > **Hardev**: Williams was a winger in the top six for Saskatoon during a barn-burner of a seven game series against the Edmonton Oil Kings. That series featured Williams, Ethan MacKenzie, Miroslav Holinka, and Zac Olsen by the way so I recommend catching those highlights. Williams was sort of quiet in that series but had his moments and overall worked well with his highly talented linemates. I think the expectation is he’s going to take on a bigger role next year. I didn’t see enough to be excited for next season but that might just be me. > **Cathy:** I didn't so much rank Williams high as push a lot of older player lower. I moved my "you have to be something more than just trying hard" age line even lower this year because there didn't seem to be a better way to differentiate between a very large group of prospects all about the same. So it helps to understand that for me, ranking him 18th, is not forecasting that he dramatically outperforms his draft position, more that he's just a little more likely to be a little better than a long list of other guys. Let us know where you ranked Williams, and why, in the comments! ### Friday's FTB: A rest is as good as a change? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-stasis-pods-are-fun/ Last updated: 2026-08-14T10:00:05.000Z The list of players who wanted or were rumoured to want or maybe wanted trades in July is still about the same as it was then. [Werenski says things were ‘misconstrued’ this summer, wants to win with Blue JacketsDefenceman Zach Werenski met with reporters in Columbus on Thursday and maintained his desire to win as a member of the Blue Jackets.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-5a4c9e94-63de-4b95-8bf7-da99275ed9c2.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/25H4OUNFGZAK7EHERAKZ3WFGNI-ef1e85ba-beb2-4697-a7b8-2ec585f3ae28.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/werenski-reiterates-desire-to-win-with-blue-jackets/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Morrissey hopes Hellebuyck remains with Jets, ‘confident’ team can bounce backJosh Morrissey is well aware of the talk around Connor Hellebuyck’s future with the Winnipeg Jets that has loomed over the team’s off-season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-0afb0e08-201f-47d3-874a-91fbc72d99e3.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/RYQGDTNELJBAFGZTTKMWW4NGJE-e75b0005-9be8-415c-927c-e78596e3b3a2.JPG)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/morrissey-hopes-hellebuyck-remains-with-jets-confident-team-can-bounce-back/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Red Wings have gone into GM hiring stasis, so nothing has been said about Dylan Larkin. Other people writing on this topic: [Morgan Rielly trade rumours have disappeared as offseason continues

Remember when the talk of Toronto was trading Morgan Rielly this summer? Turns out, all of the chatter has transitioned to the sound of crickets. After Rielly’s struggles last season, and with John Chayka taking over as general manager, many felt the longest-tenured Leaf was a prime trade candidate heading into this offseason. From there,…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-8162ed17-97fb-4d60-a103-717e25c9468b.png)The Leafs NationJeremy Tingly![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-71b95c76-7817-44ca-aa27-696c11ce4f05)](https://theleafsnation.com/news/morgan-rielly-trade-rumours-have-disappeared-as-offseason-continues?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The NHL-wide stasis is not actually just about the calendar, although it's mostly that. It is partly cap space. Just using PuckPedia's projected in-season cap space (because you know that's not offseason space right?) the Red Wings have lots, but no boss. Then come a host of teams not spending while they pretend not to tank like Seattle, Calgary, Columbus. The Flyers have room, so do the Penguins. The Hurricanes have less than $10 million and an RFA defender in Alexander Nikishin to sign. He's a guy they don't actually seem to want, but haven't traded, and if they do manage it, they need another defender. Montréal have just under $10 million and Arber Xhekaj to sign. They are a plausible team who both could and would make a deal if there was a deal to be made. Anaheim is stuck with a similar amount of space and Cutter Gauthier to sign, so they can't so anything right now about their astonishingly bad defence. There's a clutch of teams with around $5 million in space who don't seem to be sure which direction they're going in. Members of last year's muddy middle, Boston, Utah, St. Louis, New Jersey, the allegedly good Sabres are in there and Nashville – now mysterious under a new GM. Vegas who can always make a deal are actually right at the cap when they put Pietrangelo on LTIR. Dallas has no room, the Wild could add a very low-AAV player as could Tampa, but Colorado is full up and that pretty much leaves the Sharks, always rumoured to always be the destination for everyone. The Sharks have space. They have Logan Couture's $8 million to put on LTIR plus about $3 million more. , and I have kept a clever scheme in the back of my mind all summer. If the Sharks want to trade that contract so they can accrue cap space this year for a deadline buying spree... so if they believe they are good enough... a team who already has LTIR on the books might be willing to make that deal. And if I actually knew Max Domi's status, I'd start to wonder about the Leafs doing that. That said, the only really likely trade the Leafs might make is to add someone in place of Morgan Rielly, and that doesn't seem like Sharky type business. But it is a clever scheme, and I hate those, even my own. So no, it's not happening. There's some legitimate NHL forwards out there as UFAs quietly waiting for deals (or waiting for teams to be ready to file deals they've already signed). Some things will happen. Likely not today though. Today is more T25, and the first week summary is tomorrow where the Community Vote is counted down. See you then! ### 2026 T25U25: Ryan Tverberg is #24 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-ryan-tverberg-is-24/ Last updated: 2026-08-13T12:00:43.000Z Ryan Tverberg is 24, that is the crucial point about this prospect. He's exactly seven months shy of being too old for this list, and when that's true, and you aren't in the NHL, there's a lot of prospects or players who will rank ahead of you. | Ryan Tverberg | Vitals | | ---------------- | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 24.42 | | Position | C | | Height | 5'11" | | Weight (lbs) | 187 | | Shoots | R | | Draft Year | 2020 | | Draft Number | 213 | ### The Player At 7:12 pm on October 7, 2020, the Maple Leafs swapped seventh-round picks with Boston and drafted Ryan Tverberg. That strange confluence of circumstances – that the draft was in October, that it ran that late on the second day because it was done via Zoom, and that the Leafs saw a player they wanted to snatch – led to a player from Richmond Hill getting in at least two games for his hometown Maple Leafs. Will it ever be more? Maybe. But the signs point a lot more strongly to no. Tverberg went to the NCAA to play hockey long before that was a common practice, and he started slow like a lot of rookies, and then started to score goals. He came to the Marlies at 21 and started slow, and then settled into an AHL career sprinkled with enough injuries to have made last season's 63 regular season games and 24 playoff appearances the busiest season of hockey he's ever had. He played in two games for the Leafs, the last two games of last season. Games the Leafs really needed to lose to hold onto fifth-last in the NHL and keep their first-round pick. In the Dallas game at home, he played 9:07, sat in the box for two minutes for tripping Mikko Rantanen and got to watch the Leafs lose on a Dallas comeback in the third sparked by Troy Stecher's own goal. In case you've forgotten what last season was like. In the final game, a loss to the Senators, he played 10:40 without incident. He was 5'11" when drafted, but only 175 lbs, so he's bulked up a little, and the scouting report on him then matches who he has been ever since: a player willing to engage physically – he had a couple of hits in the game against the Senators, he blocks shots, and he's an obvious energy player in the AHL – but one who gets knocked off the puck easily. That second part is less true now that he's a mature man. No draft watchers had him ranked back in 2020 before the draft, not even the people who make absurdly long draft ranking lists. But here's the thing about him: the Leafs scouts were right. He is a much, much better player than the average 200+ pick gets you. Not quite Pierre Engvall or Andreas Johnson, but close. One guy taken in that seventh round, Chicago's Louis Crevier, has busted 100 NHL games, and Devon Levi, now with Florida, might get there too, but that's it. The odds were always really long for Tverberg, and his success is down to him and his hard work. Fans of the Marlies are often very fond of him because of his obvious work ethic and enthusiasm. He had a great season this past year, but one point should get some attention. He played on a line with Jacob Quillan and Easton Cowan in the playoffs. And just like in the NHL, the third-best player on a line (which is polite for worst) can be pulled along in the wake of players who create offence, who have puck control skills and who tilt the ice in ways that get them points, highlight moments. These creators can make the skating speed of their third man look like it's a key ingredient for winning. If Tverberg is lucky with injuries, he'll likely have another good Marlies season after the Leafs signed him to a one-year contract. This is his last year on this list, and maybe his last in the organization, as he will finish that contract as a Group-6 UFA unless he very unexpectedly plays 78 games on the Leafs. ### The Votes Tverberg didn't hit the T25 list until 2022, when his scoring ability got noticed. He was 22nd, then 17th in 2023, 16th in 2024 and didn't make it last year with only three voters ranking him. | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | NA | | Species | 21 | | Hound Line | 25 | | Shinson93 | 23 | | Cameron | 20 | | Sclodiggity | NA | | Brian S | NA | | Svalbard38 | 22 | | Zone Entry | 24 | | Hardev | 19 | | Adam | 18 | | Weighted Average | 22.73 | | Highest Vote | 18 | | Lowest Vote | 25 | ### The Opinions > **Sclodiggity:** NHL games played! He had 2 last year, the first of his career, which makes him a fully qualified tweener, a status few prospects achieve. Plus, a strong (relatively speaking) season and playoffs with the Marlies and he certainly appears to be a viable 4th liner. With that said, 24-years-old and 2 NHL games to date suggests that this is his ceiling. Potentially a regular on a weaker team, likely only call up duty for the Leafs. Impressive though this is for a 7th round pick, it has relatively little value so I had him lower than many other voters. It would be great to see a positive 20-game stint from him, but he’s a sizable step down from Duhaime, Blueger, Scissons, Lorentz, etc. so it’ll take a few injuries for him to get time. I think where people differ on him is the value of a highly-certain but low ceiling guy vs slightly higher potential but long-shot guy. > **Shinson93:** I had essentially written off Tverberg last season, as he seemed to struggle to find his role on the team. Looking back, I think recurring injuries played more of a role than I wanted to admit. This past season Tveberg finally got a full season and showed both how versatile he can be, and how much he can make his linemates better. Gruden used him everywhere in the lineup and constantly commented about how wherever he put him, the line got better. I love his speed and tenacity and think he can be more than just a 4th liner. His scoring was on par with Quillan and Haymes, who are slightly younger but both will be ranked higher up this list. I think this is a prospect that has maximized his opportunity. > **Brigstew:** I’ve always liked Tverberg, and still do, but I don’t see an NHL regular in him. At his age there isn’t major improvements coming, and he just doesn’t have the skills or tools to be something more than a good AHL player. I didn’t rank him as a result, but I’ll always enjoy watching him play on the Marlies. > **Svalbard38:** I love Tverberg’s story. Grew up a Leafs fan, wanted to be drafted by the Leafs, thought that dream was over when Toronto used their last pick. Then Toronto trades for one more pick and takes him in the seventh. When a team trades for your pick on draft day, you know they’re not just throwing a dart at the board because they have a dart left to throw, they want you. It’s always fun to see a 7th rounder put on the jersey and play in an NHL game, and I was happy it happened for Tverberg, but I’m not sure I see a way onto the roster for him this season unless there’s a run of injuries. He’s on my list but I don’t see him going much further than he’s already gone. Like every player I think that of, I’d love if Tverberg proved me wrong. > Hardev: I ranked Tverberg next to Villeneuve because they're identical in a lot of ways. They're both 24, got a couple NHL games during the tank to hang their hats on, played important roles during the Marlies championship run, but don't have the next level to be in the NHL. I admit he's proven me wrong in how far he's come. Since it's his last T25, I want to admit I always think of Tverberg whenever a prospect's position is listed as "F" because he was the first one I came across where sites had no idea if he was a centre or a winger. I didn't rank him either this year or last. By outperforming his draft position, he became a fun prospect to pay attention to, but in the larger context of the rest of the prospect pool, he was never quite good enough at lower levels to really merit that kind of ranking. Time runs out eventually and every prospect gets to the end of the runway, and a man turning 25 this winter is who he is. He sure deserved to be lifting that Calder Cup, though. I hope he has another good year with the Marlies, but I can't in good conscience hope for him on the Leafs because that doesn't mean things are going well for the team or their overstuffed forward corps. Your turn. What do you think about the Marlies second line playoff winger. ### Thursday's FTB: More money to watch hockey URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-more-money-to-watch-hockey/ Last updated: 2026-08-13T10:00:18.000Z Honestly it feels like the cover story for this article below about Nick Paul is a bit pasted on for some Leafs content. I think Paul was a good addition, and I also think his season last year isn't some sign of age decline. But playoff knowhow comes way down the list of what he offers and it seems to be his main attribute according to this. [12 under-the-radar NHL acquisitions who could surprise next seasonAmid all the shiny free-agent signings and blockbuster trades, it’s the moves that received less attention that could prove most valuable during the upcoming NHL season. Sportsnet’s David Morassutti looks at 12 players whose acquisitions flew under the radar.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-5c57eab1-58ad-4bed-943e-fb8f60e7f6b4.ico)Sportsnet.caDavid Morassutti![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/paul-925e9e72-1118-4625-8c96-21c10394851e.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/12-under-the-radar-nhl-acquisitions-who-could-surprise-next-season/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This prospect rundown goes in hard on Akhtyamov largely because he's there: [2026-27 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Toronto Maple Leafs’ Top 10Gavin McKenna does a lot of heavy lifting, but Toronto’s pipeline is easily the best it has been in quite some time.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-cc6e8125-8333-4657-89a0-c17c36033cdd.png)Daily FaceoffSteven Ellis![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-2f63311a-6e0b-419e-a557-16dfd8b3c3cc)](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/2026-27-nhl-prospect-pool-breakdown-toronto-maple-leafs-top-10-scouting-reports-rookies?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) We'll discuss that in due time in T25 rankings when we get to our oldest prospect but that also seems to miss the point about the player and what he brings. Or doesn't. --- At the time Hockey Canada suspended the five players who were ultimately to stand trial for sexual assault, there was an appeal filed under the procedures of the organization. I has now concluded. [Independent appeal board issues decisionAn independent appeal board has issued its decision involving members of the 2018 National Junior Team.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-350c53d2-9aeb-4274-967c-0ca116d3fdf3.ico)Hockey Canada logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/team-canada-white-jersey-logo-sleeve-e017ee5a-98b4-4a0a-becb-b72825fafb6c.jpg)](https://hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/appeal-board-issues-decision-2026-corp?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > The independent appeal board confirmed that five players from the 2018 National Junior Team breached the Hockey Canada code of conduct, with the following continued suspensions and reinstatement dates recommended to, and accepted by, Hockey Canada: > · Alex Formenton: reinstated immediately > · Cal Foote: suspended until November 10, 2026 > · Carter Hart: suspended until November 10, 2027 > · Dillon Dubé: suspended until November 10, 2028 > · Michael McLeod: suspended until November 10, 2030 > The players had been formally suspended from Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs, pending the completion of the appeal process. > As the independent investigation did not conclude that any other player on the 2018 National Junior Team breached Hockey Canada’s code of conduct, those players are eligible for consideration to participate in any Hockey Canada-sanctioned program, effective immediately. As of [February of 2024](https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/all-players-from-2018-world-junior-team-remain-suspended-by-hockey-canada-pending-appeal/article%5Fa6889126-88c8-5a11-bce7-ea234a6d34df.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), Hockey Canada was maintaining their suspension of the entire team. While the above implies that suspension continued, Robert Thomas joined Team Canada this spring at the World Championships and Cale Makar was at the Olympics, so some lifting of the team-wide suspension had occurred previously. The details of the appeal process are not public nor are the reasons for the varying lengths of the waiting period for reinstatement. --- In other un-fun news, it seems TSN's streaming subscription price is now rising by $50 to $249.99\. With no official word yet on what other streaming services Rogers may have sold rights to in Canada, and no schedule yet to know how many Leafs games TSN will still have... well, it's getting harder to budget for watching all the games unless you have a desire to have sports channels on your TV for multiple sports. This TSN plan is $30 per month at the old price, making it $270 in total paying by month if you want coverage until the end of May for Worlds. So there's no saving to be had by going monthly even if you cut it off at the end of the NHL regular season. For me, Prime is the valuable commodity that carries Leafs games but gives me other things I actually want. I have watched some baseball and basketball over the last 10 years of subscribing to these services, not enough to have ever justified it if it wasn't site-related. What I'm curious about is this: how many people really watch something close to all the Leafs games? Is the market for customers who want to stream them all really small compared to the big TV watchers of multiple sports or the sort who used to watch one game a week on the CBC? The response to the rising prices is always an outcry that they're doing business wrong, and yet... are they? Or are they just pricing what the bulk of their customers will pay without a second thought? After all, most TV viewers buy a cable package sold to them in a bundle don't they? They don't have to think about how expensive that phone is, but they also don't really notice the price of individual channels. (I have not added up yet what the three main Leafs broadcasters will cost – all have had price increases, unsurprisingly. But it's quite a chunk of change.) ### 2026 T25U25: Rylan Fellinger is #25 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-rylan-fellinger-is-25/ Last updated: 2026-08-12T12:00:39.000Z We kick off this year's Top 25 Under 25 with a 19-year-old right-shooting defender out of the OHL. He was left unranked coming out of the draft last year with a label as one of Brad Treliving's Large Adult Sons. As a reminder, the only player taken by the Leafs in 2025 that wasn't 6'3" or larger was centre Tyler Hopkins, and Fellinger was the tallest of the bunch. So in an effort to shed that label for a player who doesn't deserve it, let me introduce you to Rylan Fellinger. | Rylan Fellinger | Vitals | | ---------------- | ------ | | Age as of July 1 | 19.13 | | Position | RD | | Height | 6'4" | | Weight (lbs) | 196 | | Shoots | R | | Draft Year | 2025 | | Draft Number | 185 | ### The Player Fellinger is the youngest of three brothers who are all defenders and came up in the Soo Greyhounds system. As someone who was born and raised in the GTA and the farthest north in Ontario I've ever been is Parry Sound (except for Ottawa), it's often hard for me to appreciate the size of Northern Ontario. For context, Fellinger's hometown of Wawa is as far away from the Soo as Sudbury is from the Soo, which is a bit of a shorter drive than Sudbury to Barrie. In 2023, Fellinger was drafted by the Flint Firebirds to play in the OHL. Being in Southern Michigan, Flint is once again about as far away from Wawa as Toronto is, and is about how far you have to travel to get from London, England to the top of Scotland. Once again, all the distances of Canada are more than my mind can handle. Anyway, back to Fellinger. Fellinger joined the Firebirds and put up a grand total of 11 points in 130 regular season and playoff games up until last year. However, you've missed the point if you point to points being the point. What I found most interesting is that Fellinger quickly jumped into a regular second-pair role with Flint and was relied upon heavily defensively in his draft year. His coaches quickly recognized how well Fellinger understood the game and how reliable he was defensively. At this point I'd really recommend reading Brigs' Getting To Know article on Fellinger because he has lots of video clips showing Fellinger's defensive instincts, understanding of gaps, and skating skills. These video clip articles Brigs does are invaluable because the most important things a defender does never end up on the scoresheet or would be a third assist at best, and I think that's why Fellinger gets a lot less credit than he deserves. [Getting to Know Rylan FellingerToronto’s selection of Fellinger follows a trend they started last year in taking relatively unknown defense prospects late in the draft, but who have size and skating.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-fad6bb0f-0dc1-470c-83d5-ef33ef3990a4.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1559506076-c76eda83362c-f23254ad-f3d6-43dd-bd1a-6c5901d36eda)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/getting-to-know-rylan-fellinger/) In the year since that article I've seen good things from Fellinger. I watched his playoff games against Owen Sound and then Windsor and his defensive game has only gotten better. Fellinger is aggressive in his skating and stick work to disrupt zone entries and then play the puck up the ice for his forwards. Game 3 of Flint's shellacking of Owen Sound had enough moments where Fellinger got into the highlight reels for me to share. Skip to his second period because you'll see him single-handedly break up an odd-man rush and turn it up the ice for a goal, and then later drive the defense back with a rush that gave him a primary assist. By the way, Owen Sound was clearly out-classed by Flint in this series – the goals were 35-3 in four games! And again in the Windsor series you can see Fellinger doing his thing. I found that he had strong awareness when he could make a move to break up a play vs when to not get caught out. The highlight starting at 1:10 shows him keeping a gap to his opponent, jumping at the right time to poke the puck away but keeping control of it to make a tape-to-tape pass to his teammate for a goal. Both of these highlight videos are from games where Fellinger scored a point, but both points were primary assists and highlighted more things about his game that are valued in defenders than getting the odd lucky assist. I found Fellinger to have a lot of confidence in his game, both defending transitions, holding his own in front of the net, and skating with the puck. Overall I'm quite impressed with his defensive-zone and neutral-zone play and the improvements he's made since last year. As we've seen in countless OHL prospects, points are a function of first line minutes and power play time. This season, Fellinger will very likely be "the guy" in Flint with the departure of basically the entire defense group. Their overager and the other NHL prospect are both going to the NCAA. I'm very interested to see if Fellinger's game rises to the occasion when it comes to eating lots of minutes, handling the puck in the offensive zone, and overall being part of the offense. ### The Votes Only four of us voted Fellinger in our rankings, a complete reversal to #24 on our list coming out tomorrow. Fellinger clearly suffers from name recognition, something only points or a fun name can get you. | Voter | Vote | | ---------------- | ----- | | Cathy | 21 | | Species | NA | | Hound Line | NA | | Shinson93 | 18 | | Cameron | NA | | Sclodiggity | NA | | Brian S | 17 | | Svalbard38 | NA | | Zone Entry | NA | | Hardev | 17 | | Adam | NA | | Weighted Average | 23.18 | | Highest Vote | 17 | | Lowest Vote | 21 | What Cathy will find funny is that she ranked Fellinger 21st last year as well and was the only one to do so. ### The Opinions > Cathy: Rylan Fellinger is a player who I know very little about. I ranked him low largely on the strength of his age since that means he has a lot of years to improve, and that he's tall and is a right-shooting defender. I don't rate my own ability to judge junior defence prospects very well, and it's historically been something everyone paid to do this does pretty poorly. So, the future seems full of all sorts of possibilities for him. > Sclodiggity: I didn’t rank Fellinger based on very broad strokes analysis. A 6th round pick (2025) that failed to take big strides in his D+1 year. He’s not supposed to be a big point producer so don’t read into his counting stats (but if you do want to, 16 points in 65 games as a 19-year-old in the OHL) but his offense should be better than that if his more fundamental skills are there (ie good skaters and puck movers just get *some* points). If these skills are so lacking, no amount of size and defensive responsibility will get him to the NHL. Minor bonus points for being from Wawa, Ontario though. > Shinson93: As I mentioned in my blurb, I watched a full season of Fellinger this year, so I’m aware I have some bias going into this. At the beginning of the season, I found Fellinger was relying too much on his size and reach in his shut down defender role. I wanted to see him engage more physically to move players out of the crease and freeze them along the boards. Additionally, while I think he was a good puck mover in his own zone, I wanted to see more engagement in the offensive zone. I saw good development in both areas by the end of the season. His other strength is as a communicator on the ice; he is constantly talking with his partner and the goalie about positioning. He generally played a second pair role for most of the season and was heavily relied on for PK and end of games. While he’s never going to be a huge point producer, he was near the top of the team in +/- during the season and led the team in the playoffs. It wasn’t a huge jump in development, but this was a very good season for Fellinger. He will be asked to take an even bigger role for Flint next year which should be good for his progression. > Brigstew: Fellinger doesn’t appear to have taken a leap in his play, but seeing where he was this time last year compared to now it’s easy to see his growth and it wasn’t just a little bit. His skating got even better for speed and agility, his defensive reads have become more consistent, and he looks more confident handling the puck on breakouts and on transitions. Don’t pay any attention to his points, that’s not the point of his game. I ranked him 17th, towards the bottom of the tier of guys I still have even a remote hope in any NHL potential. If he makes the NHL it will be on the strength of his size, mobility, defense and transition impacts. This year he has an opportunity to become a top pairing defenseman for Flint that gets heavy usage on the penalty kill and at even strength, where he can show more of an all around game that he’s developed. > Svalbard38: I didn’t rank Rylan Fellinger, not because I don’t believe in him but because I haven’t seen enough from him yet. That said, he’s got some things going for him. He’s young, a May birthday. That gets less important as time goes on but in your D+1 year, it’s still a factor. He’s got a big body and he’s willing to use it, that’s obviously not enough on his own but it’s a plus. He doesn’t have many points, but I’ve never felt like he lucked into the points he does have just by virtue of being on the ice. He works for his points and has more offensive skill than the numbers suggest. This time next year I’d love to have him in my top 25, I just need to see a step. I think he has a step in him. I'm looking forward to seeing what Rylan Fellinger can do in his age-19 season in the OHL. He's still got a few years before he makes the transition to the AHL, but I expect by then the jump won't be very difficult for him. He's got a well-rounded game that coaches like. He plays a similar style to that of Ben Danford, in fact, and I hope he gets some recognition for it. ### Wednesday's FTB: August means corny new rules URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-august-means-corny-new-rules/ Last updated: 2026-08-12T10:52:57.000Z Have you considered, NHL, just making games two periods and having goals count for three points if scored from above the circles? No? Why not, though? In this article I will prove why this would be fantastically better, and wait... wait... I have a powerpoint! Don't go... Today, in the depths of August, your job is to invent whole new sets of rules for hockey. Why stick with what we have, let's make it weird. I actually like the two periods thing. I confess, last year, there were times I found the second intermission a shock because it has seemed like the game should be over already, the loss in the books, the quest for McKenna fulfilled. But the last thing we need is another reason to have video review. So what is your remade NHL? I once briefly liked some clever schemes for eliminating faceoffs, but then realized the NHL wants those long faceoff dramas or they wouldn't have them. Broadcasters must demand them. Anyhow, we have an actual T25 article about someone who was ranked today, so get ready for that. He's a bit of a mystery to most people, I think. For fans of infrastructure projects: [Senators’ Leeder says LeBreton Flats project ‘making progress’, still no timeline on breaking groundTuesday marks one year since the Ottawa Senators reached a deal with the National Capital Commission to purchase 11 acres of land at LeBreton Flats to build a new arena for the team.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-4b55d4b7-c0a5-42d0-8592-954bb522db1a.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/LCCAOMDZHBC2HD5GULYNZWO53E-d44555a0-ad6b-451c-b246-f67db7f238f2.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/senators-leeder-says-lebreton-flats-project-making-progress-still-no-timeline-on-breaking-ground/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Dallas Stars select HNTB to create the future home of hockey in North Texas | Dallas StarsDesign will establish a new home for Stars hockey while creating a year-round destination for fans and the broader community![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-9b24dfad-e89c-4877-a7e0-a85a55d70c30.png)Dallas Stars logoDallas Stars Communications![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/xkui04scmkkk7rvmilay-f2827fd8-cd85-4787-b6c0-4d2b6918450d.png)](https://www.nhl.com/stars/news/dallas-stars-select-hntb-to-create-the-future-home-of-hockey-in-north-texas-081026?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And more charity events: [Hockey Night in BramptonCanada’s Biggest Charity Hockey Game - in Support of William Osler Health System![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/HNIB_Logo-512x512-white-back-favicon-300x300-4477aebf-2c83-41b8-a5af-203ec35418b6.png)Aug 19 2026![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Li-11-c1721e34-d9a1-4357-88bd-5d18f63761b9.png)](https://hockeynightbrampton.ca/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Curtis Joseph is set to attend](https://www.insauga.com/former-maple-leafs-goalie-curtis-joseph-shoresy-star-terry-ryan-join-hockey-night-in-brampton-roster/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). And Morgan Rielly will be one of the team captains. That's all for now, see you in the argument, er comments on our Mr. 25! ### 2026 T25U25: Honorable Mentions URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-honorable-mentions/ Last updated: 2026-08-11T13:00:53.000Z With so few unranked players, there is a longer list of honourable mentions, and this will be our first look at how the votes were handed out. In our tabulation system an unranked player gets a weighted ranking of 26, and usually the person who lands in the 25th spot has a weighted ranking much higher than 25\. This year that person is at 23.18\. In between are the honourable mentions. ### William Belle Belle, unranked last year in the top 25 after being drafted at 137th overall, got one vote at 25\. You can't get much closer to unranked than that, and his weighted average was 25.91\. He is a very large forward with an unusual history – he began learning hockey in China – but the most recent development camp revealed his lack of basic hockey skills. He has a long road to ever be taken very seriously as a prospect. ### Alexander Plesovskikh Ranked 23rd last year, he hit 25.82 this year on the strength of only one vote at 24th. He is very unlike Belle, in that he has the classic Russian training in skating and skills, but he just has no real offensive game, which as a winger seems like a need, not an option. ### Timofei Obvintsev Unranked on the list last year, Obvintsev has signed an AHL deal to tend goal for the Marlies or the Cyclones this year. But his ranking this year of 25.64 shows that didn't impress the voters. He was ranked by two voters with a 23rd place and a 25th. Goalies, who knows? ### Nicholas Moldenhauer Ranked 22nd last year, this time out Moldenhauer hit 25.55 with thow votes, one 24th and one 23rd. He showed some verve at development camp, but it didn't make a dent in opinions set by his not very good NCAA play. Forwards really have to generate something offensively to get noticed. ### Hayes Hundley Tied with Moldenhauer at 25.55, Hundley is new to the T25 and is a free agent defender who has one year of NCAA play behind him. He got one vote at 21st. ### Sam McCue McCue played with Plesovskikh and Malinoski at development camp, and joins them in not making the T25\. He was placed at 20 last year and hit 25.45 with one 25th and one 21st vote. He is one of those physical players who gets some net-front goals, but not at a level that has impressed anyone yet. ### Brandon Buhr Tied with McCue at 25.45, and with one 21st and one 25th vote, Buhr is just young enough by seven days that he'll make the eligibility list next year. He is a free agent winger out of the NCAA. ### Blake Smith Still in the depths of the ranking list, Smith hit 24.55 on the strength of one ranking at 25th and one at 11th! Smith, unranked last year, was a free agent signing from Flilnt in the OHL. He played in 62 Marlies games, had 110 PIM and featured in only one game in the playoffs, despite scoring a goal. John Gruden isn't convinced by Smith either. ### Juuso Ainasto The first player to get four rankings is new goalie Juuso Ainasto. I confess to throwing him in on the bottom of my list on the strength of Finland inviting him to the WJSS. He received a vote at 22nd and three at 20th and his 24 in weighted average, making him the lowest ranked player that's at least close to making the cut. ### Brody Pepoy Newly drafted Brody Pepoy received five votes and got to 23.91 with one 18th, one 19th, a 22nd and two at 24th, so a lot of people considered him in their lowest tier. He had a good development camp, and got some notice for it. ### Borya Valis Ranked 14th last year, Valis has fallen all the way to almost making it this year. He's now 22, so that's the age where something exciting needs to have happened to keep the dreams alive. He hit 23.45, with five votes, one at 16th, one at 19th, a 20th, 23dr and 24th. He also went from junior hockey and 80 points in 66 games to the AHL and 25 points in 60 games. He's a capable AHLer, but no one is betting he's rising much higher than that anymore. The difference between Valis and the person ranked 25th is very interesting. Mr. 25 got votes from 17 - 21, but only four of them. It will take until Mr. 24 before we we start seeing players ranked by more voters. There seems to be an actual line between 24th and everyone else this year, whereas that bump usually comes a little higher up. The full list of Community Vote results below 25 will be out this weekend, and it is very different. ### 2026 T25U25: The Unranked URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-the-unranked/ Last updated: 2026-08-11T13:19:54.000Z With 39 names on the T25 eligibility list this year, it's inevitable that there will be some that got zero votes, but surprisingly there are only three this year. There are usually more, but I think this year's vote has so many players plausibly at the same level in the lower two or three or four tiers, however you split it up, that the votes are scattered around a lot. With no votes from anyone on the official list, we have: ### Vinny Borgesi Borgesi is young for a free agent signing, and it's possible he got no notice simply because he is a brand new signing. He has played in seven games for the Marlies last spring, but not in the playoffs, and is a right-shooting defender who graduated from Northeastern last year, finishing his final season as team captain. The Marlies did not play any of their new signings in the playoffs, so when all eyes turned to the eventual Calder Cup winners, those new prospects were in the pressbox. That said, it's not all that often that undrafted college players make big strides, and at 5'9", it's even more unlikely. There were six defenders at 5'9" or shorter last season who played at least half the year. One of the Emil Andrae. Jared Spurgeon and Lane Hutson are the only established NHLers, though. Maybe we're all wrong about Vinny. ### Matthew Lahey Lahey is another defender, but with a very different profile to Borgesi. Lahey is two years younger, was drafted in 2024 (200th overall) and is a left shooting defender listed at 6'6" and 200 lbs. When he was drafted, he was coming out of the BCHL (where he got some points) and moving into the USHL for a year before college. His freshman year last season at Michigan State was not a big success. He only played in 19 games and made very little impression. At 20, he's not exactly young for the NCAA, but there is no one perfect formula for development. He didn't generate any buzz at the most recent Leafs development camp either and he was unranked last year. ### Hudson Malinoski Also unranked last year, Malinoski is 22 like Borgesi, but has been around as a prospect since he was drafted 153rd overall in 2023\. He is an average-sized forward who isn't flashy at all. After three years of solid play, and results well down the points list for the team at Providence College, he's moving to the University of North Dakota this season. At the recent development camp, where he would have been one of the older experienced players, Brigs said: > Malinoski was solid in this game. He and Plesovskikh did a lot of the grunt work with strong two-way play and then to help set up McCue where he's most dangerous – around the net. He would work a clean cycle in the corner before whipping a sharp pass out front to find McCue open for his first goal. He later scored after being part of a 2 on 0 rush with the net empty to seal the game, with Belle nicely gifting him the easy empty netter. Not a spectacular outing, but the kind of thing I've come to expect from him as a more defensive center. A solid depth forward who can play with the more physical energy players, he's never quite convinced any T25 voters that that's enough of a package to make hime one of the top 25\. Given the format of the Community Vote, there are no unranked players, but the full list of those who finished below 25 will be part of this weekend's T25 summary post. ### Tuesday's FTB: You name the basement dweller URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-basement/ Last updated: 2026-08-11T10:00:46.000Z First up: the ever so important results of the poll yesterday on who will draft first overall. There were 43 people who bravely used that annoying form, and this is the range of top five votes (I assume everyone got bored quickly) and the weighted total that is calculated from all the votes: | Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Score | | --------------------- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ----- | | Vancouver Canucks | 18 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 28.5 | | Calgary Flames | 3 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 25.47 | | Chicago Blackhawks | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 23.86 | | Nashville Predators | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 22.52 | | St. Louis Blues | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 22.34 | | Seattle Kraken | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 21.61 | | Columbus Blue Jackets | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 21.32 | | Detroit Red Wings | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 21.25 | | New York Rangers | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 21.15 | | Los Angeles Kings | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 21.04 | | Ottawa Senators | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20.37 | | Boston Bruins | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 20.15 | | Pittsburgh Penguins | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19.85 | | Winnipeg Jets | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18.89 | | Anaheim Ducks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 18.19 | | San Jose Sharks | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17.64 | | New York Islanders | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 17.08 | | Philadelphia Flyers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17.07 | | Utah Mammoth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16.59 | | New Jersey Devils | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 16.35 | | Montréal Canadiens | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 14.65 | | Buffalo Sabres | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14.27 | | Washington Capitals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13.96 | | Toronto Maple Leafs | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12.23 | | Minnesota Wild | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11.23 | | Vegas Golden Knights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11.04 | | Florida Panthers | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.54 | | Dallas Stars | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10.5 | | Edmonton Oilers | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10.12 | | Tampa Bay Lightning | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9.52 | | Carolina Hurricanes | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8.84 | | Colorado Avalanche | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.17 | Poor, poor Canucks. No one believes you aren't tanking. Also going on is... uh... well, we have two T25 articles today to get us going, and number 25 will be revealed tomorrow. [Canucks hire former Sharks, Blackhawks staffer as director of hockey strategyThe rebuilding Vancouver Canucks have hired Ryan Stewart as the NHL team’s director of hockey strategy and player evaluation.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-489292df-7da5-415f-ad48-d608b2307dee.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/5CW4DLNTIJSPZCOBZ4242EBWAM-bebba2f3-b2f0-47d7-a24b-0802d9d53ae8.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/canucks-hire-former-sharks-blackhawks-staffer-as-director-of-hockey-strategy/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is very goals based: [Best value contracts in NHL’s new financial landscapeAfter Macklin Celebrini’s new deal changed the NHL’s financial landscape, Michael Amato takes a look at a few deals that should should end up as absolute bargains when compared to the new going rate for high-end players.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-97f983d9-fb52-410f-a819-937f242b64e6.ico)Sportsnet.caMichael Amato![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/lane-hutson-c3dea182-7d27-4227-b008-a2654a5b3a10.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/best-value-contracts-in-nhls-new-financial-landscape/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And this I haven't read yet, but it seems very variance in small amounts of data to me. [What can we expect from Andersen and Bobrovsky this season?As Travis Yost writes, history tells us veteran goaltenders still have a place in the NHL, but their ability to outright steal games may be no longer.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-9482a498-296c-4a00-8bef-0cd4f51820a3.ico)TSNTravis Yost![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/DFYX5PTO5FDXLK7DEHQ3TLVRK4-8fb789cd-4907-4c66-9ea7-b0088b232f29.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/what-can-we-expect-from-andersen-and-bobrovsky-this-season/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Have a great Tuesday, it's the only one you get this week. ### 2026 T25U25: Meet the Voters URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-meet-the-voters-2/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T13:14:39.000Z Hello, everyone, and welcome to the party where you get to meet the voters. # Voter Blurbs Please write a short paragraph or two about you as a voter and use the name you want to be public as a voter: **Cathy:** Once again, the cruel overlord of PPP has forced me to vote on these prospects. This year there was a challenge in combining a lot of prospects of a somewhat similar level with established NHLers and AHLers. There's so much turnover in the prospect pool, and as with the more recent years, the list digs deeper into the prospects than it did in the early days of the Matthews/Nylander era. I went pretty hard on some personal views and just did not rank older players I don't buy in on at all. The hidden theme for me is the challenge of seeing where these players sit in the larger picture as opposed to just each other. This is merely one of the reasons Brigs hates rankings... Everyone is talking about how long they've been doing this. Species has me beat, but I wrote my first articles in 2016\. I built the automated system that tabulates the votes about three years later which is when I began learning R. I built out more automation to produce the articles more easily when the site moved away from SBNation, and last year I turned R Studio to dark mode, but little else changed other than all the things I've learned over the years from my own bad ranking decisions. **Brigstew/Brian S/Whatever handle I go by:** I have long made it known that I don’t find rankings to be all that useful, and honestly I’m probably closer to disliking them in general than I am to being neutral on them. But I have a fondness for this series. Because of my dislike for rankings, I don’t put nearly as much thought into it as I used to, but I also have my method for voting pretty down pat by now. I tend to bet big on the guys I like and predict will have breakouts, so the ‘accuracy’ of my rankings is probably all over the place. But I don’t really care about that, this series is supposed to be fun for people so that’s how I have fun with it. I like the discussions around each player more than the ranking itself – either how I ranked, or the community ranked, or what the final ranking score winds up being. This year in particular I will probably be obnoxiously high on quite a few of the new guys. **Hound Line:** Long time lurker, second time voter. After voting in 2024, I skipped out last year but the siren song of McKenna and the other nine freshly drafted mystery boxes pulled me back. It was an interesting draft class; not a single pick was used on an immobile large-adult-son D-man, a zippy little winger lacking secondary skills or Matthew flippin' Hlacar. Our prospect pool now looks full of mobile two-way D-men and forwards with a mix of tenacity and latent skill. When I did this two years ago the prospect pool was more of a prospect bathtub ...and the drain was open. I'm excited to get votin' and blurbin'. **Shinson93:** Back for a 3rd time, continuing to evolve the way I think about and follow prospects. I probably watch more of the Leafs prospects during the season than most people here. I watch every Marlies game (which paid off this year with a championship) and since they switched to FloHockey, I have access to more hockey than I know what to do with. When I started voting in the community vote, I would pick one or two interesting players and purposefully boost their ranking. It was my way to create an incentive for me to root for and follow a specific prospect, without having to try and follow all of them. For example, I followed a season of Joe Miller in the USHL, Matthew Knies at Minnesota, and last year Rylan Fellinger with Flint. This year will probably be Brody Pepoy playing for the Flint rival Saginaw. Watching a player through a full season gives me a lot more information than just catching highlights or looking at stats. I very much enjoy this process of ranking, because it forces me to think critically about all the prospects and to challenge myself about what aspects of a player are really impactful. I also enjoy a community of people that are willing to share and challenge opinions in a way that is both thoughtful and fun. **Cameron:** I am very excited to return as a voter for my 3rd straight year! This year has a wide variety of different experience levels and play styles which will make it fun to see how the rankings end up. This year’s draft class for the Leafs had a number of picks I really liked, making me much more optimistic about the Leafs’ prospect pool than I had been prior to the draft. With my rankings, I like to think about how close they are to the NHL, their odds of making it, and how impactful of a player they will be. I also like to give a couple of the lesser known guys a bit of the spotlight, if I feel they deserve it. I can’t wait for this year’s T25U25! **Svalbard38:** Hey everyone, I’m Svalbard38, I’m very excited to be back for my second year as a T25U25 guest voter. I’ve been a Leafs fan since my parents bought the pyjamas and decided that for me, but I started getting more into the prospects around the start of the Matthews era. The PPP T25U25 was a big part of that for me, and I’m grateful for the chance to give back. When it comes to prospects I mostly watch OHL, WHL, and the Marlies, that might translate into a bias in favour of guys I’m familiar with, but it also means that I see more of their mistakes and their shortcomings, which it’s tougher to get when you’re just watching highlights. Overall I’d like to think it’s a wash, but towards the end of the list it might mean that I go with the guy I’ve seen play in person over the guy who I don’t see outside of clips. There’s a lot of guys on the list this year I’m excited about, looking forward to getting into it. **Sclodiggity**: Another newish (but not brand new) voter as I was part of the 2024 list. I’m a long time Leafs fan and long time prospect follower (who else was excited about the Alex Suglobov trade? No one? Just me?). Having lived through various Leafs eras (team-wise and prospect pool-wise) has given me a good perspective on what having a prospect really means, although that's hardly unique among this group. With a background in science (by day, I’m a marine biologist) and business, I very much enjoy the lessons and micro-models that hockey can bring to everyday life and expect my analysis to follow suit. **Zone Entry (she/her):** This is I believe my third go-round as an official voter, and having horribly overthought the vote in the past, this time I’m attempting to be more balanced between gut feelings and thoughtful reflection. We’ll see how I do! A big metric for me is “how often do I remember reading something encouraging about this player on PPP” along with “do I think this player is more valuable to the franchise than, say, a potato”. “Value” is of course a nebulous concept that includes raw talent, how rare is this type of player (both on the Leafs and league-wide), and do they seem to add fun and/or frolic to the organization? I mean, the world is a stressful place and we gotta find those bright spots where we can. Next, continuing my new tradition, here’s my Top 5 Sceptres Under 25! (Kirk turned 25 in March but validated me choosing her as #1 last season) #5 – Jamie Nelson, who was picked 20th overall so I’m trusting that for now #4 – Clara van Wieren, not currently under contract but she will be, right? Right? #3 – Kiara Zanon, see #4 #2 – Emma Gentry, who I am hoping will take a big step this season #1 – Kirsten Simms, because if she’s not awesome we’re doomed anyway lol **Species:** I’ve been doing this so long I remember ranking Phil Kessel, Nazem Kadri, and JvR who was of course always at number one on my ballot. I also remember having to rank guys like Eric Knodel, whom do you even remember the Leafs signed him or that he existed? I am very familiar with the Marlies because I have credentials to cover them and I went to about 45 of their games last season, but I’m self-aware enough of that bringing potential bias against the junior players recently drafted, so I rely on Brian to help figure that out, though I do occasionally watch a junior game when they are televised on Sportsnet or FloSports (get on there, WHL!), but I admit I don’t pay too much attention to it. I occasionally watch SHL games on Saturday mornings too if there’s a team that has a Leafs prospect, but that’s rare lately. I have often made one or two wonky rankings on a player to make a point that I thought they were overrated or underrated, but this time that was pretty hard to do. This will be an interesting top 10 given how easy it was years ago where what you had to wrestle with was Marner vs. Nylander at #2 or #3 behind Matthews, and then who would be #4? That happened again this season, but not at any point further in the list. We know this time who is going to be #1, that shouldn’t be a spoiler for anyone, but after that top three ranking it’s really wide open and it was one of the most challenging rankings in recent memory. **ItsNotHardev:** I refuse to remember how long I’ve been doing this for but it’s been a while. I found once I got to the teens I needed to do more homework on a lot of prospects. I leaned on Brian, highlight videos on youtube, and the scouting report sites you can find (shoutout a new fave: Neutral Zone, no relation to Zone Entry). I found watching highlights from playoff games particularly useful for defenders because it gave me perspective on both sides of a player’s game. CHL games are all easy to find. I have noticed in the past that I’ve clung too tightly to the expectations I have of a prospect to reality. I’ve been slow to notice when a player’s development curve flattens, or accept that “if they could just do this…” isn’t what they’ve been doing or what they’re going to do. I think I have a hot take (it’s tepid at best) this year? ### 2027 NHL Watch List: Hlinka Gretzky Standouts URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2027-nhl-watch-list-hlinka-gretzky-standouts/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T12:23:52.000Z I try not to put too much stock into any international tournament, and that especially holds true for one at the very start of a hockey season well before most regular hockey leagues begin their pre-season. There's a lot of time between now and the draft, and there are plenty of examples of guys who look good in a small handful of games while most everyone is starting rusty, but don't really maintain any momentum through the rest of their seasons. That said, it's not like there's nothing to gain from watching the Hlinka. It's not full information, but there is ***some*** information. So I'm interested in the skills I saw from these players and how much of it will translate through this season, so they're the first ones making my watch list. ## Jaakko Wycisk This is gonna sound weird because he tied for the lead in points for the tournament, but I don't even care that Wycisk had 10 points in 5 games – including 7 in the semi-finals and finals. He's a 6'1", 190 lb wrecking ball who plays with a ton of energy, playing the whole tournament on the third line for Canada. He was a menace without the puck, on the forecheck, along the boards, down low, pressuring defensemen, causing turnovers. He got points because he did all the little things to get the puck, and then when he got the puck he had the skill to make a play with it. Wycisk's skating is apparently an issue but I didn't really see it limiting him much. If he keeps up that level of play in the OHL for Guelph, who will be hosting the Memorial Cup this year, he'll take himself out of Toronto's range with Colorado's first rounder that I will just assume winds up being a late first rounder (if they keep it). Which makes me sad because I can't remember falling in love with a prospect in their draft season faster than I have with him, he's exactly the kind of player I want. > Veitch extends Canada's lead to four! > > A beautiful passing play by Kayden Stroeder and Jaakko Wycisk set up Ben Veitch backdoor! 🇨🇦[#HlinkaGretzkyCup](https://x.com/hashtag/HlinkaGretzkyCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/d2Dvl2fkZx](https://t.co/d2Dvl2fkZx?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [August 4, 2026](https://x.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2084434357549146369?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Wycisk is #27 in red in this clip ## Gavin Burcar Burcar led team USA in points with 9 in 5 games, including 5 goals. Like Wycisk, he played mostly on Team USA's third line but also got time on the powerplay. He played center, and did it well. I would say that Wycisk seems to have more play driving and all-around offensive skill, but he brings the same kind of energetic and smart two-way play and they each have similar size and strength. What stood out the most was Burcar's absolutely lethal wrist shot. His release was lightning fast, with power and accuracy to beat goalies clean from all angles and from distance. Despite showing more goal scoring and very similar point production, I got the feel he's more likely to wind up not being too high a first rounder as Wycisk. > Gavin Burcar has scored again, this time while shorthanded. > > 3-1\. [#HlinkaGretzkyCup](https://x.com/hashtag/HlinkaGretzkyCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/7WqV88N17o](https://t.co/7WqV88N17o?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) [August 3, 2026](https://x.com/SEllisHockey/status/2084370515892765006?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Brock England Wycisk came on really strong after the first couple of games for Canada, but there were two others that I also loved watching all tournament. He's a bit smaller than the other two mentioned above, but at 5'11" he's not tiny and he doesn't shy away from contact or dirty areas of the ice. He reminds me a bit of Ehlers in his profile, but with more physicality – he will need to get stronger though, and growing another inch to be a legitimate six footer wouldn't hurt him at all. He is a very shifty and agile but also has elite speed ***and*** uses it well. He skates fast but also works hard, keeps his feet moving, forechecks aggressively with his speed, throws his weight around like a little psycho, and has enough strength to protect the puck against bigger defensemen. If you loved that highlight of Trevor Moore on the Leafs laying out Zdeno Chara in the playoffs, you'll love England. > Brock England (5'11") lays a big hit on 6'7" Trevor Shorter. [pic.twitter.com/yEpbYaZVtF](https://t.co/yEpbYaZVtF?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — William Dubé (@williamdube\_) [August 9, 2026](https://x.com/williamdube%5F/status/2086250745465073694?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Camryn Warren Another smaller guy who still plays a good game I like. Warren is 5'10" and 159 lbs, and is another guy that skates fast, works hard, and plays at a high pace. He's not as physical or as fast as England, but I'd say he plays a smarter and more agile game. He may also have more skill with the puck too. He can dangle and he is a good playmaker, but he also plays as a good disruptor on defense to create turnovers and has decent contact-skills, but he doesn't have the same strength as England already does. I can see him winding up as a second or even later round pick unless he grows in both height and muscle before the draft comes, even with his skill and smarts. ## Luca Santala He's a 6'2" center/winger from Finland (he played both in the tournament) with a late July birthday, and he's committed to join the London Knights as an import player this coming year. He started the tournament slow but was much better the longer it went on, and really looked strong in close areas, along the boards, and in supporting the offense with a good sense of playing with contact. He could have had a few more points, especially goals, with quality chances he created but weren't scored, but still finished with 6 points in 5 games on a more balanced Finland squad. His skating apparently is a concern, but he has this season and beyond to work on that and I don't think it's a huge limitation as of now. ## Malik L’Italien A+ name, L'Italien is a 6'3" left shot defenseman who was on Canada's top pair with uber-prospect Landon DuPont. He definitely played a second-fiddlerole, but I thought he played it well. He has above average skating and good size, and he uses both well defensively – he was a capable rush defender, didn't look lost when he handled the puck, and flashed some offensive skill a few times as well. I think in this tournament, playing with DuPont, he was definitely deferring and playing more of a defensive role, but I get the impression his game opens up a bit more in the QMJHL where he's probably The Guy himself. > A first goal in 🇨🇦 colours for Malik L'Italien! > > The [@HFXMooseheads](https://x.com/HFXMooseheads?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) d-man gives Canada the lead in its semi-final against 🇫🇮! [#HlinkaGretzkyCup](https://x.com/hashtag/HlinkaGretzkyCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/Ekx0B1MLUf](https://t.co/Ekx0B1MLUf?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) [August 8, 2026](https://x.com/CHLHockey/status/2085897581360755009?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Lenni Kokkonen Finland's top defenseman in the tournament, he looked like a pretty classic Finnish defenseman. He was a good skater with fluid mechanics, but not necessarily great speed that I could tell. He looked good with the puck both in terms of carrying and passing it. He had very good breakouts and didn't seem to panic very easily in the face of aggressive forechecks. His defense looked hit and miss, but with a 6'2" frame and skating I think it could be at least average – again, hard to tell in a 5 game tournament. > A nice move there by Lenni Kokkonen on the power play to make it a 5-2 game for Finland.[#HlinkaGretzky](https://x.com/hashtag/HlinkaGretzky?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [@DraftProHockey](https://x.com/DraftProHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/SOsr4cp4sU](https://t.co/SOsr4cp4sU?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — On The Fly (@OnTheFly1515) [August 5, 2026](https://x.com/OnTheFly1515/status/2085131186624426054?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Cooper McAslan Another London Knights guy, McAslan is a 6'1" right shot defenseman who played most of the tournament on Canada's third pairing. Their defense group, aside from DuPont, was more about being balanced and versatile than having major star power. McAslan fits that mold, showing good flashes on both sides of the puck – he had some good defensive plays, some good offensive plays, and didn't look to have major issues or errors that I could tell. He has very good four-way mobility and was one of their go-to penalty killers, but had limited offensive or powerplay deployment. Like L'Italien, I think his usage was down to the role he was asked to play on a very deep team, and not indicative of what he can or cannot do as The Guy when he returns to junior. Mind you, London isn't exactly known to have a shallow talent pool and brings their defense on slower than most junior teams, but he's a guy I want to watch. > The [@OHLHockey](https://x.com/OHLHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) connection to give 🇨🇦 the lead again! > > The [@LondonKnights](https://x.com/LondonKnights?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)' Cooper McAslan finds the [@OHLBattalion](https://x.com/OHLBattalion?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)'s Camryn Warren who makes no mistake! [#HlinkaGretzkyCup](https://x.com/hashtag/HlinkaGretzkyCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/KtWRnrUYDU](https://t.co/KtWRnrUYDU?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) [August 3, 2026](https://x.com/CHLHockey/status/2084424954326798387?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Oliver Botka Botka was someone I actually noticed this past spring, as he played on Slovakia's World U18s squad despite being having a younger birth year, and he played a lot. At the Hlinka he was more of The Guy, playing on their top pair, getting heavy minutes and in all situations. He's 6'1" and has a high level of mobility, some good offensive upside as you can see from his highlight reel goal against Sweden below, and the thing I cared about the most is how much of a machine he was on retrievals and breakouts. He seemed to be tipping more on the offensive/on-puck side of things, but his defense didn't look bad by any means. He's at least starting the season in Slovakia by the looks of things so I can see him going under the radar compared to others, but I'll be following him and I'll bet he winds up on Slovakia's World Juniors squad in some capacity. > And just like that, we're all tied up at 3\. Oliver Botka with the goal.[#HlinkaGretzky](https://x.com/hashtag/HlinkaGretzky?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [@DraftProHockey](https://x.com/DraftProHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/cBlPtkMG6A](https://t.co/cBlPtkMG6A?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — On The Fly (@OnTheFly1515) [August 4, 2026](https://x.com/OnTheFly1515/status/2084483389533438367?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Monday's FTB: More democracy is always good URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-who-comes-last/ Last updated: 2026-08-10T10:00:52.000Z This innocuous story turned up yesterday: [Simon Després gör comeback i ECHL som 35-åringDen tidigare SHL-backen Simon Després återvänder till nordamerikansk hockey efter sju år. 35-åringen har skrivit på för Fort Wayne Komets i ECHL.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-9c93cc0c-91cb-469c-b65c-efa15be5c200.ico)HockeynewsRedaktionen HockeyNews![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/GCLIaQdNdFapEy6XfWh2AB2abzbZkdS8IUtcrmrz-aa6052f9-94ac-4b1c-aebf-75579ea7ff24.jpg)](https://hockeynews.se/nyheter/tidigare-iko-backen-gor-comeback?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Simon Després has had a very interesting career. Starting in Laval as a child, he moved to New Brunswick for Junior hockey with the Sea Dogs, and was drafted 30th overall by the Penguins where he debuted in 2011-2012\. He did the split between NHL and AHL thing for three years before he was traded to the Ducks at the deadline in his first full NHL season. Then something happened in 2016-2017 when he only played in one hockey game. Actually what happened was in the prior season where he was hit by Tyson Barrie directly in the head. Principle point of contact. DoPS called it Charging and Interference and Barrie got 3 games. Després got a different life to the one he'd thought he was going to lead. He came back to playing, and a few months later Gabriel Landeskog cross-checked Després directly into the back of his head (as stated in the [DoPs video](https://www.nhl.com/news/gabriel-landeskog-suspended-279529528?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)) and he got three games off. Després tried to play again for the Ducks, but had concussion symptoms the next year in preseason. He stepped away from the game, and the Ducks issued a fairly alarming statement calling it a sensitive issue. No one would have been surprised if he retired, but he went to the KHL the next year, and played for Canada in the 2018 Spengler Cup. I remember his story, likely from that Spengler Cup He tried one more time to come back to the AHL, signing a PTO with the Laval Rocket, but it didn't work out, and he embarked on an incredible tour of Europe. I've never seen anything like it. He went to the DEL, joined Oskarshamn (the team shown above), and played there for one year, but surely must have made an impression if they're writing about him now. From there it was back to Germany, then Austria, the Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL, a quick tour of a men's semi-pro league in Quebec, and then back to Scotland and then last season, he capped it off with 14 games for the Melbourne Ice in Australia. Now he's trying the ECHL at 35\. You have to hope this has been in many ways good for him even if it's not the life he'd wanted. I hope his concussions don't trouble him, but I fear they likely do. This is a risky game, but 6 games lost by two players seems like a low price for an NHL career. In other news, Team Canada won something! > 🇨🇦🏆 [#HlinkaGretzkyCup](https://x.com/hashtag/HlinkaGretzkyCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) champions! 🏆🇨🇦 > > 🇨🇦🏆 Champions de la [#CoupeHlinkaGretzky](https://x.com/hashtag/CoupeHlinkaGretzky?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)! 🏆🇨🇦 [pic.twitter.com/QMcznNOk8T](https://t.co/QMcznNOk8T?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) [August 9, 2026](https://x.com/HockeyCanada/status/2086299186325229954?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And the star of next summer's draft discourse looked happy: > Raise it up, Landon. 🏆🇨🇦 > > Bien haut, Landon. 🏆🇨🇦[#HlinkaGretzkyCup](https://x.com/hashtag/HlinkaGretzkyCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#CoupeHlinkaGretzky](https://x.com/hashtag/CoupeHlinkaGretzky?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/M4KycmKBuT](https://t.co/M4KycmKBuT?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) [August 9, 2026](https://x.com/HockeyCanada/status/2086296292813320513?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Okay, for the sake of argument, let's just assume Landon DuPont ends up still as the top draft pick next year. Who is going to take him? In other words, who is going to come last-ish, still have their own pick and win the lottery? It's never too early to guess. Oh! I can make you vote... In case you miss the T25 vote interface and want at it again, here you go! Rank by draft order, so whoever comes last and actually picks first, second, third ... you are bored and hit Done. If you pick the Leafs to draft first overall, you have to post your method of getting that to happen in the comments. [ Create your own user feedback survey ](www.surveymonkey.com) I will publish the results of this tomorrow because then there'll be something to talk about. The Leafs made some news: > Patrick O’Sullivan has been named Director of NHL Development. > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [August 9, 2026](https://x.com/LeafsPR/status/2086535111080563047?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I do not know what that title means. Player development, but not prospects? I guess. O'Sullivan has been with the team for three years as a Development Coach, so this is a promotion to run the department he used to work in without having an AGM run things as in the past. And that's Monday sorted. ### 2026 Top 25 Under 25 Community Vote URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-top-25-under-25-community-vote/ Last updated: 2026-08-09T16:43:33.000Z It's time for you to have your say on the Top 25\. You can vote on the poll embedded on this page, or use this link below if you would rather. Note: if you want a copy of your results, you have to use the web version at the link below, and check the box at the bottom of the survey. You have to provide an email address to get that feature. Use at your own discretion. [2026 Top 25 Under 25 Community VoteRank the prospects.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon1-174dd6dd-9d3c-470d-8cf1-3d9fdfbcb84e.ico)![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/853bf36b599e4bf0b6d98ab5ae545fb9-f192b279-096b-4790-8d5f-fe4fb15bccd5.png)](https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2NJWFB2?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 💡 If you have technical difficulties, don't hit Done on the form, just close it out and try it in a browser window with no ad blockers or any other extensions active and turn off your VPN. ****Once you hit done, you can't go back and do it a second time.** If you've done this in the last three years or so, this process should be familiar, but some tips on voting on what is a long eligibility list: ### Tips for Voters - As mentioned above, this is a one shot chance to vote, so if you have problems, just close the page, do not hit Done. You can go back and start over. - There are three ways to arrange your ranked list: drag and drop, entering numbers in the box to the left or selecting the N/A field to the right. - Drag and drop is the only method that reorders the list for you. - The N/A box is very handy for whisking names to the bottom of the list if you think you won't rank them, but you have to do at least a token drag and drop action to get them to drop down. - The names start out in order of oldest to youngest, identical to the eligibility list published a few days ago. Don't forget the newly drafted players below. - You can rank the entire list or just 25 or whatever makes you happy, but if you don't N/A the players you don't rank, you will be the author of the "noise" we will talk about when posting the vote results. For example, Artur Akhtyamov is going to have some noisy first-place votes. - The link above is likely a better option for mobile users as their native mobile view is better than an embed on our site. The eligibility list is here, if you want more information: [2026 Top 25 Under 25 Eligibility ListIt’s T25 Time!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-b80dd28e-fc1a-4a7b-aa5c-e81e882185bc.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1568952433726-3896e3881c65-af1c4c8d-cd5a-4044-b40b-27fd2d609f21)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-top-25-under-25-eligibility-list/) This vote will remain open until next Sunday. [ Create your own user feedback survey ](www.surveymonkey.com) ### Weekend FTB: The news you have been waiting for URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-the-news-you-have-been-waiting-for/ Last updated: 2026-08-08T12:31:51.000Z Yeah. There's no Leafs news at all. Dead quiet on that front. But well known Toronto resident Taylor Hall took the Stanley Cup for a spin on Lake Muskoka yesterday, and he was allowed to pilot the boat because after multiple failures at the open book boating exam, he finally passed it a few years ago. > Boaters license secured✔️ [pic.twitter.com/Jd80aVRAL1](https://t.co/Jd80aVRAL1?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Taylor Hall (@hallsy09) [August 7, 2026](https://x.com/hallsy09/status/2085807770226278497?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Speaking of time, a series of commemorative Borje Salming watches have been made to raise money for charity. > In honor of the number of NHL contests he suited up for in his illustrious career, only 1,148 limited editions of the watches were made. The hockey-themed timepiece features the CN Tower as a second hand, his signature on the back, his No. 21, and a King’s crown in recognition of both his native Sweden and his nickname during his playing days. > The first 100 watches, numbered 001 through 100, have been reserved for NHL players. One has already been presented to Salming’s former Maple Leafs teammate and close friend Darryl Sitter with the No. 27, representing the number Sittler wore during his own Hall of Fame career. If you are interested in buying one, they are selling the gold watches for about $12,000. [Salming watch to honor legacy of Maple Leafs icon, raise money for charity | NHL.comHockey-themed timepiece ‘labor of love’ for Hall of Fame defenseman, who died of ALS in 2022![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-22abdbe2-01a2-4412-bcd7-ffd5b1f3ce54.png)NHL logoMike Zeisberger![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/zr5ctapbetkf3ehtxagk-48bbf9b1-34ea-4c3f-9863-2a115ca5544a.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/borje-salming-watch-to-honor-legacy-raise-money-for-charity?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Next week kicks off the world renowned PPP Maple Leafs Top 25 Under 25, and I should really get my votes in now for that. This year the T25U25 is sponsored by PPP's newest venture: CatBet! Lose your money on CatBet today! It's as simple as opening your CatBet account online and then wire transferring your money to the PPP Bank correspondent branch in The Maldives, and then you can start betting on cats immediately! Enjoy the final weekend before the mayhem begins. [Cocktail of the week: Half Cut Market’s peaches & cream – recipe | The good mixerA frozen piña colada-style boozy drink/dessert![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-5a0792b0-6004-4435-8c41-b00d899b860c.ico)The GuardianGuardian staff reporter![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/2066-36edd1ed-fcf0-449c-abbd-6444cf5bb0c1.jpg)](https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/aug/07/cocktail-of-the-week-half-cut-market-peaches-cream-recipe?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Friday's FTB: There is no topic URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-vapid-mid-summer-nothingness/ Last updated: 2026-08-07T10:00:08.000Z You have a couple of days to do the Community Vote, and for official voters, you are on the clock (no pressure, though, have I finished my votes? No, I have not.) [2026 Top 25 Under 25 Community VoteIt’s here, get voting.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-ff2e2eeb-6564-439c-8a7f-b26bfda00f06.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1540910419892-4a36d2c3266c-145f8e8c-76f6-4b0d-af78-1a0c98e7b1ed)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-top-25-under-25-community-vote/) The CHL transfer agreement with the USA has lapsed. > The process for CHL players remains unchanged. Under IIHF transfer guidelines, players under contract require their current club’s approval to be released before transferring between jurisdictions—the same approval that applied for CHL players under the previous agreement. [https://t.co/yZ36GQttTx](https://t.co/yZ36GQttTx?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) [August 6, 2026](https://x.com/DarrenDreger/status/2085433161144521115?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It is a little interesting that this is not sorted out at a time when there is so much movement between leagues because of new NCAA rules. One thing we're going to notice as we get deeper into the T25, is how many of the drafted Canadian prospects are going from CHL junior hockey to the NCAA for a year or so. There is an expectation that American players might be filling in the CHL in the other direction as the NCAA slots at Div I schools fill up. This is not yet a sure thing, but many CHL teams drafted a lot of American players. Meanwhile, I have seen talk from SHL teams that players are looking to the NCAA as they age out of U20 play instead of trying to break into the SHL proper. This means SHL teams now need to scout the NCAA to find players as they graduate to fill up teams whereas they used to just count on their own juniors moving onto the roster. How this will shake out in time is still an open question, but there is money to be made, even in hockey, in NCAA sports for the top players. Gavin McKenna likely took home something akin to the signing bonus he just got as part of his ELC for one year in college hockey. But then there's this alternate POV: [Choosing Switzerland: How Jonah Neuenschwander is carving his own path to the 2027 NHL DraftThe story behind the Swiss centre’s journey to becoming a top NHL Draft prospect.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/mstile-310x310-182c14b3-e077-4573-b880-a652567eb09d.png)Elite ProspectsSeth Ditchfield![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/neuenschwander-a39b7b8e-c1ba-4a62-b505-d1ab0f61d141.webp)](https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/2027-nhl-draft/choosing-switzerland-how-jonah-neuenschwander-is-carving-his-own-path-to-the-2027-nhl-draft?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Penguins sign Koivunen to eight-year, $32M dealThe Pittsburgh Penguins announced a long-term deal for Ville Koivunen on Thursday. The restricted free-agent forward has inked an eight-year, $32 million deal.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-cf9cc285-d397-4ddc-aeca-9896b2a65b6b.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/AY6TP6YZ5JHJPKXD3HLNCFN3MI-c788ac8b-aa22-4703-8579-070cb1154ccf.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/penguins-sign-koivunen-to-eight-year-32m-deal/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > OFFICIAL: We have agreed to terms with forward Nikita Grebenkin on a two-year contract worth an average annual value (AAV) of $1.1M. > > — Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) [August 6, 2026](https://x.com/NHLFlyers/status/2085493752563687731?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that is all, have this bit of nostalgia: > These keep getting better [pic.twitter.com/6Ugjv1WKQu](https://t.co/6Ugjv1WKQu?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [August 6, 2026](https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2085501174820573410?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### 2026 T25U25: New Prospects URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-new-prospects/ Last updated: 2026-08-06T15:54:23.000Z The Maple Leafs entered the draft in June with one important pick, and then added more late-round selections through various trades. The result was 10 players drafted with five others added in other ways for a total of 15 new players in the system all under 25\. We need a refresher on this new crowd of prospects. ### Acquired by Trade **Emil Andrae** is the only player acquired directly via trade, rather than taken with a pick from a trade. As an unsigned RFA, his rights were acquired in the deal that sent Joe Woll to the Flyers. The Leafs then signed him to a two-year deal at $1.55 million. Andrae has already passed the mark usually used to measure a draft success – 100 NHL games played. He appeared in 61 games last year for the Flyers, and in 42 the year before. At 24, he is one of five prospects/players who will age off the list after this summer. As that most mysterious thing – a puck-moving defender whose primary value is transition and who neither hits much nor gets a lot of points – he's going to be a challenge for us to evaluate next to the influx of drafted defenders happily scoring in junior hockey. ### Acquired as Free Agents The Leafs signed, as per usual, several free agent NCAA or CHL graduates. These players usually play in the minor leagues, but sometimes someone ends up in the NHL. It's very much an exercise in prospecting for hidden gems. - Brandon Buhr, the oldest of this group at 24, will likely be the oldest player on the list next year. He's a right-shooting winger, who already has a few Marlies games under his belt. - Vinny Borgesi, just 22, is a right-shooting defender who also made his Marlies debut last spring. - Landon Sim, also 22, was on an AHL contract last year, and he is an endearing, high-energy, trouble-making forward who split his time between the ECHL and the Marlies last year. I always end up enjoying watching him play. He's now on an ELC with the Leafs and should be on the Marlies this season. - Hayes Hundley, only 21, is a right-shooting defender who will factor in somewhere in the minors this year. ### Drafted Listed from oldest to youngest: - Ethan MacKenzie - Drafted in his third year, he turns 20 soon and is a solid two-way defender. Most of his big leaps in development have already happened. He has committed to the University of North Dakota after four years in the OHL, but he would be AHL-eligible if he decided to go pro now. - Yaroslav Fedoseyev - About to turn 19 this fall, he is a right-shooting defender who had caught the eye of several prospect observers pre-draft. He played a little junior hockey last year, but also a lot of men's league. He will be trying to crack his club's KHL team this year, but might return to the VHL. - Gavin McKenna - You've heard of him. Training camp should tell us where in the NHL lineup he will land. He has his 19th birthday in December. - Patriks Plumins - Not 19 until January, Latvia's star U18 goalie played in the men's league last year, but shared the net with another goalie and did not play much. There is no word right now on where he will play the coming season, and while he was drafted by Chicoutimi in the QMJHL, there's no guarantee he plays there. - Cooper Williams - Turning 19, next spring, Williams has also committed to the University of North Dakota after two years in the WHL. He has played primarily as a centre. - Zac Olsen - The same age as Williams, Olsen was also his teammate in the WHL. More of an energy forward, he will be attending Colorado College next year. - Juuso Ainasto - At 18, Ainasto has tended goal for Team Finland in only a few international friendlies, but is now on their radar for the WJC after selection to the WJSS team. He plays for Jokerit, and split time between the U20 and U18 teams last year. He will want to be fulltime on the U20 team this year at a minimum. - Alexander Bilecki - He'll be 19 next spring, and is from Mississauga. He is a left-shooting defender on the Kitchener Rangers and had a productive playoffs on the way to the Cup last year. He is known for his play with the puck in transition. - Brody Pepoy - Not 19 until next spring, Pepoy is a high-octane energy forward striving to become more than a bottom sixer. He has only one year in the OHL so far, and will return to Saginaw this season. He is ultimately headed for the NCAA. - Måns Gudmundsson - Gudmundsson, the youngest prospect, turns 19 next June. He is a right-shooting defender who will be returning to his U20 team in Sweden. His hope will be for a look in at the SHL level of more than the one game he got last year. He has played for Sweden at the U18 level, but is not likely to see the WJC roster. Check out the full eligibility list if you haven't to see how the whole pool looks: [2026 Top 25 Under 25 Eligibility ListIt’s T25 Time!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-2e9809bb-56b2-40b5-bc87-defd25a5a62e.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1568952433726-3896e3881c65-808850f3-7d63-4962-8e41-a65762f4f8e9)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-top-25-under-25-eligibility-list/) ### Thursday's FTB: Detroit doing the offseason very slowly URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-detroit-doing-the-offseason-very-slowly/ Last updated: 2026-08-06T12:10:35.000Z [Detroit Red Wings GM search going through search firmDetroit Red Wings owner Christopher Ilitch brought in a search firm to help determine the franchise’s next general manager.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Detroit Free Press, Detroit Free Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/88779338007-022026-tigers-021-2eb9b402-785e-4ade-aae8-bbc65b185d32.jpg)](https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2026/08/05/detroit-red-wings-gm-search-using-search-firm-to-replace-steve-yzerman/91176077007/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The article doesn't name the firm, but it does say this: > Ilitch, and by extension the search firm, is believed to be looking for an analytics-driven person to take charge of the Wings, similar to how his Detroit Tigers plucked [Scott Harris](https://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/jeff-seidel/2026/08/04/scott-harris-did-what-he-could-to-give-detroit-tigers-brighter-future/91160918007/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from the San Francisco Giants to guide the Tigers as president of baseball operations in September 2022. > Update [pic.twitter.com/NT7GkYLQND](https://t.co/NT7GkYLQND?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Kelly Hrudey (@KellyHrudey) [August 5, 2026](https://x.com/KellyHrudey/status/2085140583295885762?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) A Toronto Sun report references uncited speculation that Sportsnet is planning more changes to its on-air product. My personal feeling is that the praise Amazon received for the technical quality of their broadcasts and the panels and introductions likely struck a nerve. The youth are still playing hockey: > From [@TSNRyanRishaug](https://x.com/TSNRyanRishaug?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) & Cameron Gaunce - How youngsters Kayden Stroeder and Brock Cripps are flourishing for Canada, which is a perfect 3-0 heading into the semis at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup: [https://t.co/PBURuOwXd8](https://t.co/PBURuOwXd8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/QARp5gKHHQ](https://t.co/QARp5gKHHQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) [August 6, 2026](https://x.com/TSNHockey/status/2085193157445140682?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [NHL off-season grades: Atlantic DivisionIn the Atlantic, a former champ is loading up and another is trying to get back on its feet. Ryan Dixon offers up his grades on the moves the division’s teams made this off-season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-dabd6ac0-7a30-47b9-b50e-ab4b18ba00c3.ico)Sportsnet.caRyan Dixon![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Leafs-vs-Panthers-2-f1684e0d-9f66-4e46-891e-ba1622fa3f04.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhl-off-season-grades-atlantic-division/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The other divisions are up on the site as well if you're into that sort of thing. The offseason is not actually over yet. There are a clutch of non-retired UFAs unsigned, and a few RFAs as well, notably the rudderless Red Wings' Simon Edvinsson and forwards Cutter Gauthier and Adam Fantilli. Most teams have either some cap space or an LTIR candidate to create space. So more player signings are definitely possible as training camp approaches. That's it for now, today's T25 offering is another reminder of all the new faces, and if you haven't voted in the community vote... [2026 Top 25 Under 25 Community VoteIt’s here, get voting.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-097a0e75-343f-49c2-b86c-7bca93d02fbc.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1540910419892-4a36d2c3266c-56362232-cff7-4cfd-83ed-a76e753da838)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-top-25-under-25-community-vote/) ### 2026 T25U25: Gone From the List URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-t25u25-gone-from-the-list/ Last updated: 2026-08-05T12:00:14.000Z This year's Top 25 eligibility list has a lot of new faces courtesy of the wild second day of the draft. But the list has only grown by one, so that means a lot of players we used to talk about are gone. It's time to say goodbye to 14 players. ### Aged Out - Semyon Der Arguchintsev - used by several voters as a kind of known commodity dividing line for prospect status, he was ranked 21st last year. He has one Maple Leafs game played, and is said to be looking to return to North America. The Leafs still hold his draft rights. - Matias Maccelli - after 71 games last year, he was not qualified by the Leafs, and was signed by the Islanders as a free agent. As a full time NHLer, he was ranked third last year. - Cade Webber - a free agent college graduate signing on defence, he hasn't gone anywhere, and should play on the Marlies this season. We ranked him 18th last year. - Henry Thrun - a defender received in trade for Ryan Reaves, he's signed with the Jets after appearing in four games for the Leafs. We ranked him eighth last year. - John Prokop - a college free agent defender, after a year on the Marlies, he's moved on to the Milwaukee Admirals on an AHL contract. We ranked him 25th last year. ### Traded - Dennis Hildeby - drafted by the Leafs, and showing well in net in 26 appearances in the NHL, he lost the third chair to Artur Akhtyamov largely due to waiver status. He was traded to Tampa in the Nick Paul deal. - Nick Robertson - qualified as an RFA, but unsigned, Robertson's rights were traded to the Penguins for a fourth-round pick. ### Released or Relocated - Roni Hirvonen and Topi Niemelä were both on the list last year even though they had returned to Europe. While the Leafs likely still hold their rights, they did not issue a formal QO this year, effectively cutting ties. Niemelä was ranked 24th last year. - Vyacheslav Peksa played well enough for the Marlies, but did not receive a qualifying offer as the team added other goalies. He has returned to his former club in Russia and will likely play in the KHL. He was unranked last year. - Braeden Kressler was a CHL free agent signing who played for two seasons mostly in the ECHL. He appeared in only 7 games last year and has had terrible injury luck in his career. He was not given a QO by the Leafs. - Matthew Hlacar and Nathan Mayes were late-round drafted prospects who were not given a bona fide offer or ELC post draft. This removes the draft rights of the Leafs. - Joe Miller is the lone NCAA player in the system with rights that expire in mid August of this year. He signed with the Marlies' ECHL affiliate recently and is therefore no longer a Leafs prospect. ### Wednesday's FTB: It all makes perfect sense URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-it-all-makes-perfect-sense/ Last updated: 2026-08-05T10:00:22.000Z [FutureSports and the NHL Announce Exclusive Partnership to Create Broad-Based Indexes](https://media.nhl.com/public/news/19980?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) CME FutureSports Performance Indexes will underpin the world's first index-based hockey futures contracts offered by CME Group > [FutureSports](https://futuresports.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), the new independent index administrator transforming professional and college sports statistics into rules-based, benchmark financial indexes, and the National Hockey League (NHL), today announced an exclusive agreement providing FutureSports with official real-time NHL statistics that the company will use to create new broad-based CME FutureSports Performance Indexes (FSPI) tailored to NHL teams and players. > FutureSports Performance Indexes are benchmarks designed to systematically measure the cumulative performance of teams and athletes in prominent sports leagues. The play-by-play indexes that move throughout the course of each game within the upcoming season will provide hedging vehicles and new investment opportunities. > CME Group, the world’s leading derivatives exchange, will be [listing ](https://futuresports.com/press/cme-partnership?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)monthly and quarterly cash-settled futures contracts, pending regulatory review, based on the CME FSPI NHL benchmarks in time for the 2026-2027 season. I think that's pretty clear. What surprises me about this is that the NHL is the first sport to come in on this venture, and the NHL is not usually first at doing things. (I literally went outside to touch grass after reading that.) --- If you are unfortunate enough to be an elite pre-draft player, you get to play hockey in August: > 🚨UPSET ALERT🚨 > > In the final seconds of the game, Sebastian Weber scores a buzzer-beater to give Switzerland the win in REGULATION time. > > A huge result for Switzerland. Sweden would be eliminated with a loss against Canada.[#HlinkaGretzky](https://x.com/hashtag/HlinkaGretzky?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [@DraftProHockey](https://x.com/DraftProHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/aogtB6LY6C](https://t.co/aogtB6LY6C?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — On The Fly (@OnTheFly1515) [August 4, 2026](https://x.com/OnTheFly1515/status/2084787049207304468?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Kayden Stroeder stretches the 🇨🇦 lead to two in the 2nd period! 🚨 > > Kayden Stroeder creuse l’écart à deux buts pour le 🇨🇦 en fin de deuxième période. 🚨[#HlinkaGretzkyCup](https://x.com/hashtag/HlinkaGretzkyCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#CoupeHlinkaGretzky](https://x.com/hashtag/CoupeHlinkaGretzky?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/dzTFb4jEuy](https://t.co/dzTFb4jEuy?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hlinka Gretzky Cup (@HlinkaMemorial) [August 5, 2026](https://x.com/HlinkaMemorial/status/2084808854450401416?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I scrolled down this post, saw the gist in one chart, shook my head sadly and said, yup, it's August (that's why we do the T25): [Conditions are right for Matthews to get back on scoring trackThe Maple Leafs star is coming off two challenging seasons, but he’ll have credible firepower on the wing this year and a new coaching staff that has talked about giving star forwards more freedom on the attack, Travis Yost writes.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-0bcf1a67-07de-44f3-892e-fa00f5d4767b.ico)TSNTravis Yost![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/F62CUGME7FAULOJMFETO6W2KBU-d116e522-d3c0-4e5d-adb2-ea32ce7a7026.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/conditions-are-right-for-matthews-to-get-back-on-scoring-track/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And today is the gone from the list post, drop by and remember some guys you didn't even know were gone. That is it, have a great day. ### Tuesday's FTB: Maple Leafs revamp the performance department URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-maple-leafs-revamp-performance/ Last updated: 2026-08-04T10:00:23.000Z [Maple Leafs Announce Additions to Sport Performance Department | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club’s Sport Performance department will be led by Andy O’Brien as its Vice President, Sport Performance. In his role, O’Brien will oversee all areas of the Maple Leafs organization pertaining to performance optimization including Strength and Conditioning, Sport Science, Sports Nutrition,![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-f39a7a70-f507-46f0-b955-ea17d0744ea2.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ipzzluxmv8k3y8vgwvum-1bc69fb4-ef48-4a83-af53-39a3b2ae1a12.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-announce-additions-to-sport-performance-department-led-by-andy-o-brien?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club’s Sport Performance department will be led by Andy O’Brien as its Vice President, Sport Performance. In his role, O’Brien will oversee all areas of the Maple Leafs organization pertaining to performance optimization including Strength and Conditioning, Sport Science, Sports Nutrition, Injury Rehabilitation and Mental Performance. > Joining O’Brien’s staff are Dr. Craig Slaunwhite as Director, Health and Performance Integration, Jason Martin as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, and Josh Crouse as Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, while Dr. Jordan Shallow will join as Human Performance Consultant. The press release above contains a great deal about Andy O'Brien, someone John Chayka has known for many year. [O'Brien was involved in Chayka's very first foray into performance analysis](https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/big-read-coyotes-gm-john-chayka-drive-bring-winning-hockey-desert/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) back when he was still playing approximately 20 years ago. > O’Brien, 48, is the founder and president of O’Brien Sport, bringing over 25 years of experience to the Maple Leafs having held multiple roles in athlete performance across different industries. Most recently, he has worked for Cizzle Brands Inc. as their Chief Performance Officer since 2024 and Junxion Performance as Director of Sport Science, Player Health & Performance since 2021, while also serving as High Performance Consultant for the Florida Panthers since 2021\. In his role with the Panthers, O’Brien oversaw a rebuild of the club’s performance and sport science program, while assisting with the design and completion of the Panthers’ new practice facility. > Previously, the Charlottetown, P.E.I., native held the role of Director of Sports Science and Performance with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2015-21 where he developed the club’s off-ice training strategy and integrated sport science into the team’s daily operations. His experience working with NHL teams began with the Panthers in 2005 where he served as the team’s Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for four years. > In his time with the Panthers and Penguins, O’Brien has worked with four Stanley Cup winning teams (2016, 2017, 2024, 2025) across five appearances in the Stanley Cup Final and a Presidents’ Trophy winner (2022). > His private training practice has supported elite athletes in various competitive fields across both professional and Olympic sport, including Maple Leafs forward John Tavares. In addition, his High Performance Camps, which have been held annually over the past 20 years in both Vail, Colorado and Halifax, Nova Scotia, have regularly hosted his personal clients and the most decorated players in the NHL. Names I've heard linked to the Vail and Halifax camps over the years are: Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Brad Marchand, Matt Duchene, and several other former members of the Colorado Avalanche. The above link also gives complete bios of all the other hires. Of note, Dr. Craig Slaunwhite has the title of Health and Performance Integration, a new thing for the Leafs. On their organizational chart that they make public, they list medical and performance staff separately, and have always done so. Integrating those departments seems like a natural step to take, but I am reminded of Keith Pelley's talk of vertical and horizontal structure back in the spring, and it's possible that integration just didn't happen effectively in the past. John Chayka's quote in that article also linked above from 10 years ago about his early thoughts on player performance are interesting here: > With increasingly concrete beliefs about what skills to emphasize, and a deep base of nutrition and training knowledge, Chayka established the National Hockey Institute while he was still an active player. The idea, supported by his dad and Andy O’Brien — before the latter became one of hockey’s highest-profile trainers — was to create a one-stop shop for young players looking to push past vague instructions like “get bigger and stronger.” > “You hear a lot about ‘work ethic’ or ‘compete,’” Chayka says. “I always thought it’d be great if you could actually dig into this and try to understand, in objective terms, what it means and if it’s even important. There were some people who I felt were valuing things that were irrelevant, and some who weren’t valuing things that were actually really important.” It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that this area of the Leafs management and staff has been deeply renovated, or that it's now formed in a new way. All of these new hires have academic degrees in their field, and several are experienced in a university environment in their discipline. While a good number of the staff in this department remain, the three at the top are now gone, led formerly by L0uis Rojas, who had been with the Leafs since 2016\. --- Other than that, it's T25 time, and if you missed the call for voters on the weekend, it's in that FTB, and I will get on that today! If you missed the Community Vote: [2026 Top 25 Under 25 Community VoteIt’s here, get voting.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-99625c80-adad-4546-ae79-3a5d33ed377c.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1540910419892-4a36d2c3266c-538e4e03-ee63-4ad8-abc3-6910a48985bb)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-top-25-under-25-community-vote/) Today is an off day for pre-countdown posts, but tomorrow we'll start with remembering those gone from the list. That is is for now, have a great random day in August, everyone. ### 2026 Top 25 Under 25 Eligibility List URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-top-25-under-25-eligibility-list/ Last updated: 2026-08-01T12:00:18.000Z It's that time again! The Top 25 Under 25 is here and it's going to be exciting this year. Well, compared to recent years, anyway. To start us off, a review of how this works. The players eligible listed below must be 25 or younger as of July 1 of this year. They must be on an NHL contract with the Leafs, be a drafted prospect of the Leafs or in some other way be a player whose rights are held by the team, usually because they are an unsigned RFA. Who doesn't count? Anyone on an AHL contract who is not otherwise a prospect of the Maple Leafs. Timofei Obvintsev is a handy example of this distinction. He is an unsigned draft prospect so he's on the list. He's on the Marlies on an AHL contract, so he is paid a salary by a company owned by MLSE, but that does not make him eligible – his draft rights do. Last year, we encountered some edge cases with draft rights, and this has continued on this year. Various sources conflict on who is or is not is still a person the Leafs have exclusive rights to. These players are all former prospects who returned to Europe, sometimes after having an ELC, such as Roni Hirvonen, or after spending time in the NCAA. The Leafs just never mentioned these RFAs this year at the QO deadline, and for these legacy players nearing the age limit, I've decided to drop them from the list. As usual any NCAA player whose rights expire in mid-August who will not be signed by the team is also left off. Russian players drafted have indefinite rights since there is no transfer agreement with Russia. In these cases, I am keeping them on the list until they age off. ### Voting There are two votes, the "official" vote, which is the masthead writers and invited guest voters, which usually amounts to 10 or so people, and then the community vote which is open to everyone. I like to look on these two votes like the difference between an election, where the large numbers wash out weird choices, and a city council (of a reasonable size, not the Toronto monstrosity) where the weird opinions become magnified and are the point. Someone is bound to say: This one guy on the social media, he does tiers and then he makes a pyramid and this is way better, it's more realistic and you should do that and why don't you do that? Invent a way to combine 10 pyramids into one big pyramid and totally change this thing you've been doing for 15 years! No. And also no again, because this is actually how most people come up with their votes, sometimes quite literally. The illusion of each ranking place having the same stair-step difference to the next from 25 on up to 1 needs to be busted. Beyond the arguing about players, there are many lessons in this exercise about how we think about things, and this is a big one. But also no again, because forcing a decision between two or ten players who are all pretty much equal is a useful thing to do. Putting us in the position teams are in all the time – at the draft, when they issue QOs, when they sign players – can be a nice eye-opener. You have to find reasons to choose. And in this year after all the real and manufactured discussion about Gavin McKenna vs someone else, well, it should be interesting to do it with less fraught examples. Last year's list had 38 names on it, and this year's has 39 but has a lot of turnover. More on who is gone and who is new in coming days, but for now, here they are: | Player | Position | Nationality | Age | Draft Year | Draft # | NHL GP | 2025 Rank | | --------------------- | -------- | ----------- | ---- | ---------- | ------- | ------ | --------- | | Artur Akhtyamov | G | Russia | 24.7 | 2020 | 106 | 3 | 16 | | Ryan Tverberg | C | Canada | 24.4 | 2020 | 213 | 2 | Unranked | | Jacob Quillan | C | Canada | 24.4 | Undrafted | | 24 | 13 | | Emil Andrae | LD | Sweden | 24.4 | 2020 | 54 | 107 | N/A | | William Villeneuve | RD | Canada | 24.3 | 2020 | 122 | 3 | 17 | | Brandon Buhr | RW | Canada | 24.0 | Undrafted | | | N/A | | Matthew Knies | LW | USA | 23.7 | 2021 | 57 | 161 | 1 | | Luke Haymes | C | Canada | 22.9 | Undrafted | | 4 | 15 | | Vinny Borgesi | RD | USA | 22.3 | Undrafted | | | N/A | | Borya Valis | RW | USA | 22.2 | Undrafted | | | 14 | | Hudson Malinoski | C | Canada | 22.1 | 2023 | 153 | | Unranked | | Nicholas Moldenhauer | RW/C | Canada | 22.1 | 2022 | 95 | | 22 | | Landon Sim | LW | Canada | 22.0 | 2022 | 184 | | N/A | | Blake Smith | D | Canada | 21.8 | Undrafted | | | Unranked | | Timofei Obvintsev | G | Russia | 21.5 | 2024 | 157 | | Unranked | | Hayes Hundley | RD | USA | 21.3 | Undrafted | | | N/A | | Noah Chadwick | LD | Canada | 21.2 | 2023 | 185 | | 12 | | Easton Cowan | C | Canada | 21.1 | 2023 | 28 | 66 | 2 | | Sam McCue | LW | Canada | 20.8 | 2024 | 216 | | 20 | | Miroslav Holinka | C | Czechia | 20.7 | 2024 | 151 | | 11 | | Ben Danford | RD | Canada | 20.4 | 2024 | 31 | | 4 | | Victor Johansson | LD | Sweden | 20.2 | 2024 | 120 | | 10 | | Matthew Lahey | LD | Canada | 20.0 | 2024 | 200 | | Unranked | | Alexander Plesovskikh | LW | Russia | 19.9 | 2024 | 152 | | 23 | | Ethan MacKenzie | LD | Canada | 19.8 | 2026 | 69 | | N/A | | William Belle | RW | USA | 19.5 | 2025 | 137 | | Unranked | | Tyler Hopkins | C | Canada | 19.4 | 2025 | 86 | | 9 | | Rylan Fellinger | RD | Canada | 19.1 | 2025 | 185 | | Unranked | | Tinus Luc Koblar | C | Norway | 19.0 | 2025 | 64 | | 6 | | Harry Nansi | LW | Canada | 18.8 | 2025 | 153 | | 19 | | Yaroslav Fedoseyev | RD | Russia | 18.7 | 2026 | 161 | | N/A | | Gavin McKenna | LW | Canada | 18.5 | 2026 | 1 | | N/A | | Patriks Plumins | G | Latvia | 18.5 | 2026 | 114 | | N/A | | Cooper Williams | C | Canada | 18.4 | 2026 | 158 | | N/A | | Zac Olsen | RW | Canada | 18.3 | 2026 | 73 | | N/A | | Juuso Ainasto | G | Finland | 18.3 | 2026 | 85 | | N/A | | Alexander Bilecki | LD | Canada | 18.2 | 2026 | 60 | | N/A | | Brody Pepoy | RW | USA | 18.1 | 2026 | 169 | | N/A | | Måns Gudmundsson | RD | Sweden | 18.1 | 2026 | 76 | | N/A | I frequently see someone say something along the lines of there being a 25% chance of a draft prospect making the NHL, so the Leafs should have x out of y NHLers on the list. But that's too simple because it ignores the very skewed distribution of those probabilities by draft position. Every team, in other words, has a whole lot more very low probability picks than high, but some teams have a clutch of high-quality prospects all at once. Team cycles are naturally feast or famine, not some imaginary middle ground. To start us off in thinking about probability in a better way, I went back to Jokke Nevalainen's draft pick probability post where he [simplified the concepts down](https://dobberprospects.com/2020/05/16/nhl-draft-pick-probabilities/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). I think Nevalainen stuck too close to the false draft-round boundaries when he simplified his probabilities. Naturally so, it's how people think about draft picks and kicking against that takes effort. First his overall results, the same basic shape as every other graph of this type: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/Probability-of-becoming-NHL-player-per-pick-1-.png) Below, I redid the set of pick ranges with their mean probabilities heavily rounded off that appears in his post, and I added two other very hazy and subjective measures. The standard 100 NHL games played is the Freddy Gauthier line. That's not a successful use of the pick because you can trade for a player like that with a pick less likely to get you one the hard way. A career NHLer is the next level of success, and that's the Calle Järnkrok line. That sort of player is harder to find when young, but it's still possible to just cycle through some free agents of 30 or so, and never draft a guy who fits this category. An impact player is what you want. That term covers everything from a scoring winger to a playmaking centre to a top-pairing defender all the way to the very small handful of truly elite players – everyone from Matt Knies to Darren Raddysh to William Nylander and beyond. They make up around 1/4 to 1/3 of the 700 or so NHLers in any given year who have passed the Gauthier line. If the probability of getting a Gauthier with a pick is 50% then it's around 15% you get Raddysh, and the rest of the 50% is a mix of Gauthiers and Järnkroks. Why is this all done in hazy vague terms and not real stats? Well, it's been done to some degree of usefulness statistically, but the very hard part is coming up with a single measure of value. NHL games played captures injuries and GM bias, points ignores defence, and on and on. Most of the sophisticated analysis ends up with a curve nearly identical to all other draft value curves. Divvying up the NHL into guys, better guys and best guys and just taking into consideration how they are distributed is good enough to illustrate what reasonable expectations of the draft are. More specifically what reasonable expectations of the Leafs prospects are, and why that's not 25% of the guys on that list. | Pick Number Range | Probability of Playing 100 NHL Games | Probability of Career NHLer | Probaility of Impact Player | Number of Leafs Prospects Drafted in Range | | ------------------- | ------------------------------------ | --------------------------- | --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | | 1-5 | 100% | Extremely High | High | 1 | | 6-10 | 75% | High | Medium | 0 | | 11-15 | 70% | Medium | Low | 0 | | 15-25 | 65% | Lower | Low | 0 | | 26-50 | 50% | Low | Very Low | 2 | | 51-100 | 30% | Rare | Extremely Rare | 10 | | 101-150 | 20% | Extremely Rare | Extremely Rare | 5 | | 151-final selection | 10% | Extremely Rare | Extremely Rare | 14 | Do a little math with those numbers and you get a very sobering probability of getting seven players who can hit 100 games out of the 39 names. When you whittle that down, you should pick three names not McKenna, Knies, Cowan or Andrae and maybe throw in one of the undrafted guys just for fun. And then consider how many of them will hit the impact player line. This dreary stuff totally lacking in the sunny and unrealistic optimism that is often expected of prospect talk is the framework for expectations, not a prediction. You can't math your way to a true view of the future of a person. They don't develop due to some magic formula, they make choices, they experience life, and as always in hockey, shit happens. It really is supposed to be about the journey, though, not the destination. The development journey is where the fun is. Watching that journey is where we learn more about hockey and its players. ### Weekend FTB: T25 Time URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-t25-time/ Last updated: 2026-08-01T10:00:54.000Z The NHL wants to keep those intermission panels full. [NHL Broadcast Training Camp grooming players for future TV careers | NHL.comAlbert, Olczyk, Levy among pros imparting wisdom in 3rd season of program![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-67118e5f-595f-42ad-82c0-9c89de02b50b.png)NHL logoDan Rosen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/werw4l2qouxryvs1r1lb-88e44787-3146-4e1e-aa2c-c1e666dda820.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-broadcast-training-camp-helping-players-for-future-tv-careers?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I used to say if you were paying a player $1.5 to $2 million, why are you bothering? This is a guy who is just familiar to you, but not meaningfully different to the lowest paid players. That's flat-cap thinking to be sure, and I think the number has risen rather a lot. > The [#SJSharks](https://x.com/hashtag/SJSharks?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) signed 23 y/o Collin Graf to 3 year $4.25M Cap Hit deal. > > He was an RFA without offer sheet eligibility (10.2c). > > Contract is $4.25M salary each season. On expiry, will be RFA with $4.25M Qualifying Offer & 1 year from UFA eligibility > > 21G 46P in 81 GP > > Rep'd by… > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [July 31, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2083263475745517635?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Graf is a year younger than the now-departed Nick Robertson, is legitimately making more if you measure by points, but his impacts on offence are so gentle (and similarly on defence, which makes him very much worth more than Robertson). But how close is Graf to that old line I used about Pierre Engvall and generated a lot of arguing because of it. Is that line now about $3 million? I think maybe it is, and at that level, has it stopped being flat-cap thinking? It's one thing to double a young top-six player's AAV which is a fair description on Leo Carlsson's deal. Is it reasonable to double the bottom end guy too? Graf's a legitimate third liner, and young, and the Sharks will like this contract for all three years. That's what a third-liner costs and if he gets better, lucky them. I'm thinking more about some of the players who just signed for $3-something million. Some of them by the Leafs. It's not a problem, there is no cap crunch, but well... not to get way ahead or ourselves here, but if the Leafs pull off the trick of making some chemical reaction out of this totally revamped team that can get into the playoffs in a good position... what about the deadline? That is too far into the future. Today is for starting your prospect complaining! The T25 eligibility list goes up today. I'm holding off for a few days on setting up the community vote but now is the time to offer your name as an official voter: ### How to Join the T25 Voting Panel - send an email offering your voting services using the email on the [contact page](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/contact/) - do not expect a reply this holiday weekend! (I might though, if I get a minute.) - we keep the voting panel a manageable size, about 10 or so people, so we might regretfully say no to new voters - returning voters get a little bit of preference because we've obviously hooked them on this sometimes difficult task, and we want to keep them in thrall to the T25 ### What does it actually involve? - all you have to do is pick 25 players out of the prospect list and rank them - if you like, you can write up an intro blurb about yourself when we ask for it - if you are keen and have something to say, you can write blurbs for each player who is voted onto the list – or some of them The blurbs are my favourite part, it makes the posts themselves more conversational than instructional. None of us really know the future of these guys, so it's all guessing and starting off with multiple POV makes it a better intro into the multiple views of a given prospect. That's all there is to it, although you'd need to be available through the first 10 days of August to do the actual voting. ### Friday's FTB: Get ready for a long weekend URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-long-weekend-looms/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T10:00:17.000Z Tyler Hopkins moving down to line four, but... > Team 🇨🇦 lines at skate > > Busch - Reschny - Zhilkin > Harrington - Desnoyers - Roobroeck > Veilleux - Lawrence - Schmidt > Czata - Hopkins - Lafreniere > > Reid - Huang > Smith - Liske > Morrison - Verhoeff > > Lacelle > Ivankovic > > Play 🇫🇮 tonight at World Junior Summer Showcase[@TSN\_Sports](https://x.com/TSN%5FSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/FlIABrGG8g](https://t.co/FlIABrGG8g?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [July 30, 2026](https://x.com/markhmasters/status/2082851295300366830?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) He got on the scoresheet on the Smith goal. > Jackson Smith, 5-3 Canada. [#WJSS](https://x.com/hashtag/WJSS?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/87cwbDkHZS](https://t.co/87cwbDkHZS?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) [July 31, 2026](https://x.com/SEllisHockey/status/2083002804835151900?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Danford with the Cup: > Danny's Day 🏆 > > Ben Danford celebrated his day with the Calder Cup in Madoc, Ontario alongside family and friends at his family’s construction company quarry and the gym he uses in Belleville. [pic.twitter.com/4uc7xlru6q](https://t.co/4uc7xlru6q?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [July 30, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2082843665395814416?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And more updates to the women's program. [Coaching staffs named for National Women’s Teams for 2026-27 seasonVicky Sunohara and Nadine Muzerall are set to lead Canada’s women’s development and U18 teams this season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-0203e268-6b24-4c50-9ab6-4aedf8a5d49e.ico)Hockey Canada logoDan Hanoomansingh![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/960x540_HC-20STAFF-20ANNOUNCEMENT-20GRAPHIC_JU18DEV-388ad09e-a00e-43f9-9d53-fce59fa539bd.jpg)](https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/coaching-staffs-named-2026-27-nwp?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Nadine Muzerall is one of the most successful coaches in the women's game with a long NCAA career. [McKenna, other top prospects take in ‘fun’ NHLPA Rookie Showcase | NHL.comMartone of Flyers, McQueen of Ducks among those participating in event![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-fc8db961-96c5-4202-865e-23c8612479d6.png)NHL logoTracey Myers![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/k0laws4tbozmcu1pf1co-eb9d9b37-f802-4b6f-883e-4d314b7c7534.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/top-prospects-take-in-fun-nhlpa-rookie-showcase?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that's it for now, have a good day. ### Thursday's FTB: Leafs add to the front office URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-leafs-add-to-the-front-office/ Last updated: 2026-07-30T10:00:32.000Z > The Maple Leafs have hired Dan Palango as Director of Amateur Scouting, Brad Rossen as Vice President, Research & Development, and JP Perpich as Director of U.S. Amateur Scouting. > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [July 29, 2026](https://x.com/LeafsPR/status/2082507768141897946?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) **Dan Palango** is from Ancaster, Ontario originally, and has been with the Wild since 2020\. Prior to that he was with the Canucks, and he was also an agent who worked with Mike Gillis in his player agency for 13 years. Gillis was GM of the Canucks when Palango moved into scouting. While with the Wild and the Canucks he worked under Judd Brackett for 17 years. **Brad Rossen** was a former Stathletes employee who moved to the Coyotes in 2016 with John Chayka. He was there until Chayka left in 2020\. He attended Brock University where he did a Masters in Business Economics right before he joined the Coyotes, and he attended Harvard to study data science right after. Since 2020, he has been with player agency CAA, based in Toronto, where, "\[Brad\] leads recruiting and player development in Ontario as well as NHL player management and contract research." He does not appear to have directly represented any players although he is a certified agent. JP Perpich was an amateur scout with the Wild for the last five years under Judd Brackett. He attended law school in Minnesota, and is a native of Minneapolis. The Perpich family are Minnesota hockey royalty. JP should not be confused with his father John Perpich who has been a hockey coach and scout, most recently with the Ottawa Senators. JP worked as a lawyer for several years in Minneapolis, and got into scouting in 2016 covering the Minnesota area for the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL while working in other fields. In 2021, he joined the Wild as a full time scout, giving up a job in an investment firm. --- This is an early shot at figuring out a roster and discussing the new players: [Maple Leafs sign Bobrovsky to stabilize goaltending, highlight busy offseason | NHL.comNo. 1 pick McKenna joins Paul, Roslovic, Raddysh, Andrae among host of new faces in Toronto![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-10864e21-cd5d-457a-a0b2-9296fea705e4.png)NHL logoMike Zeisberger![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/mzccdsoilfatvpd4b73w-3dd99796-a901-4b3e-9f6b-92f70d068417.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/team-resets/toronto-maple-leafs-roster-changes-for-2026-27-season?utm%5Fsource=xdotcom&utm%5Fmedium=nhl%5Fsocial&utm%5Fcampaign=media) So much more than merely a race: > Need to bring goalie races back immediately > > September 16th, 2001\. Mile One Arena in St. John’s Newfoundland 📍 [pic.twitter.com/SIRotrStMI](https://t.co/SIRotrStMI?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [July 29, 2026](https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2082451079137005733?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Sharks sign forward Macklin Celebrini to a five-year contract extension | San Jose SharksSan Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) General Manager Mike Grier announced today that the club has signed forward Macklin Celebrini to a five-year contract extension worth $18.8 million AAV. “In just two seasons as a teenager in the National Hockey League and on the International stage, Macklin has established himself as one![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-2f2d0c8a-5daa-43e8-999f-a7922c2c4b97.png)San Jose Sharks logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/jyzds5ruekyffhzbsuls-0e744d47-3c02-4e3e-a737-b49d1efe18ba.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/sharks/news/sharks-sign-forward-macklin-celebrini-to-a-five-year-contract-extension?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Danièle Sauvageau named general manager of Canada’s National Women’s ProgramThe Hockey Hall of Famer will lead Canada’s National Women’s Program through the 2030 Olympic Winter Games.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-8eb630eb-52a7-41e6-b0bc-0ca4720eea46.ico)Hockey Canada logoJason La Rose![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/960x540_HC-20STAFF-20ANNOUNCEMENT-20GRAPHIC_NWP-20GM-1bf35c69-bc2f-4aa5-b8d8-8a3a9680d1ba.jpg)](https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/daniele-sauvageau-named-general-manager-2026-27-nwp?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Joe Miller, Maple Leafs draft prospect and recent captain of the Harvard Crimson, has signed with the ECHL affiliate of the Marlies: [CYCLONES ADD ROOKIE FORWARD JOE MILLER FOR THE 2026-27 CAMPAIGNCyclones add former Harvard captain ahead of the new season![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-f3c8af0e-f6ef-414c-b464-d749019a0b4c.png)Cincinnati Cyclones![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/n3mgRboYcQF1FW40vgabVLeZHTyXhZKMg0VfbpnO-03e19cd4-dbc1-433b-bc10-baed7813f4b7.jpg)](https://cycloneshockey.com/news/2026/07/cyclones-add-rookie-forward-joe-miller-for-the-2026-27-campaign?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs' rights to him expire in mid-August unless they were to sign him to an ELC, so that isn't happening. That's it for today, whatever day it is, I've lost track again. Have a good one! ### Wednesday's FTB: Holinka gets the Blueprint treatment URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-holinka-gets-the-blueprint-treatment/ Last updated: 2026-07-29T10:00:36.000Z [Prime Video becomes long-term home of NHL in Canada for ‘Wednesday Night Hockey’ | NHL.com12-year agreement for exclusive broadcasts including select Stanley Cup Playoffs series in English, French beginning this season![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-e7271262-263b-4396-925f-66153e845579.png)NHL logoNHL Public Relations![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/bm9zqamqgxsohcnz2atn-38a7f5cb-1384-450a-ade1-f33d8dd8e822.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/prime-video-becomes-long-term-home-of-nhl-in-canada-for-wednesday-night-hockey?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This includes some playoff series as well, marking a big change from the playoffs on CBC we've become used to. > Prime Video and Rogers Communications today announced a 12-year agreement for Prime Video in Canada to exclusively broadcast Wednesday night regular-season national NHL games in English and French, beginning with the 2026-2027 season. > Prime Video also acquires exclusive rights to select Stanley Cup Playoff series in Canada, comprised of two First Round playoff series and one Second Round series per year. This full lineup includes at least 26 national regular-season NHL games, beginning on Wednesday, September 30, available only on Prime Video in Canada at no additional cost to Prime members. > Michael Hutchinson has announced his retirement from the [@NHL](https://x.com/NHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). > > From Barrie, Ontario, Michael played for his hometown Barrie Colts of the OHL beginning in the 2006-07 season, and after his second season, was selected by the Boston Bruins in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Michael… [pic.twitter.com/LOGx24rWt6](https://t.co/LOGx24rWt6?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL Alumni (@NHLAlumni) [July 28, 2026](https://x.com/NHLAlumni/status/2082108845388611963?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [\- TSNMaple Leafs prospect Tyler Hopkins joins TSN’s Mark Masters and what it feels like to represent his country at the World Junior Summer Showcase and discuss what the World Juniors meant to him growing up.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-29977f9f-1bfa-43c7-9a9c-8886323fd76c.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F07-28-2026-2Ft_4a29be67115d452193eabdd677ad05fd_name_2026_7_28_c80eeaa2_d7d3_4ead_8e65_063ab17ddeb8_png_1920x1080-12349744-4746-4eee-a91e-5b112cb2dfbc.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/hockey-canada/video/2026/07/28/leafs-prospect-hopkins-looks-to-showcase-versatility-two-way-game-at-canadas-camp/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Oh... clever. Make it a meta-T25 list: [Ranking the top five under-25 cores across the NHLSpeed and youth are the way to go in the NHL these days. So, which are the most promising groups of players 25 or younger contributing right now? Sonny Sachdeva ranks the top five.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-cd8f96b4-220e-4aa9-95fe-3e0bcfa60d4c.ico)Sportsnet.caSonny Sachdeva![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-91-17492b9a-db6d-4207-848f-8f1fef8c81ca.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/ranking-the-top-five-under-25-cores-across-the-nhl/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that's all for now. Have a good Tuesday. ### Tuesday's FTB: Summer filler season URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-11/ Last updated: 2026-07-28T10:00:48.000Z Interesting interview with the main character of a social media narrative that likely didn't have much basis in fact. Neil Glasberg discusses the Leafs GM search. [Glasberg on the Maple Leafs’ GM search that resulted in the hiring of Chayka and why Chayka is the right man for the jobPresident and CEO of PBI Sports, Neil Glasberg, joins First Up to chat about the Maple Leafs’ GM search that resulted in the hiring of John Chayka, casting a wide net for the search, why Chayka is the right fit in the Toronto market and more.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-24e9fa23-21c0-4493-9512-b2adc7bebf0e.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CPB2D6YNNZGG3BHYRHAFXVOK3U-8321cc47-0ca2-4de5-a007-c79c69483388.JPG)](https://www.tsn.ca/radio/toronto-1050/article/glasberg-on-the-maple-leafs-gm-search-that-resulted-in-the-hiring-of-john-chayka-why-chayka-is-the-right-man-for-the-job/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) He mentions that several Leafs alumni reached out to be part of the process. He also says that many people contracted Keith Pelley directly who then passed the names on to Glasberg. He says everyone was spoken to, although not everyone in a formal interview format. As many people from the corporate world explained well in our comments as the time, Glasberg was not making the choice, he was bringing candidates to the MLSE search committee who then made the decisions. The concept that he was just promoting his own clients and telling the fools at MLSE who to hire was never real. In what might be news or is news to me, Glasberg helped with the coach search in a less extensive way than the GM search. He says an attribute of John Chayka's that helped him was that he is direct and tells it like it is. No BS. Worth a listen until it becomes chatter about a golf tournament. --- Prospect Juuso Ainasto got to play in his first game yesterday for Finland at the WJSS. I don't know what the chances are he makes the Finnish WJC team, but at least he's on their radar. He's played in two games for Finland several years ago in international friendlies but nothing since. Canada doesn't start playing until Wednesday. > 🇨🇦 lines for 1st practice of World Junior summer camp > > GROUP 2 > > Belchetz - Cootes - Schmidt > Czata - Lombardi - Lawrence > Hopkins - Nesbitt - Lafreniere > > Smith - Verhoeff > Reid - Lin > Huang > > Ivankovic > Meloche > > Villeneuve was a late scratch for the camp [@TSN\_Sports](https://x.com/TSN%5FSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [July 27, 2026](https://x.com/markhmasters/status/2081876446092448099?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's all for today so far. Enjoy. ### The NHL has gone to sleep, but we're wide awake URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl-asleep/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T16:10:22.000Z Hiatus is over! I did some percentage of the things I wanted to accomplish, I avoided all social media and hid in my house from the epic smoke. Which means I did a lot more than the Toronto Sceptres did. Ahem. On to the news... To catch up I read Elliotte Friedman's Twitter account which is a rundown of signings and almost nothing else. > Florida and Akira Schmid avoid arbitration > > 2 x $2M > > All arbitration cases are now settled > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [July 24, 2026](https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2080745705564467566?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [So there were no arbitration hearings?](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/free-agency/nhl-players-file-for-salary-arbitration-2026?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I guess being the NHL arbitrator is a tough gig. The big ones: - Jet Greaves at 3 by $5 million - Jason Robertson at 1 by $12 million, UFA on expiry, no extension until January 1 - Jamie Drysdale at 4 by $6.5 million - Connor McMichael at 6 by $6.5 million - Trevor Zegras at 4 by $9.125 million - Cole Perfetti at 5 by 6 million I think I should raise my level for big up to $7 million. The other signings of note: - Patrick Kane at 1 by $8 million in Chicago – whoops, that's two years for Kane - John Marino at 8 by $6.75 million in Utah (he is 29 which now counts as a reasonable age to sign an 8-year deal) - Connor Bedard at 5 by $15 million in Chicago Executive moves of note: Steve Yzerman seems to have fired himself, but the Red Wings are still frozen in stasis. Evan Gold, interviewed by the Leafs in their GM search is rumoured to be going somewhere, and naturally that includes the Leafs. The Bruins added Kevyn Adams who had his reputation renovated quickly by the Buffalo Sabres making the playoffs right after he was fired (Alex Lyon says hi). The one article I scanned seemed to imagine Gold, who ran the P. Bruins, could become the man in charge of the Marlies if he joined the Leafs. That seems highly unlikely given the prominent role Ryan Hardy has with the new Chayka management group. A read of Gold's qualifications would suggest he would pick up all of Brandon Pridham's old responsibilities since that was also his role in Washington and Boston. He studied law and business and has always worked in the area of contracts in the NHL. One imagines Gold, from Toronto hence the speculation, would want a promotion not merely a lateral move, so moving out of what can be a cul de sac in AHL management into the main flow of front office action would be the minimum I'd want were I him. I say that while also noting that Hardy has busted right out of the cul de sac he was in when Treliving was GM, so it is possible the AHL part of his job could go to a new person or the Leafs may simply think cul de sacs are bad management. In actual Leafs moves: > Marlies officially change some hockey operations and coaching staff. Chris Bourque named assistant GM to Ryan Hardy, Denver Manderson and Greg Moore added as assistant coaches for HC Steve Sullivan and Mark Giordano. Moore was Marlies head coach from 2019-23, went to the USNTDP. > > — Lance Hornby 🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@sunhornby) [July 22, 2026](https://x.com/sunhornby/status/2079932449555951869?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Greg Moore was the Marlies coach for a time and worked with Ryan Hardy in the USHL. He is also, this is a theme, a former coach with the USNTDP both with Hardy, and after his recent Marlies stint. They also hired Jeremiah Crowe as Director of Player Personnel (and didn't post a word about it on their website, so they're still doing that, and all I can go by is his LinkedIn and Elite Prospects). This is their only announcement: > The Maple Leafs have hired Jeremiah Crowe as Director of Player Personnel. > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [July 15, 2026](https://x.com/LeafsPR/status/2077435334976295418?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) He is from Wisconsin, and had previously been the Director of Professional Scouting with the Sabres. He was also with the USNTDP at the same time as Hardy and has a business degree from Clarkson, so he knows a bro and speaks the right jargon. His masters is in sports administration, so he speaks that jargon too. By the way, every NHL team lists their front office on their website. These aren't secret things, and you can look at every team's structure. The [Leafs keep the format simple](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/team/management?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), but some teams do photos and writeups like your average corporate employer does these days. --- [The WJSS is underway](https://www.nhl.com/news/world-junior-summer-showcase-marks-1st-step-on-road-to-2027-world-juniors?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), and the Leafs have two drafted prospects in the event: Tyler Hopkins on Team Canada and newly drafted goalie Jusso Ainasto on Team Finland. Gavin McKenna would not be at the WJSS even if there was any meaningful chance he would be available for the WJC, he doesn't need showcasing. Ah, the fun of having a prospect too good for the WJC, I have missed that. In other news: the schedule was released and up sprouted a veritable fungal infection of charts and graphs about who plays when and how and it's all so unfair!!! And yeah, I don't care. You play the game in front of you. If you're Steve Yzerman and you lose every draft lottery, but still end up with a uniquely talented player or if you're the Leafs trying to be a team worthy of its best players. And that's all for today, get ready for the T25 because nothing else is happening for a while. (A call for official voters will be coming soon.) Have a great Monday. ### Road Trip: Toronto Marlies at Chicago Wolves URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/road-trip-toronto-marlies-at-chicago-wolves/ Last updated: 2026-07-20T15:04:49.000Z The Toronto Marlies made a run to the Calder Cup Finals that not many people expected. With clutch scoring from Alexander Nylander, amazing tending of the goal from Artur Akhtyamov, and support from everyone on the roster, the Marlies made it to their third Calder Cup series, second time as the Eastern Conference champions, and were heading into game one to set the tone and hopefully come out of Chicago with two wins and the chance to win it all on home ice. I've been shifting my duties at work and am now being sent to more conferences and meetings out of town. I didn't think I would end up going international, but months ago it was set up that I would be attending the Labor Notes international conference in Chicago from June 11-14\. I was excited to go, and when the Marlies made it to the final I finally had some sports luck on this trip, as Allstate Arena is right next door to my hotel in the Windy Suburbs. **Who are you watching?** The Chicago Wolves are the host team in this 2-3-2 series and the AHL Western Conference Champions. They're the AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes and are looking to be part of the extremely rare scenario of an NHL team and their affiliates winning championships in the same year. The Wolves were second in the Central Division, so unlike the Marlies they didn't have a play in series to bother with. They defeated the Texas Stars, Grand Rapids Griffins, and Colorado Eagles on their way to the finals. The Wolves are a strong minor league franchise and benefitted from the Wirtz family refusing to broadcast Chicago Blackhawks games on television. They've operated independent of NHL affiliation at times, and have won five league championships since their founding in 1994: 2 Turner Cups in the IHL and 3 Calder Cups in the AHL in addition to two regular season championships, 14 division championships, and nine conference titles. They have seen great players come through the system while affiliated teams such as the Atlanta Thrashers, St. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights, and notable alumni include Chris Chelios, Jordan Binnington, Dallas Eakins, Garnet Exelby, Jani Hakanpaa, and Joey Crabb. **Where Are You?** The Wolves play at the Allstate Arena in the suburb of Rosemont, IL, though many people may remember it as the Rosemont Horizon. The arena was supposed to be home to the World Hockey Association Chicago Cougars, to rival the Blackhawks, but the team would fold before the arena construction began. The arena opened in 1980 with a Fleetwood Mac concert, and was designed to hide as much outside noise as possible as it sits under approach / landing paths out of O'Hare airport. This design included a timber roof and support system, as the wood helps muffle outside noise better than typical metal coverings. It's your typical bowl design arena, with the majority of the seating in the lower bowl, and a smaller upper bowl surround it, with suites crammed in after construction. It's hosted minor league teams and college sports, but to me it will always be the host of WrestleMania 13 where Bret Hart made Stone Cold Steve Austin a superstar. **Why are you here?** The Toronto Marlies are in the Calder Cup Final! I was only at the game since it coincided with attending the amazing Labor Notes conference, where 4,499 other like minded unionists gathered to plot against our oppressors. It was also fun to run into our own Species, who was in town covering the game as well. **How was it?** Before heading into the arena, I was warned by [arena enthusiast and travel documenter](https://www.ohlarenaguide.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Kevin Jordan that it was probably the worst arena to watch hockey in. I wasn't sure about this, as I grew up in a depression era barn with no leg room and a real lax attitude towards fire safety. Getting to the arena was easy enough, I cabbed it and got dropped off outside what was a warehouse looking site next door to a big box store shopping plaza. It wasn't as big as I thought it would be for a 17,000 seat space but it's built low into the ground, as mentioned above. I got in midway through the first period (thanks for the delays to my flight, wind) so my first impressions were "Wow it's spacious in here". Lots of food choices, including deep dish pizza of course, and a fair sized but could have been bigger merchandise space. Banners for alumni hang in the concourse, murals are painted on the walls, and there's a giant goalie helmet to pose with / in for photos. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/PXL_20260613_013947361.MP-1.jpg) No banner for our beloved Joey Crabb Walking into the arena bowl from the concourse, you see the age of the place right away, but in a little nice way. The wooden roof stands out, the boxes are at ground level with the main concourse and have what you could call patios outside them to watch from, where the final row of seats of the lower bowl rest up against the dividing wall. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/PXL_20260613_004202789.MP.jpg) Smoke from the pre-game pyrotechnics hung in the air for most of the first period, giving the place a real 1970s smoking in the arena vibe, Sitting for a bit, and seeing the Wolves fans jump up as the home team almost scores, it became apparent what the issue is for viewing: the shallowness of the bowl. If you're not the tallest person, and are in the middle of the bowl, you won't see anything if everyone around stands up. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/PXL_20260613_011637013.MP.jpg) The boxes were right in the bowl with the non-box people. On first intermission, I for sure learned how wrong I was about calling the concourses spacious. It crowded hard, but not in an unusual way. Just crowds mixing through lines for food, drinks, and bathrooms. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/PXL_20260613_004225480.MP.jpg) Try to get to your seat during play? That's a paddlin' The crowd was small for a finals game, didn't feel like the 9,900 average attendance they had this past season but a Monday start and the big players for the team being called away to the Hurricanes may have hurt things. The upper bowl wasn't opened for seating, and there's no curtain in this rink to hide it, so it was empty seats up there with a few scratched players, team staff, and media members scattered about. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/PXL_20260613_015534211.MP-1.jpg) Keep the blimp low, no need to drop burgers in those empty seats. The crowd was great, all the hardcore Wolves fans showed up, college aged dudes were plentiful chanting, yelling, and having a great time. Lots of Marlies fans were also in attendance making for a good back and forth atmosphere, that was capped off with a great late game Marlies victory. **Would you go back?** I wouldn't purposefully make the trip back to see a game again, and probably wouldn't go to a game if I came back to Chicago unless it was the Marlies playing. It was an average older arena, with an average minor league crowd. If you're in Chicago and have the urge to head out to the airport and watch a minor league hockey game, sure. Otherwise? You won't miss much. ### Summer Hiatus: It's too hot for hockey URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/summer-hiatus-its-too-hot-for-hockey/ Last updated: 2026-07-14T13:08:20.000Z The only ice I'm thinking about goes in a glass. So have a vacation drink with an apropos name: It is actually really, really good. And strong like bull, so beware. It is however, meant to be an American Rye based drink. If you have a stash, give this a try. Otherwise there are some LCBO-available options to consider. Consider this a buy-local, unpaid, unsponsored, personal opinion product placement. First up [Dillon's Rye](https://www.lcbo.com/en/dillon-s-rye-whisky-14915?srsltid=AfmBOoqxUXo4lsDH3ASUbkliimePUTJx4e7-KAce3go2DLBD0a5Oogt%5F&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). They are a Niagara distillery located just down the road from John Chayka's hometown. Now, I am not a professional whiskey reviewer. If I were, at least half the rating would be based on how easy it is to get the damn cork out of the bottle. But this whiskey is correctly named, with the word RYE in big caps. That's what this is. It's a whiskey that crashes into your house and yells RYE at you at the top of its lungs. An aside for any Canadians who have only ever had big distillery Canadian rye. This bears no resemblance and the two are really not interchangeable. Anyhow, back to loud RYE. It's really useful in a cocktail because it has all the spice and bite of rye, and although it's not 100 proof like the usual American ryes, it's strongly flavoured enough to get over the hump of the lack of alcohol burn. My other suggestion is [John Sleeman & Sons](https://johnsleemanandsons.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) various whiskeys. They are made in Guelph, and are a bit more spendy than the Dillon's, depending on the variety. The Traditional Straight can sub in for bourbon. The High Rye and the Cooper's Rye are both 48% ABV so they have the punch of Rittenhouse or such like, and also some spice and real rye flavour. The High Rye has corn and barley too, so it's kind of a bourbon curious rye. The gin they make was not pleasing. Corks come out of the bottles easily enough. The only thing worse than these precious corks everyone wants to use now is the screw cap on Campari. I have to use vice grips to get it open the first time. Other fun summer activities will involve me fixing an issue from a couple of years ago when I added a solid state drive and installed windows on it, not realizing the boot sector was still on the old spinning hard drive. Oops. But best of all, I get to leave my phone wherever, never look at it, never look at social media and I don't need to care about any news of any kind. You get cat gifs (dogs allowed) and pun threads. Start thinking idly about the T25, though, it will be fun and also still very difficult to sort out the glut of similar not-likely prospects. I think regular service, aka complaining about how boring the lack of news is, will resume around the 27th and the T25 is likely going to start after the Civic Holiday given how early it is this year. ### The Marlies 2026-27 schedule is out and these are the days you want to put on your calendar URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/the-marlies-2026-27-schedule-is-out-and-these-are-the-days-you-want-to-put-on-your-calendar/ Last updated: 2026-07-14T07:31:05.000Z The newly minted Calder Cup Champions have released their schedule for the upcoming season, and there's a lot to look forward to. ### New Division The biggest change for the team this season is the arrival of the Hamilton Hammers into the division. The Hammers are the new incarnation of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and whether the team name was the "Tigers" or the "Sound Tigers" is still hotly contested, but based on my research they probably had been both at one time or another in their history, but in any case they now move out of Connecticut and the AHL's Atlantic Division and into to the North Division and will play at the newly renovated arena in downtown Hamilton, the TD Coliseum (originally Copps Coliseum). Hamilton previously had an AHL team through the Bulldogs, originally an affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers with Scott Howson, the current President of the AHL, as their General Manager, but then they changed affiliation to the Habs. That AHL team ended in the off-season of 2015 when the Habs swapped affiliations to the St. John's Ice Caps and Hamilton did not get a replacement, though the Bulldogs brand lived on as an OHL team which moved to Brantford during the Coliseum renovations with former Maple Leaf Zach Hyman as the lead of the ownership group, and it now looks like they will stay there forever, until the day they decide they won't. That's the the nature of major junior hockey ownership, it's complicated! Anyway, expect to see the Hammers a lot. The Marlies will play them here at our Coliseum at The Ex five times this coming season, and the Marlies will make the trip down the QEW/403 to Hamilton to play them at their Coliseum five times this season. If you want to go to a game there, the good news is there's a lot of GO Transit service from Toronto to Hamilton, but be careful about the approach. There is an express GO bus ([Route 16](https://assets.metrolinx.com/image/upload/v1776168063/Documents/GO/full-schedules/FS25042026/TABLE16.pdf?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)) from Toronto to Hamilton, though it's mainly focused on off-peak services, but that means it's available at night and a great way back from Hamilton to Toronto as the bus goes top speed down the QEW with no traffic and makes no stops along the way. I once was on a late bus that made it from Union Station to Hamilton in only 45 minutes. There's also many GO Train trips from Hamilton to Toronto every day of the week, but they don't always wind up at the same spot. Hamilton now has three different GO Train stations, but the one closest to the arena, the Hamilton GO Centre, literally only four blocks away from the arena, is serviced only on weekdays. On weekends you will wind up at the West Harbour GO Station where all the trains stop and either turn back to Toronto or continue on to Niagara. The public transit options for the last mile are limited, though they do exist, but you should use one of those online trip planers to time it correctly. ### The Team Changes We've already covered all the changes to the team for this coming season, some official some unofficial, but if you want to catch up, here is the news. John Gruden has been promoted to an assistant coach of the Maple Leafs and will be replaced by Steve Sullivan who was formerly a Marlies assistant coach and played in over one thousand NHL games. Mark Giordano will become an assistant coach, elevated from his current role there. The players have always spoken highly of "Gio" anytime I've asked about working with him. They like him, and they trust him. Some players we can expect to see spend at least some time on the Marlies had their contracts renewed. [Leafs re-sign Quillan, Tverberg, and VilleneuveSummer business is done on Day 67 of the Chayka Era![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-64480c64-6302-447b-ba29-e510111949e6.png)PPP LeafsHardev![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1711254607229-f9c86c99b1e7-239dad68-aab9-4d02-b69e-c085ac03493e)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/leafs-re-sign-quillan-tverberg-and-villeneuve/) There are new faces in the mix, though they could wind up playing in the ECHL for the Cyclones, but it is likely Easton Cowan will play for the Leafs continuously now, so that opens a spot, further it is widely speculated in Swedish media that Alex Nylander will go to play in the SHL, though this is not officially confirmed yet anywhere I can find, but some of these guys will play for the Marlies a lot of games, but if true that's another open position. > 🖊️ We’ve signed 7 players to AHL contracts [pic.twitter.com/iCYD7UfWZO](https://t.co/iCYD7UfWZO?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [July 10, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2075580842710081629?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies also signed one of the Leafs goalie draft picks from the 2024 draft to an AHL contract. > Congratulations to Timofei Obvintsev (2024 NHL Draft - Rd. 5, #157) on signing a 1-year contract with the Toronto [#LeafsForever](https://x.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) organization! [#WeAreGoldStar](https://x.com/hashtag/WeAreGoldStar?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)! [pic.twitter.com/LvGdXE8tPv](https://t.co/LvGdXE8tPv?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Dan Milstein (@HockeyAgent1) [July 10, 2026](https://x.com/HockeyAgent1/status/2075585134598762795?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### The Games To Circle On Your Calendar If you want some good hockey entertainment, here are some key games I would recommend as good choices to attend. **Marlies Home Opener** Saturday October 3: No surprise they are playing the Hamilton Hammers. There will no doubt be a pre-game ceremony to drop the Calder Cup banner and honour the win which will be worth the trip to the Coliseum for that alone. This isn't the first game of the season for the Marlies though, they start the day before on the road against the Rochester Amerks. Their game in Rochester starts Friday at 7:00 p.m. which means they will probably get out of there at 10:00 and then they ride the bus back to Toronto to face the Hammers at 4:00 on Saturday. It's a tricky turn around, but hopefully the team is well rested as they probably won't leave Rochester until about 10:00 and it's a three hour trip back to Toronto. **Marlies vs. Wolves** Saturday November 21: the Marlies will face the Chicago Wolves for the first time since defeating them to win the Calder Cup. This game will be at Scotiabank Arena and starts early at 1:30 p.m. a very family friendly time so if you want to take kids to a game at the big arena, this is the one. There's a second game against the Wolves the next day at the Coliseum at 4:00 p.m.. **Marlies vs. Rocket** Tuesday December 17: Another team the Marlies defeated on their way through the playoffs were the Laval Rocket and wow do those two teams not like each other. You can very much expect any game against the Rocket and Marlies to be heavily physical and with lots of post-whistle shenanigans happening with Florian Xhekaj on the Rocket's roster. The first two games between them are in early December in Laval, but the Rocket then come to Toronto for this rare Tuesday game, and then play here again the next Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m., so plenty of time for the pot to boil over at that game. **New Year's Weekend Games and the Boat Show Trip** Friday January 1 and Saturday January 2: The Charlotte Checkers are in town for the New Year's long weekend, and it is a long weekend unlike last year where the calendar played a cruel joke on us and had New Year's Day on a Thursday meaning I had to go into work Friday to get the December month-end books closed (accountant grumbling noises). A week after this the Marlies host the Utica Comets and then they set sail for the annual Boat Show road trip, not playing another home game until January 31, about three weeks. **Scotiabank Arena Games** We already mentioned the one on November 21\. Here are the others. Sunday December 27: The traditional Boxing Day game at Scotiabank Arena against the Belleville Senators, though not actually on Boxing Day. Expect traffic in and out of the City to be heavy since Monday will be when Boxing Day is observed, so it's not the end of the long weekend and there will lots of people downtown for shopping. This game starts early at 2:00 p.m. making it a family friendly event. Wednesday March 17: A game against the W/B Scranton Penguins at 1:30 p.m.. It seems like an odd choice to have an afternoon game on a Wednesday until you note this is March Break for most Ontario school boards, so there will be a lot of people visiting the City. It's a perfect time to go to the game and then check out the Hockey Hall of Fame. Saturday March 27th: This is getting towards the end of the season and it's against the Hamilton Hammers. Interestingly this is listed officially as an away game for the Marlies, I'm not sure why but perhaps the Hammers bought this game from them to have it there. In any case, it starts at a reasonable 5:00 p.m. so if you are coming there all the way from Hamilton or anywhere on the Lakeshore West line there will be time to go out after the game for dinner or drinks before getting back home on the train. Get ready for the new season. [The full schedule is here](https://www.marlies.ca/schedule?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). > Huge cheers for #53 getting his spin with the Calder Cup. [pic.twitter.com/NIe2nkZ99r](https://t.co/NIe2nkZ99r?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Pension Plan Puppets (@PPPLeafs) [June 20, 2026](https://x.com/PPPLeafs/status/2068156272721973266?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Monday's FTB: No news is just no news URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-no-news-just-go-outside/ Last updated: 2026-07-13T14:34:40.000Z Well, to be honest, I did all sorts of things on the weekend. I made soup stock, watched a couple of movies, sat outside in the evening when it was cool. Summer Hiatus is going to officially start tomorrow, and I'll put up a post for cat gifs and baseball talk. But really, it's already here. The Marlies are full, not to bursting, because AHL teams always need an ungodly number of defencemen, but they have enough to be getting on with. The Leafs are full up, likely overfull, but we thought that last year, and injuries kept kicking the can down the road on roster decisions. All that's left are mights. They might make a trade, they might sign another UFA, they might add some AHLers. And then there's the maybes. The Red Wings will maybe trade Larkin and even if they don't, maybe they will have the lowest total cap hit this season. Maybe Jason Robertson signs before his arbitration hearing. Maybe Hellebuyck will get traded to Buffalo. The NHL schedule will be revealed this week, with opening day matchups (please be Ottawa, please be Ottawa) on Wednesday with the full schedule on Thursday. So if you robbed a bank this weekend, you could buy Leafs tickets! After hiatus is over, we will roar right straight into the T25\. There will be a call for official voters, then not now. And we will aim to run the event right up to the rookie tournament in Gatineau. Around that time, and through training camp focus will shift entirely to NHL players and my plan is to put together something a little deeper than the hasty July 1 articles on all the new acquisitions. I do not believe the Leafs have made the signing of Timofei Obvintsev official yet, so that will likely happen today. Such excitement! A thing to look forward to where they put out a press release and we wait the five minutes until someone else reports the AAV. And that is all for now. Nope! Late breaking, uh, not really all that interesting news: ### [Exclusive: Hearing dates for all RFAs who elected salary arbitration](https://puckpedia.com/news/exclusive-hearing-dates-all-rfas-who-elected-salary-arbitration?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Back to Excited Episode 228: Leafs Offseason Review URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/back-to-excited-episode-228-leafs-offseason-review/ Last updated: 2026-07-12T18:10:13.000Z Welcome to another episode of Back to Excited. Today, we do our annual deep dive into the Leafs' offseason moves. In particular, we discuss: - Firing Craig Berube \[1:15\] - The Leafs' coaching and front office departures \[8:24\] - Trading Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit for Emil Andrae and a 3rd round pick \[19:23\] - Trading Brandon Carlo to St. Louis \[28:45\] - Non-qualifying Mattias Maccelli \[33:37\] - Trading Nick Robertson to Pittsburgh \[38:43\] - Acquiring Nick Paul \[42:20\] - Hiring Jim Hiller \[52:10\] - The Leafs' coaching and front office additions \[58:43\] - Drafting Gavin McKenna \[1:02:11\] - Acquiring Darren Raddysh \[1:07:33\] - Signing Sergei Bobrovsky \[1:15:20\] - Signing Jack Roslovic \[1:25:11\] - Signing Colton Sissons \[1:27:45\] - Signing Brandon Duhaime \[1:34:18\] - Signing Teddy Blueger \[1:37:30\] - Reviewing the offseason \[1:41:04\] As always, you can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts. Let us know what you thought of the Leafs offseason, and of any topics you'd like for us to cover in the future. Thanks for listening! ### Weekend FTB: Marlies stock up URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-marlies-stock-up/ Last updated: 2026-07-11T10:00:46.000Z > The Marlies re-signed G Ken Appleby and F Sam Stevens to one-year AHL contracts. > > The club also signed D Matt Anderson, F Matt Copponi, D Ben Meehan and F Ross Mitton to one-year AHL contracts as well as F Sawyer Boulton to a two-year AHL contract. [https://t.co/KhaXGW7Zss](https://t.co/KhaXGW7Zss?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies PR (@AHLMarliesPR) [July 10, 2026](https://x.com/AHLMarliesPR/status/2075584280684605561?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > F Matt Copponi > · Split this past season between Bakersfield and Fort Wayne (ECHL), appearing in 40 games with the Komets and had 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists) > · Recorded 10 points (6 goals, 4 assists) in 17 playoff games with Fort Wayne > > — Toronto Marlies PR (@AHLMarliesPR) [July 10, 2026](https://x.com/AHLMarliesPR/status/2075586645538029937?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > F Ross Mitton > · Recorded 15 points (7 goals, 8 assists) in 49 games with Worcester (ECHL) > · Made his professional debut at the end of the 2024-25 season, appearing in one game and recording one goal with the Bridgeport Islanders > > — Toronto Marlies PR (@AHLMarliesPR) [July 10, 2026](https://x.com/AHLMarliesPR/status/2075587473908826621?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > F Sawyer Boulton > · Appeared in 34 games with Lehigh Valley since making his professional debut in the 2024-25 season, recording two points (1 goal, 1 assist) > > — Toronto Marlies PR (@AHLMarliesPR) [July 10, 2026](https://x.com/AHLMarliesPR/status/2075588032086896720?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Boulton was on the Memorial Cup winning London Knights with Easton Cowan. He played all 16 games of the OHL playoffs had 15 PIM and one point. Now you know what you need to know. [Why Steve Sullivan is the new head coach of the Toronto MarliesAn assistant for two years on the farm before helping out the Leafs, Sullivan replaces promoted John Gruden to run AHL champs. Read more.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-tsun-7701fafc-339e-4501-82e0-93f653401c79.ico)Toronto SunLance Hornby![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2026-07-09-191415-e1783645769565-1dc0bb53-bd90-4957-97d6-ab091d79427f.png)](https://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/steve-sullivan-new-head-coach-marlies?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Congratulations to Timofei Obvintsev (2024 NHL Draft - Rd. 5, #157) on signing a 1-year contract with the Toronto [#LeafsForever](https://x.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) organization! [#WeAreGoldStar](https://x.com/hashtag/WeAreGoldStar?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)! [pic.twitter.com/LvGdXE8tPv](https://t.co/LvGdXE8tPv?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Dan Milstein (@HockeyAgent1) [July 10, 2026](https://x.com/HockeyAgent1/status/2075585134598762795?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [One lingering off-season question for each NHL teamAs we head into what is usually the quiet part of the NHL calendar, Rory Boylen goes through one lingering question facing every team, with a little help from this season’s final episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-d3afd5a0-296f-4946-87b2-92436fa9fe7b.ico)Sportsnet.caRory Boylen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Winnipeg-Jets-goaltender-Connor-Hellebuyck-f21a460f-db2c-4d8d-a2e6-b7038d0aca4c.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/one-lingering-off-season-question-for-each-nhl-team/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Just felt like posting this for no particular reason. > The [#GoSensGo](https://x.com/hashtag/GoSensGo?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) signed 23 y/o F Tyler Boucher to a one year two-way contract > > NHL $850K > Minors: $90K > > 26P in 46GP - AHL > > Rep'd by Pat Brisson [@CAAHockey](https://x.com/CAAHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/8ntpVUEiG3](https://t.co/8ntpVUEiG3?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [July 10, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2075628031276658957?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Report: Red Wings’ Larkin would accept trade to Stars, expanding list to four teamsWantaway Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has added a fourth team to his list of acceptable trade destinations. MLive’s Ansar Khan reports Larkin would sanction a trade to the Dallas Stars.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-83276cb1-3194-4ff5-b5f7-581e2c458e10.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/SRAPVE2YYNBDTOC7R4FB3QWZKQ-a24bd1bd-bf34-4ab3-a9de-da537a4666dc.png)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/report-larkin-adds-stars-to-trade-list/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Canada’s Macklin Celebrini named IIHF Player of the YearMacklin Celebrini’s impressive play continues to be recognized.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-21cbe682-cc49-4ca9-a6ae-78e4276f260a.ico)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-48-1-2247c338-5005-417a-866a-1b76499ba49b.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article/canadas-macklin-celebrini-named-iihf-player-of-the-year/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Friday FTB: John Chayka remakes the Leafs front office URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/friday-ftb-john-chayka-remakes-the-leafs-front-office/ Last updated: 2026-07-10T10:00:21.000Z Go back a few days, maybe weeks, and we were all busy with the draft and it may have slipped by unnoticed that the Leafs Vice President of Media Relations left the team. He'd been there for a long time. They've been doing fine though, running smooth media availabilities, using zoom when necessary. It all looked good. However, yesterday was a communications failure, and I am on record as very not into the weird social media habit of meta-analysis of PR strategies of various corporations. But this one failed. It all trickled out in reports. That Darryl Metcalf was gone, that the analytics department would be revamped, that the scouting department was losing its head, and look, all of this is okay. That's the thing. This team has failed in a multifaceted way, and the new management is new with a capital N. There should be some changes. Not least because the fading days of the Dubas era saw a ballooning of the executive ranks and Treliving added, never subtracting. But get out there and be upfront with people. Take, for example, a lesson from the Ottawa Senators. You don't want to find yourself, John Chayka, being told that, but here you are. When Daniel Alfredsson was going to leave they did the whole thing correctly. They let him interview, they didn't leak anything, and they said friendly and sensible things when the hiring was announced. You know who is big in hockey like Alfie is big, like Mats is big? Haley Wickenheiser, that's who. So, no, you don't want a meaningless statement released to the press because they've got some of the names of people who are moving out. > Chayka: "We are sincerely grateful for everything they have contributed to this organization and wish them nothing but the very best in the future." (2/2) [#Leafs](https://x.com/hashtag/Leafs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Terry Koshan 🇺🇦 (@koshtorontosun) [July 9, 2026](https://x.com/koshtorontosun/status/2075306922064990273?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Only to be followed by Wickenheiser announcing her own departure. This is not a serious professional approach. > [ View this post on Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/p/Dalb-dSPgn7/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) > > [A post shared by Hayley Wickenheiser (@hchickwick)](https://www.instagram.com/p/Dalb-dSPgn7/?utm%5Fsource=ig%5Fembed&utm%5Fcampaign=loading) And then the silent website update. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-09-191333.png) Now it's a free-for-all of rumours about more changes. > Leafs have updated some of their staff listings on their website. Only Hardy & Brackett remain as AGMs. > > Hardy’s title still has Marlies GM attached, but there’s talk his role may shift to strictly Leafs. Chatter that Chris Bourque may be in the running to become Marlies next GM > > — David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) [July 9, 2026](https://x.com/TheFourthPeriod/status/2075319289926578647?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And the coverage isn't very favourable: [Maple Leafs fire Hayley Wickenheiser amid front office purge](https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/%5F/id/49318286/maple-leafs-fire-hayley-wickenheiser-amid-front-office-purge?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The serious revamp began with the hiring of Judd Brackett, who was heading up the scouting prior to the draft. In his post-draft discussion with the media, he makes some interesting remarks. While he says he was welcomed warmly by everyone, he also mentions "challenging conversations" at least twice. Now Dave Morrison and Mark Leach are gone from the scouting department. Brad Treliving hired Leach when Kyle Dubas poached Wes Clark, the co-architect of the Dubas drafting years. Last year's draft vs this year's is interesting to compare, though, more in terms of perception than any massive change in ideology. The 2025 draft had no picks above the third round, and this year's had six second and third rounders taken. That alone will make it feel different. And we, of course, can't know who decided what between Brad Treliving, John Chayka, Mark Leach and Judd Brackett in these two drafts. Playing the game of assigning a draft a good/bad label and hanging it on one person is a time honoured pastime, but it shouldn't be taken too seriously. There is, however, a difference in the very late-round picks. Last year featured four fifth- to seventh-round selections: William Belle, a player coming late to hockey whose chief attribute is size, a wasted pick on Matthew Hlacar, along with two "upside" picks in Harry Nansi and Rylan Fellinger. This year featured a data and scouting driven pick in Yaroslav Fedoseyev, a guy who needs to develop more physically in Cooper Williams and Brody Pepoy, one of the "weasels" who doesn't act tough like Hlacar, he merely plays hard. How much difference will that really make down the road? Well the choice of Belle as a project has looked less interesting than he did on draft day with a fun backstory, but Nansi has done the rapid improvement he needed to do – an insight given to us by Wickenheiser. Judging the most recent draftees is an exercise for August, but there are just so many more prospects this year taken higher up and Gavin McKenna will cast a warm glow on everything. It's not really possible to know if these are good moves or not. Which is likely why we'll all be left to judge how poorly done it all was and is. It's more likely these changes around scouting and development are about more closely integrating data and evidence-based decision making into the scouting process. No one wants to re-fight their fundamental philosophy in every meeting. I am reminded of Chris MacFarland, who is busy renovating the Nashville front office now, saying that he likes it best when the analytics and the scouts disagree because when they work together to discover the truth, they all make better decisions. The working together has to be there. Maybe it wasn't. But when the entire analytics department is gone – or nearly – there is either a massive hiring spree to come or they're contracting out. So yes, there has to be more to come. The Leafs already have slid back to the silly old method of announcing player contracts with notices full of no useful information so we wait 15 minutes to learn the AAV and the clauses. Give out the facts, simply, directly and clearly. Before it's on Insta. Like this: > Welcome back Sully! > > Steve Sullivan has been named head coach of the Toronto Marlies, becoming the ninth head coach in franchise history. [pic.twitter.com/s2HozFTUp9](https://t.co/s2HozFTUp9?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [July 9, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2075222503107018899?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) --- Speaking of PR and things of that nature: > Let me be crystal clear here: If you didn't give every last piece of your being to earn this thing, you don't deserve to have your name engraved. > > If you're in primary school in Dallas when a team wins in Raleigh ... forget it > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [July 9, 2026](https://x.com/reporterchris/status/2075361742524191054?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In other news, the AHL has [released their schedule](https://theahl.com/stats/schedule/all-teams/94/10?league=4&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). Remember that AHL hockey is now exclusively on FloHockey if you want to watch next season not in person. That is it for today. Or until the next revelation. ### Thursday's FTB: Preseason schedule and Alfie faces the press URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-preseason-schedule-and-alfie-faces-the-press/ Last updated: 2026-07-09T10:00:40.000Z Preseason done right: > Preseason Schedule 📆 > > Ticket on sale July 23, 2026 > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [July 8, 2026](https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2074912792034033921?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Two day, two split-squad games. Times to be announced at a later date. I am here for this very limited run of fake games. > .[@TheAHL](https://x.com/TheAHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) has announced the 2026-27 home openers for all 32 teams. The full schedule will be unveiled on Thursday. [pic.twitter.com/rcFaLbtpUv](https://t.co/rcFaLbtpUv?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — AHL Communications (@AHLPR) [July 8, 2026](https://x.com/AHLPR/status/2074916773502103828?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Toronto opens against Hamilton on October 3, and Hamilton opens against Toronto on October 9. Alfredsson's media availability confirms that he interviewed for the head-coaching job because his contract was up at the end of June in Ottawa and he wanted more opportunity. The Senators granted him permission to do that earlier interview. Alfredsson is going to have some input on the power play, and as [Lance Hornby reported](https://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/next-step-daniel-alfredsson-head-coaching-ambitions?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): > While the new-look staff’s roles aren’t settled yet according to Alfredsson, he will share some of the critical power-play duties with Hiller and the offence in general. > Both specialized in the man advantage in their playing days, Alfredsson obviously a lot more with 428 points, ranking 48th in National Hockey League power play history. Ottawa was eighth in the league in regular season at 24% success, while the Leafs struggled until assistant Marc Savard was fired in December. Alfredsson also discussed the Leafs problems last season, and suggested some of the problem was a loss in confidence. When I looked at the power play at the time Savard was fired, my conclusion was that part of their problem was just a low Shooting % that would fix itself if you wait long enough, but the bigger problem was an overall very low shot rate. So yes, it needs some work, but some of that low shot rate might well have been indecision or The Malaise that seemed to affect everyone's thinking speed. Bottom line, they should be one of the best teams in the league on the power play, and more importantly they need to be. The staff is almost sorted, but no mention was made of Steve Sullivan, who ran the power play after the firing of Savard, in yesterday's big announcement. Speculation has him taking over the Marlies, but that is not confirmed. In other news: [Leafs re-sign Quillan, Tverberg, and VilleneuveSummer business is done on Day 67 of the Chayka Era![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-b3c5bc98-7df0-4ea7-b438-3b66074e8c70.png)PPP LeafsHardev![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1711254607229-f9c86c99b1e7-097a820f-2106-42e0-bb62-a073497ea884)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/leafs-re-sign-quillan-tverberg-and-villeneuve/) > Derek Lalonde se joint bel et bien au groupe d’entraîneurs des [@CanadiensMTL](https://x.com/CanadiensMTL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [@EricEngels](https://x.com/EricEngels?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) est le premier à avoir sorti la nouvelle. [@TVASports](https://x.com/TVASports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Renaud Lavoie (@RLavoieTVA) [July 9, 2026](https://x.com/RLavoieTVA/status/2075010195000840307?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Our leader. Our pulse. > > Congratulations to Logan Shaw on being named the 2025-26 recipient of the David Andrews Award of Excellence 👏 [pic.twitter.com/puqgbqeKbW](https://t.co/puqgbqeKbW?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [July 9, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2075032424333914454?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Injury Update on Connor Bedard ❤️ [pic.twitter.com/v1SXNAdSp8](https://t.co/v1SXNAdSp8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) [July 8, 2026](https://x.com/NHLBlackhawks/status/2074932007746842910?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Hi Dan, I wasn’t criticizing you, merely reporting a fact that you called team to team to solicit an offer sheet for your client. [#YouGetAGoldStar](https://x.com/hashtag/YouGetAGoldStar?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Did I strike a nerve? By the way, I never knew that you could be considered a best selling author by self publishing. Bravo! 😉 > > — Frank Seravalli (@frank\_seravalli) [July 9, 2026](https://x.com/frank%5Fseravalli/status/2075034797311680873?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The NHL is changing: One thing I've noticed is how weird/fun it is that Nashville is now "one of us" and also that we are back to being "us". > “It’s less and less about ‘Did you play?’ and more and more about ‘Can you think?"[@JeffMarek](https://x.com/JeffMarek?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) discusses how successful NHL front offices are evolving and becoming more open-minded. [pic.twitter.com/9dkzhBNlCx](https://t.co/9dkzhBNlCx?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — The Sheet with Jeff Marek (@thesheethockey) [July 9, 2026](https://x.com/thesheethockey/status/2075034650020331747?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that's it for today, have a great day everyone. ### Leafs re-sign Quillan, Tverberg, and Villeneuve URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/leafs-re-sign-quillan-tverberg-and-villeneuve/ Last updated: 2026-07-09T01:33:37.000Z The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed 24-year-old forwards Jacob Quillan and Ryan Tverberg to one-year contract extensions, and 24-year-old defender William Villeneuve to a two-year contract extension. These are the last three relevant RFA signings for the Leafs. > 🖊️ We’ve signed forward Ryan Tverberg & forward Jacob Quillan to one-year contracts, while defenceman William Villeneuve has signed a two-year contract > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [July 8, 2026](https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2074950470217425002?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Tverberg will be making $850,000 in the NHL and $250,000 in the AHL, with $350,000 guaranteed. He will require waivers to be sent to the Marlies. Despite being 24, this contract will expire with Tverberg as a Group-6 UFA instead as an RFA unless he plays in 78 NHL games next season. Tverberg scored 15 goals and 36 points in 63 regular season games, plus 6 goals and 14 points in the 24 games of the Marlies Calder Cup run. He was 5th in scoring for the Marlies last season. Quillan's contract is very similar to Tverberg's at the NHL level and was posted on Monday. Quillan will make $850,000 in the NHL and $350,000 in the AHL, with $375,000 guaranteed. Quillan is waivers exempt for one more season or after 46 NHL games, whichever comes first. He will be an RFA with arbitration rights next summer. Quillan led the team in points per game last season (36 in 40 games) while splitting time with the Leafs where he played 23 games. He battled injuries in the playoffs, but the organization knows what they have in him. [Jacob Quillan re-signsOne more year for the Marlies.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-5b64e2df-c81d-470d-9a09-a47e171a366d.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1608503120873-61c4643f96b1-705b89a1-a8be-41e8-b4cc-5e02123e75bf)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/jacob-quillan-re-signs/) Villeneuve signed a two-year contract worth $875,000 AAV. His NHL salary is $850,000 next year and $900,000 the year after. His AHL salary is $400,000 in both years, with $500,000 guaranteed in year 2\. Villeneuve led the Marlies in power play points last season (14, all assists) and was 2nd in points in the playoffs. Villeneuve requires waivers this season. He will either be an RFA with arbitration rights at the age of 26 when this contract expires. Villeneuve is a good example of what power play minutes does to the point totals of defenders, because at even strength in the regular he's just behind Chadwick in points per game and well behind Benning and Thrun. The takeaway here is that points don't matter, they are not an analysis tool for defenders. Points are a record of events occuring, but the sign of a good defender is their ability to prevent events on the other side of the ice. Points only tell a shadow of half a story. Villeneuve got a three-game cup of coffee on the Leafs last season and he's a right-shot defender, both of those facts will put him on the radar at training camp. Not for a regular job, but for an injury call-up. Villeneuve, Philippe Myers, and McWard will be the Leafs options, especially if they want to keep Danford in one place for the season. Congratulations to the Toronto Marlies, your 2026 Calder Cup Champions! See you at the banner raising! Only Henry Thrun, Dennis Hildeby, and possibly Alex Nylander won't still be in the org next season. Travis Boyd had ankle surgery in March and missed the rest of the season. His contract status is unknown. > SEE YOU THERE 🏆 [pic.twitter.com/2jHzhSGghR](https://t.co/2jHzhSGghR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [July 8, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2074908874126307690?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Getting to Know Brody Pepoy URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/getting-to-know-brody-pepoy/ Last updated: 2026-07-08T12:00:46.000Z Introduction! ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT **Position**: Right-shot winger **League**: OHL **Height**: 6'2" **Weight**: 181 lbs **Birth date**: May 16, 2008 The central theme around Pepoy as a player, is that he has always been a battler. Toronto taking him in the NHL draft made it the first time he had been drafted in any league. Two years ago, he went undrafted by any CHL or American junior league. Since he was from Michigan, he took the 2024–25 season to play youth hockey for the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 16U AAA program, putting up 52 points in 55 games. Before that, he didn't play in well known leagues or pipelines for the typical major junior leagues. In fact, they're so obscure that some of them don't show any stats at all for his seasons. I had to double check if he was hurt and missed entire years – he didn't, by the way, but it was a pain to verify. Honestly, there really isn't a lot of known information about Pepoy that I could find to provide as context to his career to now. Anyways, last summer, Pepoy received an invite by Saginaw to attend their training camp. He impressed the coaches enough that they signed him as a walk-on free agent junior player. He rewarded them with a pretty decent rookie season as an undrafted walk-on. His 16 goals and 29 points in 67 games doesn't scream spectacular, but he played an important role as a hard working forechecker and defensive conscience. He and the entire Saginaw team had a very short and rough playoffs, starting against the eventual OHL and Memorial Cup champions Kitchener Rangers, and they got swept in four games where they were outscored 19-8\. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/image-6.png) Pepoy's role for the season started in the bottom six, but he worked his way up to the second line. For the whole season, he averaged 13:52 of ice time per game and pretty much all of it was at even strength. He played very little on the powerplay, and maybe a bit more on the penalty kill but he wasn't one of their go-to guys for that either. He did slowly earn a bigger role as the season went on, including a bit of secondary powerplay time where he had 3 points. Pepoy's main line for much of the second half of the season was on the second line, along with Carson Harmer and Jacob Cloutier. They were the hard working checking line that played behind the heavily used top line that led the league in offense. They wound up being affectionately named "The Weasel Boys", and Pepoy certainly fit with that theme for their energetic and irritating play against other teams. ## THE GOOD: PHYSICALITY, FORECHECKING, OFF-PUCK HABITS, SKILL POTENTIAL When it comes to Pepoy's strengths as a prospect, there is a mix of tools and skills he has that are already nicely far along and others that are interesting but need much more development and consistency. I'll start with what is already at a high level and don't need as much improvement. What stands out the most, on a consistent basis, is Pepoy's physicality. He has a bit of a power forward in him with how he uses his strength and size. He has a good sense of how to protect the puck using his frame, setting his feet wider on his edges to get low, and use his reach to keep defenders on his back so they can't reach the puck. He will be proactive in initiating contact so it happens on his terms, when he is prepared with a sturdy, balanced base. He'll establish inside position and then bulldoze his way into and through the middle areas of the ice. He'll willingly go to the net front area and engage in physical battles for position so he has a better opportunity to look for deflections and rebounds. And despite his physical and weasel style of play, he only had 22 penalty minutes all season so he's very good at staying disciplined. 0:00 /2:59 1× Brody Pepoy (#62) - Power Game Highlights Aside from just his physical style, Pepoy is also well known for his constant motor and high energy level through every shift. This comes through on his forechecking and backchecking skills, which could project as elite. He is an above average skater and plays at a high pace, attacking defensemen going back for retrievals with aggressive pressure. He is smart in how he angles the defensemen with his routes, then forces them into making more difficult plays under his pressure. And then on the backcheck, he skates just as hard to chase down puck carriers and strip it off them or at least break up and pressure them on their transitions. That defensive effort extends to the defensive zone, where his tracking data shows him as being at an elite level in junior for making defensive plays to get the puck back. He plays very well in a defensive structure, keeping his assignments, not missing or messing up any rotations, and taking up passing lanes with his reach to deter more dangerous cross ice passes. 0:00 /0:54 1× Brody Pepoy (#62) - Defense ooting Highlights The final area of Pepoy's game that is already at a high level and that projects well is his highly intelligent off-puck habits. He scans and pre-scans so he maintains a good mental mapping of where everyone is on the ice, which helps him make quick decisions in the moment. He has a good sense of timing in his routes and when to drop back into uncovered areas, even if it isn't a dangerous area for scoring chances but it helps give his linemates on the cycle a good relief option. He just does a lot of little things without the puck, setting picks, creating space for teammates, and being in the right places at the right times. That kind of thing is very projectable to the NHL. The big wild card for Pepoy that flashes a lot of potential, but is more inconsistent now, is his offensive skill. He reminds me a bit about Harry Nansi in this regard, from his draft year. The comparison comes from him having some very interesting tools and skills in isolation that he hasn't figured out how to combine and chain them together in order to consistently execute high level plays. They are also specifically the kinds of skills that he uses to attack the middle of the ice – he's no perimeter player. He has some fancy highlights showcasing nifty mittens. He'll mix in linear crossovers, delays, pulling the puck back into his hip to bait the defenders into reaching for it and changing their momentum before accelerating and skating through them. He's pulled off spin-o-ramas, incredible moves off the wall, pulling the puck through his own legs, give and go sequences, and more. 0:00 /1:30 1× Brody Pepoy (#62) - Nifty Mittens Highlights The big difference in this regard from Nansi is that Pepoy has a very good wrist shot – it's quick, he can get it off with minimal time and space with very a good catch and release. He's scored goals where the puck is in the middle of traffic, and he manages to find it, control it, spin and whip a wicked wrist shot top corner before the goalie could even register a shot was coming. It's something that could be a legitimate weapon on the powerplay, with him playing either down low or in front of the net. 0:00 /1:11 1× Brody Pepoy (#62) - Shooting Highlights ## THE FLAWS: VERY INCONSISTENT OFFENSIVE EXECUTION, SKATING MECHANICS There are two problems with Pepoy's game that, ironically, also draws more comparison to Nansi – the first is that his offensive skill is very raw and inconsistent which also led to inconsistent impact and production, and the second is that his skating mechanics need some refining to unlock greater speed, acceleration and agility. I'll start with the skill issue. Pepoy has a pretty great highlight reel where he manages to pull off some great looking goals. He's dangled through the entire team and beaten the goalie for good measure. He's undressed the opposing goalie when he's had the puck all alone in front. He's definitely flashes some high level puck handling, but the problem is that while he tries stuff like that a lot his success rate is not very good. He can create chaos in the good and the bad sense, and he needs to move it a lot more into the good side of that line. From what I can see, I think Pepoy will need to both refine his skill so he isn't just improvising things where he looks like he's pulling anything out of his ass and seeing if it works. It needs to get to a point where, even if it's instinctual at some level, there is some deliberate-ness to what he does where he's trying something he thinks/knows can actually work because he's practiced it thousands of times to the point he can pull off that move in his sleep. The other thing he needs to improve on is his decision making, where he learns through experience what he can try that will work, and when he shouldn't try to be fancy and just make the simple but effective play. This will be especially true if he can't wind up playing above the bottom six, which is his more likely outcome. As a final note to this area of weakness, Pepoy needs to refine his mechanics when it comes to handling the puck. He'll lose the puck as he's trying to handle it, mishandle a pass, and just show a general lack of precision and control too often for his offensive skill to project very well – at least as of now. The same can be said for his passing, his accuracy and velocity can vary wildly, and I would say that specifically is his biggest offensive weakness, but not to such an extreme that I think it's horrible. I have more confidence he can clean up in that area to an acceptable level. Finally, there's Pepoy's skating. He manages to get around just fine, in general, and in some of the highlights I've shared above you'll see him outrace defenders on the rush so he gets to the net first. But you can also see his stride looking awkward and choppy. It's the same issue as everything else I've mentioned, where his mechanics are very unrefined right now and his movements are just too chaotic to be fully effective. Trusting the scouts on the specifics of his mechanical issues, but he doesn't extend in his stride fully, he hunches over too much, he'll handle the puck with his head down, and there's a hitch in his heel kick. All that said, he's starting from a much better place than Nansi did, and if there's a team of coaches I trust to be able to fix these issues to a similar extent, it's Toronto. The question is if it can be improved enough so it won't hold him back from the NHL, and also maybe help him have a better impact there. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT Aside from the strengths and the flaws, the reason why I like Pepoy as a prospect and especially as such a late round pick is because he has big potential if he hits. I can see a Knies-like power forward in him, but not at the same level. It helps that I've seen him improve so much from the start of the season to the end of it, and considering how raw he was and the fact he never played in a really competitive junior/feeder league for top prospects until this year, I have more faith that he has more room to grow and develop than most others in his draft class. If you separate Pepoy's season in half, and it's an odd number of games but I will arbitrarily give the extra game to his "second" half since that still supports the notion that he improved over time... - First half = 6 goals, 6 assists in 33 games, averaging 1.5 shots per game. - Second half = 10 goals, 7 assists in 34 games, averaging 2.2 shots per game This is, in part, a product of Pepoy moving up the lineup a bit, and getting a bit of powerplay time in the second half of the season. But he was getting that bigger role because he was playing better. His confidence with the puck and his ability to successfully execute his skill plays with much better consistency, though it was still an issue. He was driving the net with the puck more, carrying it on transitions, shooting it on net more and from more dangerous locations, and really developing that power game. He also really improved on his defensive game, using that motor to backcheck hard and playing with very strong attention to details within the team's structure. That's what gives me more faith that Pepoy can take these big leaps in his development over the next 2-3 years. Just seeing how much better he got this year when he had more time to refine his game and play within a team structure, and knowing he's going to the NCAA and will eventually (hopefully) earn a contract to join the Marlies and work with them much more closely. The more he plays at higher levels, with better systems and structures, along with Toronto's development staff keeping in touch with him, the more he can refine his game and control the chaos he can create for the forces of good. I think we already saw a sign of this happening at the recent development camp. In the scrimmage, he looked much more in control of his game and playing within the unit of his line with Hopkins and the undrafted Mick Thompson. He had two assists, and had a very nice set up on a zone every where he took the middle of the ice, drew the defenders to him and then slip a pass to his teammate who had more space and speed to get a good chance. I am quite excited too see how Pepoy looks at the Rookie Tournament, and then for his full D+1 season. More than anyone other than maybe Bilecki, I can see Pepoy taking the biggest leap. And even Bilecki I think he's already at a high level, he'll just have a much bigger role on Kitchener after pretty much all of the defenseman on the depth chart ahead of him aged out or left for the NCAA. And to end this, I want to share this incredible old tweet of a baby Pepoy showing he always had some flash and flair. > Yes [@ESPNAssignDesk](https://x.com/ESPNAssignDesk?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) that’s 10 year old Brody Pepoy of the AAA 2008 Oakland Jr. Grizzlies from Troy, MI going between the legs, top shelf for a sick [#dangle](https://x.com/hashtag/dangle?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#SCtop10](https://x.com/hashtag/SCtop10?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)! [pic.twitter.com/6oexYNaNoR](https://t.co/6oexYNaNoR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — SilverdomeMovie (@SilverdomeMovie) [December 11, 2018](https://x.com/SilverdomeMovie/status/1072363408828391424?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Wednesday's FTB: Day 66 of the Chayka era turned out weirder than expected URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-day-66-of-the-chayka-era-turned-out-weirder-than-expected/ Last updated: 2026-07-08T10:00:07.000Z Oh, no, the Leafs hired the enemy! Maybe they can trade for Ridly Greig, hire Arturs Irbe and sign a bunch of Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning players. Anyhow, there's not that many things the Leafs have left before the long, hot summer. It will be fun when training camp starts and everyone remembers Alfie is here. [Daniel Alfredsson defects to the Maple LeafsWord is he was smuggled out of Ottawa in an Uber.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-28ec6860-d6e8-4773-8bea-6694f674819b.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1641122669951-3e2aff778d3b-78396344-f080-4359-8df1-47932263113a)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/daniel-alfredsson-defects-to-the-maple-leafs/) And as mentioned, every hire has a bro who knows him on the Leafs staff. Usually Jim Hiller, or in Alfie's case (I'm going to keep calling him that to annoy people) a bro of a bro. With John Gruden moving up to the Leafs bench, someone has to take over the Marlies, we'll see who that is. In other news, not that there is any much... [Senators confirm signing of Claude Giroux![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-afe0e244-3cae-49f1-b763-8b5157b2862c.ico)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Giroux-89764053-83f7-4c89-a135-1ee0e04149d5.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/senators-confirm-signing-of-claude-giroux/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [AHL’s Hamilton Hammers introduce Jay McKee as head coach, unveil jerseys![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-c3232603-0484-4d6d-9155-7f2fd8cf349c.ico)Sportsnet.caCanadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ahl-hamilton-62e5e511-26c5-418c-959e-44d8c02c0074.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/ahl/article/ahls-hamilton-hammers-introduce-jay-mckee-as-head-coach-unveil-jerseys/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's all for now, who knows what Chayka will do, though. ### Daniel Alfredsson defects to the Maple Leafs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/daniel-alfredsson-defects-to-the-maple-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-07-08T11:35:47.000Z [Maple Leafs Announce Coaching Staff Additions | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced today changes to the club’s coaching staff. Daniel Alfredsson has been appointed associate coach, while John Gruden and Brad Werenka have been named assistant coaches with the Maple Leafs. Mike Van Ryn and Derek Lalonde will not be returning as assistant coaches next season. “I’m![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-7b884caf-387f-4847-a9c8-89683f7f26b6.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/nswlphxjwibg3i9rj7z3-b3221bb2-8875-4f92-805e-423304240133.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-announce-coaching-staff-additions?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) With Jim Hiller on staff as the new head coach with a three-year deal, the next step was to sort out the staff below him. > The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today changes to the club's coaching staff. Daniel Alfredsson has been appointed associate coach, while John Gruden and Brad Werenka have been named assistant coaches with the Maple Leafs. Mike Van Ryn and Derek Lalonde will not be returning as assistant coaches next season. No one could have predicted the choice of Alfredsson. It's not like Alfredsson and Mats Sundin were not teammates on Team Sweden for a long time while the Ottawa - Toronto war raged on. But that's different, that's putting on the blue and yellow not the blue and white. Has a coach ever been booed before? Alfredsson, who retired after the 2013-2014 season, took a position in Ottawa in 2015 as Senior Advisor. He stepped away from the team several times since then, something that may indicate the relationship was not always a happy one. In 2023 under the new ownership, he returned as a development coach and starting in December acted as an assistant coach under D.J. Smith. He has remained in that role since Smith left and was replaced by Travis Green. D.J. Smith worked under Mike Babcock with Jim Hiller, and the two are reported to be close. There was speculation that Hiller and Babcock would compete for the hiring of Smith, who went to the Oilers for a reportedly very large salary. The connection must run through Smith. John Gruden, of course, just led the Marlies to their Calder Cup win, and he also used to work with Hiller in Long Island. Brad Werenka had been an assistant coach with the University of Calgary, but does not appear to have coached last year. He is also Jim Hiller's partner in their analytics firm. An interesting old interview with him is here: [Analytics expert says Kris Russell of Edmonton Oilers is underrated and one of NHL’s top defensive d-menTruPerformance is on the cutting edge of hockey analytics. So why do they like Kris Russell so much? The worst kept secret in the National Hockey League is that the…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-ej-02525a51-5e64-48f5-8333-ab7d66dfc614.ico)Edmonton JournalDavid Staples, Edmonton Journal![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/edmontons-kris-russell-4-battles-las-anze-kopitar-11-dur-ae123a4e-70d0-446c-88fb-30a80b5332eb.jpeg)](http://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cult-of-hockey/analytics-expert-says-kris-russell-of-edmonton-oilers-is-underrated-and-one-of-nhls-top-defensive-d-men?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Getting To Know Yaroslav Fedoseyev URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/getting-to-know-yaroslav-fedoseyev/ Last updated: 2026-07-07T12:00:59.000Z Introduction! Okay introduction over. ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT **Position**: Right-shot defenseman **League**: MHL / VHL / KHL **Height**: 6'1" **Weight**: 187 lbs **Birth date**: Nov 5, 2007 Fedoseyev is an interesting case to consider because he played in three different leagues/levels this season, split pretty evenly as well. So he didn't have the benefit of playing in the same level all year with more time to adjust to the same competition for a full season. He is on the older side for this draft class with an October 2007 birthday, but you can even look at his previous season and compare him to Russian defensemen taken last year. Last season, Fedoseyev played 33 games in the MHL. He had 17 points in 33 games, which U18 defensemen at that level was at the very tops for point per game rate. He was ahead Kurban Limatov (3rd round pick by Carolina), Nikita Tyurin (5th round pick by Detroit), and Maxim Agafonov (5th round pick by Seattle) who were the ones that finished behind him. Not only that, but he also got his first taste of the next levels in Russia's hockey system with three games in the VHL. This season, Fedoseyev began again in the MHL but bounced around all season. His sequence of games looks like this, from the start of the year to the end: - 11 games in the MHL - 6 games in the VHL - 6 games in the KHL - 3 games in the VHL - 3 games in the MHL - 1 game in the VHL - 3 games in the MHL - 1 game in the VHL - 7 games in the MHL - 14 games in the VHL - 8 games in the KHL (only 6 games with any ice time) - 2 games in the VHL - 2 games in the MHL I have no basis to think this is a fact, but I can't help but think that changing levels like that so much made things harder on Fedoseyev when adjusting to the higher levels. As for the outcomes of this bouncing around, here's a quick breakdown of his relevant totals by each league he played in: - MHL = 24 games, 13 points (2nd most per game for the draft class), 22:41 TOI (led the team), up to 23:55 in two playoff games. - VHL = 25 games, 6 points (2nd most again), 16:09 TOI that bumped up to 25:55 in his two playoff games. - KHL = 9 games (most for defensemen in draft class), 1 point (most), 12:41 TOI in regular season and 7:11 in two playoff games. Only in the MHL did Fedoseyev see a lot of special teams time, on both the powerplay (1:38 per game per [Neutral Zone](https://neutralzone.com/nhl-scouting-reports/yaroslav-fedoseyev/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)) and the penalty kill (1:23). In the VHL and especially the KHL, his deployment was mostly at even strength. Although by the end of the season, he was leaned on a lot more heavily in the VHL. Otherwise, I'll just pull this quote directly from Neutral Zone because it cites a bunch of various metrics rapid-fire style: > \[Fedoseyev's\] puck battle success rate of 62% is particularly impressive and I feel is an essential trait for projecting to the NHL level. He also shows strong puck management ability with an 86% pass completion rate while contributing nearly one pre-shot pass per game (0.87). He is clearly capable of moving the puck efficiently and supporting offensive play without overhandling. Defensively and physically he is already playing a pro-style game. His 1.4 hits per game and willingness to engage physically show that he uses his size effectively, while his puck retrieval and defensive engagement numbers demonstrate that he is comfortable playing in high-traffic areas. Thankfully, I can use Will Scouch's tracking data from his website [scouching.ca](https://www.scouching.ca/tracked-data-viz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) where I can compare Fedoseyev to other Russian defensemen, and European defensemen playing in pro leagues. Those are the most comparable to his situation and usage, where it's tough to compare him against those playing in Canadian or even European junior. First, this graph plots how involved defensemen from this draft class are in transitions. The Y axis shows the percentage of defensive transitions the player is involved with, and the X axis shows the same for offensive transitions. Fedoseyev's dot is on the upper right corner of the player card shown in the screenshot below. Relative to his draft class, he rates out as above average but not among the very best in terms of being involved in both offensive and defensive transitions. However, it's most relevant to compare him to other top defensemen in this draft class who played in European pro leagues. Other defensemen who are in the same area as him include Alberts Smits (5th overall pick by New York) and Samu Alalauri (3rd round pick by Chicago). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/image-3.png) This next graph plots how effective Fedoseyev was at defending against the rush. The Y axis measures the success rate of defensive transitions against him, and the X axis measures the number of dangerous shot attempts against. Again, his dot is the one at the very top right corner above the player card. He may be pretty much in the middle/average, but again in that same cluster includes a lot of the other top defense prospects who played in European pro leagues: Malte Gustafsson (sigh... 13th overall), Juho Piiparinen (29th overall), Adam Goljer (49th overall), and William Hakansson (51st overall). So when it comes to rush defense, he rates out similarly to other top defensive prospects who played against a similar level of professional competition. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/image-4.png) In this final graph, the X axis shows how many cycles Fedoseyev had to defend against, and the Y axis shows how many of those cycles he broke up successfully. So for him, he faced around 16 cycles and broke up roughly 5 of them. His dot is in the same quadrant as the likes of Alberts Smits (5th overall), Alexander Ivanov (7th round pick), and Vsevolod Matveyev (undrafted). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/image-5.png) Rather than spending time placing too much importance on the specific numbers coming up in these graphs and ranking where Fedoseyev places relative to all the prospects, I take this general conclusion: when measured against other top defense prospects in this draft class who played in European professional leagues, Fedoseyev's defensive metrics appear very similar. Depending on the specific metric, that includes two elite defense prospects in Alberts Smits and Malte Gustafsson. ## THE GOOD: MOBILITY, DEFENSE, PUCK MOVEMENT, PHYSICALITY Fedoseyev fits the same mold as Gudmundsson and even MacKenzie. In different ways, they are all: mobile, defense-first, and capable puck movers. So let's talk about how Fedoseyev goes about his business. I'll start with his mobility, since skating is a foundational tool that affects every other skill. His four-way mobility is very high end, maybe even elite – I've seen some scouts say it's elite but I'm not fully sold on it being quite that good overall just yet. I would say his agility is elite as he has very strong edges and is able to shift directions quickly without losing balance. He is able to use weight shifts along the blueline in the offensive zone and on retrievals, and to quickly switch between forward and backward skating with minimal loss of speed. 0:00 /1:13 1× Yaroslav Fedoseyev - Shooting Highlights The most important area Fedoseyev's mobility comes into play is his ability to move the puck on transitions. On breakouts, despite being a very good skater he is an overwhelmingly pass-first guy. The skating comes in by helping him buy time and create space from forecheckers so he can make a good first pass. His pass completion rate is 86% per Neutral Zone, and his mobility helps make his life a lot easier with that. He'll use cutbacks, fakes, and looking in the direction of one teammate to get defenders to move one way before passing it another direction. He'll sometimes try a long-distance stretch passes and succeeds on them at a good rate from what I saw. Offensively, Fedoseyev doesn't project to be a high level offensive driver, but he's shown some flashes in junior at having more than zero skill. He was a PP1 defenseman in the MHL, and that mobility helped him walk the blue line and make plays to keep the puck in when pressured by an opponent. He uses the shiftiness and quick changes of direction to get them off balance so he can skate by them into open space, then make a play with the puck. He doesn't have a great shot – or rather, he flashes a decent one but only seems to use it rarely – and his passing, while accurate, isn't something I'd call high level playmaking. But he can make good passes when they're there for him, and his elusive skating and a decent pair of hands help him create some good chances for a shot or a pass. 0:00 /1:34 1× Yaroslav Fedoseyev - Passing Highlights Last but certainly not least, arguably Fedoseyev's biggest strength is his defense – both against the rush, and in his own end. I'll start with his rush defense because I think that, as of right now, it's more consistent for him. Because of his mobility and good anticipation, he is very strong at maintaining a narrow gap when defending. With his lateral agility, he can handle even more skilled forwards trying to deke past him by matching their footwork and continuing to angle them outside and into the boards for a check. He doesn't throw big, crushing hits very often, but he'll punish dudes into the boards to erase their momentum and separate them from the puck. He has good stick work to go with his mobility and physical play. By the end of the season, one of the reasons why he got so much more ice time in the VHL playoffs was not just because he got more time on special teams (though that helped) but also because his rush defense had improved by a lot. At the start of the year he was more chaotic and took risks with his aggressiveness, but he calmed that down and became more efficient and consistent. Fedoseyev's defense in his own zone is of a similar style, but with more chaos. When he's at his best he is a dominant, physically suffocating defender that stops the cycle dead. He tends to look more 'mean' with his physicality in his own end, and has a 62% win rate on low-cycle board battles for possessing the puck per Neutral Zone. He'll be even more mean dealing with forwards in front of his own net, and will absolutely play on the line when it comes to dishing out punishment just short of taking a penalty... or that's the goal, anyway. In the earliest games in the VHL and especially the KHL, his defense broke down more often because he couldn't mentally keep up with the pace. His decision making with the puck and on defense got chaotic and he was prone to sloppy mistakes. But by the end of the year, once he had time to adapt, his ability to execute on defense at the higher paces improved by a lot. Once he could deal with the pace, that's when his mean streak started to appear more often than it even did in junior. ## THE FLAWS: IN-ZONE LAPSES, INCONSISTENT TURNOVERS, ADJUSTMENTS TO PACE Honestly, I can only think of two... maybe three kinds of weaknesses in Fedoseyev's game. The first and most concerning is that his game noticeably breaks down at times when he is facing more intense and high paced pressure. I just touched on this, and while it is something he did improve on a lot this past season, it didn't go away completely. When his decision making has to speed up past a certain point, you can see him panic and make poor decisions you wouldn't normally see him make – on both sides of the puck. That's where his game gets chaotic, and it's not the good kind of chaos. The second and less concerning issue is that Fedoseyev's skating mechanics can be improved. Even if he already has very strong mobility in every sense (speed, agility, acceleration) none of it is at an elite level. I'd say the fact that it's all very good makes his overall mobility borderline elite, because it's rare to be so good across the board like that. But he has some awkward posture in his skating stride that affects his ability to extend his reach, and limits his high end speed and acceleration. It's not a major problem, but smoothing that out would make his mobility even better. The possible third issue, and it's more nit picky, is that while there are many elements of his game that I really like and he seems like a very strong all-around defenseman, he doesn't have a big standout strength. He's not the best or an elite shutdown defenseman, nor a transition defenseman, nor an offensive defenseman, nor as a special teams specialist. He is very toolsy that has good instincts but could use some refinement, and he can do a good job on either special teams units and at even strength in all three zones. But that does limit his upside to, at the very very best with a very low chance of reaching this level, a solid second pairing guy like a Jake McCabe. More realistically, he could be a solid third pairing guy who kills penalties and maybe fills in on a secondary PP unit if needed. And there's still a realistic possibility that he becomes a "AAAA" guy who can be a solid pro in the KHL and AHL but just doesn't quite have the level needed to play in the NHL. That would happen if he can't make those needed improvements. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT I'm glad I didn't quite finish writing this by the time that the Leafs had their development camp scrimmage. Fedoseyev played on the top pair for one of the teams alongside Bilecki. I came away from the scrimmage thinking that Fedoseyev was the most consistent and consistently good defenseman on the ice. Other guys maybe had better quality highlights but he's the only one I kept noticing in all three periods of the game. He was making strong defensive plays, making good first passes on transitions, making good pinches in the offensive zone, jumped into the rush a couple of times, and set up a good scoring chance after knocking down a clearing attempt and making a quick pass to set up a one timer. I already liked him from what I knew of him before this draft, he wasn't a final cut for me when I was finalizing my list of players to profile but I did consider him for a bit. I started liking him even more after starting to look into him in as much detail as I could find for this full profile. But after the scrimmage, I started to love him even as I try not to put too much stock in one inter-squad scrimmage. If he's still around for the Rookie Tournament (which he may not be if it clashes with the pre-season camps for the VHL/KHL) I will be very much looking forward to seeing how he fares against the top prospects of other teams. But I don't think it's unreasonable to think Fedoseyev could wind up as a steal. The Leafs drafted him 161st overall, but there were plenty of scouts and outlets who ranked him a round or two earlier than that. - Ryan Ma from Tape2Tape Prospects - 54th - Jason Bukala with Sportsnet – 74th - Dobber Prospects – 85th - Scott Wheeler – 89th - Smaht Scouting – 96th - McKeen's Hockey – 106th - Corey Pronman – 109th - NHL Central Scouting – 30th among international skaters That doesn't mean every scout or outlet had Fedoseyev ranked at all, or ranked before a reasonable range that would include 161st overall. This isn't a guy taken out of nowhere because no one thought he could be better than a 6th rounder. This kind of thing is a lot more common for defensemen, I've found, considering how differently many people think about what makes a good defenseman. My point is that going into this draft, Fedoseyev had plenty of believers. And now I'm one of them. ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Tuesday's FTB: 65 Days URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-65-days/ Last updated: 2026-07-07T10:00:52.000Z I started out writing about the remaining UFAs, a de regueur sort of article that gets churned out every year. I began with the defence, and I actually wrote up the entire story of Nick Blankenburg and why his analytic darling status is an illusion, and then I said, wait. What the hell am I doing with my life here. Who cares about some defenceman who is 5'9" and can't defend? The Leafs aren't that team anymore. They aren't looking for clever schemes and bargain additions, and as much as I like the New Jersey move on Barrett Hayton, that's not who they are now either. I flipped the list to UFAs who expire in 2028\. That's where the Leafs need to be shopping. Everyone has trade protection, everyone is in control of their own destiny, and the Leafs need to make themselves into the team guys like this want to engineer a trade to. No more thinking small! Zach Werenski tops that list. And if he changes his mind as another season in Columbus rolls on, well, he tops my list too. Josh Morrissey's name blares out next as a very, very good defender who is in Winnipeg wondering if he should be leaving on a jet plane. His cap hit of $6.25 is so tiny, it's almost shocking. And he's only 31\. Winnipeg wants to appear to be trying to stay competitive, but if the Hellebuyck trade happens, and this season starts to go south... Roman Josi has already drawn some speculation as a plyer winding down a career of excellence without the silverware to reward it. Does he want to try his hand elsewhere? Dougie Hamilton is also a guy who wanted out last season and now it's all gone quiet around him. Maybe Sunny Mehta thinks he's a fine player, and the quick exit of Simon Nemec implies Hamilton is back in favour. But if not, his offence creation knows no equal save Werenski. To find interesting forwards outside the bargain bin, you have to find a less obvious contract expiry date. Alex Debrincat next summer, Kevin Fiala and Jonathan Marchessault in 2029\. Or else dig into RFAs where Kirill Marchenko has one more year. I doubt the Leafs can run out and do a deal right now, and they might end up waiting to see, like Brad Treliving did last year, which teams start realizing they can't compete and decide to make some deals. Someone suggested that offer sheets are important for a team to use to show the fans they're trying to improve, that they'll do big things. Maybe. Sounds a bit like a grandiose scheme that won't work. I prefer gambles that actually happen, like the Raddysh and Bobrovsky signings. They actually can help you win, and a the warm glow of "at least they tried" really can't. Optics are for people afraid of what everyone else thinks of them. Maybe John Chayka's "not a serious team" introduction to the Toronto press corps was useful. How can he possibly ever care what they say? As we ease into summer, I'll do my take on Chayka's first 65 days running the team. The most significant thing he's done is be really busy. He's illustrated to everyone, notably Auston Matthews but also the rest of us, that the team was poorly built, the prospect pool was shallow, the commitment to all levels of team excellence had atrophied and it was time to get... wait for it... serious. A lot of these things, some of the same sorts of things that Kyle Dubas did well, are not earth-shaking, they are just how you should run a business. He talks up his people, he lets them have attention so they can bee seen to be good at their jobs in front of their peers. He makes decisions about players that are at least rational and understandable and not emotional. He actually explains his thinking pretty clearly to reporter questions, albeit in jargon-laden language. That's another good thing. He is himself. He's not putting on some pretence of a down home hockey man like both Mike Babcock and Brad Treliving are prone to. The 53-player dev camp was full of hockey players, not just fast-skating goal-scorers and no one got a concussion, and if it reminded me of the early days with Dubas filling the Marlies roster past the breaking point every September, well, he found some good players doing that. For the ECHL generally. This Marlies team is full of interesting player additions that look like a group that can play well. That's Ryan Hardy, one of those people Chayka has praised, doing that work. No more silliness where the guy running the Marlies is invisible and barely part of the organization. If you look at how many 2007 birthdates are in the pipeline now, you'll see who all will be AHL-eligible come next summer. They are building the team now to be ready for them. Below the impact level, the free agent signings are the types of players who have reputations as serious people, professional, committed, and who understand how seriously you have to take this game. A lot of them are fairly quiet about it. They don't act tough, they are tough-minded. The players who weren't bad, per se, but were just hard to fit on the team are gone. Not for nothing in every case, but not hung onto grimly waiting for the offer to get better than a fourth-round pick. What's not so great? Well. Honestly, I think either Chayka really likes the whole process of the draft or he wanted to put on a bit of a razzmatazz to really show off how busy he is, how much he's doing, look at all the new faces! I said last summer at the T25 that the prospect pool seemed so bad, but all that was missing was the big glut of low-quality prospects unlikely to ever play in the NHL. Now we have them. But it was showbiz without much substance. I like Jim Hiller, and he seems like a good fit with the organization, but I'm trying to picture him vs The Malaise, should that condition return to the team. I don't think Babcock was a good hire for the Oilers, but I think Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman are worth listening to when they talk about needing to be pushed sometimes. Can Hiller be that guy, or is that Mats Sundin's real job, to be the hard man behind the locker room door who tells them they're slacking. Which brings me to what is likely my most unpopular opinion. If there ever really was some kind of concept to put Sundin in over Chayka, I'm glad that failed, but I don't like this pretence that there is a tandem managing the team. Most tandems in the net are not a real partnership of equals, and come playoff time, there's one guy who gets the call. Ask Dennis Hildeby about that. Or Joe Woll. Or I guess now Anthony Stolarz. I don't like bullshit, and this co-management stuff smells to me. I think the titles tell the real story, and the pretence otherwise was a little too much of the razzmatazz. And that's the thing I do feel about Chayka that bears watching. It's not exactly that he cares what you think of him so much as he wants to control what you feel about the team. This is not bad, since the eagerness of all the hockey world to see this team fail cannot be overstated, but it's dangerous when a performer starts buying his own performance. I think Dubas got there in the end, filling the management ranks with every consultant and life coach he could find because he wouldn't fire Sheldon Keefe. Tripling down on the process, ignoring the outcome. Everything is a risk. To shoot the puck is to risk giving it away, that's the lesson of the game. Chayka is no different. --- [Claude Giroux has decided to return to the Senators for another seasongarrioch giroux![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-oc-fc6fbbb2-f2ab-4385-bab0-d0da9d5d795e.ico)Ottawa CitizenBruce Garrioch![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ottsensoct13_299295862-1-91e2172d-7f7c-4174-bfaf-a52bd9a2ff9d.jpg)](https://ottawacitizen.com/ottawa-senators/claude-giroux-has-decided-to-return-to-the-senators-for-another-season?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Rogers Communications buying remaining stake in MLSE for $4.35BRogers Communications Inc. says it has signed a deal to buy the remaining 25 per cent stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment it does not already own from Kilmer Sports Inc. for $4.35 billion.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-c69c8c51-afe7-4d09-bd83-af6f5511d0a3.ico)Sportsnet.caCanadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CP28191605-17308312-cbac-4bb5-bf37-15c30c54665b.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/rogers-communications-buying-remaining-stake-in-mlse-for-4-35b/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Flames sign Simon Nemec to five-year, $36.25M contract![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-5f69341c-7fba-4eb1-b107-16e775600436.ico)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/simon-nemec-b97c6460-eaae-4d5a-a09b-51d9b9a2fa90.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/flames-sign-simon-nemec-to-five-year-36-25m-contract/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's it for today. Don't hold out for the next 65 days matching the first run. ### Jacob Quillan re-signs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/jacob-quillan-re-signs/ Last updated: 2026-07-06T23:44:41.000Z Jacob Quillan has re-signed a one-year contract for $850,000\. > The [#LeafsForever](https://x.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) signed 24 y/o F Jacob Quillan to a one year two-way contract > > NHL: $850K > Minors: $350K > Guaranteed: $375K > > Will be RFA w arb upon expiry > > Rep'd by Jerry Buckley [@BuckleySports](https://x.com/BuckleySports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/zk843ugTTW](https://t.co/zk843ugTTW?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [July 6, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2074277438125670836?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I am a little surprised this is a two-way contract, not because I think there's any room to wedge his way onto the team, but because he's at least close to first recall status. It's a lucrative two-way, though. ### Standouts From The 2026 Development Camp URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/standouts-from-the-2026-development-camp/ Last updated: 2026-07-06T12:00:45.000Z On Saturday, Toronto wrapped up it's development camp with a scrimmage. They divided the roster into two, and if you want a refresher for all of the many names on the list you can catch up from Cathy's article on the entire roster announcement, and my scouting report on the undrafted free agents invited to attend: [Maple Leafs Development Camp Roster is HereAnd it is huge. That is a lot of players![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-c10bbd85-87ac-448e-a2b5-061433a80fca.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1534880606858-29b0e8a24e8d-8c4649f4-f5d5-4146-bd41-846a27a9fbd6)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-development-camp-roster-is-here/) [Scouting Toronto’s 2026 Development Camp RosterToronto invited 26 undrafted prospects to their July 2026 development camp this year. I’m looking at them all to see who could be interesting as potential future signing or draft targets.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-732e37ee-119b-4cd1-a4de-8fb703e13cd2.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1603714196939-6f6436c8d0c5-679e4c17-9439-414a-8bd8-dc5633763112)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/scouting-torontos-2026-development-camp-roster/) > 🔵🆚⚪️ [pic.twitter.com/JjgenRDq4X](https://t.co/JjgenRDq4X?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [July 4, 2026](https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2073406199861571675?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The dev camp consisted of a bunch of on-ice drills and the prospects working with Toronto's various development coaches, a couple of off-ice excursions together (pickleball tournament, batting practice in the Sky Dome), and then finally the scrimmage to finish it all off. After not having a scrimmage last year, perhaps the allure of having so many fun new toys to watch made them change their minds on that decision this year. Better than that, for the first time they decided to not just stream it through their own damn app, and streamed it through YouTube. The quality may have been jank as hell at times but at least it was actually working at all times. The final of the game was 6-4 for Team Blue. It was back and forth to start, being 1-1 and then 2-2, before Blue scored three quick unanswered goals in the second period to open a 5-2 lead. White chipped away at the lead in the third period to make it 5-4, but Blue got an empty net goal to seal the win. And a quick note: if I didn't mention a player, that doesn't mean I think they were bad. It just means they weren't as noticeable for me when watching and re-watching it. ### Goals 1. Team White - Hopkins (1) from Pepoy (1) and Hewitt (1) 2. Team Blue - Moldenhauer (1) from Caron (1) and Holinka (1) 3. Team Blue - McCue (1) from Malinoski (1) and Plesovskikh (1) 4. Team White - Thompson (1) from Hopkins (1) and Pepoy (2) 5. Team Blue - McCue (2) from Man (1) and Cebrian (1) 6. Team Blue - Cebrian (1) from Hart (1) and Man (2) 7. Team Blue - Cebrian (2) from Galanek (1) and Hanson (1) 8. Team White - Nansi (1) from Koblar (1) and Blessing (1) 9. Team White - Thompson (2) from Koblar (2) and McKenna (1) 10. Team Blue - Malinoski (1) from Belle (1) Multi-point games for: - Kieran Cebrian (2 goals, 1 assist) - Mick Thompson (2 goals) - Sam McCue (2 goals) - Tyler Hopkins (1 goal, 1 assist) - Hudson Malinoski (1 goal, 1 assist) - Tinus Luc Koblar (2 assists) - Brody Pepoy (2 assists) - Matyas Man (2 assists) ## DRAFTED PROSPECTS ### Gavin McKenna McKenna was two things... he was both not really trying very hard, but was also just an incredible joy to watch. At some point in the second period, while I was taking notes, I just wrote down "holy fuck McKenna is just so fast at everything he does". Fast hands, fast skating, fast pivots, fast decisions and mental processing, and feints and everything else. What was encouraging was how he was using that quickness and used his elite speed and hands without the puck. On the forecheck and defensively, he would disrupt plays, steal pucks, and launch a counter attack. He generated high-danger chances, creating a partial breakaway and picking a defender's pocket in front of the net. ### Harry Nansi Nansi looked much improved from this time last year, especially with his skating. He looks faster and much sturdier on his feet – no more looking like Bambi out there. He was still pushed off his skates a few times, but only by bigger opponents. Otherwise he was everything he has been but with the dials turned up a bit. He used his strength and positioning to win loose puck battles off faceoffs and along the boards. He showed great composure by making accurate passes into the slot while falling and while being physically checked. His improved skating balance allowed him to carry the puck cleanly on transition and score a goal from the slot. He's just so smart and creative with and without the puck and finds ways to impact the play all over the ice. Warning: this highlight is very jank. 0:00 /0:07 1× Harry Nansi (#73 in White) goal, assisted by Niklas Blessing (#75) and Tinus Luc Koblar (#33) ### Tinus Luc Koblar Koblar was a bit like McKenna in that he was also not necessarily trying his hardest, though that's not to say he was taking it very easy either. He was a heavy force on the cycle, using his size to protect the puck and generate space for his teammates. He sped around defenders high in the zone to register a hard shot, beat pressure on the rush, and consistently distributed pucks from the boards back to the point. The funny thing I noticed was counting at least four times McKenna made a pretty absurd pass to him for pretty good scoring chances only for Koblar to very obviously not be mentally prepared for any pass to come to him, so he bobbled or whiffed on the reception. He very clearly showed he's never played with a playmaker of McKenna's level in his life. ### Yaroslav Fedoseyev Seeing this scrimmage with Fedoseyev on a pairing with Bilecki was incredible timing, since I'm in the middle of writing the full profile on him. Of all the defensemen on either team in this game, I fell in love with him the most. He and Bilecki were just such a joy to watch, with Fedoseyev being more consistent defensively. What captured my attention, though, was his decisions with the puck. He was just automatic on breakouts, showing excellent mobility and elusiveness with the puck, and vision to find the best teammate to make his pass to and then nail it tape to tape. He made quick decisions under pressure and pinched effectively along the blueline to keep offensive possessions alive. Defensively, he stopped a one-on-one chance by Pepoy and broke up a dangerous two-on-one rush. 0:00 /0:26 1× Fedoseyev (#61) and Bilecki (#37) on Team Blue ### Alexander Bilecki Bilecki came as advertised. He didn't stand out to me as many times as Fedoseyev did, but the quality of when he stood out was always so high. His skating, puck handling and passing were top notch. He used simple, quick movements to escape forecheck pressure and jumpstart the rush. He stayed calm while handling pucks in his own end, once recovering quickly from a bobbled pass in front of his net to clear the zone. From that highlight I shared above, watching him and Fedoseyev work that magic against the top pairing and top line of the other team, I just laughed. ### Ethan MacKenzie MacKenzie was easily the best defenseman for Team White. He used his physical presence to step up for hits, protect the puck, and force turnovers behind the net and in the corners. He walked the line in the offensive zone well and led multiple rushes up the ice to distribute the puck to his forwards. He also contributed to keeping possession on clearing attempts at the point, and had a couple of good scoring chances of his own. ### Mans Gudmundsson Gudmundsson was MacKenzie's partner and while he was generally more quiet, he really finished the game strong in the third period. His retrievals and breakout passes weren't as dynamic or flashy as the other three defensemen mentioned above him, but they were effective. He used his body and stick effectively to disrupt opponents and win battles below the goal line. He set up multiple scoring chances, including a stretch pass for a partial breakaway when he caught the other team on a bad change. He was a quietly solid two-way defensemen in this game. ### Nick Moldenhauer For a guy that I had all but written off two years ago, both for his poor season in NCAA and just looking bland at most development camps and rookie tournaments, Moldenhauer has been doing a lot to resurrect his stock. He was one of the most noticeable forwards on either team, but especially on Team Blue. He was highly effective on the cycle, using a low base and constant shifting to protect the puck even as larger defenders were trying to pin him against the boards and shut down his movements. He forced turnovers on the forecheck, and drove the net for a goal. He generated high-volume offense, registering three quality scoring chances in the third period alone. 0:00 /0:18 1× Moldenhauer (#79 in blue) goal, assisted by Holinka (#98) and Felix Caron (#82) ### Miroslav Holinka Holinka was a dangerous transition player, completing solo end-to-end rushes and successfully entering the offensive zone effortlessly several times. He routinely drew multiple defenders toward him before passing to open teammates for high-quality scoring chances. He also worked the cycle effectively and forced neutral zone turnovers. He was the top center for Team Blue with Moldenhauer and Caron, and together they were a handful for Team White to deal with most of the times they were on the ice. Holinka provided a lot of the heavy lifting to get them into the offensive zone. ### Brody Pepoy Pepoy was a pleasant surprise to watch, being one of the newest prospects who is both among the younger players to play but also the latest one drafted. He showed some nifty hands and feet to protect the puck on the cycle, avoid being squared up by any body check, and buy time in the offensive zone. He manipulated defenders to open up space, once drawing four opponents to him on a zone entry before slipping a pass to Hopkins for a scoring chance. He worked hard to chase down rebounds and transition the puck cleanly. His line with Hopkins and the undrafted invite Mick Thompson had two of the goals for Team White, with Pepoy having an assist on both. He was an effective part of that line all game, on the forecheck, on defense, playing with a mix of skill and physical edge. 0:00 /0:07 1× Brody Pepoy (#76 in white) setting up Tyler Hopkins (#78) for scoring chance ### Rylan Fellinger In the first half of the game I thought he was the best overall defenseman on the ice for either team. His skating is very good, and he was both suffocating on defense and also a machine pushing the puck up the ice on transitions. He jumped into the rush a couple of times, and pulled off a pretty slick dangle at the blueline and carried the puck right to the net. He used his recovery speed and long reach to break up breakaway attempts and win physical battles on dumped pucks. He stepped up in the neutral zone to disrupt plays and executed strong breakouts under pressure. He was a bit more quiet later in the game but wasn't bad. I have some high hopes this may be signs of a bigger breakout for him this coming season. ### Sam McCue Unlike Moldenhauer, who I had all but written off, I ***have*** fully written off McCue. He just never improved in very important ways, but in the scrimmage he showed off the one skill he's always had – scoring around the net. He had two goals and was robbed of a third by a great glove save by Obvintsev. His line with Malinoski and Plesovskikh was Blue's most dangerous for the first half of the game. McCue was the beneficiary of the work the other two put in to create scoring chances. 0:00 /0:06 1× Sam McCue (#49 in blue) goal, assisted by Malinoski (#65) and Plesovskikh (#57) ### Hudson Malinoski Malinoski was solid in this game. He and Plesovskikh did a lot of the grunt work with strong two-way play and then to help set up McCue where he's most dangerous – around the net. He would work a clean cycle in the corner before whipping a sharp pass out front to find McCue open for his first goal. He later scored after being part of a 2 on 0 rush with the net empty to seal the game, with Belle nicely gifting him the easy empty netter. Not a spectacular outing, but the kind of thing I've come to expect from him as a more defensive center. ### Alexander Plesovskikh Plesovskikh was the other piece of that line with McCue and Malinoski. He was a bit more quietly effective and not as noticeable, but he did a lot of little things well. He'd box out opponents driving the net on the rush, and helped with the heavy work along the boards to set up McCue's first goal. His offensive skill hasn't really come along very much since being drafted, but his off puck game has improved. ### Zach Olsen Olsen consistently won physical board battles down low to support his defense and start clean zone exits. He used his speed to chip and chase pucks, returning possession to his defensemen at the point. He also connected on quick passing sequences in the offensive zone to register shot attempts. He wasn't nearly as noticeable as other players, but for a guy just drafted and playing on a younger line with fellow Saskatoon and fresh draftee Cooper Williams, and the freshly undrafted but born the same year as them Parker Vaughan, I thought they did a good job hanging in there against mostly older competition. ### Cooper Williams Williams was a menace on the forecheck at times, combining with his linemates to pressure defensemen and force turnovers. He moved the puck effectively in the offensive zone, drove hard to the net for a dangerous scoring chance, and handled transition passes well. On the defensive end he struggled a bit, mostly because he was playing against a lot bigger, heavier, and stronger competition. If anything impresses on him the need for him to hit the gym and work with the nutrition coach to help bulk up, this scrimmage should. ### Patriks Plumins There were 9 goals scored in this game with the goalie in the net, so it wasn't exactly a banner day for them. Aside from Obvintsev's highlight reel glove in the first period, the only goalie that stood out was Plumins. He played the third period for Team White and he's who helped keep the score close as they attempted their comeback. He faced a flurry of scoring chances, including three alone from Moldenhauer, and he stopped them all. He looked controlled, in position, had his angles right, read the play well, and was mostly rebound-free. 0:00 /0:58 1× ### William Belle Belle was usually noticeable but not necessarily in an effective manner. He's big enough you can't miss him, and he can skate in a straight line very fast. He beat out defenders to the puck on dump ins a couple of times, and he was also a wrecking ball when it came to throwing hits. Case in point, with his team clinging to a late one goal lead, he leveled Nansi at the blueline secured the puck, and carried it on an easy 2 on 0 with Malinoski, selflessly passing it off for the empty netter. The big, speedy, physical elements of his game are fun, but he still really needs to work on having an impact with the puck in some fashion. ## FREE AGENT INVITES ### Parker Vaughan The youngest of the undrafted invites to the development camp, he honestly didn't look out of place to me on the Kid Line he was put with, alongside Olsen and Williams. He has some size, he looked like a very quick and agile skater and knew how to use it on the forecheck. The three of them showed they could be very disruptive to opposing defensemen trying to break the puck out of their own end, and he pulled off a couple of nifty plays and passes after winning board battles. Their line didn't get any points but considering their age relative to their competition, I'd say he was one of the most impressive invites in this scrimmage. Probably not enough to be given an ELC, but I'd stay in touch with his camp and see how he's doing through this season. ### Mick Thompson Thompson scored twice, and they weren't cheap ones either. He had a partial breakaway for a good chance he didn't score on, finished a set up by Hopkins off a rush chance, made a few good passes to spring a rush chance or a back door opportunity, then scored again after intercepting a clearing attempt and carrying it into the slot for a better shot. He could still return to the NCAA for two more years, I believe, so I don't think he'll be desperate for a contract now. But I can see him getting an AHL deal within the next year or two. ### Felix Caron He was the third guy on Blue's top line with Holinka and Moldenhauer, who were both very strong through the whole game. Caron contributed in ways away from the puck. He blocked shots, worked hard on the cycle down low, and assisted on Moldenhauer's goal by working the puck towards the net. He could have gotten another assist when he hit a clean cross-ice pass to spring Moldenhauer on a partial breakaway. He's in the same boat as Thompson as far as contract needs. ### Kieran Cebrian It's funny to have seen Cebrian as leading both teams for points in the one scrimmage game considering he did not have much of an offensive reputation. But aside from one goal that was a pretty weak shot to let in by the goalie, his offense was created by working hard on the forecheck, on the cycle, and on transitions. He's entering his last year in the NCAA for the reigning champions in Denver. If he has a breakout as one of the older players on the team, I could see him getting some kind of deal from an NHL or AHL/ECHL team. I'm not sold I'd want it to be Toronto though, at either level. One more benefit of the game being streamed on YouTube is you can still watch it! So you can re-watch it if you want to see the kinds of things I was talking about, and if you agree or disagree with my assessments. ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Monday's FTB: The off-season begins for real URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-the-off-season-begins-for-real/ Last updated: 2026-07-06T12:18:28.000Z A lot happened with the Leafs last week, and if you don't know all of it, check our home page for all the articles about the free agent signings, and trades by other teams, and Paul Holmg... err I mean Danny Briere having a few too many drinks on Friday night and in a daze at midnight saying "fuck it, I'm going for it," and making an Offer Sheet for Leo Carlsson who will now be the highest paid player in the NHL at an average of $18M per year. For reference, Sidney Crosby who is winding down his Penguins contract makes less than half that. The Leafs had development camp run by the always insightful Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser and I won't write much more about that here because Brian has a full recap of it coming out this morning now, including a lot of great individual player insights, though let's be clear we don't weight a dev camp scrimmage very high on the "what can this guy do" scale, but comparisons to prior seasons do matter, and it's not easy to get to watch players in European leagues here so we got to see Tinus Luc Koblar in an accessible, though blurry, format and Brian has some things to say about him, Gavin McKenna, and many others. [Standouts From The 2026 Development CampAnother development camp come and gone, but this year featured a much bigger influx of talented new prospects in many years. Who among them all stood out the most?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-d2b1a6a8-067f-4456-962c-dbb66d143ea1.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1573145881456-0708c72340ca-c3b93dd6-32c1-45ce-a712-2394e1387ce1)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/standouts-from-the-2026-development-camp/) So, here we are. What's left? Well I guess the big questions are both Matthew Knies and Morgan Rielly. All signs point to Rielly being traded, and insiders say he's fine with it, but when and where? Those insiders also talk about so much interest in Matthew Knies that he will likely be traded too, but it sounds like that's going to be something that comes together after the free-agency dust clears, if it even happens at all. As Chayka says in his Bay Street voice, the market is illiquid, meaning you have to pay more for less to get out, and right now at peak summer, some teams have probably suspended redemptions, and you can't have the Bank of Canada inject liquidity into the hockey player market. There's fish in the Leafs' river waiting to be reeled in, but no one has cast a line yet. Or we could call Toronto the capital of hockey. I like that. [Bobrovsky excited to play for Maple Leafs in ‘capital of hockey’ | NHL.com37-year-old goalie signed 3-year contract after 7 seasons, 2 Cup championships with Panthers![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-af57620f-905b-4929-8962-5988c78d3d0b.png)NHL logoMike Zeisberger![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/zot6ih6c39bifdcauai7-439b63ff-2926-492e-898e-b2dd940af0ce.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/free-agency/maple-leafs-goalie-sergei-bobrovsky-excited-to-play-in-toronto?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Here are the players who elected for salary arbitration, including both Robertsons. They are now no longer eligible for an Offer Sheet. [15 PLAYERS ELECT SALARY ARBITRATIONThe National Hockey League Players’ Association announced that 15 players have elected salary arbitration.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-1e383a30-b6d7-4cac-9cdf-e37517b9bf3e.ico)NHLPA.com![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/622c8205dad382933827ee7fe4e48a77a19f7e51-2817x1267-09ed8ce9-9671-4b0a-b99f-38a8784cf1b7.jpg)](https://www.nhlpa.com/news/15-players-elect-salary-arbitration/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) **Bourgault, Xavier** (Ottawa Senators) **Dach, Kirby** (Montreal Canadiens) **Drysdale, Jamie** (Philadelphia Flyers) **Greaves, Jet** (Columbus Blue Jackets) **Jefferies, Alex** (New York Islanders) **Krebs, Peyton** (Buffalo Sabres) **McMichael, Connor** (St. Louis Blues) **Perfetti, Cole** (Winnipeg Jets) **Robertson, Jason** (Dallas Stars) **Robertson, Nick** (Pittsburgh Penguins) **Schmid, Akira** (Florida Panthers) **Schneider, Braden** (New York Rangers) **Seeley, Ronan** (Carolina Hurricanes) **Sillinger, Cole** (Columbus Blue Jackets) **Zegras, Trevor** (Philadelphia Flyers) ### Weekend FTB: Make me an Offer! URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-make-me-an-offer/ Last updated: 2026-07-05T12:25:33.000Z Jason Robertson said no to a big offer, but Leo Carlsson said yes: > Ducks — who have told everyone they will match any Carlsson offer sheet — have seven days to do so. > > If they don’t, they would receive four first-round picks. [https://t.co/aT5Gwtj22P](https://t.co/aT5Gwtj22P?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [July 3, 2026](https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2073125990990008675?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Carlsson offer sheet with [#LetsGoFlyers](https://x.com/hashtag/LetsGoFlyers?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) breakdown: > > Yr 1: $850K Salary, $19.95M Signing Bonus > Yr 2: $900K/$18.1M > Yr 3: $950K/$17.05M > Yr 4: $1M/$15.2M > Yr 5: $1M/$15M > > NMC in Yr 5 > > Signing Bonus per [@reporterchris](https://x.com/reporterchris?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > Rep’d by Matt Keator[https://t.co/dXmNTJXiYu](https://t.co/dXmNTJXiYu?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [July 3, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2073173715458601266?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Leo Carlsson is now the highest paid player in the NHL by AAV. The entire contract is league minimum each year with the rest of the salary in signing bonus, and as shown above, front loaded to the maximum allowed. [How the Leo Carlsson offer sheet changes everything in the NHLElliotte Friedman writes about how Leo Carlsson’s five-year, $90 million offer sheet signed with Philadelphia changes everything about the NHL’s salary landscape as the cap soars.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-76457573-e3a3-4b0d-8f3d-ee13ba1f37b4.ico)Sportsnet.caElliotte Friedman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Anaheim-Ducks-center-Leo-Carlsson-e9e1831c-efc4-40d3-95b2-5ca49b78683c.jpg)](https://t.co/qoKTgGfBBm?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There are hints and "rumblings" that Ducks defender Pavel Mintyukov has also signed an offer sheet. And Jeff Marek promoted this intriguing idea: > I believe Steve is 100% correct that teams are thinking this way. [https://t.co/AFpjPdasm5](https://t.co/AFpjPdasm5?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) [July 3, 2026](https://x.com/JeffMarek/status/2073146215596691716?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In other news, if you missed it, the Leafs signed a drafted guy. Um. Gavin something or other? [Gavin McKenna Signed to ELCHe can buy himself a car now.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-a214c04c-3202-4578-b69b-fa860684e124.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1496449903678-68ddcb189a24-ee453672-e714-4582-b067-4efeedfada46)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gavin-mckenna-signed-to-elc-maple-leafs/) They also started working on the Marlies. I particularly like the signing of Samuel Hlavaj, because he is waiver exempt. [Maple Leafs re-sign Calder Cup star Vinni Lettieri add goalie Samuel HlavajThey also announced two other AHL-level NHL signings.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-4e92ed6d-787a-4e28-921a-c749e23ce2a5.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1483817768319-dba0ef04e35a-0ad50545-1f0d-475f-851e-39adadc5c4ab)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-re-sign-calder-cup-star-vinni-lettieri-and-goalie-samuel-hlavaj/) We get too attached to prospects and don't often think about the larger picture. I saw real (wildly misdirected) anger at John Chayka for trading Dennis Hildeby. But what the Leafs did is get something for a non-exempt goalie and replaced him with someone who can stop pucks in the AHL just fine with no waivers drama. There is no conveyer belt out of the AHL. Not everyone is making the team and the Leafs can't carry three goalies, so this was tidy business. My advice is to dial back the outrage and negativity and wait a little before you decide on things. You don't need a position statement in the first minute news breaks (I had to quickly change my tune on Hiller once I actually knew anything about him). I sure hope I spend the next couple of years going back and reading the comments on the Bobrovsky post for the laughs. He might be excellent. I thought this was a very interesting fact: > Not since the 2019-20 NHL season has a [#Leafs](https://x.com/hashtag/Leafs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) goaltender logged 50 or more games in 1 season (Frederik Andersen 52). > > Meanwhile, Sergei Bobrovsky has played in at least 50 games in each of the last 5 seasons. > > Forget the debate of where he his among all-time goalie greats, but… > > — David Alter (@davidalter) [July 3, 2026](https://x.com/davidalter/status/2073112421342851119?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Sunday at 5 pm is the deadline for eligible players to elect arbitration. The Leafs have one key RFA who could elect arb, and that's Emil Andrae. Ryan Tverberg and Jacob Quillan are also eligible. Teams get a 24-hour period starting after the player deadline if they want to elect arbitration. I don't think the Leafs are done, and not just because the handful of AHL signings is likely not enough. They are currently sitting at 43 SPCs not counting Ben Danford and Tinus Luc Koblar as they both could be exempt. I expect Danford to not return to junior, so effectively that's 44 with three RFAs to sign bringing it to 47\. That leaves some room for more players even before some are removed. I also really do believe the plan is to trade Morgan Rielly, and they will likely succeed. As for the rest of the players who wanted to be traded, and haven't changed their minds like someone I could name (is he getting booed in SBA?), that's been whittled down to Connor Hellebuyck and Dylan Larkin who are stationary for now. There are teams out there with a lot of cap space: Philadelphia or Anaheim depending on the outcome of the offer sheet drama likely lead the way for now. Chicago has a lot, Pittsburgh, Calgary, Columbus and Detroit. A lot of big RFA deals are to come, but there are not a lot of UFAs left to sign. The defensive options are really light, and I'd say sure, sign Mike Reilly as a number 8 guy, but there's nothing much else. The forward options are Anthony Mantha, Patrick Kane and well. Michael Bunting. He seems to have been cured of his big penalty minutes problems and he still can play. And if you really want a left field choice, Patrik Laine needs a job, and he's eligible for one of those bonus-laden contracts that don't count much against the cap until the end of the year. I actually looked at some of Laine's, Raddysh's and the Leafs power play highlights and came to the conclusion he'd work if William Nylander played the bumper. Raddysh shoots from the blueline and they wouldn't compete for location. It would be funny, but I'm not sure where you put him at five-on-five. That's the meaningful news for now, and I sure hope the NHL makes big news today when America is having their holiday, since some of us work through ours every year because the NHL just figures that's how it should be. I figure it's how it should be for everyone, so at your desks, Americans! I hope all our American readers find meaning in today's holiday. All those self-evident truths that need to be tended. I have faith in you. ### Maple Leafs re-sign Ryan Tverberg URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-re-sign-ryan-tverberg/ Last updated: 2026-07-05T00:01:16.000Z Ryan Tverberg, 24 and drafted in 2020 has been re-signed for a one-year deal at $850,000. This is a two-way deal, per PuckPedia, with a minors salary of $250,000 with $350,000 guaranteed. Tverberg has 14 points in 24 games of the AHL playoffs on the way to winning the Calder Cup. As of now, Jacob Quillan and William Villeneuve remain unsigned. ### Maple Leafs Sign Emil Andrae URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-emil-andrae/ Last updated: 2026-07-04T13:48:44.000Z [Maple Leafs Sign Defenceman Emil Andrae | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed defenceman Emil Andrae to a two-year contract. Andrae, 24, skated in 61 games for Philadelphia last season, recording 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) while adding one assist in four playoff games. In 107 career NHL games, the![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-9a228a91-5ab6-474f-a9dc-b8b28bd60cde.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ybscho5ovvgnkqw9ipcs-0615cb36-3d6a-4ea9-b73b-073cb7d31dda.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-defenceman-emil-andrae?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Emil Andrae signs a two-year deal with the [#leafs](https://x.com/hashtag/leafs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) carrying a $1.55M AAV. > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [July 4, 2026](https://x.com/reporterchris/status/2073400929152364913?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Maple Leafs trade Joe Woll, Simon Benoit to the FlyersI’m told JVR is not the return.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-99d1a7f2-009f-4d35-bd3f-09d0ddb06696.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1581909811589-a1317515f20c-c51e758e-7763-4b27-adf3-85ceaa94639b)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-trade-joe-woll-simon-benoit-to-the-flyers/) ### Former Leaf signings around the NHL URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/former-leaf-signings-around-the-nhl/ Last updated: 2026-07-04T11:59:59.000Z Please enjoy some weekend reading following NHL free agency. I have all the former Leafs (and some Marlies) who signed this summer for a new team. Later I'll have the former Leafs who got moved in trades. But first, here's the latest free agent signings from highest to lowest cap hit, separated by position. Mason Marchment - SJS - $6.75 million for 5 years Bobby McMann - SEA - $5.75 million for 6 years Ilya Mikheyev - TBL - $3.85 million for 4 years Alex Kerfoot - NSH - $3.5 million for 2 years Scott Laughton - LAK - $3.5 million for 3 years Noel Acciari - PHI - $2.8 million for 2 years Kasperi Kapanen - EDM - $2.6 million for 1 year Matias Maccelli - NYI - $2.25 million for 1 year Curtis Douglas - SEA - $1.25 million for 2 years Carl Grundstrom - PHI - $1 million for 1 year Sammy Blais - OTT - $925k for 1 year Nick Foligno - MIN - $900k for 1 year Zach Aston-Reese - PHI - $875k for 2 years Sam Lafferty - FLA - $850k for 1 year Noah Gregor - WPG - $850k for 1 year Luke Schenn - VAN - $2.25 million for 1 year Zach Bogosian - MIN - $1.25 million for 1 year Erik Gustafsson - LAK - $1 million for 1 year Justin Holl - WSH - $900k for 1 year Henry Thrun - WPG - $850k for 1 year Samuel Ersson - OTT - $2.2 million for 2 years (does he count?) Frederik Andersen - EDM - $1 million for 1 year Calvin Pickard - MIN - $1 million for 1 year David Rittich - NJD - $1 million for 1 year I'm frankly shocked by the Ersson contract. It's pretty fun that Luke Schenn is still playing and making a healthy paycheque. Alex Kerfoot is in the top 5 contracts paid to former Leafs this week. Noel Acciari makes more than Kasperi Kapanen, which goes to show what playing centre gets you. Curtis Doulgas is making NHL money! And some former Leafs who are still unsigned. Michael Bunting James van Riemsdyk John Klingberg Ben Hutton Calle Järnkrok David Kämpf Ryan Reaves Kevin Gravel I'm mildly surprised Michael Bunting doesn't have a contract, but I think he's one of those players that doesn't actually do anything on the ice. This is something people are feeling about Matthew Knies right now. In terms of camp invites, I think we'll see him, Klingberg, and Kämpf at the very least. Calle Järnkrok wants to prove he can play for literally anyone but Craig Berube, I personally hope he gets that opportunity. There were two NHL Trades featuring former Leafs (not traded by the Leafs). Sean Durzi went the other way when Vincent Trochek was traded from NYR to Utah. Ilya Lyubushkin is in Nashville now, traded from Dallas with Mavrik Bourque for some picks. I guess the moral of the story is if you want to get paid, be a centre or score goals. If this is the end of JVR's career, it was a hell of a career and I hope he had the time of his life. Am I teeing Species up for a comment? Yes, I am. ### Gavin McKenna Signed to ELC URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gavin-mckenna-signed-to-elc-maple-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-07-03T21:42:46.000Z The Maple Leafs have signed their first overall draft pick, Gavin McKenna. [Maple Leafs Sign Forward Gavin McKenna To Entry-level Contract | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed forward Gavin McKenna to a three-year entry-level contract. McKenna, 18, recorded 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 35 games with the Penn State Nittany Lions during the 2025-26 season. Prior to joining Penn State, McKenna had registered![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-25fae044-e711-40f5-80f0-39f6fb3337ee.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/wlrwx7mhriqs1mfrsonr-2ef14199-3155-4240-9876-7b26dc2612de.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-forward-gavin-mckenna-to-entry-level-contract?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The three-year ELC has a cap hit of $1.075 million, plus up to $3.5 million in bonuses each season. An explanation of performances bonuses can be found below. > Officially official 🔵⚪️ [pic.twitter.com/qEYSFHSIUg](https://t.co/qEYSFHSIUg?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [July 3, 2026](https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2073153591896924603?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Safe to say this is a far cry from Leo Carlsson's $18 million x 5 year second contract. Maybe in three seasons? [PuckPedia has all the numbers](https://puckpedia.com/signing/10668?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-03-174112.png) ELCs for top players usually contain performance bonuses for various types of statistical achievements or for games played in the NHL. The only other players who can have bonuses in their contracts are over 35 on a qualifying deal or returning from a injury. Go here for a complete explanation: [Performance Bonuses - CapSpace![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/planet-23883606-0180-4831-b7b9-3b2599ddf759.svg)CapSpace![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/planet-bb4ec39f-ae8a-4b0d-beea-d738b5373509.svg)](https://cap-space.com/article/10?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) For the purposes of normal cap management, only the salary and signing bonus averaged over the term counts against the cap, aka the cap hit. If bonuses are earned, they are paid out at the end of the year. The bonus can be absorbed into a cushion equal to 7.5% of the cap ceiling if the team doesn't have the space. Whatever got soaked up by the cushion is rolled onto the cap calculation for the next year. Sometimes that's ideal – in a rising cap environment – and sometimes not – if the team has big salaries coming online the next year. For a player like McKenna who is unlikely to play anywhere but the NHL, there is no need to be concerned about bonuses, but one wrinkle is that players in the AHL recalled onto a team using LTIR to fit them into the lineup count at their cap hit plus any earnable bonuses on the books. In other words, their AAV. This is the main reason teams try to restrict bonuses in ELCs to players who are likely NHL-ready or close to it. Note that signing bonuses are essentially part of the regular salary, just paid out at the time the contract is signed and then annually thereafter. They are treated just like regular salary under the cap rules. From the press release: > McKenna, 18, recorded 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 35 games with the Penn State Nittany Lions during the 2025-26 season. Prior to joining Penn State, McKenna had registered 244 points (79 goals, 165 assists) in 133 games with Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League. In 2024-25, he recorded 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists) in 16 playoff games, helping lead Medicine Hat to a WHL Championship. He was named the 2024-25 CHL Player of the Year after leading the Canadian Hockey League in scoring with 129 points (41 goals, 88 assists) in 56 games. > On the international stage, McKenna has represented Canada at numerous events, winning gold medals at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship and the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He also represented Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, recording 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in seven games. > Gavin McKenna was HYPED watching the Portugal vs Croatia game in Toronto 👀 > > 🎥: motalksofficial / IG[#leafsforever](https://x.com/hashtag/leafsforever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/rnxFQuoWAS](https://t.co/rnxFQuoWAS?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) [July 3, 2026](https://x.com/Leafslatest/status/2072863609017741682?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Maple Leafs re-sign Calder Cup star Vinni Lettieri add goalie Samuel Hlavaj URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-re-sign-calder-cup-star-vinni-lettieri-and-goalie-samuel-hlavaj/ Last updated: 2026-07-04T00:01:12.000Z [Maple Leafs Sign Lettieri, McWard, Rybinski and Hlavaj | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed forward Vinni Lettieri, defenceman Cole McWard, forward Henrik Rybinski and goaltender Samuel Hlavaj. Lettieri and Hlavaj have signed one-year contracts, while McWard and Rybinski have signed two-year contracts. Lettieri, 31, skated in 55 games for the Toronto Marlies![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32-8dbaec4b-1672-4e64-a4e7-954d2ce73222.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/y773rz35cybmhfd2obfr-7725b4f0-7ac8-4285-9255-3e55c8f14818.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-lettieri-mcward-rybinski-and-hlavaj?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed forward Vinni Lettieri, defenceman Cole McWard, forward Henrik Rybinski and goaltender Samuel Hlavaj. Lettieri and Hlavaj have signed one-year contracts, while McWard and Rybinski have signed two-year contracts. Vinni Lettieri was just outstanding on the road to winning the Calder Cup, and I am sure he had substantial offers to play in Europe. The Leafs have re-signed him for one year (they do not announce contract terms). Lettieri, 31, played his entire season on the Marlies last year after some time on the Bruins the year before. Samuel Hlavaj is Slovakia's Olympic and World Championship goalie, and he played on the Iowa Wild last year. He is 25, and is a big man a 6'4" tall. The Wild declined to issue him a qualifying offer, making him a UFA. He went undrafted, and the Wild signed him in 2024 to an ELC. He gives the Marlies a replacement for Dennis Hildeby who is waivers exempt for the full season. Update: PuckPedia reports both of these deals are for $850,000 [Leafs Sign Cole McWardAn AHLer with some NHL experience. And a Calder Cup! He’ll fit right in.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-5b6e256c-ed38-49cf-8ec5-58055c86facd.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1609668528780-e364738d8ba5-38de1773-8749-407a-a08b-b916acc8b9ca)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/leafs-sign-cole-mcward/) [Maple Leafs Sign Henrik RybinskiHe’s an AHL player of long standing.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-b5a25223-6dc8-498d-87b0-355239ecf659.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1583125320604-8245f1e50c1e-7dcc1857-ab01-424f-8a8c-5d3dae4c073e)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-henrik-rybinski/) ### Friday's FTB: Work Undone URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-work-undone/ Last updated: 2026-07-03T10:00:09.000Z With the buying spree over, the Leafs have continued the turnover of the roster that was started at the deadline. Instead of presenting the recent moves as a measure of John Chayka, let's instead look at it from the roster perspective. That is the job after all, having a better team than last year. ### Out #### Forwards - Bobby McMann - Matias Maccelli - Max Domi\* - Nick Robertson - Nic Roy - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok #### Defence - Brandon Carlo - Simon Benoit #### Goaltenders - Joe Woll - Dennis Hildeby\*\* \*presumably out at least for the start of the season, perhaps permanently \*\* not really an NHLer, but he did appear in 20 games because of injuries ### In #### Forwards - Teddy Blueger - Brandon Duhaime - Nick Paul - Jack Roslovic - Colton Sissons - Zack MacEwen #### Defence - Darren Raddysh - Chris Tanev\*\*\* #### Goaltenders - Sergei Bobrovsky \*\*\* assumed to be returning from an essentially missed season ### Still to Come #### Contracts Needed - Gavin Mckenna - Emil Andrae - Jacob Quillan\*\*\*\* #### Training Camp Heroes (very unlikely to start the season in the NHL unless there are injuries) - Ben Danford - Tinus Luc Koblar - Artur Akhtyamov #### Potentially Traded - Morgan Rielly - Phil Myers \*\*\*\* Quillan would need to also be a training camp hero to make the roster, but he played 23 games last year so he appears as a needed contract ### Salary Cap First, I will give you the standard disclaimer about the offseason. The "cap space" you see on any salary cap site *is not offseason cap space.* It is a projection of the next season's roster with assumptions made about who will be in the AHL. Now and until deep into training camp there is no AHL. All contracted players are on their NHL rosters. Offseason cap space is calculated in a complex way that I never do unless there is some likelihood of an issue, but it involves the entire roster. There is no compelling reason to calculate this. In the offseason, in addition to the actual cap space calculation, teams are allowed to exceed that cap ceiling by 10%. No team needs a cap-compliant roster of 23 healthy players until the first day of the season. #### Projected Cap Space As of today, PuckPedia lists 14 forwards including Max Domi who is on IR, so only 13 are projected to the roster. They list seven defenders including Andrae and two goalies. This projected roster is slightly over the cap. Pay Andrae a reasonable amount in accordance with projected contracts and put Domi on LTIR and the roster has 22 players and is almost exactly at the salary cap. Sign McKenna to an ELC and send MacEwen to the AHL and there's likely a small difference to be sorted out in time. Obviously a trade of Rielly instantly produces $7.5 million in projected cap space. Again. The roster is not set until October. Any player can be added to this roster, and the cap situation sorted out later. ### State of the Team The defence is radically improved but also tactically useful in new ways. The forward corps is now full of players who can move around the lineup playing wing up the lineup, centre down the lineup and who complement better players, are focused on defence and are fairly young considering they arrived on July 1\. There is talk of speed and genuine physical effectiveness for most of these additions. The forward concept is not unlike the techniques used by Florida, Tampa, Vegas and (previously) Boston to support an expensive core of forwards and top defenders. There is a very obvious weakness in scoring ability in the new members of the forward corps so that has to be balanced out by things like contesting with the Oilers for the best power play in the NHL, as they should be always have been doing, as well as reducing both the time spent in the defensive zone and the overall goals against. The Zippy Little Winger is dead, long live the Energetic Big Forward. Let us go back in time to when Kyle Dubas left and Brendan Shanahan hired Brad Treliving. He chose to keep Sheldon Keefe as coach, and he added Tyler Bertuzzi to the lineup – a big-bodied forward who also has scoring ability. He also added Max Domi, a player with offence creation as his only skill who has the reputation of a player who is physical that is wholly undeserved. My belief at that time was that the Leafs were declining in their ability to possess the puck for enough time in each game to have enough offensive opportunity to outscore their opponents. This is borne out by the numbers. Their once very effective offensive cycle was cycling a lot less often. There's more than one way to address that problem. Because outscoring your opponents – have you heard, that's the point of the game – can be achieved in more than one way. The choice (and let's take it as read that choices are constrained by who is available and who you can actually get) was to try to add some physicality upfront and take a risky move on signing John Klingberg to add some puck skills to the defence. Klingberg needed surgery, and didn't work out, but neither did he detract from the team in his 14 whole games played. All of this tinkering around the edges got the Leafs into the playoffs and some of their weaknesses were easily exploited on defence and boom, game over. But Treliving's plans were largely based on adding offence all over the lineup. Not defence. This then was the real fork in the road. The path Treliving chose was to try to address goals against with Anthony Stolarz and the defence with Oliver Ekman-Larson and Chris Tanev in and Timothy Liljegren and Mark Giordano out. He then filled out the team with very cheap depth players and continued the great Maple Leafs tradition of a third line that had no role, no purpose and were usually very terrible. He gave this roster to Craig Berube who struggled from day one to find a useful role for either Nick Robertson or Max Domi. The idea was to rely hard on the stars who can score to win games and just not lose the minutes when Auston Matthews was not on the ice – fair enough. But the structure put around them required those same stars to also be the possession drivers, the offence creators, the transition masters while almost no one could defend. This is Craig Berube's good season: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/shotRates-2425-TOR.png) Who is any good at all? Matthews, Nylander, McCabe, Marner (ish) and Morgan Rielly. The entire depth is snowed under so hard, the only one left to shovel out a path to the offensive zone was Anthony Stolarz and Joe Woll. None of them even managed to be dull to an effective degree. Most notably, John Tavares was losing his minutes and was not adding any offence. They were a one line team. The idea had been to take the hard work away from the stars and give it to guys of limited offensive skill, and the reality was it was piled on. Why? Well my guess is because Brad Treliving is one of those guys who will say that analytics is all well and good, but it can only tell you so much and blah, blah, blah. He wouldn't know an effective defensive/physical/transition forward if the guy punched him in the nose. Affect and effect. Yes, it's that line again, but all he could see was an illusion of truculence. The right path now is not to grab the wheel and turn the bus around and try to go back to the high-flying days of Mike Babcock's wild offence. That was more effective at diverting attention from the black hole on defence/goal but only to some extent. The right path now is to do what Shanahan appeared to understand – and I'm pretty sure Kyle Dubas was aware of as well – and create some shutdown lines full of minute eaters and qualified PKers, to have enough centres, to have enough players who don't need to be exhorted to check occasionally – this was a legitimate complaint of Berube's about his players. That he repeatedly made it in public is a reflection on those players as well as on him. It's handy that using real player evaluation, top quality scouting and good decision making also fills up the roster without dropping $5 million or more on a 13 minute player because he skates real fast. You can't have those guys when the choice has been made to do that same thing Treliving did in getting Stolarz only more so in both stature, reputation and cost with Sergei Bobrovsky. So what has Chayka emphasized? The power play and transition with Raddysh, stopping the puck with Bobrovsky, and defence and transition from the depth forwards. The puck needs to be controlled and be moved to win this game. This is supposed to put those few guys who were good back two years ago in the offensive zone more, and with less effort expended getting there. (McKenna would really, really benefit from this in his rookie year.) From that increase in scoring chances from the actually talented and the power play possibly not being awful comes more goals for. From that decrease in defensive zone time and the goaltending comes fewer goals against. The margins here are small. The difference between a 56% possession team (name your measure) and 50/50 muddle middle team is a swing of about three or four minutes in a single game. Seriously. It's a handful of shots that are now for instead of against. Consider that concept. This is one of the many, many reason this sport is so confounding to the best laid plans of any GM. The trip from okay team to great team is a tiny step that requires infinite amounts of effort to take. What wasn't added? Defensive defenders and scoring forwards. Both things are lacking, particularly the defenders, and the goalies are going to have to cover for them, while the stars do for the offensive weakness in the peripheral players. At least for now. Transition is going to have to substitute for defending skill some of the time. Some of the time, that's okay. The risk here is that the offence has to really sing with the top six on the ice. Really click. The defence has to really click with the goaltending. The puck really has to move and be under control. Then the hands of fate that meddle with all systems have to keep the GF - GA solving for the right answer. Less GF than in the "good old days" but also less GA. For real this time. What else? I'd trade Morgan Rielly and find a defensive defender in case Chris Tanev is not his old self. Because even if he is, that's not a bad thing to have. I'd love another guy with offensive skills, but maybe that's going to be McKenna and we get what we get. This is a two-year bet. The Leafs have 11 players under contract in 2028-2029 with McKenna making it an even dozen one he's signed. Three of them are in their last year. And remember, whoever is there now is not the opening night roster, and the opening night roster doesn't have to play every game. --- Some of the prospects: And the new guys from Wednesday: That's it for now. Free agency is not over, there are a lot of teams miles away from the cap ceiling with serious holes in their lineup that they can't fill internally. Take a look at the numbers in this excellent post: [https://puckpedia.com/news/july-1-charts-tables-recapping-wild-start-nhl-free-agency](https://puckpedia.com/news/july-1-charts-tables-recapping-wild-start-nhl-free-agency?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Have a great day, see you on Saturday. ### Leafs Sign Cole McWard URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/leafs-sign-cole-mcward/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T16:06:42.000Z Cole McWard is 25, and a right-shooting defender originally from Frenton, Missouri, which is not something you see every day in hockey. He is an undrafted former player for Ohio State. He was originally signed to an ELC by Vancouver out of college and he played in some NHL games for them before two very good years on the Abbotsford Canucks, including the 2025 Calder Cup win. He signed with the Islanders last season and played most of his year in Bridgeport, appearing in three NHL games. His contract is for two years at an AAV of $875,000, and is one-way both years. From [Dobber Prospects](https://dobberprospects.com/player/cole-mcward/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): > July 2025 – McWard signed a one-year, two-way contract with the New York Islanders worth $775,000 at the NHL level that expires at the end of the 2025-26 season. McWard did not play in the NHL during the 2024-25 season with the Vancouver Canucks and played 67 games in the American Hockey League with the Abbotsford Canucks. McWard will play for the Islanders’ AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders, during the 2025-26 season and may get a chance at his first NHL action since the 2023-24 season in a bottom-pairing role if injuries become an issue on Long Island with their defenseman. He has no fantasy value and does not need to be rostered. *Mark Henry* > January 2025 – McWard’s second season with Abbotsford has been impressive to this point. In 20 fewer games, McWard has 15 points compared to 17 a year ago. He’s also featured a strong defensive skill set. McWard’s comfort level in professional hockey has grown from last year, and with Vancouver’s defensive core facing a lot of questions, McWard may get another crack at the NHL later in the year. For now, Abbotsford is relying on him to continue playing well amid their hot stretch. *Nick Orr* Other reports have him as primarily skilled at puck-moving and transition. We should expect him to play mostly in the AHL, but he is at least potentially an NHL recall option. ### Maple Leafs Sign Henrik Rybinski URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-henrik-rybinski/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T15:35:28.000Z Henrik Rybinski is 25 and is a right-shot centre winger with a career spent on some of the better AHL teams. He is from Vancouver, and was originally drafted by the Panthers in the fifth round in 2019. He was originally signed to an ELC in 2022 by Washington and has played on the Hershey Bears for four years. The AAV is reported to be $875,000, and the contract is two-way this year with a $450,000 minors salary and it is one-way next year. Sounds like an offer to play his way up the lineup. ### Getting to Know Cooper Williams URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/getting-to-know-cooper-williams/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T12:00:39.000Z ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT **Position**: Left-shot centre **League**: WHL **Height**: 6'1" **Weight**: 163 lbs **Birth date**: Feb 18, 2008 Williams is a guy who had a lot of hype going into the season. He was taken 41st overall in the WHL draft. At the time he was listed at 5'10" and 144 lbs, and coming off a season where he finished 7th in his AAA league in points. The next season, before he was old enough to play a full year in the WHL, he played in an U18 AAA league and finished 3rd in his age group for points. So while he was never a very elite offensive producer, he was a very good one. He also already had a reputation for being a solid defensive center, so his two way potential seemed pretty high. That assumption continued last year after Williams put up 57 points in 68 games for a rebuilding Saskatoon team. It was the most in the WHL for his age group, only behind super-prospect Landon Dupont who, as of right now, is likely to be the first overall pick in the 2027 draft. But he did also finish ahead of Mathis Preston and Liam Ruck, two top offensive forwards in the league who were both taken pretty high in the draft this year. But again, Williams also had a much better defensive reputation than those two. So going into this season, Williams was unanimously (or near to it) considered to be a first round guy for the upcoming NHL draft. He was all but given the 1C spot by Saskatoon to start the year. But contrary to the hope and expectation that he would improve on the previous season, he seemed to stagnate. He only matched his point production with 57 points, albeit in two fewer games, and while he still got rave reviews for his defensively responsible play as a center by scouts, the hope was definitely for more. Especially since he actually had a noteworthy increase in powerplay production, so he actually had a worse year at even strength if you just go by points (you shouldn't, for the record). I'll get more into what "went wrong" in the strengths and weaknesses section. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-59.png) Cooper Williams Tracking Data - 2024/25 season on the left, 2025/26 season on the right In the tracking data, you can see a slight improvement across the board in pretty much every tracked metric. Williams' offensive impact was a bit better, his transition metrics were a bit better, and his defensive impacts showed the biggest improvement. But as a whole, they don't scream elite player. Between that and the stagnated production, Williams' draft rankings continually fell all year. Beyond that basic information, what's good to know about Williams' season in context is his usage. He was a top six forward for Saskatoon all year. He mostly played center, but he was shuffled to left wing at times. His coaches liked to use him as a 'support valve' as far as being a focal point for their transitions, staying above the puck and being the guy to provide the outlet for his defensemen and being the first guy back to cover for a pinch. At even strength, he'd typically get deployed in the high leverage situations, especially when they were trying to hold a lead and wanted someone to lock things down defensively. He'd match up with the other team's top lines a lot as well. On special teams, Williams was pretty heavily used on the powerplay, where led the team in PP points. On the powerplay, he was a swiss army knife. I've seen him spend long stretches where he was up high as the second defender or on the half wall, slinging passes down low or across the ice. I've seen him play at the net front going for deflections, rebounds and back door passes. I've seen him play in the bumper/slot, though not as much. I think I mostly saw him up high though, playing a Marner role, or not unlike the role Fraser Minten played on the powerplay in junior. He'd look for cross ice passing lanes or an avenue to shoot on net himself. Barring either of that, he'd pass down low and sometimes switch places to play as a net-front deflection target. On the PK where he had been a mainstay since his 16 year old season. ## THE GOOD: DEFENSIVE DETAILS, PLAYMAKING VISION, NET-FRONT COORDINATION The three biggest strengths that Williams offers as a prospect, both right now and when projecting him into the future, it is based on his defensive impacts, his potential as a playmaker, and his offensive skills around the net – in that order. Defensively, Williams has been compared at times to a "light" version of Bergeron, Point, or Cirelli – and light is doing some heavy lifting there. He has been considered to be a highly mature defensive center with pro-like attention to detail and habits. He is very adept at adhering to the team's structure in all three zones. You will not see him wander or be lured out of his position very often. His dedication to making the right decisions on defensive rotations when defending against the cycle is legitimately impressive. He's also a very capable play killer in the neutral zone, always tracking above the puck and angling opponents into the boards or his defensemen who are waiting for a trap. Beyond that, he is a very capable puck thief. He is not physically dominating (which I'll get to in the weaknesses section), so his defense relies a lot on positioning, intelligence, and having a very active stick to block passing lanes, lift sticks, poke the puck loose, intercept passes, and just strip an opponent for a steal. He had a few goals and assists come directly from his defense or forechecking. 0:00 /0:49 1× Cooper Williams (#16) - Offense from Defense Highlights When it comes to Williams' offense, his best skill right now – and, to me, when projecting his future development – is as a playmaker. He shows good vision and acts as a connector between the defensemen and wingers, but has some skill to be a play creator as well. He fakes, delays, and manipulates defenders to wait for or create a passing lane and has good accuracy to threat it to his teammate. He's especially good at making quick passes off the boards, something he does in all three zones. He's capable with hook and slip passes to get it around or through a defneder's stick and body, and he's quite good at making quick one-touch passes in traffic to make it difficult for the defense or goalies to get square to the puck carrier. 0:00 /0:48 1× Cooper Williams (#16) - One-Touch/Quick Passing Highlights Where you really saw his playmaking shine was on the powerplay, where he was a legitimate weapon. He was brilliant as a passer creeping down from the point or out from the half wall, holding the puck just long enough to draw focus to him, and then doing a no-look or look off pass across the ice for a one timer or to the man right in front of the net for a tap in/deflection goal. 0:00 /4:02 1× Cooper Williams (#16) - Passing Highlights Another offensive area where Williams looks quite good to me is his play in front of or around the net. I find this especially interesting considering how light he is, and how he struggles with winning physical battles. Even still, he doesn't shy away from the greasy areas down low or around the net, and he showcases what could be actually elite hand-eye coordination and awareness for things like deflections or quickly pouncing on a loose puck off a rebound. Funnily enough, just like with Olson I thought Williams shows great instinct for his off-puck routes. He'll time his arrivals into soft spots on the ice just in time to take a pass for either a quick shot, or a quick one-touch pass of his own to get the defenses truly scrambling. When he's there, he has a pretty wicked shot in close – both a wrist shot where he can roof it over the goalie in a hurry, and a very slick backhand he can roof as well. Honestly I wasn't going to write a lot about it but he has a pretty sick shot for accuracy, I think it will get even better when he adds more muscle and power behind it. But he's also a guy that seems to take a lot of his shots in close already, so it doesn't need to have elite velocity. 0:00 /1:56 1× Cooper Williams (#16) - Shooting Highlights Williams also shows some solid puck handling and puck protection when he's in that home plate area. He has even flashed some high level skill in close quarters, such as a between the legs goal. After watching all of his goals, I think I counted 4-5 deflection goals and a few more that were sort of deflections but more receiving a pass and directing-deflecting it into the net. 0:00 /2:11 1× Cooper Williams (#16) - Net-Front & Deflections Highlights ## THE FLAWS: STRENGTH & PHYSICAL IMMATURITY, SKATING MECHANICS, LOW PACE, SIMPLE OFFENSE The biggest issue with William's game right now is that he's too light and not strong enough. 6'1" is a good enough height to have, but at 163 lbs he definitely needs to fill out with some muscle. That will not only help add more power to his shot, like I touched on above, but it will help virtually every part of his game because he's too easily pushed around or knocked off the puck. Think about the strengths I mentioned above – he's good at playing a defensive, checking role, and he's good at generating offense around the net. Both his defense and net-front game typically require enough strength to hold your own in close quarter battles. So imagine how much better Williams could be in those areas once he's packed on some weight and gained better strength in his core and upper body in order to not only hold his own, but potentially start being the one pushing people around. He's already a guy who won't quit or shy away from contact, and will battle hard all the time. But he needs that strength to succeed more often, especially at higher levels. The second issue that I think was hampering his production and offensive impact, especially at even strength, is Williams' speed in his decision making. When he's on the powerplay and has more time and space to work with, he's shown he can be lethal. At even strength I do think he was held back at least a bit by being so dedicated to his defensive role, but even then when his line had possession in the offensive zone he didn't have the same level of high-end playmaking execution. This may be an adjustment thing, this may be him having too much going on in his head trying to remember all the defensive and positional things he needed to remember to do, but whatever it is I hope the development coaches help him improve on that... however that can be done. A third issue, and it isn't as significant for me but it could be something that projects as a bigger problem if Williams can't improve on it, is his skating. On the mechanics side, I've seen scouts describe his stride as awkward and clunky, with an inconsistent posture and a lunging stride that limits his quickness, agility, and ability to change directions. I'm not fully sure I saw a lot of that last part, I thought his agility and quick pivots was, if anything, a strength. But the other issue has to do with a lack of high end power and explosiveness in his skating, and this is the other area where I think him adding more muscle and weight will help a lot. Being able to separate from more players will help him with his offensive creation a lot. [\- TSNCooper Williams followed Saskatoon teammate Zach Olson to the Leafs in Saturday’s draft. “Just seeing your name up there, especially with Toronto, it was pretty unreal,” the 18-year-old centre from Calgary said. “Just clapping and then some hugs and mom was crying.” Williams models his play style on Nick Suzuki.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-db71fd91-2158-403a-a56d-f32f3f1a5cf3.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F06-29-2026-2Ft_42c6568e18904a3284d1f4d0ea7a72e0_name_2026_6_29_772abf87_96f4_4efb_9935_8bc52614a3bd_jpg_1200x675-33fc75a3-9fb0-40f6-8278-b67507210309.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/06/29/pretty-unreal-for-blades-williams-to-be-picked-by-leafs-models-style-on-suzuki/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT So one thing I'll say is that going into this deep dive into Williams, I already knew and had seen at least something of him. I knew he was in a lot of rankings in the first or second round for most of the season, and I had seen some games of his when they were playing Edmonton in the regular and playoffs, and when I did my deep dive into Olson. But I was not expecting to come away from my research and game tape of his and feeling like he could be a steal, but I did. The sheer number of times I saw him repeatedly execute on some pretty high skilled plays – that one-touch playmaking, that high to low and/or cross seam pass to a teammate right in front of the net for a tap in where he's almost just banking it off the player's stick, those net-front deflections, shots from in tight, they're all the kinds of offensive plays that project very well to higher levels. If he could add a better rush offense to his repertoire he could be a very versatile offensive creator, even if he isn't necessarily elite at any one of them. Combine that offensive potential with Williams' dedication and impact on the defensive side of the puck, and I see a player that could turn into a hidden gem or a steal or whatever you want to call it. I know the problem is that some of his physical tools and the pace of his decision making at even strength are holding him back from being able to consistently execute those high level plays on a consistent enough basis. But to me, that just means he has the potential to take a big leap forward if he can improve on those tools and his decision making enough to unlock more of that high level skill. One thing that I think would help Williams a lot is to move him to the wing. He's not bad at center, but in the long term if he can't get strong enough, or improve those tools or decision making enough, his abilities would play up a lot better on the wing. The fact that, so far, he seems to be a pretty poor faceoff guy (\~40% this season), and also the fact that Toronto's system is already rife with defensive two-way centers like him (Koblar, Holinka, Hopkins, Quillan, Haymes...) then, well, if you have to move someone over to the wing anyways he makes more sense to me. ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thursday's FTB: John Chayka Goes To Costco URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-john-chayka-goes-to-costco/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T10:00:48.000Z Yesterday started off with a not terribly surprising move: [Toronto traded Nick Robertson to PittsburghKyle Dubas, always loyal.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-c32982c8-20e2-4edd-8b58-596cb31e141b.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1605745341112-85968b19335b-f3d76541-e8b8-4d55-b3b7-f70b4cd5a684)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/report-toronto-trading-nick-robertson-to-pittsburgh/) Actually it started of with a lot of talk about Zach Werenski. And I was some double digit % of the way to believing. Then it all cooled off. > On the Zach Werenski rumors, Maple Leafs GM John Chayka didn’t want to make a comment on specific players but emphasized that they maintained their future flexibility to be in a good spot when players of note do become available if they wanted to pursue those avenues > > — Anna Dua (@AnnaNoelleDua) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/AnnaNoelleDua/status/2072426926954676317?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And then... > Columbus Blue Jackets President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell and All-Star defenseman Zach Werenski have issued the following statements today. [pic.twitter.com/xsQc2HyjSV](https://t.co/xsQc2HyjSV?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/BlueJacketsNHL/status/2072433870494896531?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I feel used. My modest investment in an unlikely event was for what? So you two could reconcile. I mean, why, though? Look at what CBJ did in free agency. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-01-174926.png) Who wouldn't be thrilled? > Now, if you'll just look right here... [pic.twitter.com/gZLEKTkSLy](https://t.co/gZLEKTkSLy?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) [July 2, 2026](https://x.com/BlueJacketsNHL/status/2072478770426961931?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Wait what was I doing? Oh, yeah, the bulk buy then occurred: The flood of identical depth centres/wingers, er, flooded in. It's a good thing these guys wear nametags because they're all the same guy. Most of these players are described below as centres, but moving a centre to wing is always easy, so the versatility of these signings is also duplicated with each one. [Maple Leafs Sign Centre Jack RoslovicHe waited too long last year, he didn’t do that this time.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-79e53931-dc6e-4394-aa4a-71a9f2eeedbf.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1596008194705-2091cd6764d4-7802a7d0-7c05-4457-a2c1-6ed399d6d846)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-centre-jack-roslovic/) [Maple Leafs Sign Teddy BluegerAnother depth player and former linemate of Dakota Joshua.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-daa0c743-c7c0-4971-8c07-a09cd061d000.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1523633589114-88eaf4b4f1a8-23a5fb66-ffca-45cf-ad8f-5a1e3f5a3cd8)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-le/) [Maple Leafs Sign Centre Colton SissonsA centre! They signed a centre!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-9d1f0318-7a78-4b6d-b7ab-6ca8664ecf94.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1587115508501-2628609cbea6-62319af5-5929-49dd-b5c4-f1806c1157cc)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-centre-colton-sissons/) [Maple Leafs Sign Brandon DuhaimeAnother depth forward of a certain type.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-ddc2f20d-54af-40cd-a628-a1e4ee14189e.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1586037100920-55bdc6d75fc3-bb03aebc-9586-42b3-a47c-500845d56f5f)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-brandon-duhaime/#comments) [Maple Leafs trade Dennis Hildeby for Nick PaulAnd some picks are involved.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-4da74dc7-568c-4fa2-98ac-fff84a19d99a.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1601897690942-bcacbad33e55-de77f3b5-d968-4b3b-8184-c7a9f7ff9de8)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-nick-paul-for-dennis-hildeby/#comments) > Maple Leafs GM John Chayka on the Dennis Hildeby - Nick Paul trade: > > “At the end of the day it’s a good hockey trade… academically it makes sense to carry three goalies, realistically it’s hard.” > > — Anna Dua (@AnnaNoelleDua) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/AnnaNoelleDua/status/2072427830915264698?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) One of these things he picked up is not like the others, though: [Maple Leafs sign Sergei BobrovskyA big swing at getting the old tandem back together with Anthony Stolarz.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-c856bae6-c782-4597-9388-52d53f18afde.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1487218544269-6ec95ee9addf-534ebf9d-6fa9-46dc-9353-9b87c07c10e6.jpeg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-sergei-bobrovsky/) Big money got spent on Sergei Bobrovsky. This is, as Species said yesterday, a "risk on" type of move. Just like with Darren Raddysh. I'll tell you a secret, though. Shhh, tell no one. No one actually knows how any team will perform in the coming year. All you can do is try and see if it works. Sometimes you have to take big gambles in life. PuckPedia shows the Leafs with 13 forwards now. And there's going to be another guy signed soon. > Chayka on how his lieutenants performed in a busy free agent day for the new mgt. team: "Mats Sundin was amazing, super thoughtful, incredibly important sounding board. (AGM) Ryan Hardy, a guy I don't know, helped a ton on some of these key players. I think he's a future GM." > > — Lance Hornby 🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@sunhornby) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/sunhornby/status/2072454051619340476?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > rt [https://t.co/1akKcBObMQ](https://t.co/1akKcBObMQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/12vsBeMi0t](https://t.co/12vsBeMi0t?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2072429267862843611?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) So we're Florida now? Only with taxation that supports the people who need support as opposed the hockey players? I'm good with that. It's bloody hot enough out. In other news, the headline of this article should be: Damn you, Sunny Mehta! But I'd already picked the Costco line. > Utah has one week to match > > There is a bit of a poison pill here, too. If Mammoth do match...they cannot trade him for one calendar year. But, Hayton can become a UFA next July. [https://t.co/R6Yq1aFvFI](https://t.co/R6Yq1aFvFI?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2072451573213466799?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) When I saw that Utah had elected arbitration on Barrett Hayton, I was curious. It's rare that teams do this, but if you do it in the first window, you can get an award 85% of the previous year's salary, so usually it is done when a team thinks the player is worth less than their QO. They are wrong! And Sunny Mehta knows it. The near $5 million is what he's worth, because he's easily a 3C, even a 2C if you have scoring wingers. He is genuinely that good, and Utah don't know it. This is classic moneyball stuff where you go for a guy who is misunderstood. In his case, his counting stats are low. But forget that. He plays hockey, and he plays it at a high level. Use him has a 3C and you've got a leg up on a lot of teams. Damn you, Sunny Mehta. Utah can match that and then let him walk as a UFA or they can take the picks. If they do, I know a guy who has a club pack of depth centres... Meanwhile Hayton gets to bask in the warm sunny glow of being understood. And don't we all want that. I hope Utah takes the pick. ### Free Agency FTB: What will the Leafs do today? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/free-agency-ftb-what-will-the-leafs-do-today/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T21:52:14.000Z This is the day we find out where John Chayka wants to go. We all know the history since Keith Pelley was hired as CEO and that his mandate is apparently to clean house of whatever or whomever was broken or not working, and then to go and make bold moves. You only need to look at what happened with the Raptors yesterday, still unofficial, that MLSE executives have given out leeway to the management of the franchises to make bold and aggressive moves to right the franchise ships. In Bay Street terms, Pelley was directed to go risk-on, which is why he went to Chayka to run the Leafs in the first place since Treliving was the expert at risk-off and therefore not compatible with the ownership's current philosophy. Today we see what that brings us, and you can insert here the many discussions already had about how the league has swung to a predictable annual salary cap increase environment and all that entails. I won't repeat it all, but I remember when it was like that before with Brian Burke in charge and you do have to be careful as a rising salary cap can cover up many mistakes and over-payments. Risk is the GM's business, but not the stupid kind of risk. Today we find out how good Chayka is at that job. I'll now leave this totally unrelated clip of an NHL player that is UFA here. You know what to do, John. > Mueller ➡️ Moore ➡️ Marchment. [#ThisIsMMMore](https://x.com/hashtag/ThisIsMMMore?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)[#MarliesLive](https://x.com/hashtag/MarliesLive?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/rSWCPMKR80](https://t.co/rSWCPMKR80?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 14, 2018](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/1007409801490415616?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Here's some interesting things that happened yesterday. > Jeremy Lauzon : 6 X $4M [@GoldenKnights](https://x.com/GoldenKnights?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [@TVASports](https://x.com/TVASports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Renaud Lavoie (@RLavoieTVA) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/RLavoieTVA/status/2072138370512306484?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Sounds like David Perron will hit the market at 12 noon on Wednesday. > > Talks continue with [#LGRW](https://x.com/hashtag/LGRW?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and he remains open to signing there, but does not seem likely to materialize in a deal at this point in time. > > — Frank Seravalli (@frank\_seravalli) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/frank%5Fseravalli/status/2072127782142853448?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Sources say Zach Werenski was presented with a trade option to a team he's unwilling to waive his NMC for. > > His [#CBJ](https://x.com/hashtag/CBJ?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) situation seems to be devolving. Werenski never formally requested a trade, but has had honest talks about the future since April. > > Unclear where this goes next. > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/reporterchris/status/2072152406343967215?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And some Marlies news. [Champs already at work retooling for next season![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/AHL90_500-300x300-514380f4-bdab-46a3-ac98-00939e88ae9b.png)The American Hockey LeaguePatrick Williams![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/hardy_ryan260630-1024x576-1be60e2b-787c-4854-b409-05b722ec36e9.jpg)](https://theahl.com/news/champs-already-at-work-retooling-for-next-season?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It's going to be hot out there today in Southern Ontario, with temperatures forecast to go slightly above 30°C in most of the GTA and intense humidity by around noon, so if you have some errands to run, do them as early as possible. The Eaton Centre will open, but not until 11:00 a.m., while Yorkdale and Sherway Gardens are shutdown. The LCBO is totally closed, but some Beer Store locations will be open. I'm sure you can find one of those "what's open and closed" stock stories the media puts out for days like this. Then you can chat here with us about the developments of the day, whatever they may be. UPDATE: The Werenski trade that was vetoed was to Dallas: [Zach Werenski vetoes trade to Dallas StarsAccording to Elliotte Friedman, Dallas and Columbus had a trade in place, but Zach Werenski vetoed it.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caElliotte Friedman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/zach-31cb9a3f-ea36-4d27-86fc-b8ae27d79fa6.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/zach-werenski-vetoes-trade-to-dallas-stars/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Yesterday it was reported that Columbus was fielding offers, but hadn't really discussed with Werenski himself where he would be willing to go. He has a full NMC. What is interesting about this situation is that his NMC changes to a 10-team NTC next summer, but clearly as said in the above article, this relationship has fallen apart. > New, for [@TheAthletic](https://x.com/TheAthletic?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Zach Werenski vetoes trade to Stars, open to landing with Maple Leafs or Lightning: Sources 🔗⬇️[https://t.co/ZiHNhA8O8v](https://t.co/ZiHNhA8O8v?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)[https://t.co/ZiHNhA8O8v](https://t.co/ZiHNhA8O8v?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/reporterchris/status/2072166991381864560?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) If this proves out to be true, and John Chayka can really make a legitimate offer... well, we'll see where this goes. ### Maple Leafs sign Sergei Bobrovsky URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-sergei-bobrovsky/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T21:52:42.000Z Per Darren Dreger: Three years at $7 million per year. Sergei Bobrovsky would be considered a bit small if he'd been a draft prospect last week. He's 6'2" and listed at 183 lbs. Compare that to Anthony Stolarz who is 6'6" and listed at 247 lbs. Bobrovsky might be still tending goal at a very high level at 37 because of those different numbers since goalies sometimes suffer more at higher weights. But who can ever tell anything about a goalie for sure? In 2019, Dale Tallon, then GM of the Florida Panthers, signed Bobrovsky to a seven-year deal for $10 million. At the time, many people thought it was one of the most absurd contracts ever written, and Bobrovsky's play in the first few seasons behind a very bad team didn't help that image. Tallon, who was back in charge of the team after an experimental period with a rookie GM with new ideas, took a big swing in landing the biggest free agent of 2019\. Tallon left the team the next year for many reasons, but the high-risk move and lack of initial reward from Bobrovsky has to be part of it. No one predicted Bobrovsky would be lifting the Cup (twice) near the end of the term on the deal. The lesson we'll want to focus on here is that you can't judge a risky move too soon. Trust me, we'll really want to keep that in mind this season. With Bobrovsky a UFA, the question was immediate about where he would go next. There are reports that he asked for a lot of term to remain in Florida – and his reasons could be many – that he wanted to leave but have it look like the team's choice, or that he knew they didn't want him and didn't want that public, or he thinks he should get a six year deal in a just universe. You have to have enormous self-belief to be a goalie. The rest of us, on the other hand, will struggle to get on board. I don't believe we have any way out here in the public of predicting future goalie performance with any sort of accuracy. I would rather guess at the points a defensive defenceman will get than predict a goalie's next season. I'm not going to dig deep into any numbers, instead I'm showing you this: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/history-bobrose88.png) The black line is Expected Goals Allowed per hundred shots in all-situations. In other words this is the rate *not* the amount, so if the black line goes up you are *not* seeing the team allowing more shots, you are seeing the team allowing harder shots to save in the aggregate. Clearly Florida was different to Columbus with the exception being those two golden years of cup wins. The red line is goals actually allowed. And yes, if you make the classic mistake of applying action verbs to a line graph, you might think it is "going up". Line graphs aren't objects in space with inertia and momentum. The laws of physics that we humans are used to thinking with – all unknowingly – don't apply. Yes, I'm talking about the theory of measuring a goalie and how we misread charts because I don't have one single clue where those lines will go. This is big risk. Risks don't pay off right away sometimes, just ask Dale. And goalies are still deeply mysterious. This doesn't mean they can't be understood, just that we don't have the information to form good opinions. Which is perfect! No need to work at it, just come up with a slogan and repeat it every loudly! Sergei Bobrovsky, welcome to Toronto, you are now the living, breathing Rorschach test of a giant fandom prone to negativity. What could possibly go wrong? Some numerical data from Evolving Hockey if you like numbers more than pictures: | Season | Team | GP | TOI | FA | xGA | GA | GSAx | xFSv% | FSv% | dFSv% | | ------ | ---- | -- | ------- | ------- | ------ | ------ | ------- | ----- | ----- | ------ | | 10-11 | PHI | 54 | 3017.37 | 2089.28 | 141.91 | 130.03 | 11.88 | 93.21 | 93.78 | 0.57 | | 11-12 | PHI | 29 | 1550.03 | 1092.25 | 77.39 | 78.87 | \-1.48 | 92.91 | 92.78 | \-0.14 | | 12-13 | CBJ | 38 | 2218.95 | 1462.39 | 83.95 | 73.33 | 10.62 | 94.26 | 94.99 | 0.73 | | 13-14 | CBJ | 58 | 3299.43 | 2208.8 | 128.39 | 130.76 | \-2.37 | 94.19 | 94.08 | \-0.11 | | 14-15 | CBJ | 51 | 2994.2 | 2207.32 | 128.91 | 135.04 | \-6.13 | 94.16 | 93.88 | \-0.28 | | 15-16 | CBJ | 37 | 2116.35 | 1444.14 | 90.8 | 99.16 | \-8.36 | 93.71 | 93.13 | \-0.58 | | 16-17 | CBJ | 63 | 3707.07 | 2536.4 | 171.53 | 126.43 | 45.1 | 93.24 | 95.02 | 1.78 | | 17-18 | CBJ | 65 | 3911.47 | 2708.7 | 179.41 | 157.1 | 22.31 | 93.38 | 94.2 | 0.82 | | 18-19 | CBJ | 62 | 3556.23 | 2390.76 | 151.02 | 153.86 | \-2.84 | 93.68 | 93.56 | \-0.12 | | 19-20 | FLA | 50 | 2805.78 | 2019.25 | 137.54 | 151 | \-13.46 | 93.19 | 92.52 | \-0.67 | | 20-21 | FLA | 31 | 1814.87 | 1182.28 | 77.22 | 87.19 | \-9.97 | 93.47 | 92.63 | \-0.84 | | 21-22 | FLA | 54 | 3082.03 | 2023.85 | 149.78 | 137.64 | 12.14 | 92.6 | 93.2 | 0.6 | | 22-23 | FLA | 50 | 2833.65 | 2029.3 | 148.77 | 145.85 | 2.92 | 92.67 | 92.81 | 0.14 | | 23-24 | FLA | 58 | 3414.23 | 2208.91 | 151.62 | 135.86 | 15.76 | 93.14 | 93.85 | 0.71 | | 24-25 | FLA | 54 | 3199.97 | 2042.05 | 139.45 | 130.49 | 8.96 | 93.17 | 93.61 | 0.44 | | 25-26 | FLA | 52 | 3009.65 | 1953.58 | 152.73 | 154.48 | \-1.75 | 92.18 | 92.09 | \-0.09 | That AAV though. Update: official on Bobrovsky [Maple Leafs Sign Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to a three-year contract. Bobrovsky, 37, skated in 52 games with the Florida Panthers last season, posting a 27-23-1 record and a .877 save percentage. In 806 NHL regular season games, split between Philadelphia, Columbus,![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-9ccedf81-b23f-4b07-ad79-e20c078874ce.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/fi7pbrauhlmzinqjevmv-4c376aec-ae17-49f9-9fe0-151a4ca8a807.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-goaltender-sergei-bobrovsky?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) They do not report AAV or any other contract information because they live to annoy us all, and they should just put that in the article. ### Maple Leafs trade Dennis Hildeby for Nick Paul URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-nick-paul-for-dennis-hildeby/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T21:53:10.000Z [Maple Leafs Complete Trade With Tampa Bay | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has acquired forward Nick Paul from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for goaltender Dennis Hildeby, a fourth-round selection in the 2027 NHL Draft and a third-round selection in the 2028 NHL Draft. Paul, 31, recorded seven goals and eight![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-fca4834f-d398-4bf8-83b3-a12d087169b5.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/dojkxciiljzjxxmr3jo1-2c4ee06d-a504-4944-80dc-e4f14ddbdd7d.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-complete-trade-with-tampa-bay-x6381?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has acquired forward Nick Paul from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for goaltender Dennis Hildeby, a fourth-round selection in the 2027 NHL Draft and a third-round selection in the 2028 NHL Draft. > Paul, 31, recorded seven goals and eight assists in 51 games with Tampa Bay in 2025-26, before skating in six playoff games for the Lightning. The Mississauga, Ontario native has appeared in 537 career NHL games between Ottawa and Tampa Bay, registering 214 points (104 goals, 110 assists). He has appeared in 45 playoff games with the Lightning and amassed 14 points (10 goals, four assists). > Internationally, Paul has represented Canada at the senior and junior levels, capturing gold at the 2021 IIHF World Championship, where he scored the tournament winning goal in overtime for Canada, as well as gold at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship. > Paul was originally selected by Dallas in the fourth round (101st overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft. With the signing of Sergei Bobrovsky, Dennis Hidebly became an extra goalie who was not waivers exempt. Trading him seemed inevitable. Paul has, natuarally, been a thorn in the sides of the Leafs with the Lightning. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/download-1.png) A careful study of the players signed today would reveal a defensive bent to every single one, and Paul is no exception. Paul is 31, another centre, and is under contract for three more years at $3.150 million. He has a modified no-trade in all three years of 16 teams. He either waived it for this deal or the Leafs weren't on it. ### Maple Leafs sign Zack MacEwen URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-lea/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T20:19:25.000Z > The [#LeafsForever](https://x.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) signed 29 y/o F Zach MacEwen to a 2 year $875K cap hit contract > > Yr 1: $850K > Yr 2: $900K > > Rep'd by Doug Shepherd [@dougshepherd14](https://x.com/dougshepherd14?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/u20YCHsbM7](https://t.co/u20YCHsbM7?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2072411938454138932?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Zack MacEwen is a fourth line tough guy when he is in the NHL who has played on several teams in the past. He is one of those players who has surprisingly good on-ice results in the NHL, playing almost exclusively against other fourth lines. Given the flood of players the Leafs have signed, he will likely be on the Marlies most of the time. He missed most of last season with a knee injury. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-01-161812.png) ### Maple Leafs Sign Brandon Duhaime URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-brandon-duhaime/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T19:47:52.000Z > I’m sorry I got mixed-up between tweets, sorry about that > > This one is 3 x $2.6M [https://t.co/5uFiqNFSN1](https://t.co/5uFiqNFSN1?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2072406613793595646?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Brandon Duhaime is 29, a left-shooting winger, but he is not the classic fast-skating, high-scoring type that the Leafs used to fill up with. He had a very down year for points this past season in Washington, but by other, more interesting measures, he had a very good season. If you've guessed that's defensively, you win the prize. He has no real personal shooting skill, but he is a reliable bottom six player who shows good impacts on transition and defence. He is particularly good at preventing quality shots against. He fits exactly in the type of player John Chayka has filled the bottom six with today, and he is very inexpensive. ### Maple Leafs Sign Teddy Blueger URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-le/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T19:12:07.000Z > Teddy Blueger to Toronto: 2-years, $5M total > > — David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/TheFourthPeriod/status/2072387168186601822?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Teddy Blueger (he has anglicized his name to this version) is due to turn 32, and is a left-shooting centre/winger. He has a long career, and has spent the last three years in Vancouver. He is just like the other bottom-six signings today, primarily a defensive player with good impacts on transition. He has some small offensive gifts. It is extremely clear the direction of the Leafs, with some depth signings that aren't zippy wingers with a lot of goals and nothing else, is to actually create the offensive zone opportunities for the top six by not asking them to play so much defence. Blueger suffered a lower body injury in the first half of last season, but came back and lived through the final couple months of the Canucks tank season. He played for Latvia at the Olympics as their first line centre. Blueger is widely regarded as a "character guy" and "culture guy". Blueger had a lot of success with Dakota Joshua in Vancouver two years ago, he's historically strong on faceoffs, and he [fought Radko Gudas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBZNh4xQYWc&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) last year. Looking at his pointz, he scored his own goals, but his teammates had terrible finishing, leading to a skewed goal ratio and poor assist count. He's got useful speed, good PK skills, and he's a reliable third line centre. [Amid disaster, at least Teddy Blueger outperformed expectations in 2025-26: Year in Review

Teddy Blueger probably won’t remember his 2025-26 season with the Vancouver Canucks as one of his best. It was the worst team performance of his career, by far, and only the second time in his eight-year NHL career that he’s missed the playoffs (with last year being the first). It was also his most injury-laden…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-0bf7e808-4c9f-48f7-a10e-3d7a7e14f5eb.png)Canucks ArmyStephan Roget![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-06fed747-d8e1-4066-9f1b-3c7fbc334a92)](https://canucksarmy.com/news/amid-disaster-least-teddy-blueger-outperformed-expectations-2025-26-year-review?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Why the rebuilding Canucks should re-sign Teddy Blueger as a culture carrier | Wagner’s Weekly

Rebuilds need veterans.   The Vancouver Canucks need to add more prospects and youth as they aim for long-term success. That’s the exciting part of a rebuild: seeing young players take their first steps toward becoming future stars. The Canucks have too few future stars at the moment, but they’ll hopefully be adding one with…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-76179a47-56b1-4260-b919-aeb8e0adb24d.png)Canucks ArmyDaniel Wagner![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-89ca0758-f749-4da3-a1ef-9aa14d8a4d13)](https://canucksarmy.com/news/why-rebuilding-vancouver-canucks-re-sign-teddy-blueger-culture-carrier-wagners-weekly?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Teddy Blueger Joins Canucks Insider Podcast to Discuss Building Culture | Vancouver CanucksThrough much of his professional hockey career, Teddy Blueger has consistently shaped his game around playing the right way. Those values were instilled and reinforced to him early in his hockey career, but especially during college, and has been something he takes very seriously, not only for the benefit of![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-c3936f3e-8083-49a2-850c-40bceaeca784.png)Vancouver Canucks logoNaomi Altwasser![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ddnspwg9fnh08uh0ee4m-cb9a5f98-55de-45da-ba84-f8c413f65397.png)](https://www.nhl.com/canucks/news/teddy-blueger-joins-canucks-insider-podcast-to-discuss-building-culture?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### ### Maple Leafs Sign Centre Colton Sissons URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-centre-colton-sissons/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T18:18:28.000Z > Colton Sissons 2 x $4.25 > > Toronto > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2072383613073527026?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Colton Sissons is a 32-year-old right-shot centre who is coming off one year in Vegas after a long career in Nashville. He is not an offensive force, nor is he as good defensively now as he was at his peak age in Nashville, but he is a centre who can PK, play third-line minutes if he has to, or he can contribute on the fourth line. He is also very capable at defensive zone faceoffs. That sounds like a weak resume for a player today, but with Jack Roslovic costing $4 million, the Leafs had to pay the going rate to fill in their serious need. Sissons is very similar, just a little more defensive and less offensive. Crucially, his major attribute is impacts on quality of shots against, and his overall defensive impacts are very good. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/07/download.png) ### Maple Leafs Sign Centre Jack Roslovic URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-centre-jack-roslovic/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T17:10:46.000Z > 2 x $4M [https://t.co/Mz5TryxUfc](https://t.co/Mz5TryxUfc?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2072365839609684171?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's the typical 3C price we're seeing around the league. Roslovic has had an interesting history. He is 29, very young for UFAs of value this year, and he is originally from Columbus, OH. He played in the Blue Jackets youth teams, but was drafted by Winnipeg. It didn't take long before he moved to his hometown team, and then in 2024, he was traded to the Rangers at the deadline. He's moved from team-to-team since then, and took a very late, very lowball contract last season after holding out too long. He is more offensively focused than your usual defence-first depth guy, and he had terrible defensive results in Edmonton. Shocking. His primary value is transition skills, crucially, per the HockeyViz model and some real offence creation. He has some personal shooting skill as well. He is also a right-shooting centre, of value on a team with two lefties at the top of the depth chart. ### Toronto traded Nick Robertson to Pittsburgh URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/report-toronto-trading-nick-robertson-to-pittsburgh/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T15:49:25.000Z > Hearing Toronto trading Nick Robertson to Pittsburgh > > — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/PierreVLeBrun/status/2072334641621606800?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Nick Robertson was recently qualified as an RFA, but with arbitration rights, his contract will likely exceed his value. > for a 4th Rd pick [https://t.co/UYE8m7tT1q](https://t.co/UYE8m7tT1q?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) [July 1, 2026](https://x.com/PierreVLeBrun/status/2072335786150687206?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Official: [Maple Leafs Complete Trade With Pittsburgh | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has acquired a fourth-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft in exchange for forward Nicholas Robertson. Robertson, 24, recorded 16 goals and 16 assists in 78 games with Toronto in 2025-26\. The Pasadena, California native has appeared in 234 career![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-e5380f65-d5f1-4cf4-9ae6-5d5bab4c7b84.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/do6zol1ouat5yvfhmaww-66dd6e9c-bed3-479d-8ddb-26132957865c.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-complete-trade-with-pittsburgh?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The pick is Pittsburgh's own 2028 fourth-rounder. ### Shopping for contracts URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/shopping-for-contracts-nhl-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T13:00:08.000Z ## Leafs who recieved qualifying offers The following players were qualified by the Leafs. They remain as RFAs. The players with arbitration rights are listed. Nicholas Robertson (ARB) Emil Andrae (ARB) Jacob Quillan (ARB) William Villeneuve (ARB) Ryan Tverberg (ARB) The following players were unqualified by the Leafs are UFAs. Thanks to the brilliant [Shinson](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesday-ftb-whos-got-the-qualifications/?ht-comment-id=35272100) we know that the Leafs retain the first right of refusal for any of the European players if they want to make an NHL comeback before the age of 27\. The Leafs no longer need to retain them as RFAs or give them qualifying offer for these rights. In short, we might still see SDA on the Leafs! Matias Maccelli (ARB) Henry Thrun (ARB) John Prokop (ARB) Semyon Der-Arguchintsev Roni Hirvonen Topi Niemela Vyacheslav Peksa Braeden Kressler ## Leafs under contract for next season Here are the players under contract for the Leafs who are locked into an NHL roster spot barring unforeseen circumstances. Wingers are placed based on their handedness. Centre: Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Max Domi (IR) Right Wing: William Nylander Left Wing: Matthew Knies, Easton Cowan, Dakota Joshua, Steven Lorentz, Gavin McKenna (we can jump the gun here on his ELC). Left Defence: Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe, Oliver Ekman-Larsson Right Defence: Darren Raddysh, Chris Tanev, Troy Stecher Goalies: Anthony Stolarz, Dennis Hildeby This roster totals 16 healthy players. 2 centres, 6 wingers, 6 defenders, and 2 goalies. Salary cap wise: \~$21 million in cap space with Domi counting against the cap but before McKenna's \~$1.1m ELC. There's a lot of money to go around. Contract efficiency was beneficial in a flat-cap era, but as the cap keeps rising dramatically each year the priority becomes getting the right players under contract to ice a competitive roster. It's far cheaper to overpay a dependable player than to try and fill a hole late in the season with a pricy trade deadline acquisition. And there are quite a few holes to fill. ## Holes to fill ### An entire third line Matthews, Nylander, Tavares, Knies, Cowan, and McKenna makes six. Regardless whether any of those players start on the third line, the Leafs need at least three middle six forwards between them and the next forwards under contract (Joshua and Lorentz). Nick Robertson was qualified, which could mean we're going to see him on the third line, or used as a trade chip this summer. Either way, the most glaring need is up the middle. Max Domi is presumed injured until told otherwise, so the only signed centre on the depth chart between Tavares and the prospects is Bo Groulx. As much as I love our Calder Cup champions, neither Groulx or Quillan should skate higher than the fourth line if the Leafs are serious about winning. Expect the Leafs to acquire one or two or maybe more centres this week. Either by dishing out "too much money" or going and making a trade. This should be a priority and I'm surprised it hasn't been up until now. ### Knies or Knies' replacement? The Leafs are definitely in on Mason Marchment. I'm more than happy for them to dress both Marchment and Knies. I'm always down for some firewagon fun. The reason Knies is on the market isn't because he's replaceable, it's because he might actually provide enough value for the Leafs to improve at a position that's more important: centre or defense. ### Depth Defenders As always with prospects, the goal isn't to expect Ben Danford to make the Leafs out of training camp. It is on the Leafs to establish an incumbent and set the bar for Danford to beat. Barring a trade, the Leafs have six defenders locked in under contract for next season. Until Emil Andrae signs, Stecher is 6th and Myers would be 7th on the depth chart. Danford has those players to pass during training camp if he wants to make the roster. I would say that's a much more difficult path than a month ago when it was Myers and Benoit. I expected the Leafs to sign a RHD that would slot in the depth chart above Myers and below Tanev. That ended up being Stecher! I personally think their defense business is done, but I wouldn't be surprised if they sign another RD if they're concerned about Tanev's health. That would give the Leafs about 10 potential NHL defenders heading into camp, which is the correct amount of depth. I think there was some heat regarding Zach Werenski, but that cooled down as it because obvious the Leafs don't have the assets to pry the Norris trophy winner out of CBJ. Insider Trading made it clear not to expect it to happen. ### Hildeby or someone new? Having two unproven goalies behind Anthony Stolarz might not be the safest strategy, so at the very least it shouldn't be a surprise if the Leafs sign/acquire a goalie with a more proven track record. Sergei Bobrovsky reportedly wants to sign in Toronto and there might be mutual interest there. The only other goalies I might sneeze at are Freddy Andersen and Stuart Skinner, so uhh... yeah. Dennis Hildeby dressing as the backup for basically the entire Calder Cup run was super weird and I expect that storyline to have another act in training camp. We'll see how things unfold. ## Potential promotions from the AHL These are the Marlies who are **already under contract**. Bo Groulx - 26 years old - C/LW Ben Danford - 20 years old - RD Artur Akhtyamov - 24 years old - G Long shots from the Marlies who didn't reasonably get close to the Easton Cowan, Juuso Valimaki bar from the Calder Cup Finals. Luke Haymes - 22 years old - C Michael Pezzetta - 28 years old - LW (a GWG fiend, but I should probably stop here). Dark Horses, prospects to keep an eye on for bigger roles in the organization, not necessarily the NHL. Tinus-Luc Koblar - 18 years old - C Miroslav Holinka - 20 years old - C If I missed any players, it's because this isn't a prospect ranking (that's in a couple weeks) or those players aren't signed. ### Too much information on one depth UFA option URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/too-much-information-on-one-depth-ufa-option/ Last updated: 2026-07-01T12:00:52.000Z A few days before the draft, TSN's Cameron Gaunce did a video about very under the radar UFAs. I watched it and made a rude comment after the bit he did on who he thought the Leafs should be interested in. And then I looked again. You might remember Gaunce, who did a one-year stint on the Marlies near the end of his career. He played mostly in the AHL, and now he's a regular on various TSN shows. Full marks to Gaunce for noticing Jeffrey Viel, even if his sales pitch on him wasn't great. Most of what he said about Viel was how he's tough and he hits and one time he fought Zdeno Chara. But a deeper look rewards the curious. Viel is not overly large considering his reputation, and is 29 years old – young for a UFA forward you'd even consider signing this year. He is a left-shooting winger, and like most players of his type, he plays either wing. He is from Rimouski, and he played in the Q as a junior where he had around a point per game once he was established and a lot of penalty minutes. He won the MVP award when Rimouski won as QMJHL champion in 2018\. Undrafted, he signed with the San Jose Barracuda that fall, and then got an NHL deal with the Sharks a year later at 22\. He barely played in the short season in 2021, his first in the NHL, and he became a Group VI UFA after his ELC ended in San Jose. He tried a year in Winnipeg where he never left the AHL and then two in Boston where he did get in some NHL games, but Boston traded him to Anaheim in January. Why this guy? Why even look at a guy whose claim to fame is hard hits and penalty minutes – although, as usual with this type of guy, he cuts those back a bit in the NHL. That's what I wondered when Gaunce segued from a discussion of the analytics on fringe defender Mike Reilly – an analytics darling of old – to an energy guy. Viel has some offence, that's why. He's not useless with the puck. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-24-065043.png) That is really good shooting location and quantity from a guy playing 10-12 minutes a game on a minimum salary contract. That's twice the xG that Steven Lorentz had last year. Viel played with the lowest ranked forwards in Anaheim and faced nearly an average level of competition, so he was no sheltered fourth liner who only ever played against his opposite numbers. If you compare him to the two players discussed here: [2 Players, 2 Paths, Same ResultA numerical coincidence that illustrates there are many paths to the same destination.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-4f264083-711c-44b9-a6e1-1cac0c019d07.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1429743305873-d4065c15f93e-f32f4727-4b47-4901-b2dc-c4eef4329c6f)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2-players-2-paths-same-result/) You find him in the sweet spot in terms of shooting style between the very opportunistic Dakota Joshua and the nearly irrational pattern of Nick Robertson. He's in the sweet spot between them in terms of speed, physicality and energy. He takes too many penalties, that's his only really bad trait. A remnant of the circus that is the CHL sometimes. The Ducks used him with some depth players for some time and then moved him up the lineup as he outclassed his linemates. Not a hard hurdle to clear, but he was a good get for them. That's the whole pitch: he's big-ish, tough, plays hard, has more offence than you should expect from a player in the bottom 25% of your forward corps and is not going to bust the bank on a contract. I'm sorry I doubted Gaunce, a guy who knows the difference between a good AHLer and a depth NHLer. ### Scouting Toronto's 2026 Development Camp Roster URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/scouting-torontos-2026-development-camp-roster/ Last updated: 2026-06-30T13:00:59.000Z The development camp is here! It's not as interesting to follow these days, since they made the (probably smart) decision to not have a full scrimmage last summer since they had some noteworthy prospects suffer injuries in back to back years. No idea if they're sticking to that this year, but I'd assume so. Still, I always find it interesting to see the interviews with players and coaches to hear what they're working on with each player. In the past, we've also seen the odd player get an AHL or even NHL/ELC contract out of their participation, and some of them are often included in their Rookie Tournament roster later in the summer. I will selfishly say I hope they bring back the scrimmage so we can see some real star prospects for the first time in a number of years in game action! Sure the rookie tournament is coming up after where we can see them, but what are we supposed to be patient and wait that long??? ### Drafted & Signed Players McKenna is the obvious headliner, but all of the forwards they just drafted will be there as well. From previous drafts, Koblar will be there and the idea of him centering McKenna makes me happy. Holinka, Hopkins and Nansi will also be there. Likewise, all of Toronto's defensemen who they've drafted in the past few years are attending except for Nathan Mayes, whose rights they lost after not signing him. I don't know if we'll get a scrimmage, since they cut it last year after a couple years in a row of guys getting hurt. In net, we have a real life sighting of Timofei Obvintsev who I was not certain was even alive after he barely dressed or played in Russia for each of the last two years. I don't know if they can arrange for somewhere he can actually play in Russia or have him come here and get some ECHL time or something, but my dude just needs to PLAY. They also have the two new goalies they just drafted, Ainasto and Plumins. If there is no scrimmage, I'm mostly looking forward to seeing Toronto's various coaches and execs talking about the players and give some updates for who's playing where and what they're working on. Here's the full list of the Leafs' prospects who are attending: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-55.png) Aside from that, I mainly want to look at the various prospects that Toronto invited to this dev camp. I'll just look at them player by player and say if I'm interested in them as a potential signing or not. If I'm interested, I'll add more details why. There are 26 of these invites this year, which is even more than last year. Let's test my patience and glutton for punishment! ## FORWARDS **Mick Thompson** – One of the few of these forwards I actually heard of and remembered, though it helps he was at last year's Dev Camp. He's a former Chicago Steel guy now on Harvard – a classic pipepline for former Leaf prospects. He's a 22 year old 5'9" winger, and has had decent production for a team that hasn't been very good the past two years. He actually led the team in points with 27, ahead of the second best teammate by 7 points. I'll say mild interest, but his type with his size, unless he has pretty elite skill or all around skills he would probably top out as a solid AHL guy. > The Mick Thompson show at Bright-Landry ⬇️ > > 📺 [https://t.co/SVwE3lfhFX](https://t.co/SVwE3lfhFX?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > 🌎 [https://t.co/i63oY19BLS](https://t.co/i63oY19BLS?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > 📊 [https://t.co/vTEMzRHvrW](https://t.co/vTEMzRHvrW?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)[#GoCrimson](https://x.com/hashtag/GoCrimson?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#OneCrimson](https://x.com/hashtag/OneCrimson?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/abATJvm4xP](https://t.co/abATJvm4xP?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Harvard Men's Hockey (@HarvardMHockey) [March 8, 2025](https://x.com/HarvardMHockey/status/1898179424174096397?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) **Judah Makway** – He's a 6'3", 21 year old center who played for Alaska-Anchorage last year and transferred to Maine for this coming season. He played in the BCHL before hand. While he played middle-six minutes, his point production on a very low-scoring team was on the very low side. Not very interested. **Ryan Johnson** – Johnson is a 23 year old 5'10" center, and he was Makway's teammate on Alaska-Anchorage, and had almost double his points. He's transferred to New Hampshire for this coming season. He was at last year's dev camp and I don't remember that at all. So considering that, his age and size and team, I'm also not interested. **Parker Lalonde** – A 22 year old 6'1" winger, also from Merrimack College in the NCAA last year for his freshman season. He had 37 points in 38 games, which actually led his team as a freshman with two NHL draft picks on the roster. He was actually a finalist for NCAA rookie of the year award. I'm moderately interested to see if he has anything else to his game. > GOAL! > > Lalonde shorthanded and we're evened up! > > Watch on [@ESPNPlus](https://x.com/ESPNPlus?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)[#GoMack](https://x.com/hashtag/GoMack?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) x [#MissionMerrimack](https://x.com/hashtag/MissionMerrimack?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/yy1S9n2O97](https://t.co/yy1S9n2O97?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Merrimack Men’s Hockey (@Merrimack\_MIH) [February 14, 2026](https://x.com/Merrimack%5FMIH/status/2022479060786434494?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) **Charlie Major** – A 21 year old 5'10" winger who had 27 points in 32 games in his sophomore season for Cornell University last year, which was good for fourth on the team. He looks like a decent skater with a good shot, but I can't find much else about the other elements of his game. I have more than zero interest, but not much more than that. **Felix Caron** – A 21 year old 6'0" right winger who, stop me if you've heard this before, played in the NCAA last year. He played his sophomore year on Ohio State and had a decent season, with 30 points in 37 games. That was good for 3rd on a decent team on a decent conference in college. I have moderate interest in him, depending on how he looks outside of the points. **Kieran Cebrian** – A 23 year old 6'2" center who played pretty healthy minutes for the NCAA champion University of Denver. His points were middling, but from the bit of highlights I've found he has a bit of skill but is one of the coaches favourites for being reliable and doing a lot of the little things right. He's played his four college seasons so he's most definitely looking for a contract, and I can see him getting an AHL/ECHL contract. **Jack Galanek** – A 20 year old 6'0" center who just played his freshman season for UMass in the NCAA. His 24 points in 36 games was good for third on the team in one of the better conferences in college, and I can see some past scouting reports giving him good grades for his motor, ability to establish body positioning, and give-and-go style. He's younger and only just had a good but not great freshman season, I'm assuming there's no contract coming for a couple of years yet. **Landon Hanson** – A teammate of Holinka and MacKenzie on the Edmonton Oil Kings this past season, he's aged out of junior and is joining Sacred Heart University in the NCAA next year. He had a decent season, with 55 points in 68 games, playing in more of a depth/supporting player role. He's a 6'0" winger, and like Galanek he's not likely going to be looking for or deserving a contract right now. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-57.png) **Aleksi Kivioja** – A 22 year old 6'5" center who has played two seasons for Providence College in the NCAA. I was pretty sure that he had been at a past development camp for the Leafs but I can't see that he did, so I guess his name was just familiar after being teammates with Hudson Malinoski those two years. He's Finnish born who only came to North America to play in the USHL in preparation for the NCAA, and from his entire profile he looks like a big defense first center. Not very interested barring some really good defensive skills. **Sam Alfano** – A 22 year old 6'4" right winger who finished his OHL career with Erie two years ago, then played his freshman season for Arizona State last year. He had 18 points in 35 games, which was 5th on the team with four NHL forward prospects on the roster. He's transferred to Maine this coming year. I have more than zero interest, but not much more than that. **Logan Morrell** – A 22 year old 6'3" center who also played for Arizona State last season, which was his sophomore year. He played his freshman season for Michigan Tech, where he had a better year in terms of points. From what I can tell he does a lot of his damage on the powerplay, where he seems to have pretty legitimate net-front skills for deflections and backdoor tap ins. Moderate interest, enough to see if he has any other strengths to his game outside of his offense or powerplay skills. > WHAT A SETUP. WHAT A FINISH 😈 > > Sam Alfano with the feed to Logan Morrell [#BeTheTradition](https://x.com/hashtag/BeTheTradition?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/dwM1Uks0yL](https://t.co/dwM1Uks0yL?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) [November 16, 2025](https://x.com/SunDevilHockey/status/1989874031437189220?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) **Tobias Pitka** – A 20 year old 6'4" center from Slovakia who... once again... played in the NCAA last year. He had 12 points in 25 games for Northern Michigan but is transferring to UMass-Lowell next year. That was actually 2nd on the team, despite playing fewer games, and they were very low-scoring as a team. I'll admit I'm mildly interested since he was in the NCAA a year earlier than most others, and who knows maybe he has a better skillset to offer than could be shown on what looks to be a very bad team. **Nick Roukounakis** – A 22 year old 6'2" left winger who played a depth role for Boston University, historically a very strong program in one of the two best conferences. Though I will say that from what I heard, the team was a bit of a hot mess last year. He had 7 points in 25 games, a very small improvement on his freshman season. From his history he looks like he's never been an offensive driver, but given he was good enough to make the roster for a top program, I have some mild interest to see what his non-offensive skills look like. **Parker Vaughan** – An 18 year old! Not from a college team! He's a 6'1" right winger who played on North Bay in the OHL last year. He was a former 5th overall pick in the OHL draft known as a power forward with puck skills, but his offense never really materialized in junior yet. He had 33 points in 68 games on a not-great offensive team, but what he did have was excellent defensive impacts, decent transitions, and solid off-puck skills. Elite Prospects' draft guide really liked his foundational skills and as a potential checking forward with hopes for his offensive skills to finally come together in a breakout. I'm guessing there's no contract coming until that breakout has already happened. So I wouldn't expect much. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-56.png) ## DEFENSEMEN **Zackary Sandhu** – Danford's long time defensive partner, following him from Oshawa to Brantford last season. He's 20 years old, 6'2" and a left-shot, with an extremely defense-focused style. He did a good job of it in junior, and I've liked him enough I can see him getting an AHL/ECHL deal. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-58.png) **Quinn Mantei** – A 21 year old 6'0" left shot defenseman who played on Providence last year for his freshman season. He had 11 points in 36 games on a team known for their hard, physical and defensive style. He led the team in both penalty minutes and plus-minus, so I'll say mildly interested. **Richard Baran** – Another Arizona State guy, he's a 20 year old 6'1" left-shot defenseman from Slovakia who doesn't have much history of being an offensive guy. So I'll want to see what his non-offensive skill looks like before making any call on him. **Frank Djurasevic** – Oh he's already under contract by the Marlies. Missed that. And too lazy to update the image of the table I made. So here he stays. **Niklas Blessing** – Now here's someone novel. Blessing is a 19 year old 5'11" left-shot defenseman who hasn't played outside of Switzerland in his life. He played the vast majority of last season for EHC Biel-Bienne in the top pro league there, with 14 points in 47 games. He was also part of Switzerland's World Juniors roster and played some less important international games for the Men's team. Despite being a bit smaller he's pretty beefy at 192 lbs. I have some moderate interest in seeing what he looks like. **Matyas Man** – A 20 year old 6'5" left shot defenseman from Czechia who was an import player for Prince Albert in the WHL last year. He played more of a defensive depth role on a very good team that lost in the WHL finals. I'll want to see how his real-time skating, defense and skill looks, but in the highlights below you can see his flashes of puck handling, passing, and shooting that looks not bad at all. Call me mildly interested, and at his age he's probably looking for a potential contract somewhere, unless he's working on an NCAA commitment – as of writing this, he doesn't have one. > The Marvellous Matyas Man.[@PARaidersHockey](https://x.com/PARaidersHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#NHLDraft](https://x.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/2q9Mssoa87](https://t.co/2q9Mssoa87?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [June 10, 2026](https://x.com/TheWHL/status/2064754536376614985?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) **DJ Hart** – Great name. A 24 year old 6'3" right shot defenseman who has played three seasons for Union College in the NCAA. He's not an offensive guy, and he was apparently at last year's camp? I have zero memory of him so I'm gonna say not very interested considering he's already 24. **Jack Hewitt** – A 23 year old 6'0" right shot defenseman, who has played the past two years for Brown in the NCAA playing pretty few games and having virtually no points. From all the info I can find about him, I'm not very interested. **Nikita Voyaga** – An 18 year old 6'3" left shot defenseman who just went undrafted for the first time, Voyaga is a Russian-born import playing on Charlottetown in the QMJHL. Not much points, his impacts make it clear he's a defensive defenseman. He played most of the year on the third pair, in the Elite Prospects draft guide they gave him good grades for his retrievals and playing a "mean" and stifling style of defense. Mild interest, but given his age he's not likely to sign any contract. ## GOALIES **Patriks Berzins** – Apparently the Leafs saw Patriks Plumins name and assumed the plural it meant they needed to have more than one Latvian goalie named Patriks. He's 22, 6'1" and played for St Cloud in the NCAA last year as their 1B goalie. Not very interested. **Ethan McCallum** – A 20 year old 6'4" goalie who split last season between Saskatoon and Penticton in the WHL. His numbers were pretty bad on Saskatoon, but were very good on Penticton as their primary backup. He has a commitment to the NCAA already, so probably doesn't need a contract. **Sebastian Gatto** – Another return from last year, apparently, he's a 20 year old 6'4" goalie who played on London in the OHL last year. He narrowly edged Medvedev for playing the most games (38) but he had much better stats in his starts. At his age he may be looking for a contract, and/or an NCAA commitment. I have some mild interest, if they need an ECHL goalie now that they didn't qualify Peksa. ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Getting to Know Zach Olsen URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/getting-to-know-zach-olsen/ Last updated: 2026-06-30T12:02:10.000Z ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT **Position**: Right-shot winger **League**: WHL **Height**: 6'1" **Weight**: 207 lbs **Birth date**: Mar 16, 2008 Olsen doesn't have as interesting a path in his development as others I've profiled, or even as [Ethan MacKenzie that I wrote about yesterday](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/getting-to-know-ethan-mackenzie/). He was drafted 29th overall by Saskatoon in the WHL in 2023\. He was an average sized center with decent but not great numbers in the minors. When he joined Saskatoon full time, he got bumped to the wing. Where Olsen's teammate and fellow Maple Leafs draft pick Brandon Lisowsky finished second in the league for their age group in scoring, Olsen finished tied for 18th with 23 points in 60 games. He was used in mostly a bottom six depth role, and though his point totals don't scream success he was quietly earning the increased admiration of his coaches and the respect of his teammates and peers around the league. This season, Olsen opened again mostly in the bottom six – on the third line, specifically. He played on a line that was dedicated to checking and defensive hockey, and playing with energy and intense, physical forechecking. In interviews, his head coach mentioned he relied on him and the rest of that line to establish a physical tone early in games, wear down opposing teams' top defensemen behind the goal line, and then protect leads late in games. He apparently did such a good job that he eventually earned more playing time, getting the bump to the second line (some say the top line) right wing. That brought more ice time at even strength, but he also started getting more time on the powerplay but especially on the penalty kill. By the time the playoffs came around he was playing 17 to 19+ minutes per game, up from the 12-14 he played at the start. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/Olsen.png) Zach Olsen tracking data — 2024/25 season on the left, 2025/26 season on the right With the increased role, Olsen was relied on to be the Zach Hyman/Matthew Knies player on his line with some of their top offensive players. He played a lot with Saskatoon's leading scorer, David Lewandowski in a complimentary power forward role. Olsen did the dirty work on the forecheck, winning board battles, parking his butt in front of the net to tie up the defenseman and screen the goalie, and create clear pockets of ice for his linemates. He used his speed and physical play to create turnovers to prolong their offensive zone possessions. When he got the bump to the second/top line, he also started getting time on their secondary powerplay unit. He was used mainly as the net-front guy, battling with defensemen in front to set screens and using his good shot down low. He was a big part of their primary penalty killing unit, to the point that he was being used to take faceoffs on a two-winger configuration. Funnily enough, he won 60% of the faceoffs he took, and depending on how much time they were killing penalties in a game, he was taking as many as 7-8 faceoffs in a game. When Saskatoon's season was over, after beating Edmonton in the first round then getting swept in the second round, Olsen was invited to Canada for the World U18s. He started the tournament as the 13th forward, but saw his role get bumped up and up until he was a third line winger and a regular on their penalty kill as well. He played as little as 4:16 in a game but as much as 11+ minutes in a couple games. While with Canada, he scored twice and was a +3 with no minus games, but didn't get much ice time when they were trailing against the other powerhouse countries. Maybe if they needed to hold a lead he'd have gotten more ice time. ## THE GOOD: SPEED, MOTOR, PHYSICALITY, SHOT Now we get to the meat and potatoes of Zach Olsen, which is his meat and potatoes-style of hockey. I'll start with the three elements of his game that are by far his biggest strengths – his skating and mobility, his physicality, and his shot. ### Speed & Skating Mechanics Olsen is the definition of a power skater. His explosiveness and his straight line, north-south speed are both elite and very underrated for this draft class. I'll take scouts' word for it that his mechanics are exceptional. It's good timing because when the discussion around the value of just speed in a player, I made this comment: > I'd also like to throw in that straight line speed does not encompass the whole of how good a player is at skating. East-west agility, pivots, explosiveness, and like Cathy explained in more detail speed of mental processing and knowing how to use your speed to have an axial impact on the play aside from just “in going fast” are all different elements to how I look at skating beyond just north-south top speed. It's funny I was saying this and here I am lauding Olsen for his straight line speed. But as I said in the comment, what's more important isn't that Olsen is a very fast and powerful skater, but how he weaponizes it. He has a relentless motor at chasing down loose pucks and dump ins on the forecheck. He wins races even when he started from well behind, and even if he can't get to the puck first he will at least immediately be on the opponent to pressure them to delay them or create a turnover. You can see a good example of this in some of these goals he scored or assisted on, where his speed allows him to beat defenders who had a head start: 0:00 /0:37 1× Zach Olsen - Speed Highlights ### Elite Physicality The other elite element of Olsen's game is his physical play and his sheer will to win every battle he engages in – and he engages in a lot. His quick and explosive acceleration helps him launch into a huge body check with only 2-3 strides (which is good because, you know, charging). His quickness regularly catches defensemen off guard as they're trying to use the net as protection, or to chase down a dump in that goes that way. 0:00 /0:58 1× Zach Olsen - Physical Battling Highlights With his 6'1" and 203 lb frame, Olsen is someone who plays even bigger and stronger than he looks. He is more than eager to do the heavy lifting in the dirty areas of the ice, mainly along the boards, down low, and in front of the net. He has a good understanding of leverage and how to twist, spin, and position his body to establish inside positioning on opponents so he has the advantage to set screens and pounce on loose pucks first. He proved to be pretty adept at making plays in front of and around the net – deflections, fighting for loose pucks and rebounds, and so on. 0:00 /1:10 1× Zach Olsen - Net Front Highlights On the other side of the puck, Olsen also projects as a solid defensive winger, and again his skating and his physical style drive a lot of that. His backchecking can be ferocious and suffocating – he catches up to puck carriers and angles them towards the boards, closes on them and seals them along the boards with a check to then battle for possession of the puck. You see this combination on the penalty kill, with his acceleration and speed he can quickly pounce on opponents who think they have more time and space to work with then they do, and his reach is a lot wider than you'd expect from just his physical size and wing span. He'll jump into passing lanes, pressure puck carriers to force them into making mistakes and turnovers, and creating rush chances using his speed. ### Biggest Areas of Improvement Rather than write a third section on just Olsen's shot, since there isn't really much to write aside from... he has a really good shot, the last section I wanted to call out the biggest areas of improvement he showed over this season, because they are important to his future projection. After reading his scouting reports from the start of the year through to the end, and watching some of his games at various points in the season, I've picked out four elements to focus on. I'll start with Olsen's shot, since that is his biggest offensive weapon. Olsen has always had an accurate wrist shot, but he hasn't always had the best ability to get his shot off as often as he could have. What improved over this season was he greatly improved his catch-and-release mechanics, allowing him to better handle pucks of all kinds and letting them rip. So even if the puck was deflected on its way to him, rolling, or the pass was a bit off and not in the perfect spot for him to make a quick reception and shot, he is now able to quickly adjust his body so he can still get a good shot off that can beat the goalie. 0:00 /1:51 1× Zach Olsen - Shot Highlights A related improvement that will help Olsen's ability to score goals or create scoring chances is his off-puck routes and positioning. He's a lot better now at moving without the puck and finding soft spots on the ice and moving in more deceptive fashion. He's more clever and intuitive without the puck now, in between the moments where he's battling along the boards or for position in front of the net. Now he'll sneak in behind a defender at times instead of just bulldozing his way in front of them, and he'll time his sliding into soft areas in front to get open for a pass at the right moment. So while he's not necessarily a playmaker or puck carrier, he has the potential to be a good finisher while helping facilitate offensive possessions with his forechecking and board work. 0:00 /0:49 1× Zach Olsen - Off Puck Movement Highlights Now, on the topic of puck carrying, one of the other areas Olsen improved a lot is in how he drives transitions and rush offense. Where before he was more of a pure north-south skater, go in a straight line and just try and plow through everyone in his way and beat everyone with speed, now he's added more complexity to his transition game. He will vary his pace, use delays and stop ups to draw defenders out of position and hit a trailing teammate with speed to carry it past the now stationary defenders. And on the playmaking side, Olsen also showed some improvement already in what was arguably his biggest weakness in terms of his consistency issues. His vision wasn't great, and his passing always seemed stiff, rushed, forced and/or awkward. By the end of the year, he had learned how to make short and subtle breakout passes and give and go sequences to weaponize his speed. He looked much more calm and composed when passing the puck rather than rushed or panicked. He also started using things like bank passes off the boards, or making quick slip passes after coming away with the puck off scrums. In the offensive zone, he learned when to make his passes – mainly, he learned to wait until he had established a stable position and then make a quick pass, so he was making it from a stable base and it was much more likely to be accurate than if he tried to do it off balance. 0:00 /1:39 1× Zach Olsen - Passing and Playmaking Highlights ## THE FLAWS: PUCK HANDLING, PLAYMAKING, DISCIPLINE So there are three main issues with Olsen's game, and they are not little things. The first one is the biggest one, and that's his ability as a passer and playmaker. While Olsen did improve in this area a good deal, it hasn't gotten to the point where you can project him to be an above average passer at higher levels. At this point, I'd say the best he could hope is to keep improving so it would at least be average at best. Which, given the kind of player he is, would still make him valuable. But this is, I'd say, the biggest reason why you can't project him to be above a bottom six checking line winger. Even if he plays a similar game as Hyman or Knies, I can't really see him being able to play as a supporting power winger in the top six like them because he doesn't have their level as a playmaker or a puck handler. Speaking of puck handling, that's a similar issue. Olsen is a bit better as a puck carrier than he is as a passer, but it's still not something that he should be relied upon to do very much. He's better at handling the puck in close quarters, like along the boards or in front of the net, but carrying it through open ice is where he has more limitations. He's learned to adapt to this issue by using his speed – chipping it past defenders and chasing it down, or using a give and go so he can get around a defender and get the puck back at speed. The two issues do compound on each other, though. For example, because he's not a great puck handler he can't break down defenders to create passing lanes or buy more time for a teammate to get open. He got better at being able to do that kind of thing to some extent, but he still needs to work on it a good deal. The final issue Olsen has, and again this is something he got better at but still needs to continue working at it, is his discipline. Last year he only had 36 penalty minutes as a rookie, in 60 games. This year that ballooned to 79 penalty minutes in 57 games, and then 18 penalty minutes in 10 playoff games. He did play clean for Canada in their five games at the World U18s. His penalty totals was made worse by 3 game misconducts and 3 fighting majors totaling 45 of those PIMs, but all of the penalties he took in the playoffs were minors. Some of this may come with the territory for his aggressive and physical style of play, and how he gets under opponents' skin, but to be an ideal rat he'll need to learn how to stay on the non-penalty taking side of the line more consistently. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT Olsen is definitely a specialized player, but he plays a style that is highly valued by NHL teams for a reason. I think his strengths are already at such a level that you could reasonably project him pretty safely to be some kind of bottom six forward. He's got Tverberg's skating and speed, but he's bigger and stronger and plays with more physical aggression. He's got a better shot too, and I think will be better defensively and on the forecheck. How impactful Olsen can be in that role will depend on how much more he can improve on his ability to execute more skilled plays. I'm not talking about him being able to suddenly become a passer like Marner, puck handler like Nylander, or dangler like Matthews. Actually now that I think about it, I think his best comparable in the NHL as far as what his best (but still realistic) possible outcome would be is a Bobby McMann. In terms of his ability to play a fast and heavy game, use his good shot to pot some goals, provide some two way impacts and maybe play up on a second line at times though he isn't a good enough play driver to make that stick long term, that's what you'd hope to get out of Olsen. Even if Olsen doesn't quite get to that level, I think you just wind up with a lesser version of that more on your fourth line who plays hard and kills penalties, plus has a bit of the Landon Sim-rat type qualities. He can be the type of "tough to play against" player that becomes a fan favourite and that's honestly a pretty great outcome for a third round pick. ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Tuesday FTB: who's got the qualifications URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesday-ftb-whos-got-the-qualifications/ Last updated: 2026-06-30T10:00:13.000Z Qualifying offers, or more importantly who didn't recieve them, were anounced yesterday. Here are the players the Leafs lost their signing rights to. [Maccelli will not receive a QO: reportThe Leafs can still sign him, and he becomes UFA on July 1.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-ace783e7-7bae-4afe-9953-939b3744ae7e.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1443745029291-d5c27bc0b562-03dcfde5-563e-4e6c-81cd-abc88f5fa0f5)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maccelli-will-not-receive-a-qo-report/) > The Maple Leafs have extended qualifying offers to D Emil Andrae, F Jacob Quillan, F Nicholas Robertson, F Ryan Tverberg and D William Villeneuve. > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [June 29, 2026](https://x.com/LeafsPR/status/2071704014438252826?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) **Qualified:** Nicholas Robertson (ARB) Emil Andrae (ARB) Jacob Quillan (ARB) William Villeneuve (ARB) Ryan Tverberg (ARB) The Leafs importantly retain the rights to Nick Robertson, who will likely go to arbitration again. I think there's a very good chance his rights are traded for another RFA to a team that might want to keep Robertson for more than one year at a time. Emil Andrae will likely make it 8 signed Leafs defenders from Raddysh down to Myers. Quillan joins Bo Groulx as premier Marlies who are looking to win a job at training camp. Villeneuve and Tverberg are also being kept around. **Non-qualified:** Matias Maccelli (ARB) Henry Thrun (ARB) John Prokop (ARB) Semyon Der-Arguchintsev Roni Hirvonen Topi Niemela Vyacheslav Peksa Braeden Kressler The Leafs might still sign Matias Maccelli as a UFA on/after July 1st, all they did today was not offer him a contract with a modest raise. They could sign him for less, or someone else can sign him entirely. I would be surprised if Maccelli didn't get a contract somewhere. Marlies defender Henry Thrun also got non-qualified, but in scenarios like these he could come back at a different number or sign with the Marlies on an AHL contract. The Leafs are also saying goodbye to the signing rights for SDA, Topi Niemelä, Vyacheslav Peksa, and Brayden Kressler. Niemelä left the Marlies last year after two seasons of showing pretty clearly he didn't have it. Kressler was in the ECHL for a while and never stuck with the Marlies. And SDA has been having a good career back home but there are rumours he might try an NHL return. This move makes him a UFA so we'll see if he gets a surprise contract! Not many of the [non-QO'd names](https://puckpedia.com/players/search?q=3e137&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) jump out to me. Maybe Bobby Brink, maybe Jonatan Berggren. Both of those players were traded last year and would need some pro scouting insight to determine if they're worth signing. A big reason a lot of these players don't get qualified is because teams don't want to be locked into the contracts that get decided in arbitration. It is definitely the case for Maccelli and I'm sure a consideration going into qualifying Robertson. Moving on from qualifying offers, the Panthers acquired a goalie, Akira Schmid. Once he gets signed he will be the only NHL goalie on their roster. Pierre Lebrun points out there is still every possibility Bobrovsky still gets re-signed. > We have acquired goaltender Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for our third-round selection in the 2028 NHL Draft. > > Details » [https://t.co/oaGCHejhr7](https://t.co/oaGCHejhr7?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/3lmdOW1s9H](https://t.co/3lmdOW1s9H?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) [June 30, 2026](https://x.com/FlaPanthers/status/2071776229317894641?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Penguins and Jets traded some AHLers back and forth, a classic "hockey trade" a forward for a defender. > The Penguins have acquired forward David Gustafsson from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for defenseman Jack St. Ivany. > > Details: [https://t.co/O3IwFizGvO](https://t.co/O3IwFizGvO?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/4u0qzbrvA9](https://t.co/4u0qzbrvA9?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) [June 29, 2026](https://x.com/penguins/status/2071697860479864962?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That was it on trades yesterday. The Leafs also announced their Development Camp roster. It's crowded with more than half of them as camp invites. A few people asked in the comments where Ben Danford was and the simple answer is that he needs a rest after a very long and adventurous season for him. [Maple Leafs Development Camp Roster is HereAnd it is huge. That is a lot of players![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-6af706f7-74e8-4e3d-b6ab-e7ddcbecd68d.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1534880606858-29b0e8a24e8d-c29f1614-4a85-4243-a3d7-326fffa3e8a1)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-development-camp-roster-is-here/) Compared to the Leafs 53-player development camp, the Oilers only have 27 players coming to theirs. However, this includes three women out of the NCAA. Abbey Murphy (24, USA, F), Chloe Primerano (19, CAN, D), and Caitlin Kraemer (20, CAN, F). Abbey Murphy may ring some bells as she was drafted 2nd overall by the Seattle Torrent in the PWHL draft this month. Primerano is an up-and-coming star defender for Team Canada who jumped from the U-18 team to the national team last season. Kraemer led the U-18 team two seasons ago and is the best player on Minnesota-Duluth, so expect her to be a high pick in the PWHL in a couple seasons. In the meantime, they're all going to an NHL development camp. [Three top women’s hockey players named to Oilers’ development camp rosterAbbey Murphy, Caitlin Kraemer and Chloe Primerano will be skating with Edmonton’s top prospects.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-c249aeba-b49a-4fb3-9885-839e739ba5bd.png)Daily FaceoffTyler Kuehl![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-1f2f3b3a-6183-4816-89e2-abd4fa493818)](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/three-top-womens-hockey-pwhl-players-named-edmonton-oilers-nhl-development-camp-roster-abbey-murphy-chloe-primerano-caitlin-kraemer?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I'm surprised more stuff didn't happen yesterday, but I guess teams were busy with draft hangovers, getting dev camp lists out, and organizing qualifying offers. Wednesday afternoon should be fun, let's see how today tees it up! ### Maple Leafs Development Camp Roster is Here URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-development-camp-roster-is-here/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T20:46:56.000Z [The roster is here for this year's development camp](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-announce-2026-development-camp-roster?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/HMAgoq4XwAAiK9x-1-.jpg) > Players will undergo medicals on Wednesday, July 1, while the first full-team on-ice session and media availability will take place on Thursday, July 2, at Ford Performance Centre. > A total of 53 players (29 forwards, 18 defencemen, six goaltenders) are slated to take part in this year’s development camp. Attending this year’s camp will be 23 Maple Leaf draft picks, including all 10 of Toronto’s selections from the 2026 NHL Draft. They Include forwards Gavin McKenna, Zach Olsen, Cooper Williams and Brody Pepoy; defencemen Alexander Bilecki, Ethan MacKenzie, Måns Gudmunssson and Yaroslav Fedoseyev; and goaltenders Juuso Ainasto and Patriks Plumins. Also in attendance will be five draft picks from the 2025 NHL Draft (forwards William Belle, Tyler Hopkins, Tinus Luc Koblar, and Harry Nansi, as well as defenceman Rylan Fellinger), six draft picks from the 2024 NHL Draft (Miroslav Holinka, Victor Johansson, Matthew Lahey, Sam McCue, Timofei Obvintsev, Alex Plesovskikh), one draft pick from the 2023 NHL Draft (Hudson Malinoski), and one draft pick from the 2022 NHL Draft (Nicholas Moldenhauer). > In addition to the Maple Leafs’ draft picks in attendance, the roster will include three players signed to an NHL contract (Vincent Borgesi, Brandon Buhr, Hayes Hundley) and one player signed to AHL contracts (Frank Djurasevic). Additionally, the Maple Leafs have a total of 26 free agents attending this year’s camp. > Maple Leafs Assistant General Manager, Player Development, Hayley Wickenheiser and her staff will oversee this year’s camp. ### Toronto to extend Troy Stecher URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/toronto-to-extend-troy-stecher/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T19:18:24.000Z > Hearing Toronto is closing on an extension with Troy Stecher, who played very well for them...sounds like it's between $1-$1.5M > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [June 29, 2026](https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2071657952822366611?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Can confirm Troy Stecher is signing a two-year extension with the [#leafs](https://x.com/hashtag/leafs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) carrying a $1.35M AAV.[@DhaliwalSports](https://x.com/DhaliwalSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and [@FriedgeHNIC](https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) were on it. > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [June 29, 2026](https://x.com/reporterchris/status/2071663824562684285?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Troy Stecher is a right-shooting defender who is not as young as he seems. He is now 32\. Acquired as a waiver pickup last year when the Edmonton Oilers couldn't tell he could defend, he brought actual quality play to the Leafs blueline, aided in large part by playing with Jake McCabe, but he was actually good and has offensive skills as well. He is coming off a two-year deal with an AAV of $787,500, so this is a nice raise for him. It is very rare to get a legitimate NHL-playable depth defender who adds value for an AAV this low. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/download-1.png) That's outstanding success for the Leafs of last year on defence. (For anyone not named McCabe.) ### Maccelli will not receive a QO: report URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maccelli-will-not-receive-a-qo-report/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T18:12:28.000Z > Matias Maccelli will not be receiving a qualifying offer from the [#leafs](https://x.com/hashtag/leafs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) today, making him an unrestricted free agent, per sources. > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [June 29, 2026](https://x.com/reporterchris/status/2071657413929816252?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Matias Maccelli was acquired by the Leafs on June 30, 2025 from the Utah Mammoth for the Leafs third-round pick in next summer's draft. He had been signed by Utah GM Bill Armstrong in July of 2023 to a three-year deal at an AAV of a reasonable $3.425 million on the assumption that his season just finished, where he had 49 point in 64 games made him a good bet as a middle-six playmaking forward. The deal, was an Arizona special, though, because the move to Utah was yet to come. The actual cash salary rose steeply over the course of the contract, leaving the final year, this year just ended, at $4.25 million. Qualifying Offers are based on salary on AAV, and his would have been $4.11 million. Arizona signed these deals – John Chayka surely knows better than anyone – with the idea of saving cash now and trading the player if they don't live up to the dollars. Maccelli struggled after the move to Utah, and the team by then had the greenlight to spend money, so Armstrong set about spending it on defence while he kept an eye out for the long list of prospects he was going to need to give very big contracts to. The move seemed to be a good for both sides choice. On the Leafs, Maccelli suffered from his similarity to Max Domi in terms of playing style, without any experience as a centre to fall back on – the thing that kept Domi in the lineup even when Craig Berube grew tired of him. Maccelli ended up in the pressbox for a very short time over Christmas. Berube said, and there is no reason not to believe him, that he felt Maccelli could contribute, but he needed to work on becoming better. When he returned to the lineup in January, he played through the end of the season. He played with John Tavares more than anyone else, but also spent some time post deadline with various third-liners. I consider him to be a useful support player, but on a team where Domi was playing the same role in the top six, he didn't really have anything much to offer. He shoots from all over the place with no thought for quality, but he also is primarily a passer and setup man, something he did show some talent for. He doesn't have any skills that have a big wow factor, but he also isn't bad at anything much. He can skate, he can handle the puck, he is positionally sound, and he can play that support role on a line that isn't supposed to be the main scoring line. Unfortunately for him, there doesn't seem to be much power play skill there, not enough to get off the second unit at any rate. But he is a lot more defensively sound than players of his sort usually are. Not a player you want at $4 million, not even in today's cap reality. But he is a player who doesn't hurt you when he's on the ice with more offensively gifted players. In all his seasons when he was lucky, falling out of favour in Utah, playing with AHLers last March, he has consistently had good impacts defensively and as a passer. I think that defensive value is mostly his puck skills, and a passer needs a shooter. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/download.png) To understand what you're seeing there, because it isn't exciting... those kinds of good to do no harm results for a third-line player are what you want to see. On the Leafs, he was playing 15 minutes on the Tavares/Nylander line and that was largely why he seemed to underwhelm. They needed a forechecker not a 20th generation photocopy of Mitch Marner. The Leafs can still sign Maccelli at any time. If they don't, he becomes a UFA on July 1\. ### 2 Players, 2 Paths, Same Result URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2-players-2-paths-same-result/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T13:00:24.000Z Some players get a reputation thrust upon them, usually based on points, and some hazy ill-defined ideas about the right way to play the game. Once it's there it usually sticks. When Brad Treliving traded for Dakota Joshua who carried the contract the now-defunct Vancouver management team had given him off a shooting heater year, he was placed squarely in the box of bad player who just hits and can't skate. He's slow, he's old and then the word "snot" got repeated a thousand more times. Yuck. Nick Robertson, on the other hand, has a long history of devotion for his made for a Hallmark Channel movie backstory and his good attributes of youth and speed. No matter where he goes with that speed or what he does with his energy, it's good. "He just needs a chance," is the slogan he toils away under. What these two players have in common, aside from being drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs and playing a lot of hockey in Michigan and playing a lot of AHL games and spending years making very little money, is that on a Leafs team spiralling into the emotional abyss last season, they both worked their asses off every game. In very different ways. Nick Robertson was fourth on the Leafs for even strength goals with 14 while being seventh in total ice time for forwards. Joshua was one down the list at eighth most used forward with 10 goals. Ten goals is elite fourth-liner territory. Every so often you get that from someone playing very little minutes, but not often. Joshua was not a fourth liner, however. By now you should be asking yourself what the hell am I doing looking at goal numbers? Leading you up the garden path is the answer. One day I was looking at shots and shooting percentages – some other quest for a little understanding in how someone else plays – and this is when I noticed it. Joshua had a higher goals rate at even-strength than anyone on the team save William Nylander and Auston Matthews. But the guy right behind him, an insignificant scrap of nothing behind him, was Nick Robertson. If Joshua, who lost some time with a terrible injury from taking a hit, had played as many games as Robertson, he would have had exactly 14 goals at his scoring rate. How they got them was very different. Robertson, third on the team in rate of shots (all shots, or Corsi) behind Auston Matthews and Bobby McMann, shoots like this: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-25-085120.png) And before you form the name Berube in your mind, his shooting pattern is identical every year. He is who he is, he's not a kid, not developing, doesn't have some runway, and isn't going to change. Evolving Hockey's xG model rates him a little higher, but that's just differences in how the weightings for the shots are applied. Joshua shoots at such a low rate in terms of raw volume only Calle Järnkrok was lower. But this is how he shoots: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-25-085422.png) Joshua's career shooting pattern, like the overwhelming majority of the hundreds of players I've looked at over the years, is static as well, although his low shot rate took a very small dip on the Leafs last season as did Robertson's, which should not surprise anyone. Joshua, we know, is an immovable object in front of the net. That's his role, like speed and rush chances are Robertson's. Joshua uses that position to shoot extremely high danger shots from in tight, often in situations where the goalie isn't set because he personally has upset him. Joshua has a markedly higher Expected Shooting % because he only shoots at very high danger. Even if he doesn't exceed that expected %, which he sometimes does and sometimes does not (like most players, as consistent scoring over expected is rare), he is going to score some goals near the rate he and Robertson did this year because of how he plays the game. Robertson has a lower Expected Shooting % because of the location for his big volume of shots. If he has linemates that can capitalize on loose pucks in the offensive zone, that can be a good thing. He's going to exceed his expected % some of the time and sometimes not, but as long as he generates the volume, he'll get some gaols because of how he plays the game. Two paths same result. Now for the tricky question. How does their high-volume vs selective net-front shooting affect the other aspects of the game beyond the results of the shots themselves? That is a very difficult question to answer and the reason is the Leafs were outstandingly awful in the season under consideration, but we are discussing today two players who successfully rose above all that and played their games to the best of their ability. Robertson is easier to peg down, because he has history on the same team with the same-ish linemates. What he has is no history of positive impacts on offence overall. Beyond his own personally generated scoring chances, he does not raise or lower the amount of offence the Leafs create in any meaningful way. He is a small, not very surprising or significant, drain on defence, and in the range of totally acceptable for a winger. Mention his name and someone will say, "but he's not good defensively," largely, I think because he doesn't check. He has speed to move the puck up ice, which he personally benefits from, but no one else seems to. Joshua, however, was used in an extreme way on the Leafs last year, with heavy defensive zone usage, and the only meaningful offensive zone time was what his line created for themselves. He played mostly with Nic Roy and a rotating cast of wingers who rarely, but not never, included Robertson. And by any model you like, he was an offence creating machine with extremely good results defensively. And... well... I don't buy it. Not completely. I'll buy a player blossoming at age 29 when they get on a team that puts them in a more suitable role to some extent, but not this extreme. I looked at his most recent year in Vancouver, and what I saw was chaos. If there is a player who knows from confused coaches, messy systems and constantly churning lines, it's him. No wonder he calmly approached the Leafs Season in Hell and succeeded where few did. It was an improvement. But what I believe went on is that Joshua and Roy were used defensively a lot and were good at it. The only good defence on the Leafs happened around them. The causal direction here could well be that they were used in situations more often where it was possible to succeed or that they created the success, or in the messy reality of the real world, possibly both. Aided and abetted by the defenders they tended to play with shouldn't be overlooked. I don't think isolation models are perfect, in other words, but they paint the broad strokes of a player's effectiveness of lack of it. As for Joshua's offensive creation numbers, I buy them a little more. Only a little. Two things have to be considered. This was the Leafs: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-25-102953.png) This is very bad, and yet even with this, the team scored enough goals prior to the Olympics that if they had played some plausible defence and had average goaltending, they could have been a squeak into the playoffs team. What I believe, and many other people have discussed at length and in detail, is that the pivot point that led to failure was zone exits, which led to time spend defending, which nullified the overall amount of offence, but also the effectiveness of individual offensive zone shifts no matter who was taking them – dump it in and get off became the norm. Joshua, who this Hockey Viz model credits with some modest offence creation, was on the ice for a very bad, just not as bad as that up there, -9% xG For (relative to league average). Which could simply mean that because of his defensive success, he was one of the few players who had some opportunity to do anything positive offensively. Auston Matthews, for reference, experienced with his various linemates, a heady -4% relative to league average. And it is clear that Joshua's "immovable object who will shoot the puck from three inches from the crease and score" style of game worked. In order for that to work, a lot of people have to be fanned out between him and the blueline doing sensible things. But those things can be done by depth players with simple approaches to offence. His line with Roy plus anyone else were good in some way. He had outstanding results in on-ice xG in very limited minutes with Max Domi. The only other person who can claim that is Auston Matthews. Meanwhile, for Robertson's speed and scattershot approach to work for anyone but him, he has to have linemates who defend, who can keep up with his speed, who can retrieve the puck, who can pass it or shoot it themselves, and at that point, he's been outclassed by his support staff and can just sit down, no difference made to game outcomes. There is no need to pick between these two players. This isn't some false exercise in one-or-the-other. It's propaganda about why goal stats don't tell you anything you need to know. But also about how reducing players to archetypes is just as unhelpful. Combining the two magnifies the problem. Player analysis should not be a branding exercise. Joshua, who these models say had a career year, is not likely suddenly an amazing player, but I think with a little more sensible structure he can flourish at what he does. Slowly, to be sure. Robertson is another question. One I wouldn't pay to get the answer to if I were the Leafs. He's almost 25, and a player his age wants some term and stability. I don't see much benefit to the Leafs to doing that. With arbitration, Robertson is likely to get a contract in excess of Joshua's $3.25 million. The Leafs right now appear to be awash in cap space, but they need forwards better than these two guys. And they're going to cost more than that. So that's the calculation to be made right now. ### Getting to Know Ethan MacKenzie URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/getting-to-know-ethan-mackenzie/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T12:00:52.000Z Ladies and gentlemen of Leafs Nation, allow me to introduce you to Ethan MacKenzie. Ethan MacKenzie, allow me to introduce you to the doomiest doomers in doom town. ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT **Position**: Left-shot defenseman **League**: WHL **Height**: 6'1" **Weight**: 190 lbs **Birth date**: Sep 2, 2006 It's not often you'll see me say you should be excited about a player drafted after going undrafted to the NHL – twice! But MacKenzie has a number of legitimate reasons why he went undrafted. In fact, if you've seen me cite some reasons why a prospect may have either gone undrafted or been undervalued in the past, MacKenzie checked pretty much all of the boxes. - Was he small? Check. When he was drafted to the WHL in 2021, he was listed as 5'8" and 145 lbs. - Did he have no hype going into his draft year? Check. He was only a 4th round draft pick to the WHL, and wasn't mentioned on any early season rankings for the NHL in his draft year. - Did he get injured his draft year? Check. He suffered a broken wrist and only played 26 games, missing from November 15th and only returning for the final 7 games of the season in March with no playoff games to juice his value. He only had 6 points in 26 games and his tracking data didn't look great. - Was he very young for the draft? Check. His September 2nd, 2006 birthday means he's only 15 months older than Gavin McKenna despite being separated by two drafts. - Was he a late bloomer both physically and skill wise? Check (probably). I was able to pull some draft guides from the 2024 draft, and I can't see any of them ranking him. A couple of them mentioned his name and liked his defense but that was it. He was listed as 6'0" and 170 lbs, which is nice and average but for a guy with very little points, not great tracking data (see below), who missed most of the season from an injury when he didn't have much hype to begin with, and who only had noteworthy defense when he's just average sized? It's not much of a surprise he went undrafted. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/Mackenzie.png) Ethan MacKenzie tracking data from [Mitch Brown's Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/c/prospect%5Ftracking%5Fdata/posts?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). The left graphic shows his 2024/25 season, the right graphic shows his 2023/24 season. Last year, MacKenzie played in more games, was more physically mature, and took a big leap in his development. The aggressive defense for which he got good reviews in his draft year stayed there, but he got a lot better at moving the puck. He went from a below average transition driver to one of the very best in the WHL. He played in 59 games and his points jumped to 32 for the year. I wound up writing about him as a re-entry option even for the 2025 draft. I noted that he was very mobile, physically engaged, a good transition driver, solid defensively but had some decision making issues that led to him being turnover prone and getting caught out of position due to over aggression. Despite that, he went undrafted again. [2025 NHL Draft Profiles: Re-Entry DefensemenToronto has liked to dip into the re-entry prospect pool at the draft in recent years, and that can be pretty wise for defensemen who are trickier to judge earlier in their development. So here are the top options I’ve seen.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-d373f445-a54a-4b79-9361-f2efe773211d.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Forwards-cadefee0-b9b4-49ca-9333-ee14d8cd3821.jpg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2025-nhl-draft-profiles-re-entry-defensemen/) This year, MacKenzie made another significant leap in his overall development. His point per game rate doubled for the second year in a row, and he finished with 22 goals and 58 points in 59 games. After only 11 points on the powerplay the previous season (which did lead the team), he finished with 26 points on the powerplay this year – a noteworthy improvement in his offensive impact. He wore an "A" for Edmonton as they finished as one of the better regular season teams in the league. He made Team Canada's roster for the World Juniors, a remarkable achievement on its own for an undrafted player. And he played a decent amount too – playing between 11 and 13 minutes for most games, with two noteworthy games hitting over 15 and 19 minutes respectively. You can see the improvements across the board in his tracking data, too: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-54.png) The biggest area of improvement definitely came on the offensive side of the puck, not just on the powerplay but at even strength too. His point generation increased by a large around, but his impacts did too. A lot of the little things you can do with and without the puck in the offensive zone to help facilitate offense are things he was starting to execute on a consistent basis. He still wasn't at an elite level offensively, even for a 20 year old in his final junior year, but he became much better at having a consistently positive impact on the offensive side of the game. The funny thing is that, if MacKenzie does wind up defying the odds once again and making the NHL, it will not be as an offensive defenseman who quarterbacks a powerplay. It will be more on the strength of his defense, but him also having real ability to move the puck and chip in offensively now and then will only help his chances. His potential may not be considered very high, due to his age at this point, but what potential he does have is very versatile with all around impacts. ## THE GOOD: MOBILITY, MOTOR, TRANSITIONS AND TWO-WAY PLAY Now we get to the fun part. What has driven MacKenzie's success – what has *always* driven MacKenzie's success from even before his draft year – is his skating and his defense. Even though he wasn't the biggest player for most of his hockey career to that point, it's always been the core part of his game. ### Mobility Starting with his mobility, MacKenzie's skating at this point is at a very mature and very high level. You know how I often say that 17 year olds in their draft year could afford to add more explosiveness and smooth out some mechanics? MacKenzie's had two other years to do that. He's already explosive, his mechanics are fluid, and he is highly agile. He uses that in all three zones. Defensively, he uses it to maintain a very aggressive gap on puck carriers and prevent zone entries, then to get to dump ins before the forecheckers, then to evade the forecheckers and start the transition, then to carry it through the neutral zone, then to activate into the offense to generate scoring chances. ### Defense Defensively, MacKenzie has always been solid at making plays in his own end. If you look at the defense sections in all three of the tracking data visuals I shared you can see that's the one area that was one of his best skills all three seasons. His defensive style is hyper-aggressive, and his impacts there improved overall over time as he got older, more experienced, and continued to grow physically. His draft year scouting reports noted he was doing the right things but lacked the strength in physical battles to win them more often than he was losing them. However, in various articles it's clear he really dedicated himself to an off-ice strength program, which is how he's been able to put on 20 lbs the past two years. Now his coaches call him "strong as a bull" and uses this greater strength to overpower even bigger opponents them him in board battles. Now listed as 6'1" and 190 lbs, he's at the very border of average to above average sized players. The size and strength gives a greater effective edge to his style of aggressive and physical defense. MacKenzie's hip checks, board checks to pin opponents against the boards, and shoves to clear opponents from the front of the net are now much more effective even against bigger players. He has a good sense of positioning to box out his man in front of the net to prevent them from setting a screen, getting a deflection, or getting to rebounds. This sounds weird but it's something I've seen now that I've watched him in focused detail, but scouts raved about his "free hand technique" with how he uses his non-stick hand. He will use it to spin opponents around to get them off balance or to delay them as they try to recover their desired direction, and to help him pin them against the boards as they try to escape him. What I'll note is that he's very sneaky and smart with it, he doesn't often take a lot of minor penalties for interference as a result of it. What improved the most over the past two seasons was MacKenzie's retrievals and defending zone entries. He learned how to achieve a more controlled aggression, thanks in large part to his improved mobility over time, to not over-commit on his gap control but to maintain a tight gap constantly. He acts quickly to get in front of a rush as soon as he can to take away space, then forces them to slow down or run into him. Even if they manage to successfully pivot and try to get by him on the wide side, he matches their pace thanks to that explosive and agile skating and maintains that narrow gap as he steers them into the boards to take away their escape. The thing that's driven MacKenzie's defense isn't really his physical play or strength, or even his skating. Those are the tools that allow him to execute the things he mentally decides to do. What directs him is his brain – how he reads the play, anticipates what might happen next, positions himself proactively, and then act when he thinks it's time to strike. He reads the cycle very well, especially when passes come from high to down low, so he can jump into the passing lane to pick them off for the steal. He has a great sense of timing with his poke checks and body checks. While he definitely plays with a physical edge, he has a good stick as well for poking away the puck, disrupting their puck handling, and herding them to the outside. That anticipation also helps him pivot and get to loose pucks on retrievals first, read how the forecheckers are attacking him, how he can absorb contact if he can't avoid it, and then where his outlets are to pass or skate it into controlled safety. ### Offense The best to describe what MacKenzie has evolved into as an offensive defenseman is – to steal some jargon from the scouting world – he is an advantage creator. He creates advantages by making precise passes to his teammates, across seams through defenders. He pushes an aggressive pace offensively, using his skating to force defenses to react quickly and create chaos in their coverage. So he will rarely stay still at the point. He is constantly shifting his position, side to side along the blueline or creeping in from the point and back again, trying to present the best option to receive a pass back to the point. Where he sees a chance, he'll jump way off the point and into the home plate area for a more dangerous shot attempt. The important area of improvement for MacKenzie's offensive game is just that he physically caught up to his brain. He was a chaotic mess handling the puck in his draft year, trying to stick handle or deke too quickly and losing the handle. It got better last year, and by the end of this season and undergone a truly incredible level of improvement. He also improved his decision making to avoid trying things that are beyond his skill... most of the time, anyway. Now he's also learned how to manipulate defenders with his feet and handling to lure them in a direction that helps him open a passing lane. Not at an elite level, but the fact that he can do it is helpful to his projection as a playmaker. 0:00 /1:48 1× Ethan MacKenzie (#47) - Passing Highlights A quick interjection on MacKenzie's shot. Where it was originally not seen as much of a weapon, this past season he appears to have improved it to the point it was considered by scouts to be a legitimate weapon. Scoring 22 goals as a defenseman will do that. His wrist shot is quick but has velocity, and the combination of that with his activations from the point help him take those shots from more dangerous locations where it's more likely he'll score. Personally, while it's nice to have, I famously don't care much about shots by defensemen, and I don't think his activation-heavy style is something that projects as well to the NHL as I may have a few years ago – except for on the powerplay, giving him an outside chance of becoming a PP2 guy or someone who can fill in for someone in that role in a pinch. But it does speak to the wide array of improvements he made to his game across the board. 0:00 /1:37 1× Ethan MacKenzie (#47) - Shooting Highlights ## THE FLAWS: TOO CHAOTIC, OVERLY AGGRESSIVE, LACK OF PRECISION So that all sounds great, it almost sounds like MacKenzie could become an all situations minutes eater that could anchor a second pairing – maybe even a first pair! But now I have to cool those jets to anchor how you're picturing him in a more realistic place. First, while that over aggression and those chaotic elements of MacKenzie's game – both on offense and defense – were things he learned to harness for the greater good, those issues haven't gone away completely. He still has some messy elements to his play, trying to do too much, too quickly, and leading to the occasional moment of un-good chaos. He'll bobble the puck, lose the handle, over commit on a hit, create an unforced turnover, chase his man way too far out of position to leave his area of the ice undefended and making him and his whole line scramble to recover. His skating only helps recover so much. He has a similar issue with the puck, while his playmaking, deception and passing have improved a lot he will at times be stubborn in trying to force a more complicated cross-ice pass that has no business being successful. Second, there's the limits to consider on how much better MacKenzie can get at this point. It's a great story that he's improved by a lot in so many areas, but at some point he will stop making so many significant leaps in his development. It will be more about smoothing the edges and creating some shine and polish on the finished product. He's turning 20 in September. He will play at least this coming season in the NCAA for a greater challenge, and the chance to play in a better program and system than you'd see in junior. He'll have to adapt to that and the better competition. I'll be curious just how much better he can get. Third, and related to that, is that MacKenzie's also very unlikely to grow much more in a physical sense. He's already grown an inch since his draft year, and put on 20 lbs of muscle and added strength. But he's not going to grow another 1-2 inches and, while it's possible, is also unlikely to put on another 20 lbs of muscle. I'll gladly eat those words if it happens, but my point is more that he's going to have to learn to make his current physique and level of strength work in the future as the level of difficulty increases by a lot. Because there likely won't be much more of a physical advantage he can add for himself between now and when he could hypothetically make the jump to the NHL. That's why I'm more certain in giving MacKenzie a firm projection oh his future compared to guys who are still 17 in their draft year. They have two more years to make the same significant improvements and physical growth that he did. MacKenzie, on the other hand, is (probably) more or less as good, big, and strong as he'll ever be outside of some smaller improvements over the next few years. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT However, what MacKenzie also has is more certainty. I am more certain that MacKenzie will make the NHL in some capacity than, say, Mans Gudmundsson even tough the latter is bigger and younger and has more time to make his own big developmental leaps. Because there's also a chance that Gudmundsson doesn't make any big leaps, and only improves a little over time. That's just what happens with prospects, not everyone is guaranteed to have huge improvements. But for a third round pick, being able to have more certainty that MacKenzie will be a versatile third pairing defender who can move the puck, defend well, kill penalties and maybe run a secondary powerplay unit is not a bad thing. Bilecki, only taken nine spots ahead of him, is your lottery ticket. He's the guy who is younger and has greater tools to potentially turn into something much more valuable. Honestly I usually have longer concluding sections to wrap up what I've said and think about a player I profile, but with MacKenzie I don't think there's much else that needs to be said. He's had a remarkable story of perseverance, taken two huge steps in his development, and gone from a guy very few people thought much of (if at all) to being a draft+2 guy taken barely outside of the second round. He'll be a fan favourite, I think, both for his play style but also for the attitude and work ethic that got him here, and the underdog story he represents. Welcome to the Maple Leafs family, Ethan! ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Monday's FTB: Qualifying Offer Day URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-qualifying-offer-day/ Last updated: 2026-06-29T10:00:20.000Z The Leafs are set to start the Development Camp today so we should get the roster. [McKenna arrives in Toronto after being No. 1 pick in 2026 NHL Draft | NHL.comNew Maple Leafs forward ready to ‘get comfortable in the city’![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-2b59cbee-41b4-4abf-aa81-03e9865b2b6b.png)NHL logoDave McCarthy![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/leiknuy5aqgbvmov0yyg-35840f53-db9a-473f-92d7-3b7a5fde7586.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/gavin-mckenna-arrives-in-toronto-as-no-1-pick-in-2026-nhl-draft?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) On-ice sessions don't begin until Thursday. Qualifying Offers are due today at 5 pm, so we may see unsigned RFAs for whom teams do not want to issue a QO change hands, like Emil Andrae did to the Leafs. The Leafs have not yet said what their plans are, but QO amounts are only half the story. The other side of the coin is who has arbitration rights. Unqualified RFAs become UFA on July 1\. In other news, there were some signings: > Jack Drury is signing a five-year, $22.5M extension with Nashville, Sportsnet can confirm ✍️ [pic.twitter.com/zSIjQrgjVU](https://t.co/zSIjQrgjVU?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [June 28, 2026](https://x.com/Sportsnet/status/2071356171101864261?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is now the price of a 3C. Which is why Carolina is trying to trade Jesperi Kotkaniemi instead of buying him out: > To be clear, Carolina is actively seeking to trade Kotkaniemi now. With rising cap, $4.8 million for a 3C will be the new norm, so he is seen as a player with trade value considering there are so few centers available. > > They’ll wait til that materializes. But no buyout. > > — Frank Seravalli (@frank\_seravalli) [June 28, 2026](https://x.com/frank%5Fseravalli/status/2071263579899122108?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Kotkaniemi is a very interesting player. Not interesting, the sense of wow, I'm interested in him! But more in the sense of how is he like this? He can actually play hockey at a high level, and does add some small defensive value, but he cannot shoot the puck. He just is awful at that goal scoring thing, and he doesn't get assists either. Good luck with that trade, guys. > The Sharks are signing Michael Kesselring to a three-year contract extension, Sportsnet can confirm 🦈 [pic.twitter.com/x3r2S7VyEw](https://t.co/x3r2S7VyEw?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [June 29, 2026](https://x.com/Sportsnet/status/2071402104665616725?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In other news: [Fox: Why Maple Leafs should push for Zach Werenski blockbusterIt’s not common for a Norris Trophy winner to be available for trade, but that may just be the case. Luke Fox explains why the Maple Leafs should push for a Zach Werenski blockbuster.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/werenski_zach1280-751abb3a-7cd2-44c1-8b0b-8599999a468b.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/fox-why-maple-leafs-should-push-for-zach-werenski-blockbuster/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Everyone is on this topic. And no, no they shouldn't. Not because Zach Werenski isn't a wonderful player, he is, but give your head a shake. They can't make this happen, and constantly talking about things the Leafs cannot do is one of the ways in which you just feed the gaping maw of a fandom looking for a reason to be dissatisfied. John Chayka is riding pretty high right now. Undeservedly because of the fluke of getting Gavin McKenna, deservedly for a very smart draft (and that's handy for your reputation since it will be years before the sad realizations set in). He also did the obvious in firing Craig Berube, but he only did that because he was allowed to. Raddysh is a good move. Jim Hiller is fully aligned with the team ideology, and....? Pretending to try to buy a hot commodity like Werenski would be fakery and pretence. Fox tries hard to think up a giant package of lousy picks, Matt Knies and everything else the team has, but all he needs is Andrew Nielsen or Jeremy Bracco to reveal it for what it is. Wishful thinking and a hand on the crank of fandom turning hard. The trouble with these scenarios people come up with is they're generally really bad at writing the character of the other GM believably. Why would the Blue Jackets make a deal with the Leafs? Offer to take Elvis Merzlikens, throw in a goalie like Hildeby to back up Greaves for them, and then what? Give up Danford, Cowan, and ... sure that's a lot of stuff. I actually agree with Fox that Chayka should consider trading the players he actually would like to keep. But meanwhile Kirill Marchenko is also writing his "it's not you, it's me" letter, and they can't even nail down Boone Jenner who wants to play there. They need a team that will just dump NHL-ready players on them in bulk or else Adam Fantilli (who needs a contract) might start his campaign to be the next to leave. Who drafted Chase Reid? They should be the first to call up Columbus. The Leafs don't have anything in bulk except cap space. This is not the deal for them. > Not only does Milstein not have permission from the Wild, the league recently warned all teams they cannot give blanket permission for UFA’s to do this. You can trade rights and then they can talk to that specific team [https://t.co/PUGU0b2FS2](https://t.co/PUGU0b2FS2?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) [June 28, 2026](https://x.com/RussoHockey/status/2071323865440035308?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The NHL likely thought they'd put this issue to bed with their tampering memo sent out after Chicago tried to give Ilya Mikheyev (also a Dan Milstein client) permission to find a new deal. Russo is correct, this cannot be done. But of course it often is quietly done, but whether or not the Wild have told Tarasenko they don't want him, they won't admit that now. I am going to assume the agent coincidence is just that and that teams and player agents in general are pushing against this rule. Which will get them nowhere. No discussions until noon on Wednesday. If you want to get in early, trade for the player rights like Carolina did with John Carlson. And that's it for now. Have this picture of the guy who did the thing: > "For the country" > > Stephen Eustáquio takes to social media after scoring th ebiggest goal in [#CanMNT](https://x.com/hashtag/CanMNT?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) HISTORY! 🇨🇦[#FIFAWorldCup](https://x.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/qdKHXlje9q](https://t.co/qdKHXlje9q?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [June 29, 2026](https://x.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2071421362984357921?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### 2026 NHL Draft: Quick Thoughts on Toronto's Picks URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-quick-thoughts-on-torontos-picks/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T12:00:34.000Z Well... that was certainly a busy day. The Maple Leafs finished off the 2026 NHL draft having made ten picks in total, including nine today. Three of those picks were extras that they only acquired today through two trades they made. ## General Thoughts on Toronto's Draft as a Whole I'm pretty, very happy with what Toronto did in the draft this year. Did they take my favourite or my best available player with each pick? No, but I don't really care about that. All the guys they took were players I already knew at least a bit about, and I liked to some degree. I'm not the only one. Scott Wheeler's post-draft wrap up said much the same things I did about none of the picks being bad, he rated them as one of the big winners of the draft. [Corey Pronman graded their draft with an A+](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7401659/2026/06/27/nhl-draft-2026-team-grades-leafs-canucks-sharks/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), and hey you know who else [Elite Prospects also graded Toronto's draft an A+](https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/2026-nhl-draft/elite-prospects-2026-nhl-draft-grades?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). Cam Robinson, a Vancouver/west coast guy, said he really liked Toronto's draft even when taking McKenna out of the equation. Brandon Holmes, a scout for First Star Scouting who is a New Jersey fan, lauded Toronto's picks. This isn't just me as a biased Leafs fan, or biased because they picked players I like, saying it's great. Things can change, but as far as a lot of independent people and scouts know and think as of right now, the Leafs did very well in their draft this year. I may take some pride in picking players to write about that I am guessing would be of interest to Toronto, but I'm not so arrogant that I think I know best. I trust the players they take more than my own opinion. Most of the time, anyway... I still have questions about a certain pick taken late in the draft last year. There are certain things I picked up watching video interviews with Mark Leach that helped me guess what players he'd like or not like. In some cases I'm kind of guessing, but the last two years I've apparently been thinking in lock step with him with at least 2-3 of my guesses each draft. You look through the picks they made, and while there is a pretty wide variety in the profiles and styles of each player, there are some common themes that I'm guessing will come in the post-draft pressers with Chayka, Sundin, Leach, and Wickenheiser: - The big thing that came up when listening to Leach and researching his background, he loves players that just do not give up on a play – and on the other side, he doesn't like players who do. You see that in every player they drafted, including the goalies. "Battle" is a word that came up for all of them, even the guys who aren't known for being very physical, like McKenna or Bilecki. - One thing that was common too all of the defensemen is they're all known for their ability to move the puck, even if it's to varying degrees. Bilecki, Mackenzie, Gudmundson, and Fedoseyev are all good to very good skaters and puck carriers, and good passers for moving the puck out of their own end. - Physicality is something that isn't known for all their picks, but was common when looking at Olsen and Pepoy. Both of them gave me and Cathy some Landon Sim vibes. Olsen was voted as the most underrated in this draft class when other prospects were polled at the Combine. Most of those votes came from defensemen playing in the WHL who were very experienced dealing with the terror that was Olsen's forechecking with speed and a physical edge. And Pepoy was part of a delightful line on Saginaw that was collectively called "The Weasel Boys". So all in all, I was happy with this draft class. My plans for the next week is to work on writing full profiles on all the skaters Toronto drafted who I haven't already gotten a full profile before the draft. The exception is the two goalies, both because goalies are harder to do that kind of thing, but also because I have no means of re-watching their games from last season given where they played. So that means: Ethan MacKenzie, Zach Olsen, Cooper Williams, Yaroslav Fedoseyev, and Brody Pepoy. McKenna, Bilecki, and Gudmundsson already have full write ups I'll link with each of their mini-summaries below. ## Pick #1 – Gavin McKenna (LW) A+, 10/10, no notes. They had the top pick in this draft and they took the best player available. He may have his warts and imperfections, but as a person he seems like a guy who can survive in this hellscape market which is not insignificant. Even as the player he is, he brings a lot to the Leafs that they desperately needed. And I trust they can develop him to improve in the necessary areas. No need to really add more. [2026 NHL Draft Profile: Gavin McKennaMcKenna is inarguably the most skilled offensive force in this draft, but is he the best overall player and worthy of being taken first overall?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-aec75ab1-8558-4499-8634-4ffdf9716ac3.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1553284965-5dd8352ff1bd-3f5f8512-f6b4-4c00-85ae-95e8ed49a07b)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-gavin-mckenna) ## Pick #60 – Alexander Bilecki (LD) Oh, my heart! I was so excited to see multiple scouts in their mock drafts have Toronto take him at 60, and even more excited when Toronto actually picked him. I was very high on him for a lot of this season because of what he showed in his limited opportunities on the best team in the CHL, with a very deep defense group. When he had the chance to play higher in the lineup because of injuries or players at NHL pre-season/national team camps for the World Juniors, he stepped up and looked even better. Bilecki has an exciting combination of skating, skills, and the potential to fill out his frame to be a true two-way force. He isn't the most physical, and his defensive tracking data and scouting opinions are mixed. He could wind up as a pure glass cannon guy, but I don't think so. I saw potential there, and while there's no guarantee his defense gets developed into being a big strength, as long as he can hit a certain level to be even a bit above average in its projection, he could make for a solid second-pairing guy who plays in all situations. [2026 NHL Draft Profile: Alexander BileckiBilecki has been buried in the depth chart for a strong Kitchener defensive group, but he’s made the most of his time and stepped up when needed.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-788776bf-ee59-4dc5-9c1e-92072bc43c67.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1484312152213-d713e8b7c053-a12b33b3-f4f4-4c47-88d1-81b8f97166cd)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-alexander-bilecki/) ## Pick #69 – Ethan MacKenzie (LD) While a part of me says, well you could have drafted him as a D+1 guy last year in the seventh round instead of a certain Kitchener Ranger forward, I can't be unhappy with this pick. MacKenzie is ***very*** young for his draft year, with a September 2nd birthday he's only 15 months older than McKenna despite being separated by two different draft years. MacKenzie is like a version of Bilecki that ***did*** develop the other parts of his game. He maintained his mobility and high level puck movement to drive transitions, made Team Canada's World Juniors roster and was one of their top all situations defensemen, and learned how to use his mobility and intelligence to become a legitimate play killer in junior. He'll have more time to develop in college as he committed to North Dakota in the NCAA. He's a solid pick and has the bonus of being an older re-entry, makes him closer to the NHL (in theory) which the Leafs sorely need from defense prospects. His ceiling may only be as a third pairing guy, but because he's older he offers more certainty because you can see how he's already developed. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-52.png) ## Pick #73 – Zach Olsen (RW) I didn't profile Olsen, but I was aware of him going into the draft. I had seen him get hyped up by some scouts, and I saw all the quotes about him coming out of the NHL combine (which he was invited to, not everyone in the draft year is for the record). I love the fact that he not only was named as this draft class' most underrated player by his peers, but the majority of the votes he got were from WHL defensemen who hated playing against him because of his speed, physicality and forechecking. Olsen is rated as one of the fastest straight line skaters in the draft, and he uses it as a weapon. He turns himself into a rocket of terror screaming down on defensemen who are trying to get to dump ins before they get squashed on the boards. He skates hard, battles hard on the boards, and is just a pain in the ass to play against. He has a good shot too, with a very quick release that has velocity on it. His playmaking and puck handling need a lot of work, but he has a path to being a bottom six energy buzzsaw. As Cathy put it to me, he seems like Landon Sim only more so. He could easily turn into a fan favourite. > The [@BladesHockey](https://x.com/BladesHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)'s Zach Olsen with the exclamation mark❗️ > > The 36th ranked North American skater for the 2026 [#NHLDraft](https://x.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) completes a dominant display with 🇨🇦's sixth of the day! [#U18MensWorlds](https://x.com/hashtag/U18MensWorlds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/CRzBDP10CF](https://t.co/CRzBDP10CF?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) [April 23, 2026](https://x.com/CHLHockey/status/2047324800650022930?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Pick #76 – Mans Gudmundsson (RD) Gudmundsson is a defenseman who can be the perfect kind of boring. I wrote about him in full (link below), but I like him because he's a right shot, he has size, he has a good defensive foundation and he made a lot of improvements in the dynamic and mobile elements of his game on both sides of the puck. He especially improved on his ability to drive zone exits and successfully retrieve dump ins to push the puck up the ice with control. He'll be your defensive conscience on the right side on the bottom two pairs, barring a surprisingly big leap in his development with his puck skills. Maybe not a sexy pick, but a solid one. [2026 NHL Draft Profile: Måns GudmundssonUnlike what the refs may call for penalties, you can never have Too Much Måns.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-061f3879-4ce1-4f0f-929c-3c4742c33f2d.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1564598522417-e9ac1425d7c6-1-f7cae5a3-64a7-46f0-b4d9-b2bcd9c7dce5.jpeg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-too-much-mans-gudmundsson/) ## Pick #85 – Juuso Ainasto (G) It's funny, even a goalie like Ainasto is someone I'd heard about going into the draft. I don't look into goalies much, since I have very little idea what to look for or what I'm talking about with them. I saw he got some hype from various goalie scouts but the guys I wrote about on my goalie list are all guys who had good stats. In the end, I'm more willing to trust that a goalie is good when he has good numbers in the level he plays in. I make a small exception for guys who play in very competitive pro leagues in their draft years, but that's extremely rare. Most will only get a small taste. But from everything I had read, Ainasto gets rave reviews from many goalie scouts for his mechanics, butterfly, and athleticism. He's seen as a pretty safe bet to make the NHL in some capacity as a result, with a very good foundation to build on as of now that makes him seem more certain. I'll just have to take their word for it! ## Pick #114 – Patriks Plumins (G) Plumins is a goalie who may have had the overhype from looking really good in a short international tournament, but he also had legitimate reason to be considered a top goalie prospect even beyond that. Way back in 2021, I wrote this piece on how to get good goalies on your NHL team. [Myth Busters: Do you have to draft goalies in the first round?Goalies are voodoo, but to get an elite one you have to roll the dice at some point![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-7ed2ebde-9f5b-4f76-849d-60c0d7a6d38b.png)PPP LeafsBrian Stewart![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/scott-gummerson-Maple-Leafs-Jersey-unsplash--cropped--1-25a0e884-9b1c-4269-8081-0f2f0a1a3dac.jpg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl-draft-myth-busters-do-you-have-to-draft-goalies-in-the-first-round/) One of the things I gleaned from it that I took with me since then was that a goalie getting any professional, men's league experience is a good sign for their likelihood to turn into an NHL goalie. It could be only a couple of games, and they could get absolutely shelled in that limited opportunity, but that was still a good indication. It didn't have to be in a top pro league like the SHL in Sweden or KHL in Russia. It could also include less competitive countries like Czechia, Slovakia, or... Latvia. And wouldn't you know that Plumins played his entire season either in Latvia's top pro league or in their second tier pro league. In his 16 games as his team's backup in the top level, he had a very good 1.50 GAA and a .927 sv%. For his scouting I'll just quote what I put in the goalie listicle about him: > Scouts like his hands – meaning his glove and blocker – as well as his rebound control, making him kind of the opposite of Trejbal. Continuing that theme, his lateral skating and explosiveness gets knocked as well although there's some differences of opinion on that. He'll probably be a later pick unless a team puts a LOT of stock on his international play. ## Pick #158 – Cooper Williams (C) Now, Williams is a bit of an interesting pick. He entered this season almost unanimously considered to be a first round pick. He was coming off a season where he had 57 points in 68 games as a 16 year old. That was only four points back of the team lead, despite being so young, and was second among all WHL rookies. This year, despite that hype, he finished with an indentical 57 points albeit in 66 games. The big differences this year are he improved his shot rate by a good chunk, and a lot more of his points came on the powerplay this year (27 this year vs 16 last year). So, honestly, it looks like his game took a little step back rather than improving. That's why he slipped from being considered a first round guy down to Toronto in the 5th round. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-53.png) This season's metrics are on the left, last season is on the right. So, why might Williams still be an interesting pick? First, I generally subscribe to the idea that players don't just randomly forget how to play hockey. Maybe his Draft-1 season was overrated because some circumstance was inflating it to make it look better than it was, so this season was more to his "normal". Or maybe something explains why he didn't look as good this year. From what I've been able to tell, the latter looks to be more of the case. This year, Williams was The Guy. He was their 1C, as a 17 year old. He was asked to take on a lot more responsibility as an all situations, two way center. To give him credit, he did that part well. Scouts now rave about his defense and responsible play, playing within a solid structure, staying above the puck, supporting his defensemen, stealing the puck, all that good stuff. The problem seems to be the offense, and in particular the play-driving, didn't seem to improve at all. Maybe he was focusing too much on the defensive side, because the offensive execution looked just fine on the powerplay when he didn't really have to focus on defense? That's what I'm wondering before I look into him with more depth this next week. ## Pick #161 – Yaroslav Fedoseyev (RD) Fedoseyev reminded me a lot Alexander Ivanov, who I wrote about in my listicle for late round defensemen. The only reason why I chose to write about him instead of Fedoseyev is because a bunch of little superficial things leaned in his favour – he is a bit bigger, he's younger, and his tracking data looked a bit better. None of those things on their own are what I put a lot of stock into, and even before the draft I considered them roughly equal. What I liked about Fedoseyev is that he played most of this season in either the VHL or the KHL. In the VHL, he was mainly a middle pairing guy, but finished the season and the short playoff run as their most used defensman. In the KHL, he wasn't just getting dressed and barely playing, he was a bottom pairing kid but he was averaging over 12 minutes per game. Like all the other defensemen they drafted, he's known for his skills as a puck mover and breakouts. He has a fluid mobility but, like I often say for prospects his age, he needs to get stronger and add more explosiveness to his acceleration. There are some inconsistencies in his defensive execution but it's not so bad that his team wouldn't play him above junior – to the contrary, his ice time kept rising and he kept getting called up to the next level in Russia's hockey ecosystem. He's another long-shot and long term project, but I'm looking forward to seeing what the Leafs development squad can do with him. ## Pick #169 – Brody Pepoy (RW) My favourite factoid for any player the Leafs drafted – the line Pepoy played on most regularly for Saginaw in the OHL was called, collectively, "The Weasel Boys". I just think that's delightful. As a prospect, Pepoy is a major wild card... both literally and figuratively. He's not just a late round flyer who could be molded into something interesting as a depth winger, but his play style is also incredibly chaotic and wild. He plays with a lot of pace, mobility and energy. He has an eternal motor and definitely has an edge to his game that befits a Weasel Boy. The issue with Pepoy is that he tries... a lot. Tries a lot of dangles and creative plays, but his execution is – well, it's wild. He is fearless in what he tries, which is both a blessing and a curse. I'll break it down in more detail once I watch him more this week, but I'll say this: there are two ways I can see Pepoy's development going in the next couple of years. First, junior at his age is the right place for players to be creative and try things. So he'll either finally figure everything out, something clicks, and he can start pulling off more of what he tries at a higher rate. I don't begrudge a guy for trying that (though his coach may disagree). But he'll get to a certain age where, if he efficiency of his ability to execute what he tries successfully doesn't get to a certain level by a certain age, he'll need to learn to cut it out and stop trying that particular thing. The mechanical skills are good to practice over time, but once you get past junior you need to work on refining your game and making it fit the system you're playing in. This is especially true for guys who are not superstars offensively. Second, starting right now, the Leafs' development coach already gets him to cut that stuff out and focus on the parts of his game that project well to professional hockey. That's his skating, energy, defensive play, checking, peskiness, forechecking, and so on. All those kinds of skills that can make him a useful bottom six checking line winger. Start improving in those areas to make them as refined and efficient as possible by the time you are old enough to turn pro. Regardless, like Olsen he has a good chance of turning into a fan favourite. After all, who hates a weasel??? ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Sunday's FTB: Pivot to Free Agency URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sundays-ftb-pivot-to-free-agency/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T15:11:07.000Z With the draft over, and 10 new Leafs prospects safely tucked away in the developer fluid baths, the Leafs have to pivot to free agency quickly. Qualifying Offers for RFAs are due tomorrow at ~~noon~~ 5 pm, and free agency officially opens at noon on Wednesday. Unofficially? Well, it's obvious some careful conversations happen between teams and agents in advance. "So, Agent Paul, if you you had a player who was around 31, around 6-5 and around 212 lbs, and he was familiar with Toronto, what would a totally hypothetical guy like that want in a contract?" "Well, GM John, if I knew anyone like that, he'd likely want some stability after moving around to a few teams. And he's got a lot to offer. We're thinking the Knies deal." "Oh, Paul, no, we're not doing that for a guy his age. What about 4 by 5?" And so it goes on until the totally hypothetical player ends up on the Leafs on Wednesday afternoon a polite hour or two past noon. It's become truthy that there are no UFAs. And while it is true that the high-end players are flowing around from team to team via trades, and there are a lot of big money RFAs moving around, the UFA market is not empty. You just can't get a top third of your lineup player there. Not unless you want to take a chance on someone much older than Mr. Hypothetical up there. Here's an interesting hypothetical not involving thinly veiled references to former Leafs prospects... A lot of teams who don't really want prospects ended up using picks to draft them they'd been trying hard to trade. Meanwhile there's a list of players under contract who want out of their current teams and those trades never happened. There's obviously a disconnect on how teams see themselves and how their players do in a lot of cases, but in the game of musical chairs as younger and more effective players were bid on with picks, a lot of teams were left standing with a teenager at the end of the night they didn't really want to take home. No one, well, Vegas does, but no one trades prospects right after the draft. Are they going to start, or has the endowment effect already worked its magic (assuming it's actually real and not yet another social science concept that doesn't hold up to scrutiny.) I find it hard to believe, to take the example, that Detroit will trade Dylan Larkin for some picks in next year's draft. So maybe the Wild will offer older prospects or players, but maybe the market is suddenly not so liquid when there's no top-10 picks moving around. One thing is for sure. The Cap Hits that will get agreed to this week will be very large, and players like Mr. Hypothetical there really will get something like Matthew Knies is paid. Or more. We've now hit the point where having cash (in terms of cap space) actually is an asset, but only if the team is willing to spend the real money that backs it up. John Chayka talked about shoring up the depth yesterday, was cagey on the subject of goalies, and never gives a direct yes or no to a question. Glances at the calendar. Situation normal. There's some good discussion there about taking goalies, assessing the draft and making guesses on the future of players. For all of our coverage on the draft: [NHL Draft - PPP LeafsCoverage of the NHL Entry Draft and draft prospects.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-fb7cac93-2794-4981-8f06-8b11c2fd3e40.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1608270586620-248524c67de9-1467e320-3143-435c-90c6-64b85b7ff25d)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tag/nhl-draft/) And you can count on some more coverage of the new prospects as we (eventually) pivot into T25 season. But first comes the contracts for the existing players and the potential for more trades. Stick with us over the next few days. Until something happens, though, go outside! See you Monday. ### Draft Day 2 FTB: More prospects incoming URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/draft-day-2-ftb-more-prospects-incoming/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T19:39:58.000Z > Gavin checkin’ in 🫡 [pic.twitter.com/RQOWhxODq4](https://t.co/RQOWhxODq4?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [June 27, 2026](https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2070666644943151158?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The second round begins airing on SN, NHLN and ESPN+ at 11 am ET today. Since this draft will run through the entire afternoon, we will use this post as the combination FTB and watch post. The draft order for the second through seventh rounds does not use the lottery order, instead using the standings and playoff results only. ### Toronto's Picks Toronto has six picks this year, one of their own, and five received in trades prior to the draft. They are: - Pick #60, the Buffalo second-round pick received from LA for Scott Laughton - Pick #69, their own third-rounder - Pick #85, the Flyers third-round pick received as part of the Joe Woll/Simon Benoit trade - Pick #116, the Ducks fourth-round pick received from Seattle for Bobby McMann - Pick #158, the Colorado fifth-round pick received for Nic Roy - Pick #169, the San Jose sixth-round pick received for Timothy Liljegren The second round will be the slowest round, so don't expect that Leafs pick before noon. After that, well, you never know, sometimes they are very slow sometimes not. --- In other news you might have missed: > The [@LAKings](https://x.com/LAKings?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) have signed defenseman Brandt Clarke to a five-year contract worth an average annual value (AAV) of $7,400,000 through the 2030-31 season. > > 📰: [https://t.co/VzIL9ocYmK](https://t.co/VzIL9ocYmK?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/QVDnpeqG7Q](https://t.co/QVDnpeqG7Q?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) [June 26, 2026](https://x.com/LAKingsPR/status/2070643268564693386?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Yesterday in trades: - Buffalo got Olen Zellweger from the Ducks for Anton Wahlber and the 45th overall pick in today's second round. - Ottawa got Andre Burakovsky for a 2027 sixth round pick from Chicago. - Boston (who now have former Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams on staff, per Elliotte Friedman) got former Sabre J.J. Peterka from Utah for their first round pick last night and a 2028 first. - The Rangers got the rights to unsigned RFA (arbitration rights) Pavel Dorofeyev from Vegas for the 26th overall last night a third rounder today and a 2028 first rounder. The Rangers signed Dorofeyev for seven years at $11 million. - St. Louis got Mason McTavish from Anaheim for the 15th and 29th picks last night. - The Mammoth got pick number 17 last night for pick number 19 and a third rounder today from LA. - San Jose got pick number 21 last night from Buffalo for the 27th, along with a second and fourth round picks for today. - Utah got goalie Sebastian Cossa from Detroit for pick number 23 last night. - Montréal got the 26th pick last night for the 28th and a third-round pick next year. - Anaheim moved up to pick number 28 last night from Vegas in exchange for pick number 29 last night and a fourth rounder today. - Nashville got the 31st last night from Carolina for two second rounders today. Wait, do you want to know who was drafted yesterday? I stopped paying attention after the first pick, but here's a list which you can carry on using today: [https://puckpedia.com/draft](https://puckpedia.com/draft?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) If you watched last night, you saw Gavin take a call before the draft. > Wondering who Gavin McKenna was on the phone with before he was selected? > > Well, here it is[@TheHockeyNews](https://x.com/TheHockeyNews?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/peWeYFCKlr](https://t.co/peWeYFCKlr?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Andre Leal (@leal\_andre19) [June 27, 2026](https://x.com/leal%5Fandre19/status/2070699684184645902?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Onto the fun of the second day of the draft. We'll have coverage for you as we go along like always. ### Maple Leafs Draft Brody Pepoy with the 169th overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-draft-brody-pepoy-with-the-169th-overall-in-the-2026-nhl-entry-draft/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T02:20:43.000Z The Toronto Maple Leafs have taken Brody Pepoy with the 169th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2026 Entry Draft. ### Vitals - **Position**: Right-shot winger - **League(s)**: OHL - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 181 lbs - **Birthdate**: May 16, 2008 ### Career ### Highlights ## Rankings - Elite Prospects: 109th - McKeens: 145th - NHL Central Scouting: 124th among North American skaters ## Who Is Brody Pepoy? Here's his tracking data: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-51.png) I actually wrote a bit about Pepoy earlier in the year on one of my mid-season watch list updates. I really thought about him for the listicle I wrote for late round forwards, but he just missed the cut. Here's the post where I talked about him: [2026 NHL Draft: February Watch ListWe’re into the home stretch with some prospects solidifying their draft range, while others turn into late risers or fallers. I’m getting a good idea of who may be available in Toronto’s range.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-c94a5333-12aa-4f14-b491-ea44bfc445d0.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1490127252417-7c393f993ee4-fafe6b48-4401-498b-af3a-1a4aa923a7a6)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-december-watch-list-2/) Here are some more recent scouting reports on him: ### Elite Prospects > Few prospects captivated our scouting staff this year the way Brody Pepoy did. His game is, in a word, chaos. He plays at a breakneck pace with a kill-or-be-killed mindset, charging full speed after pucks and looking to pull out a crazy 1-on-1 move every chance he gets. He’s raw but exciting, and plays a style that could lead to rapid improvement. > Pepoy never stops working. If he’s not first on a puck, he makes sure the opponent feels it. He sprints hard into every play. With possession, he’s fearless and inventive, combining with dynamic habits: Feet always moving, attacking at angles, and aiming inside every chance. With spin moves, toe-drags, and more, he has assembled one of the best highlight reels in the OHL. > Pepoy is dynamic, but he’s usually fighting the puck and playing too fast. He passes before looking, mishandles receptions, and handles the puck too much inside his moves. There were many games in which he failed to execute plays repeatedly and didn’t adapt. His confidence is great, as is his willingness to expand his game, but his skill and brain have to catch up to his feet. > While Pepoy does have boom potential, he’ll likely have to re-calibrate his game to fill a bottom-six role. That means picking his spots better, leaning more into his checking side, and adding more details. ### McKeen's Hockey > Consistency was the biggest issue for Pepoy this year, as the entire secondary scoring group in Saginaw had a tough time finding rhythm behind the team’s dominant first line. The draw is that he’s both skilled and physically aggressive. He also projects as an above average skater for someone with his frame. Pepoy is most dangerous attacking the offensive zone with speed as he has the creativity and confidence to beat defenders one on one to create scoring chances. > The biggest thing for Pepoy is making more sound decisions with the puck. Turnovers were a bit of an issue for him this year; it’s that classic hero puck mentality. However, more often than not, even after committing a turnover, he’d work to regain possession. Continuing to upgrade his strength and conditioning should also prevent him from disappearing for stretches. While the offensive production certainly isn’t typically indicative of a player selected in the mid rounds, Pepoy passed the eye test enough times to feel confident ranking him where we have. He has significant boom potential as he gains more ice time and responsibility in Saginaw. ### Upside Hockey > The "Weasel Boys" is a nickname coined by RW Jacob Cloutier to describe the Saginaw Spirit's second-line, featuring himself, C Carson Harmer, and draft-eligible 17 year-old RW Brody Pepoy (6'2",181lbs), who is a tidy #110 for NA Skaters in Central Scouting's Mid-Term Rankings. Saginaw was just swept from the playoffs by the 2nd-best team in the OHL, the Kitchener Rangers- but they probably had no business being there in the first-place, finishing the regular season 15th, out of 20 teams. Pepoy, who doesn't turn 18 until May.16th, was held pointless in 3 post-season games, after registering 16 goals and 29 points in 63 regular-season contests. The native of Troy, Michigan was never drafted into the OHL, and was instead signed as a free-agent in the summer of 2025 after impressing the Spirit's coaching staff as a training-camp invite; he was playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 16U AAA in the 2024-25 season, posting 52 points in 55 games. He will be attending Lindenwood University for the 2027-28 season. > Pepoy is a big power-forward who plays a pacey, high-energy game, facilitated by his grit and boundless motor. He's a solid skater, but his explosiveness, top-gear and agility are somewhat limited by hitches in his mechanics- his stride lacks full extension, and he looks a little too hunched-over at times, with a bit of a heel-kick. Still, his intensity and workrate make up for his lack of elite quickness somewhat, and he is still able to push pace and surprise opponents on the forecheck, forcing them into turnovers and uncontrolled play. With plentiful contact-skill, he knows how to leverage his frame to win battles and secure inside-positioning, displaying the ability to barge through congested areas while maintaining control, skate through hands to dislodge pucks, and establish contact early to gain a bit more space to operate. > Pepoy finishes his checks, throws his weight around to separate man from puck, and is willing to absorb contact to make a play. With only 22 PIM on the season, he shows that he uses his physicality with purpose and discipline, and can throw jarring hits while staying within the rules. While he will most likely never be a highly-productive offensive player, and his game looks a bit raw and erratic right now, he is decently skilled and remarkably detailed in all three zones with pro-style habits, and carries an impactful checking game. As the season progressed however, and his responsibilities increased (he spent the first chunk of the campaign on the third-line), he put forth a much higher shot-volume, on top of his already frequent presence in the low-slot; he is fearless in driving the net for rebounds and loose pucks, and competes in all of the greasy areas of the ice. > Pepoy shows craftiness and vision as a playmaker, with intermittent flashes of higher-end creativity, but his best ideas fall short more often than not; scouts give him credit though, for his willingness to try things and experiment on the fly, but his passing-skill may not be as well-developed as his ability to read the play. I believe he has more in his repertoire, and plenty of room to grow his game, but he may have a high NHL-floor anyway, due to his size, defensive acumen, work-ethic, and physicality. Look for him in the later-rounds. I LOVE that he was called a "weasel boy". Welcome to the Leafs, Brody! ### Maple Leafs Draft Yaroslav Fedoseyev with the 161st overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-draft-yaroslav-fedoseyev-with-the-161st-overall-in-the-2026-nhl-entry-draft/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T02:06:59.000Z The Toronto Maple Leafs have taken Yaroslav Fedoseyev with the 161st overall pick in the sixth round of the 2026 Entry Draft. They made a quick trade to swap next year's pick (the one from the Ersson trade) with Vancouver. > 🚨Trade > > To [#Canucks](https://x.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > '27 5th (orig OTT) > > To [#LeafsForever](https://x.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > '26 6th #161[https://t.co/O0djWVzqwZ](https://t.co/O0djWVzqwZ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [June 27, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2070947563214115142?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Vitals Fedoseyev is a right-shooting defender who has been playing in the junior league for Traktor Chelyabinsk. He is listed at 6'1" and 188 lbs. ### Career It appears that Fedosyev is expected to play in the KHL next year after some VHL time this past season and a cup of coffee on the big team. ### Scouting Reports From Elite Prospects: > Not many players skate in the Gagarin Cup Playoffs in their draft year, let alone defencemen. That’s what makes Yaroslav Fedoseyev’s season remarkable. The right-shot defender spent time across the entire Russian Hockey circuit, enjoying an early-season promotion from the MHL to the VHL, and eventually, the KHL, bouncing back and forth between the leagues in various capacities. In fact, Fedoseyev ended the season with 58 regular-season games combined, even scoring his first KHL goal at the end of October. > These promotions weren’t unwarranted. Fedoseyev’s overall game, from his aggressive defending to his puck-moving ability, led to this opportunity. Eastern Europe regional scout Dylan Griffing highlighted his transition game in an October report: “His current strength lies in his efficient puck movement – making smart, straightforward plays that drive possession up the ice while keeping mistakes to a minimum. Though primarily a pass-first player, Fedoseyev’s agility and awareness allowed him to buy time and space against KHL forecheckers.” > Already operating with projectable size, Fedoseyev excels at the box out, extending out to the flanks to pin and stall threats on the outside. He’s disruptive, hunts physical opportunities on the rush, and his mean streak persisted throughout our team's viewings. Our Dir. of European Scouting, Lassi Alanen, wrote the following in March: “If you're going up against him, you need to be ready to take a few bruises.” McKeen's says: > Fedoseyev played a good chunk of his season at the professional level this year. Of the draft-eligible Russian defencemen, he plays the most physical and mature game. It starts in the defensive end, where Fedoseyev uses good footwork and lateral agility to shut down rushes by forcing them wide and crunching them into the boards. When getting into battles in front of the net or along the boards, he can get a bit chippy at times, making sure he leaves a mark while boxing out and battling for positioning. When the pace of the game speeds up, Fedoseyev can occasionally get caught flat-footed or leave too much of a gap on these rushes that he's usually good at defending. From his own end, the breakout game is inconsistent. His vision and ability to connect on passes in transition are not great, leading to some poor turnovers or icings. When the puck is in the offensive end, though, Fedoseyev has shown some flashes of skill. It's a methodical style, creeping into the zone with the puck on his stick, slowing the game down, staying calm under pressure before finding a target in front. An interesting set of tools for a mid-round option. ### Maple Leafs Draft Cooper Williams with the 158th overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-draft-cooper-williams-with-the-158th-overall-in-the-2026-nhl-entry-draft/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T02:21:15.000Z The Toronto Maple Leafs have taken Cooper Williams with the 158th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 Entry Draft. ### Vitals - **Position**: Left-shot center - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'1" - **Weight**: 163 lbs - **Birthdate**: Feb 18, 2008 ### Career ## Rankings - Pronman: 95th - Elite Prospects: 122nd - Scott Wheeler: 90th - NHL Central Scouting: 50th among North American skaters - Craig Button (TSN): 31st - Tony Ferrari (The Hockey News): 80th - McKeen's Hockey: 164th - Daily Faceoff: 115th ## Who Is Cooper Williams? Here is Williams' tracking data: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-50.png) I know two things about Williams. First, he was Zach Olsen's teammate on Saskatoon. Second, he entered this year with some hype but fell off after he seemed to stagnate, but some scouts were critical of what the team tried to do with him and forcing him to play beyond his strengths. Whether the failure of him to do so is on him or the team or a mix of both, you can decide for yourself. Here are some scouting reports: ### Elite Prospects > Entering this season, Cooper Williams was near-unanimously considered a first-round prospect. He had just finished second in the WHL rookie scoring race with 57 points and was only four points back of leading his team overall. This season, he replicated his stat line in two fewer games and failed to take the step many expected. Still, there’s reason to believe the breakout is impending. > A two-way player, Williams makes his impact through safeguarding his team. He’s usually found above the puck, preparing to push rushes outside into his defenders. He supports plays down low, quickly fishes pucks out of battles, and limits turnovers with simple, north-south plays. Plus, he has a knack for interceptions and doesn’t shy away from the net front. > With that two-way impact comes playmaking. Williams makes quick plays off the wall in all three zones and shows high-cycle vision. At times, he even fakes defenders to create a passing lane. > While there are great moments to latch onto, Williams' game suffers from a lack of volume. Some of that’s his lower-paced style of play, but much of it is physical. Even when he has inside position, WHL defenders launch him off the puck. He’s unable to get puck touches through winning battles, relegating him to the passenger’s seat in too many games. > Committed to North Dakota, perhaps the college game will be better suited for Williams’ development. He might be overmatched physically at first, but the lighter schedule will give him more time to fill out his frame. There’s still a potential third-line, two-way forward in Williams, but he’s likely many years out from pressing for a spot. ### McKeen's Hockey > Williams is a do-it-all center who stormed onto people's scouting radars last year as a 16-year-old WHL rookie. However, his stock slid continuously throughout this season due to lack of progression, which raised some difficult questions about his value as a prospect. > He is a go-to player for the Blades, someone that his coaches trust to go over the boards and to take key faceoffs in all situations and on both sides of special teams. He's plenty smart, he's responsible with the puck, and he's so steady that you could set your watch to him. The problem with his consistency, though, is that he's not consistently improving. He's almost the exact same player that he was at the start of last season. That's never a good sign when you consider the kinds of adjustments and tweaks that prospects need to make as they develop and move up levels. > Williams is committed to a great program at the University of North Dakota, so hopefully that change will provide a beneficial shake-up for him. ### HockeyProspect.com > Cooper Williams is an intelligent two-way centerman for the Saskatoon Blades. He excels as a 200ft responsible centerman who improved his game on the defensive side of the puck greatly from his rookie season as well as his faceoffs. Williams is crafty and can steal pucks in all three zones. Williams uses an active stick and tight pressure to force turnovers. On the penalty kill, Williams was overcommitting to start the year but improved his play on the penalty kill as the season progressed becoming a more responsible option. Williams is still very raw physically and will need to physically mature to become a regular at the pro-level. He isn’t the most explosive and will need to continue building his patience with the puck and acceleration to gain an extra edge in transition. > On the offensive side of the puck, Williams is a primarily outside driven player but he does have some success at gaining the middle of the ice but does not have a high success rate getting to the middle. Williams is a heavy pass first player and can be a bit predictable at times which he can improve upon as with his intelligence he finds soft ice well. He will need to find his soft ice in areas like the slot as he is still getting pushed around a bit by stronger defensemen. The best part about his offense is his playmaking, Williams makes intelligent and accurate passes that put his teammates in good positions to score. ### Upside Hockey > Calgary-born C/LW Cooper Williams (6'0.25",166lbs) was sparingly used in last summer's Hlinka by Team Canada, and only played 3 games (3gp/1g/0a/1pt,+1, 0 PIM), but scored the Bronze Medal-winning goal in a 3-0 win over the Finns- an easy tap-in off of a nice pass from Colin Fitzgerald. There isn't a whole lot to go on based on this tournament alone, but based on what I've seen and read of his performance last season with Saskatoon, I would have stated with confidence at the start of the year that he would be a shoe-in to be picked somewhere in the first-half of the first-round of the 2026 Draft- he was that good. First off, his 57 points in 68 WHL games is tied with Brayden Point for the 26th-best season by a U-17 player in that league in the last 30 years. He might've been Rookie-of-the-Year, if it weren't for Landon DuPont. As a 16 year-old, he was second in scoring for the Blades, who finished 10th in the standings, but 13th in goals-for. This season however, he isn't making the expected impact on the offensive side of the puck, posting 18 goals and 44 points in 53 games, which projects to 54 points on 22 goals in 66 contests. The Blades are in virtually the same position right now as they were in 2024-25, sitting 11th in the WHL, with the 13th-best goals-for. Williams is the #42-ranked North American Skater in Central Scouting's Mid-Term List. > Williams' season has been disappointing, not only for his offensive output, but because he's not as physically active as he was last season, isn't as involved or engaged, and seems to be more of a supporter than a driver. He needs to bulk up considerably, but he skates well, although he needs to improve his explosiveness and acceleration a bit- this is most likely due to his lack of strength. He is agile and maneuverable on his edges, handles smoothly in traffic, and protects well against the checkers he can't beat with his quickness and one-on-one skills. Williams is blessed with high-end intelligence and hockey sense that belies his age, and his impact on the ice goes far beyond his offensive output; he would bring a tear to a glass eye with how jaw-droppingly good a two-way player he can be when he's on top of his game. In the defensive zone, he's like another defenseman- he separates man from puck by either skating through hands, intercepting the pass, lifting the stick, poking away the puck, picking pockets, etc. Then he recovers the puck time and again, starts the breakout, rinse and repeat. Amazing stuff. He is usually perfectly positioned, incredibly detailed, and always poised and calculated- he can be found taking away the middle from incursions while scanning for threats, supporting teammates along the wall, subbing in for his D down low, or taking their place battling with aggressors in front of the net. He's like another Point/Cirelli/Bergeron-type with how much of an impact he can make defensively. > Williams does more of the same in the other two zones with uncanny timing and anticipation- killing rushes coming back through the neutral zone that he then turns into possession for his team, while stuffing breakouts in the offensive zone before they get going to extend the attack. The ice is steeply tilted when Williams is out on the ice- he's tenacious, and active. He works hard, plays with pace, and exhibits plenty of smarts and deception in making plays, with the ability to thread the needle through traffic at times, showing flashes of creativity and high-end vision. He may not be the most physical player out there, but when at his best, he goes to the greasy areas, works the boards, gets inside, and goes to the net. He will use delays or cut-backs to wait for the troops to arrive, or to shift the opposing defense in order to open a passing seam. He has an above-average shot, with a snappy release, and good hands to beat goalies in-tight. Going forward, he will need to bulk up and get a lot stronger, improve his battle level, keep getting faster, and perhaps refine his playmaking skill, but obviously- I like this kid a lot. He needs to regain the compete he had last year, though. Look for him in the second, or third-round. Williams has a long runway, as he's attending the University of North Dakota in the 2027-28 season. ### Maple Leafs Draft Patriks Plumins with the 114th overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-draft-patriks-plumins-with-the-114th-overall-in-the-2026-nhl-entry-draft/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T02:07:47.000Z The Toronto Maple Leafs have taken Patriks Plumins with the 114th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2026 Entry Draft. ### Vitals Plumins is a Latvian goalie, listed at 6'4" tall and 214 lbs. He is just 18, and has been playing for Zemgale in Latvia for his whole career. He played almost entirely in the senior league last year. ### Career Notably, Plumins does not get into very many games. ### Scouting Reports The emphasis with this goalie seems to be on his thinking. He is repeatedly noted for being cerebral or for making good reads. > Huge stop by Patriks Plumins. [#U18MensWorlds](https://x.com/hashtag/U18MensWorlds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/KgSNwGfefo](https://t.co/KgSNwGfefo?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) [May 2, 2026](https://x.com/SEllisHockey/status/2050590527825809591?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) McKeen's says: > Already possessing the kind of dreamy size wished for in modern goaltenders, Plumins came into the season somewhat off the draft map and despite some fantastic regular season numbers for his Zemgale pro team, they came in just 16 games in one of Europe’s least notable and scouted leagues. He also was in goal for Latvia’s U20 (one shutout win) and U18 teams (1.60 GAA and one shutout in five outings) in various friendlies this winter but first jumped into everyone’s notebooks at the U18 Worlds, especially after carrying Latvia to the bronze medal game thanks to a highly unexpected and outstanding 5-2 quarterfinals victory over the USA. That may have been the highlight but came after he first saw action in Game 2 of the tournament and proceeded to hold Finland to two and Norway to one goal against. > A gold medal game appearance was thwarted in a 1-0 semifinal loss to host Slovakia, the third time in the tournament that his teammates had been kept off the scoreboard. The 4-1 loss to Czechia in the bronze medal game included two empty netters. All this added up to Plumins being named the tournament’s top goaltender. > Technically, it was easy to see why Plumins was so successful. He displays fantastic up-and-down movements, incredible puck-tracking abilities, strong post-covering tendencies, and a snazzy glove hand. Clearly a student of the game, his stick and leg saves regularly direct the puck away from the slot, and thus, he’s masterful in minimizing rebound attempts in his crease. His lateral movement looks effortless and can make the impression that he’s basically just floating out there. The true danger here is that Plumins’ sample size is minimal. The scouting community is basically working off the basis of this one tournament but hardly anyone isn’t excited to see what he does for an encore. Hockey Prospect says: > Patriks Plumins is arguably the most advanced goalie mentally in this class. He falls into a rare level of cerebral-blocking style goalie, who has the necessary mental traits to counteract some of his physical limitations. Stylistically, there’s some overlap with Jesper Wallstedt at the same stage in their development, due to their advanced reads and tracking with similarly large frames. His international performance at the U18’s was important for his evaluation, since the Latvian Pro league can feature a lot of low-danger shots, which makes our job more difficult. > Plumins bread and butter skill-set are his advanced reads and puck tracking ability. It’s a difficult balancing act for a goalie to be able to anticipate developing plays without over-extending and getting too far ahead of it, but that’s where Plumins excels. He’s exceptional at finally tuning his reads, so that he can put himself in the best possible positions for multi-option plays. His depth management is exceptional, and he’s seemingly always aware of his general surroundings, both with the man advantage and at even strength. His advanced reads extend to odd-man rush plays, back-door entries, net-front redirects, evaluating release points in high-danger areas, and low-to-high passing plays around his net area. Plumins knows how to operate within his windows when the puck is behind his net better than most other goalies in this class. He’s very good at controlling the speed of his transfers when going from post to post as the puck changes windows, and he’s excellent at timing when he should remain anchored and maintain a short-side seal in-case of a reverse pass getting generated on the strong side as the opposing forward is going the opposite direction. Elite Prospects says: > A very strong positional goaltender, Plūmiņš is physically built for professional hockey, with a mature 6-foot-3, 203-pound frame. He challenges shooters well, framing his hands and legs effectively as he cuts down the angle and re-adjusts his depth accordingly to keep the net covered as the play crashes in. Strong on his posts, he transitions quickly into the RVH seals well from that position. > He also uses his stick effectively on the post, cutting away passing lanes and disrupting puck carriers with an active stick. He tracks pucks well with his glove hand, directs rebounds with his butterfly, and anticipates well, constantly scanning for threats. > While he has good athleticism, his recoveries are affected by being slow to get up. Whether an athletic or alertness issue, his engagement level can wane over the course of 60 minutes. He can also struggle to adjust his angle on the fly and rely only on his depth. Additionally, he can act late on his reads, and will need to ensure his scans inform his play-reading – again, possibly an engagement issue. While normally composed, when Plūmiņš becomes erratic, his positional and technical base sometimes falter after he loses sight of the puck or faces significant adversity. ### Maple Leafs Draft Alexander Bilecki with the 60th overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-draft-alexander-bilecki-with-the-60th-overall-in-the-2026-nhl-entry-draft/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T18:38:35.000Z The Toronto Maple Leafs have taken Bilecki with the 60th overall pick in the second round of the 2026 Entry Draft and made me the happiest nerd blogging in my parents' basement. ### Vitals - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: OHL - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 180 lbs - **Birthdate**: May 9, 2008 ### Career Here's his highlight pack: ## ## Scouting Reports Honestly, there really isn't more to say on him that I didn't already say when I profiled him ahead of the draft so here you go: [2026 NHL Draft Profile: Alexander BileckiBilecki has been buried in the depth chart for a strong Kitchener defensive group, but he’s made the most of his time and stepped up when needed.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-183191f1-33d5-46ec-9470-4613acf0e740.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1484312152213-d713e8b7c053-9204f415-8123-49c0-9836-7fb856707eb9)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-alexander-bilecki/) The one thing I'll add that I didn't know then is that, if Bilecki returns to Kitchener in the OHL, he will be THE guy. They lost some of their older defensemen to aging out of junior, and their top defenseman Cameron Reid is leaving for the NCAA next year. Bilecki could always do that too, but having a big role on a team that may still be pretty good will be a huge opportunity for him. But if you want more, here are some direct quotes from various scouts or scouting outlets... ### Will Scouch (ranked him 74th) > I got put onto Bilecki later on this year and I can absolutely see what the fuss is about. He’s got some really impressive playmaking tools, juggling lanes, threading slot passes, and playing an aggressive offensive style of play that has been a huge benefit and a huge risk in my viewings. He might be the guy that leads my anecdotal sample in odd-man rushes allowed, because Bilecki will join the rush, trail the puck significantly, drift into the scoring area, and one rebound or missed pass results in a rush coming the other way and he’s nowhere to be found. He’s physically underdeveloped and I’m not sure the skating ability truly projects to play this brand of defending at higher levels, but there are offensive tools that could continue to grow and develop. He had some impressive moments, looking off defenders and firing passes into the slot, but I’m not as sure about a second round-level player as others are. ### Elite Prospects Draft Guide (ranked him 41st) > There’s a parallel universe in which Alexander Bilecki gets the minutes needed to showcase his higher-end skills more frequently and competes with the top group of defencemen for the title of best back-end playmaker. > It’s not this world, unfortunately. Bilecki played a bottom-pairing role for the deep OHL champion Kitchener Rangers, picking up points against lower competition. But if he does get those top-four minutes next season, we envision a meteoric rise. > Bilecki attacks defences, beating the first forechecker with a fake and an explosive change of direction, before piercing right through neutral zone coverages. He creates high-danger scoring chances regularly off the rush, often with a give-and-go followed by a backhand slot pass. > One of the best backhand passers in the draft, Bilecki constantly finds solutions to pressure. With his explosive skating, a large playmaking arsenal, and deceptive acts, he pushes the play forward, orchestrating the power play while also helping Kitchener’s ever-dangerous formation at 5-on-5. > “He's playing about 12-15 minutes in the postseason, but he's making the most of his ice time,” OHL scout Lauren Kelly wrote in an April report. “Picked up two assists in this game, including a slick one on the power play that saw him lead the rush up ice through the middle, handle around a closing defender, and hook a pass to a teammate as he was falling.” > His limited role and defensive game capped how high we could rank him on our board. Bilecki is still learning the intricacies of it: When to close out, hold his position, scan for threats, and rotate properly. There’s a physical side to his game, so we’re confident he will improve as a stopper, but at this stage, he’s more of a fourth forward than a complete defenceman. > “There was a great half-ice 2-on-1 sequence where he took the middle away with the false gap, accelerated with a crossover, pivoted, and got a breakup,” Head of Scouting Mitchell Brown wrote in a January report. > Bilecki is the perfect second-rounder, offering a high level of upside despite the risk associated with his projection. A team in need of a future power play quarterback should target him, considering that he has NHL-level tools and size to go with his playmaking skills. ### McKeen's Hockey Draft Guide (ranked him 35th) > Bilecki’s stock skyrocketed later in the OHL season after a strong conclusion to the year that saw him develop into a key cog for the Kitchener Rangers, helping them capture an OHL championship and Memorial Cup. > Bilecki, at his core, is a confident offensive defender. He has quarterbacked the Kitchener powerplay for large parts of this past season, showing poise with the puck under pressure and a knack for getting shots through traffic. He is a strong skater who can have a profound impact on the transition game. He can skate the puck out of trouble in the defensive end and consistently executes his breakouts. As he earns more ice time and develops more confidence in his carrying ability, look for Bilecki to develop into the kind of offensive defender who takes more chances by pushing and playing higher in the o-zone. > The best part is that Bilecki is not undersized, like many stronger skating offensive defenders these days. At 6-foot-2, he has the frame to be a more than adequate two-way option. Over the course of the OHL season, Bilecki’s defensive game improved a lot with the Rangers as he improved his physical engagement and defensive reads. He can be excellent defending downhill because of his reach and four-way mobility. > There’s obviously some risk that Bilecki’s game stagnates and that he ends up lacking standout traits that would allow him to carve out an NHL role; like say, Roland McKeown. However, there’s also an equal chance that he’s only scratching the surface of what he’s capable of after being somewhat sheltered on a deep and talented Kitchener team. The wide variance of outcomes makes Bilecki a somewhat volatile selection, however, we believe in his upside as a potential top four defender down the road. ### HockeyProspect.com Draft Guide (ranked him 56th) > Bilecki had a solid season with the Rangers, and his game improved steadily as the year progressed. He finished with 29 points in 66 regular season games and added 11 points in 18 games during their OHL championship run. A puck-moving defenseman, his ability to distribute and transition the puck is his standout quality. He's confident and composed with the puck on his stick, and while he doesn't project as a power play quarterback at the NHL level, he showed good creativity. His real value lies in his transition game — he makes a crisp first pass out of his own zone, he can make some creative passing plays, he’s a quick thinker with the puck and can also skate with the puck to create better options for himself. > His skating is above average. He's quick to retrieve pucks and capable of skating himself out of trouble. There is some excess upper-body movement that, if corrected, could make his stride even more efficient. The combination of his puck-moving ability and skating is what makes Bilecki a potential top-three-round pick in this draft. > On the other side of the puck, he is not a physical defenseman. He can be too passive defending against the rush and could use better stick positioning. However, he does compete a bit harder against the cycle down low and around his net. Overall, physicality is not part of his game. He's somewhere between 6'1" and 6'2" and is physically raw, with room to develop. A shutdown role at the NHL level is not a projection we'd make for him. > He fits a similar mold to Ben Macbeath out of the WHL and Vsevolod Matveyev from Russia — defensemen who move pucks well and possess decent to good skating, but lack a secondary game in the sense that they don't bring physicality, don't project as shutdown defenders, and aren't power play guys at the NHL level, at least not on a first unit. > With fewer and fewer defensemen of this type carving out NHL careers, that limits how high we're willing to rank him. But we do appreciate how much better he got this year and also we want to note that he was well coached in Kitchener and good coaching matters for prospects for them to improve their stocks. ### Upside Hockey (ranked him 33rd) > The Kitchener Rangers are currently 5th-overall in the OHL, even though their win % of .719 is third-best, and they have scored the 6th-most goals (178 in 48 games) in the league. The Rangers made some big moves before the January 9th OHL trade deadline in an effort to bolster their lineup for the playoffs, bringing in C Sam O'Reilly, F Gabriel Chiarot, F Dylan Edwards, and D Jared Woolley in separate deals, while jettisoning D Jacob Xu, and D Jakub Chromiak. They were also elevated by the return of D Matthew Andonovski from the AHL, who was their Captain last year. Since the deadline, LD Alexander Bilecki (6'2",181lbs) has posted 7 points in 9 games, to give him a total of 23 points in 47 games to date, which prorates to 33 in 67\. While he has mostly been used on the third-pairing this season, he has seen a big increase in ice-time and responsibility in January, with the departure of Xu and Chromiak, forcing Central Scouting to change his "C"-rating from their Preliminary Rankings to a "B", which indicates a possible 2nd, or 3rd-round pick. He is also #38 for North American Skaters. > Bilecki is a formidable defender, and one of the best transitional defensemen available in this draft-class. He plies a solid, mistake-free puck-moving game, devoid of much dynamism or flash, and wields intelligence in all three zones. A second-round pick of the Rangers, he has his own-zone game down pat, displaying proficiency in derailing rushes with his quick feet, tight gaps, and active stick, while disrupting the cycle with sound positioning, keen awareness, and a noticeable physical edge. He defends his net vigorously, breaks up plays, intercepts passes, and blocks lanes against the cycle; he has been tasked with PK duties, and performs well in those situations. Bilecki makes a high number of recoveries, and shows a lofty panic threshold when outmaneuvering (or outrunning) pressure in retrievals, while scanning for an exit pass. He moves the puck quickly and efficiently in breakouts with remarkable confidence and poise, and is a huge part of the Rangers' transition, tilting the ice in his team's favor by pass, or by carry. > Bilecki is a quick and agile skater, with the puck-protection and handling skill to rush the puck through exit and entry, while evading defenders' efforts to stop him with quick changes of pace and direction, mixed with a bit of deception. In the offensive zone, he exhibits top-tier instincts, and uses his smooth edges well to walk the line in search of open lanes for his cannon of a shot, or to pry open passing seams. He will not only join the rush, but he will lead it, and will activate into the play off the line when he sees an opprtunity. Bilecki is only now getting a real chance to flex his offensive muscle with increased ice-time, but I think his presence in the lineup made it possible to trade Xu and Chromiak. All in all, he's an incredibly well-rounded blueliner with emerging offensive flair. Look for him in the 2nd, or 3rd-round. ### Maple Leafs Draft Juuso Ainasto with the 85th overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-draft-juuso-ainasto-with-the-85th-overall-in-the-2026-nhl-entry-draft-3/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T02:20:20.000Z The Toronto Maple Leafs have taken Juuso Ainasto with the 85th overall pick in the third round of the 2026 Entry Draft. Kinda figured they'd finish off that rapid fire of picks in the third round with a goalie, eh? ### Vitals - **Position**: Goalie - **League(s)**: U20 SM-sarja - **Height**: 6'4" - **Weight**: 198 lbs - **Birthdate**: Mar 17, 2008 ### Career ## Highlights ## Rankings - Elite Prospects - 74th - McKeen's Hockey - 185th - NHL Central Scouting - 14th among European goalies ## Who Is Zach Olsen? Here are some scouting reports: ### Elite Prospects > Juuso Ainasto wasn’t even on our watchlist when the season began, let alone known by any of our scouts. > The Jokerit U18 netminder hadn’t represented Finland at any international tournaments nor played at the U20 level before. That all changed at the end of November, when we caught our first glimpse of the 6-foot-4 netminder and were completely mesmerized by just how polished he was. > Ainasto is an impressive mover. On his feet, he’s explosive and shows quick footwork. But where he really shines is in the butterfly, keeping his form while moving, taking away ample net. Ainasto uses this to challenge shooters and create a black hole for shooters on direct shots. Side-to-side, he’s able to zip across-crease with ease and speed, beating pucks on his pushes alone, and he’s also able to recover quickly from his extensions and get back into a ready stance. > His hand placement is very strong, rarely covering his body and projected very well. He tracks pucks into his hands and directs them out. He boasts strong playreading, incorporating scans to better predict where the puck and play will meet them. > Ainasto is also a born competitor, battling for each save. His battling extends to shenanigans as well, windmilling his glove before shoving the puck in the shooter’s face, and pushing players who enter his crease. While you’d expect players with that level of bravado to struggle when things go awry, Ainasto has also shown impressive composure, looking like the same goaltender in blowouts as in lower-scoring games, maintaining his form and confidence in his play and reads. > As Ainasto favours an inactive, upright stance that disengages him completely, rather than one with his knees bent and hands at the ready, he’ll need to improve his handling of screens. This is in contrast to his default stance of playing low and wide, which also causes him trouble, as he can be beaten high above the shoulders. He also tends to predict the play a bit too much, sometimes neglecting to follow puck carriers on two-on-ones, just assuming they’ll pass, and he can also neglect his rebound control when facing significant shot pressure. > Ultimately, Ainasto is a goaltender with a lot of real promise. He’s a strong athlete, an impressive competitor, and a good skater, all while boasting a good technical base and showing strong anticipation. While his tracking will need to improve more, and he’ll need to continue interpreting his reads more effectively, Ainasto shows real promise as a tandem or starting goaltender in the NHL. ### McKeen's Hockey > Ainasto is one of the draft’s biggest wild cards at the goaltending position. He spent a good portion of the year playing at the U18 level in Finland, rather than U20 or above and he has never represented Finland internationally at a major tournament. Yet, this Finnish man of mystery is firmly on the draft radar because of the tools and upside he possesses. The 6-foot-4 netminder is a terrific athlete and competitor; he can flat out steal games when he is dialed in. He moves post to post and in and out of the butterfly so effortlessly for a larger netminder. However, the technical components need major fine tuning, something that was evident in his limited action at the U20 level. He can cough up huge rebounds and have trouble securing shots from the perimeter. He can overcommit or fail to seal his posts leading to weaker goals. He relies way too much on his athleticism for a larger netminder; refining his movement in the crease will be a major focus of goaltending coaches at higher levels. Yet, it’s rare to possess the kind of athletic tools that Ainasto does at his size and thus the interest in him. ### ### HockeyProspect.com > Juuso Ainasto is a raw, yet athletically gifted and instinctual goalie, that came onto the scene a bit later into the season as the result of starting in U18-Sarju, before getting the call in late November. He posted a shutout in his first performance at the U20 level and followed that up with another high-volume winning performance that got the attention of the U20-Jokerit squad, which was our introduction to him. The standout traits in Ainesto’s game are his combativeness in the crease, his appealing frame and athleticism, and his ability to adaptively stack coverage on high-danger shots. > Mentally, there’s a ton to like about his game. He seemingly is almost never out of the play, and on plays you think he has little chance on, he’s there fighting for every inch of ice, and fighting to get back out in-front of the puck. He’s always looking to match the urgency of the opposing team. In games, where he’s getting shelled due to either him having a poor performance or his defensive coverage has let him down, he’s still wired to stay in the game and try and make the next save as if the game wasn’t out of reach. You can tell he just loves playing the position, and there’s an energy from him that bleeds out onto the ice. > He has a prototypical frame for the position, and he blends it with an impressive set of hands that has a large range of dexterity within them. He keeps his glove hand in a fully supinated position that’s difficult to maintain, but it gives him a distinct advantage when stacking vertical coverages on the glove-hand side of his body, since it’s always in a ready, vertical and open position. His dexterity extends to his head, using his mask like a soccer player to head pucks into dead areas of ice. In terms of his lower-half, it’s not quite as dextrous, but he still has a plus level of reflexes, coordination, range-of-motion, and extensions within his legs. He can make sprawling saves while fully extended, and he can contort and twist himself off his centerline at unique angles when attempting to recover. He’s not one of the top athletes in this class, but he’s a solid one with a combination of fast-twitch and nimbleness. > There are drawbacks to Juuso’s game as well. He’s not always technical, far from it at times. He has a tendency to misinterpret the correct save selection, opting instead for a save-type that leaves him in a recovery push position, which in turn leaves his five-hole vulnerable on in-tight shots. He can over-use his one-up, one-down position, and actually get caught implementing it in the middle of his net without using recovery push-offs, leaving him stuck without a weight transfer. His butterfly execution can be inconsistent. Sometimes, he folds it inwards making it very narrow, other-times it’s loose. His skating mechanics are also inconsistent as the result of losing his edges often. He can mismanage his depth, and he can be prone to tracking errors though traffic. His high-glove was also exposed in certain games, throughout the season, and it will need to improve in order for his game to translate. > What we think will decide his future is if he can find the right blend of his advanced mental traits more often than he currently does, and increase his overall consistency as a result. He has a surprisingly good read of the game in some key areas. He can identify no-look backdoor plays rapidly, anticipate advanced odd-man scenarios, interpret point blank redirects, and get out in-front of weakside lateral options. He is aware of what the opposing team wants to do against him in most instances. But, what we have found is that he can be overreactive and take away his own advantages from himself as well. His future will depend on balancing his mental traits more evenly, and if he does then he has the chance to be a high-end backup for a team. ### Maple Leafs Trade Brandon Carlo to St. Louis URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-trade-brandon-carlo-to-st-louis/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T18:35:29.000Z > Brandon Carlo to STL for two third-round picks > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [June 27, 2026](https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2070898808620274133?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Brandon Carlo was a breath of right-handed air when he was acquired at the deadline from Boston in 2025\. On a retained salary deal, he was a bargain, but the trade cost, next year's first and Fraser Minten rankled. Still, he was a valuable player in his short debut in that season, but as the 2025-2026 season went off the rails, Carlo was one of the first to slide off course. He missed time with an ankle infection, and by the time he returned to the lineup the team was in a bigger mess. He only played in 55 games, missing some time later in the season. Now, with the arrival of Darren Raddysh, the right-handedness has no real value, and it was time for him to find a new home. > [pic.twitter.com/E2yhFpxSe1](https://t.co/E2yhFpxSe1?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [June 27, 2026](https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2070900055117066624?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Maple Leafs Draft Måns Gudmundsson with the 76th overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-draft-mans-gudmundsson-with-the-158th-overall-in-the-2026-nhl-entry-draft/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T02:22:47.000Z The Toronto Maple Leafs have taken Måns Gudmundsson with the 76th overall pick in the third round of the 2026 Entry Draft. This pick was just received for Brandon Carlo. ### Vitals - **Position**: Right-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: U20 Nationell - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 186 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jun 9, 2008 ### Career ### Scouting Report [2026 NHL Draft Profile: Måns GudmundssonUnlike what the refs may call for penalties, you can never have Too Much Måns.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-18995334-50c0-4319-ada5-22ae85c9f7a3.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1564598522417-e9ac1425d7c6-1-004a9bb8-3723-4958-b736-ca6eec8034f1.jpeg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-too-much-mans-gudmundsson/) > The reasons why I still buy into Gudmundsson's potential lies in the areas of improvement he had over this season, and by how much he improved overall – especially on defense, which I care more about. > While Gudmundsson started the year more passive in everything he did (offense and defense), he defensively became much more aggressive in throwing hits, shoving forwards away from the crease and just being a mean prick to his opponents. At the World U18s he threw some big hits that broadcasts would say shifted momentum, but I would say were just pretty sick. > Gudmundsson may be a bit thin and lanky, but he has the frame and the willingness to play a hard defensive style that NHL teams like. With time in the gym and with nutrition and strength coaches, he's more likely to fill out and add the extra strength and weight he'd need for the professional level. This is something I want to call out because you'd think it wouldn't be that hard for a player to "learn" how to just play with more of a physical edge and meanness, but from what I've seen it might be one of the more rare things that a player can dramatically change about themselves. > Gudmundsson also got a lot better defending the rush. His backwards mobility and gap control improved pretty significantly from what I could tell, and there's a reason why he went from not being part of Sweden's roster for the Hlinka last summer to being on their top pair at the World U18s this spring. His stick work, footwork, mobility and aggression made me bump him up from profiling him for the third or even fourth round to the second. > The final and arguably the most important improvement Gudmundsson made this year was his breakouts and puck movement. His accuracy and reliability got so much better by the end of the season. He looked much more calm, less prone to panic and turnovers, and had much greater confidence to hold the puck a bit longer or make a more complicated play to elude forecheckers so he has more time and space to make that first pass out of the zone. > The level of pure skill may be a question mark, but he has the tools and the foundation after all these improvements to make me think very highly of him for any other defenseman in the range of the late second round – in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if his play at the World U18s leads him to being taken before Toronto would even have the chance to pick him. If he doesn't, he'd be one of the few names I'm mentally juggling at the top of my "do want" list for this range. > ALL TIED UP! > > Wiggo Sörensson makes it a 3-3 game early in the 3rd period![#U18MensWorlds](https://x.com/hashtag/U18MensWorlds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/dQhiIefdo2](https://t.co/dQhiIefdo2?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [May 1, 2026](https://x.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2050289990119125198?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Hockey Prospect says: > Gudmundsson is a good-sized right-handed defenseman who moves and distributes the puck well. He's not a power play option at the next level — his shot from the point is average — but he can do positive things with the puck on his stick in transition and in the offensive zone. > His path to the NHL will be as a stay-at-home defenseman who can move pucks while also bringing a physical element to the ice. We saw significant physical growth this season, with him adding close to 15 lbs since last summer. He was tall and lanky but now looks more powerful and assertive. His skating has improved as well — there's more power in his stride, and that will continue to develop as he's far from physical maturity. He still needs to work on his footwork; he can get caught flat-footed in the neutral zone, which has been a recurring theme all year. He's not an explosive athlete, so recovering when caught out of position doesn't come easily. His decision-making is generally fine, but quicker decisions would elevate his game — another area that needs refinement. McKeen's says: > Gudmundsson wasn’t a player who stood out to me entering the season, but that changed as the year progressed. He first caught my attention prior to the Five Nations tournament in Ulricehamn, where his steady play and reliable all-around game stood out. The more I watched him throughout the season, the more I appreciated the consistency he brought to the ice. While he may not possess high-end offensive tools, the overall package he brings as a defenceman has made him one of the more interesting players in this draft class and a player who could prove to be a steal for the team that selects him. Consistency is one of the traits that stands out most in Gudmundsson’s game. He’s a solid skater who stays connected to play and does a good job maintaining positioning in all three zones. With the puck, he keeps things simple and efficient, moving it quickly and making smart decisions rather than forcing difficult plays. He supports the attack through awareness and positioning, but he’s at his best when keeping plays moving rather than trying to drive offence himself. When defending, Gudmundsson keeps things simple and rarely puts himself in difficult situations. He reads developing plays well, maintains solid gap control, and uses his stick effectively to disrupt passing lanes and separate opponents from the puck. His size allows him to handle physical play in his own zone, and he consistently competes for positioning around the net and along the boards. While he may not be an overly aggressive defender, he understands how to play within structure and rarely puts himself out of position. ### Maple Leafs Draft Zach Olsen with the 73rd overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-draft-zach-olsen-with-the-73rd-overall-in-the-2026-nhl-entry-draft/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T01:10:06.000Z The Toronto Maple Leafs have taken Zach Olsen with the 73rd overall pick in the third round of the 2026 Entry Draft. This pick was just received in the Brandon Carlo trade. ### Vitals - **Position**: Right-shot winger - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'1" - **Weight**: 203 lbs - **Birthdate**: Mar 16, 2008 ### Career ## Rankings - Pronman: 102nd - Elite Prospects: 89th - Scott Wheeler: 70th - McKeens: 69th - Upside Hockey: 86th - HockeyProspect.com: 93rd - NHL Central Scouting: 36th among North American skaters ## Who Is Zach Olsen? Here's his tracking data: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-49.png) Here are some scouting reports from various outlets: ### Elite Prospects > As a 16-year-old WHL rookie, Zac Olsen’s speed and physical skills quickly earned him a middle-six role with the Saskatoon Blades, a hard-working, diligent team. This season, reprised that role, playing roughly the same, only receiving a modest > bump in power play usage, but he still found a way to rise draft boards all year long. > Stride for stride, few players can match Olsen. He weaponizes his speed with intense forechecking pressure, straight-line attacks, and heavy collisions. He plays an intense defensive game, too, and his posture allows him to simply run over > opponents trying to get fancy with the puck. When play comes back the other way, Olsen is a shoot-first threat, launching quick-release shots from distance and ripping passes toward the net. > For the most part, Olsen played a direct, chip-and-chase style. In some games, he was completely eliminated offensively because he couldn’t get off the walls in transition. His lack of vision was a frequent limiter. There were also games where he showed the solutions, highlighted in a report by crossover scout Simon Desjardins: “In transition, he entered the zone with speed, drew players out of play before hitting a trailer, etc. More importantly, his playmaking, which was an area for improvement in previous viewings, looked much better, too. Nothing too fancy or creative, but he spotted teammates in the slot, delayed, and centred a few pucks from the boards.” > Equally as pressing, Olsen also has nights when his physical presence simply doesn’t appear. He ends up chasing the play and making little impact. Finding the extra urgency every night, along with his developing playmaking, could make him a bottom-six buzzsaw. ### McKeen's Hockey > Olsen is the type of player that you need to watch closely to fully appreciate, because his modest point totals don't accurately reflect how good he is or how high his chances are of having a long NHL career. > Every successful team has depth players who bring physicality and energy, kill penalties, and just make life harder for opposing teams in general, and that's precisely the kind of roster piece that Olsen is. And when it comes to the 2026 draft class, there aren't many candidates who can do that sort of job better than he can. That's why Hockey Canada brought him to this year's final U18 tournament, where he started as a fringe forward but steadily worked his way higher and higher into a bigger role. He’s a very direct kind of attacker, using his speed and hustle to apply pressure on opponents. There’s not much there for him offensively, and it seems unlikely that those tools will advance much further for him from here even as he continues to develop, but he'll be a guy who can force turnovers on the forecheck and gets himself around the puck a lot, so occasional point production should follow from that. Even though he uses his body and does get under the skin of other teams, it would be nice to see him take things even further in each of these areas so that he could truly become one of the sport’s premier players in this kind of role. > Expect Olsen to get selected by a team with a small number of picks that can't afford to take a risk and needs someone who is highly likely to play NHL games in some capacity, or by a rebuilding club that is already loaded with high-octane forward prospects and needs guys who fit better down the lineup. ### HockeyProspect.com > Zach Olsen is an intense winger for the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL who worked hard and made improvements to his game all year which landed him a spot on Canada’s U18 team for which he was not on the radar for at the start of the season. Olsen brought a bit of everything to the Blades forward group proving he can play in any situation and play hard in every zone proving his worth in the playoffs. He was consistent shift to shift and was relentless on both the forecheck and the backcheck making sure his presence was known. He is a relentless penalty killer matching his intensity that he brings five on five and pressuring opponents into making mistakes by playing his coverage tight. > Olsen is a very versatile player as he proved he could play up and down the lineup taking on whichever role he was tasked with. He attacks loose pucks and will make sure to finish his checks consistently. His offensive game is where he needs work, he has accuracy for his shot but needs to get more power to be more of a shooting option and become more well rounded. He is a good playmaker and has good hands while in motion as well. He has the potential to be able to keep up in fast paced environments and improve the play of other skilled players. With his aggression and intensity sometimes this leads to lapses in hockey sense as he can overcommit to lay a hit. Olsen will likely continue his development at Colorado College next season but may return as a top contributor in Saskatoon. ### Upside Hockey > The 9th-place Saskatoon Blades drafted "C"-rated RW Zach Olsen (6'0.75",198lbs) with their second-round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, at 29th-overall, and though he can reportedly play center, they are using him as a third-line winger. In my opinion, Olsen is the type of player that might be among the league's scoring leaders in another season or two- he's a nice blend of power, speed, and skill. From the Blades' bottom-six, the Calgary-born winger has been able to put up 13 goals and 26 points in 44 games (with 61 PIM), prorated to 20 goals and 40 points in 67 games. Olsen can play on any line, and he will gladly do the dirty work AND the heavy lifting for his linemates, in digging out pucks along the boards with his grit and compete, and going to the net to cause havok. He's got speed and handling ability, making him a contributor to his teams' transition with connective passing, or by carrying through the middle third with his quick feet and hands. Olsen is never outworked or outhustled- he leaves it all on the ice, supplying his teammates with energy, physicality, and intensity, and dragging them into the battle through all 200-feet of the ice. In the offensive zone, he uses his size and strength to power his way around (and through) defenders, drive the net, win pucks down low, and screen the goalie. Olsen's best asset is his finishing skills, and his underrated shot that he can get off in a hurry. I like this kid- he's noticeable every shift, and would be a good pick in the mid-to-late rounds. ### Maple Leafs Draft Ethan MacKenzie with the 69th overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-draft-ethan-mackenzie-with-the-69th-overall-in-the-2026-nhl-entry-draft/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T02:23:34.000Z The Toronto Maple Leafs have taken Ethan MacKenzie with the 69th overall pick in the third round of the 2026 Entry Draft. ### Vitals MacKenzie is going to turn 20 in September, and it from Gavin McKenna's training base of Kelowna, BC. He is a left-shooting defender and is listed at 6'1" and 187 lbs. ### Career He is committed to the University of North Dakota for next year after four years in the WHL. ### Scouting Reports He's covered here: [2026 NHL Draft Profiles: Re-Entry DefensemenThere are some interesting older defensemen who are re-entering the draft this year, including some that should be familiar to those who read these profiles last year.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-2f123a39-cb44-424f-a7ad-cca68924c652.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1730636106493-adb40397cc95-8e8ec212-6166-44e0-9732-d05d8a3bd03d)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profiles-re-entry-defensemen/) > This is MacKenzie's third time being eligible for the NHL draft, and if you're wondering whether or not I'm bitter that Toronto could have taken MacKenzie as a D+1 re-entry last year with a late round pick instead of, oh just picking a random name off the top of my head, someone like Hlacar [when I included him as a potential re-entry](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2025-nhl-draft-profiles-re-entry-defensemen/) to take because of his stellar numbers... I plead the fifth. Anyways, this year he was even better. He made Team Canada's World Juniors squad and was one of their best overall defensemen. His point production almost doubled, and his goal rate improved by more than four times while maintaining his elite tracking metrics. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-30-1.png) Elite Prospects says: > When we ranked Ethan MacKenzie No. 137 in the last draft guide, it was a bet on his motor and tools to launch his development in 2025-26\. But even we didn’t see this coming. > The ultra-competitive defender came into the season with a more refined approach across the rink. He became the No. 1 defenceman on a stacked Edmonton blueline, playing the first half of both special teams. He finished top 10 in defenceman scoring, and even became a rare undrafted defenceman on Canada’s World Juniors team. > The most consequential development for MacKenzie’s rise has been his puck game. He’s always had the desire to make plays, but it’s supported by improved skill. His shot is now a real weapon, especially from the top of the circles. He’s consistently manipulating opponents, faking one way before moving the puck in the opposite direction, making him a highend WHL puck-mover and power-play orchestrator. The second big development in MacKenzie’s game was improving the messiness, though it remains a weakness. He’s chaotic wth the puck, sacrificing precision for pace, and his defensive game still features overextending and chasing. There’s still cleaning up to do before he’s ready to push for an NHL role, not to mention strength to add to withstand the rigours of the pro game. Hockey Prospect says: > Mackenzie was one of the best stories of this draft class. After being passed over in the previous two drafts, he put himself in a position to guarantee selection this time around — and capped it off by making Team Canada for the World Junior Championship as an undrafted player, which is rare. He had a monster season with Edmonton, posting 22 goals and finishing in the top 10 in scoring among defensemen. He heads to the NCAA next season, joining a good hockey program at North Dakota. > Mackenzie is an excellent skater. His stride looks explosive and effortless, he escapes pressure with ease, and he can rush the puck out of trouble or go end-to-end when the situation calls for it. His ability to recover quickly is another indicator of strong skating mechanics and overall athleticism. > He's a very good transitional defenseman, combining his skating with a reliable first pass and a willingness to rush the puck from his own zone. His mobility also allows him to exploit poor coverage by opposing teams. We project him as a PP2 option at the NHL level — his puck distribution is good, but not quite at the level of a PP1 quarterback although he has a powerful shot from the point which was responsible for a lot of his goals this season. ### 2026 NHL Draft: Who's Still Available on Day Two? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-whos-still-available-on-day-two/ Last updated: 2026-06-27T13:01:15.000Z There were some surprise picks in the first round, which means some guys I wouldn't have expected to be available in the second round suddenly are. The more players get pushed down, the clearer it is who will be available when Toronto's next pick comes up. While I heard there was a possibility of guys like Jonas Lagerberg Hoen and Jaxon Cover being taken in the late first round, it's sad to see them be taken... and both by Ottawa, no less. ## My Top Players Still Available Aside from the players I'll mention below, the top players I profiled that I would take in a heartbeat if they're available at 60th would be: - [**Ryder Cali**](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-ryder-cali/) – Pronman mocked him at 37th, and Wheeler mocked him at 36th so he's a stretch. - [**Alexander Bilecki**](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-alexander-bilecki/) – Pronman AND Wheeler both mocked him to Toronto at 60th, which I would be ***ecstatic*** about. - [**Måns Gudmundsson**](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-too-much-mans-gudmundsson/) – Pronman mocked him at 32nd, but Wheeler mocked him at 59th. If I were to rank the three I would have Cali and Bilecki basically tied, but gun to my head I'd take Bilecki if I had to choose between the two. Gudmundsson would also be a very good pick. Behind Gustafsson, Bilecki is probably my favourite prospect in this draft... so naturally I expect he'll be taken by Boston (56th), Carolina (57th), or Dallas (59th) right before Toronto's pick comes up. He's someone I would honestly use the 60th and 69th picks to trade up higher to guarantee getting, honestly. ## Who Could Slip Into Toronto's Range? Some of these looked like they were more likely to fall out of the first round even weeks ago. Others only looked like they could potentially be available on day two as the final mock drafts came out the past week. Regardless, I'll list the ones I've already profiled or talked about here: - [**Niklas Aaram-Olsen**](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-final-rankings-and-mock-drafts/)– Pronman mocked him at 46th, Wheeler at 43rd. - [**Mathis Preston**](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-mathis-preston/&ved=2ahUKEwi9gOaQvKaVAxX3lSsGHUa%5FASoQFnoECCYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1RDqGuf45T0S7bdhrm3-ub)– Pronman mocked him at 47th, Wheeler at 24th. - [**Simas Ignatavicius**](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-final-rankings-and-mock-drafts/)– Pronman mocked him at 48th, Wheeler at 39th. - [**Xavier Villeneuve**](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-final-rankings-and-mock-drafts/)– Pronman mocked him at 53rd, Wheeler at 31st. - [**Adam Goljer**](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-final-rankings-and-mock-drafts/)– Pronman mocked him at 33rd, Wheeler at 45th. Any of those five are very interesting to me. But they wouldn't be the most desired picks for me, that would be one of these two who, despite surprisingly falling out of the first round will most assuredly be gone before 60th comes up. But a guy can hope... and the Hockey Gods owe me for so cruelly taking Malte Gustafsson away from me! Who knows, maybe the Leafs love one of them and have an opportunity to trade up to get them. ## Casey Mutryn - **Position**: Right-shot winger - **League(s)**: US National Development Team - **Height**: 6'3" - **Weight**: 203 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jul 5, 2008 What if Matthew Knies, but a right shot? That's actually not a great comparable other than them both being big power wingers. Pronman mocked him at 28th, Wheeler at 32nd, so while it's not a major surprise that he fell out of the first round, I thought for sure the type of player he is would lead him to being taken a bit "early" compared to those rankings. Mutryn is a relentless, north-south puck-seeking missile on the forecheck. He uses a combination of size and speed to completely terrorize opposing defensemen trying to retrieve the puck, dominate them along the boards on loose puck battles, come away with the puck and then protect it through high-traffic areas. Beyond his physical strength, Mutryn has a unique tools-skill combination. He has solid vision and processes the play on the ice quickly, then has enough passing ability to thread low-to-high slot passes to his teammates in the slot rather than simply settling for the easiest, perimeter play. In this sense, he projects to be a better playmaker than Knies, but his power-tools will help him pick up goals around the net. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/Mutryn.png) The issues with Mutryn's game are mostly around the perception that he has poor finishing skills, which I don't completely agree with but I would agree it's not a big strength for him right now. He is also like Knies in that he isn't the most dynamic puck handler, which means he also can't create good shot chances for himself. Personally, I don't mind a power-playmaker that can do the dirty work then set up his teammates for scoring chances. I also think his shot can be mechanically improved a bit easier than one can improve their vision and playmaking. There are mixed reviews for his skating mechanics, but it's not something that makes him slow – it likely affects his agility and explosiveness moreso, and again mechanical things like that can be worked on to some degree fairly easily. ## William Håkansson - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: SHL / Allsvenskan / U20 Nationell - **Height**: 6'4" - **Weight**: 216 lbs - **Birthdate**: Oct 8, 2007 Håkansson was the other high end defense prospect from Sweden this year. He's no Gustafsson, but I still like him. Pronman's mock draft had him at 21st, and Wheeler had him at 25th. Sam Cosentino, who also has decently accurate mock drafts, had him 24th. Like Gustafsson, he also mostly played this season in Sweden's pro leagues – but he split it with 22 games in the SHL, and then 16 games on loan in the second tier pro league. He was also often Gustafsson's partner internationally at the World U18s, the WJAC, and other miscellaneous games. Also like Gustafsson, Håkansson has highly projectable size at 6'4" and 216 lbs but combines that with very strong four-way mobility. In fact, if you want a simple comparison take everything I raved about with Gustafsson and just turn the dial down a bit. He is also an efficient and calm transition driver, he consistently "tilts the ice" by driving clean retrievals and exit rates across junior and professional leagues at solid rates. He has an accurate first pass and (perhaps) underrated puck handling and carrying ability. Defensively, he has an enormous range with his reach and mobility, and a good active stick to play a smothering, swarming style against puck carriers. He protects the front of the net with the leverage he has with his size and physicality, and he's a good shot blocker if you're into that kind of thing. The main issues with Håkansson is with his projection due to a slower, calculated style of play. The concern is that he may not have the processing speed to make rapid decision-making that is basically required as a defenseman in the NHL. He's already on the older side as an October 2007 birthday, and while in the SHL and Allsvenskan he at times looked hesitant and overly careful. However, I do think that can look worse than it is because he normally plays a "calm and poised" style, so the line between that and looking too hesitant or cautious is a thin one. In addition, his offensive game is even more raw than Gustafsson's. A lot of his passing and shooting in the offensive zone comes when he's stationary, so he really needs to learn to get moving and mobile to get the defense moving and open passing or shooting lanes. I do think he suffers more criticism because he often was playing on his wrong side, especially in the Allsvenskan. Some guys may be good at adapting to that, but he doesn't seem comfortable with it. Especially not while he's also adapting to pro hockey. For what it's worth, Håkansson did make some noteworthy improvements over this past season. His skating mechanics noticeably improved, helping him with changing directions quickly when he needed to make quick pivots while on defense at the pro levels. His edgework also improved, which helped him on transitions to the greatest extent. His defensive details and positioning got better as he adapted to the pace and skill of the pros. And by the end of the season he was starting to keep his feet moving while handling the puck in the offensive zone. If he makes it to Toronto's pick he'd be a solid player to take and work on as a project. So all in all, looking at these names, I would have my personal preferences in the following order regardless of ranking: - Alexander Bilecki - Ryder Cali - William Håkansson - Mathis Preston - Casey Mutryn - Niklas Aaram-Olsen - Xavier Villeneuve - Simas Ignatavicius - Adam Goljer Others who may wind up being taken in the range of Toronto's 2nd and 3rd round picks, since they're so close together: - Brek Liske (RD) - Rudolfs Berzkalns (C) - Adam Andersson (C) - Luke Schairer (RD) - Ben Macbeath (LD) - Olivers Murnieks (C) - Jayden Kurtz (RD) - Ethan Mackenzie (LD) - Charlie Morrison (LD) The reason why I'm listing all of these guys out is because they add up to 18 players. There are 15 others who are very commonly ranked or mocked higher in the second round, so it's my long way of saying there's a very good chance that one of my preferred options is available for Toronto's 2nd round pick. And that makes me happy! ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### With the First Overall Pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Maple Leafs Select Gavin McKenna URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/with-the-first-overall-pick-in-the-2026-nhl-entry-draft-the-maple-leafs-select-gavin-mckenna/ Last updated: 2026-06-28T01:10:20.000Z ### Vitals McKenna is 5'11" and 170 lbs as of the Combine, and is a left-shooting winger who has played left wing as a junior. His birthday is in December, so he will turn 19 during this coming season. ### History I will lift directly from a [previously published](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gavin-mckenna-and-ivar-stenberg/) article here: MeKenna is from Whitehorse, Yukon which inevitably means that he left home very young to play competitive hockey in the south. He started out in the local system, but he shows up on a team in Kelowna, BC in 2020, however that season was cancelled. He was 13 at the time. McKenna got to play the next season for Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna U18 Prep and his ties to Kelowna remain, as that's where he does offseason training. McKenna's time in Kelowna was spent billeting with [the team's skills coach Byron Ritchie](https://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/gavin-mckenna-whl-or-ncaa-byron-ritchie-helping-him-decide?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). Ritchie is also McKenna's family advisor as he works in player development for CAA under head of hockey Pat Brisson. Family advisor is the term of art for a player's agent before they are allowed to have an agent. CAA's Matt Williams has been acting for him in public lately. In other words, he was so good at that age that his final destination as an NHLer was never in doubt and he was already under the wing of a top agency. In the next season beginning in 2022, McKenna changed to SAHA U18 Prep in the same league. This school is right outside Medicine Hat, or Med Hat, as I've heard McKenna call it in an interview. He had been drafted by the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL first overall in 2022\. He played 26 games at SAHA, led the team in points by 29 over his next closest teammate and also played 16 games for the Tigers and four playoff games. He was over a point per game in his WHL regular season debut after just turning 16\. I assume he would have played the whole season with the Tigers if the WHL had granted him exceptional status. He spent two more years with the Tigers, dominating in points to the point you'd start to worry this was all too easy for him. Medicine Hat won the WHL championship last year, and if you watched the Memorial Cup for Easton Cowan, you know that the Tigers beat the London Knights in the round robin, but not when it counted most. McKenna faced a choice as the opportunity to play in the NCAA opened up for Canadian junior players: He could stay with the Tigers or in the WHL if they weren't contending again, or he could move to the NCAA and play what many think is a harder level of hockey. He went south again to face the challenge, and not incidentally collect some serious money. McKenna chose Penn State and played the full season that started before he turned 18\. He led his team in points, with an emphasis on assists. Six of his teammates have now already been drafted or signed by NHL teams, most of them late round picks except Jackson Smith, who went 14th overall last year. What separates McKenna from them cannot be seen in points. Points tell you he played a lot with good teammates, likely on the power play and he has offensive talent to some degree. The rest is a blank page to write a story on. It is more meaningful that McKenna was doing this at 17/18 than it is that he scored what he scored. Smith is only six months older, and they were the only regulars that young. In a sign a little reminiscent of Auston Matthews' trajectory, McKenna was seriously offered a spot on Team Canada for Men's Worlds this year. He has said he decided to stay focused on the Combine in an interview held at the Draft Lottery as his reason for not playing. Since the Combine, and the attention on McKenna, we've all had a chance to [learn more about his indigenous family](https://www.nhl.com/news/color-of-hockey-2026-nhl-draft-preview?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). > They’re preparing for a party at the Äłät Nëhëjël community hall in Dawson City in Canada’s Yukon. > Proud members of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation and others plan to pack the hall in anticipation of Penn State forward Gavin McKenna being chosen in the first round of the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft that begins on Friday. > The partygoers won’t have long to wait. McKenna, who [proudly displays his Indigenous roots](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/nhl-draft/nhl-scouting-combine-notebook-june-3-2026?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) on his right arm, could be the No. 1 pick in the draft after being on top of NHL Central Scouting’s ranking of North American skaters. > “I think this is special because from interviews and stuff I’ve seen of Gavin McKenna, he’s very proud of being ‘TH’ (Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in),” said Alysha Van Bibber, who is helping to organize the watch party and designed a special temporary tattoo for attendees to wear. “I think it would be nice to be able to celebrate him and reflect that back.” > McKenna is among at least 15 players of color who’ll be waiting to hear their names called at the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft on Friday and Saturday at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. ### Scouting Reports The Pro Hockey Group, available at [PuckPedia](https://puckpedia.com/scouting-reports/gavin-mckenna?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) can stand in as a summing up of the general opinion on McKenna: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-23-101238.png) Check out his [player card](https://puckpedia.com/player/gavin-mckenna?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) for a the shocking revelation he has no PK skills. They project him as an elite or franchise player. For some opinion closer to home, Brian's article contains the word elite 20 times, and is a comprehensive look at McKenna: [2026 NHL Draft Profile: Gavin McKennaMcKenna is inarguably the most skilled offensive force in this draft, but is he the best overall player and worthy of being taken first overall?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-dc4c9f38-d036-4506-9e64-22a6f4edd6dd.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1553284965-5dd8352ff1bd-70f8ffe6-66b4-4da7-be8c-c2b48dd5ee79)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-gavin-mckenna/) > So the big debate around McKenna all season has been that tension between his obvious skill and the concern about his lack of pro habits and how that could hurt his projection. For all that elite processing, play making, skill, transitions, and all that great stuff, there was a question of whether or not it would still be elite once he got to the NHL, considering those flaws I mentioned. And if you're worried about that, would you really want to take him first overall? Wouldn't you want more of a sure thing? > Well, there's two issues with that. First, that's just the nature of the top of this year's draft. He may have his flaws, but so does Stenberg or anyone else you may have seen talk about being a potential first overall prospect in their place. Second, McKenna really d*id* work hard and showed an improved level of defensive engagement, commitment to not being such a perimeter player, etc. He has transitioned from a player who occasionally cheated for offense like he still carried an infection from junior hockey, to one who actively gets back hard on the backcheck and use his procession and hands to be disruptive. Back in January, while his points were disappointing some observers, [NHL Central Scouting named him their number one in North America](https://www.nhl.com/news/2026-nhl-draft-central-scouting-midterm-north-american-rankings?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): > "Gavin McKenna is an elite talent with exceptional hockey sense, quickness and maturity which has allowed him to dictate the play and influence games at every level he's played," said Dan Marr, director of NHL Central Scouting. "He possesses a combination of unteachable skills and attributes which have been on record-setting display the last couple seasons and place him in a category of his own as the top prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft. > "He was the consensus number one for midseason and belongs in that special player category. The projection is not based on when he plays in the NHL, rather, once he gets established in the NHL." [Justin Bourne talked about McKenna](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/bourne-why-gavin-mckenna-is-right-pick-for-maple-leafs-at-no-1/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from the perspective of why he'd fit in Toronto, not just as a BPA: > McKenna can control a power play from the flank with his elite vision and passing, all but guaranteeing that over the next handful of years, the Leafs don’t get on the wrong side of “league average” with the man advantage. > You could make the case that Vegas has three of the league’s highest “hockey IQ” forwards in Marner, Jack Eichel, and Mark Stone. These guys see it, don’t make glaring “whoopsie” plays very often, and know when it’s time to retreat, know when it’s time to go. Funny how that turns into wins. > Gavin McKenna’s number one positive attribute is his hockey IQ – he’s the smartest hockey player in the draft. He controls the pace of play, sees all 10 skaters on the ice, and finds seams to create chances for his teammates. The video below, if you haven't seen it, is an excellent breakdown of how McKenna plays, what all this talk of IQ and vision really means, and left me believing that he's not just a fit for the Leafs, the Leafs, as imperfect as they are right now, are a fit for him. Not something that every first overall can count on. The McKenna era begins. ### DDT: 2026 NHL Draft Day 1 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ddt-2026-nhl-draft-day-1/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T22:31:09.000Z Hello everyone, it's the end of another school year and the start of the summer for many, but the NHL summer silly season is already well underway and in strong form. Already in just a week 8 first round picks that will be used tonight have changed teams (one twice) including the 4th overall pick and the 9th overall pick. 11 first round picks are not owned by their original team. And something tells me more is on the horizon. Due to the liquidity of the market and the loosening equities of this draft class, first round picks are being dished around like candy. Did I do a good job at corporate-speak, John Chayka? Florida acquired a first round pick and then traded it and two more for Brady Tkachuk after he forced a trade. Ottawa then used one of those picks to get William Eklund. Calgary traded away two first round picks (acquired in the Kadri and Andersson trades) for Simon Nemec. Another first round pick was used in the Kyrou for McMichael trade. Chicago traded away the 4th overall pick for Bowen Byram and Jordan Greenway (they didn't even get a winger for Bedard!) All the while, the Leafs have made moves but have kept their first overall selection, and John Chayka said yesterday that they will most likely keep the pick and they know who they're going to take. That doesn't mean the Leafs haven't been in any trade rumours. They've definitely been out there looking to get another high pick. They've dangled Matthew Knies, Morgan Rielly, and most recently Brandon Carlo. I can see either defender on the move after the Raddysh acquisition, and I can definitely see Knies on the move especially with the rumour that Toronto (and Montreal) are in on Mason Marchment. Remembering Montreal almost acquired Knies if not for a reported clerical error from Brad Treliving at the trade deadline. I have to think something is going to happen tonight. To me, I'm looking at Buffalo (who are also the host of the draft this year). They have two first round picks, 4th overall from Chicago and 20th overall from Edmonton. They also just lost Alex Tuch to Washington in a sign-and-trade, they might be looking at Matthew Knies to fill that hole instead. However, something tells me they're in on Jason Robertson right now. Robertson, by the way, rejected a contract from Seattle and St. Louis. Maybe Buffalo and their 4th overall pick makes everyone happy. Kidding, Buffalo makes no one happy. What's so interesting to me about the Knies trade talks is that all the teams that have been rumoured to want him have also been in the sweepstakes for players who I think are better than Knies (Robertson, Tuch, Marchment) so it's leaning me in the direction that Knies has more percieved value than he may actually have, which is something the Leafs can exploit. There are just so many moving parts. So many intertwined fates. Draft order (as of Thursday night): 1. Toronto Maple Leafs (via ball #12) 2. San Jose Sharks 3. Vancouver Canucks 4. Buffalo Sabres (via Chicago) 5. New York Rangers 6. Calgary Flames 7. Seattle Kraken 8. Winnipeg Jets 9. San Jose Sharks (via Ottawa via Florida) 10. Nashville Predators 11. St. Louis Blues 12. New Jersey Devils 13. New York Islanders 14. Columbus Blue Jackets 15. St. Louis Blues (via Detroit) 16. St. Louis Blues (via Washington) 17. Los Angeles Kings 18. Washington Capitals (via Anaheim) 19. Utah Mammoth 20. Buffalo Sabres (via San Jose via Edmonton) 21. Philadelphia Flyers 22. Pittsburgh Penguins 23. Boston Bruins 24. Vancouver Canucks (via Minnesota) 25. Ottawa Senators (via Florida via Seattle via Tampa Bay) 26. New York Rangers (via Carolina via Dallas) 27. San Jose Sharks (via Buffalo) 28. Montreal Canadiens 29. St. Louis Blues (via NY Islanders via Colorado) 30. Calgary Flames (via Vegas) 31. Carolina Hurricanes 32. Ottawa Senators (via [Evgenii Dadonov](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-modifies-penalty-to-ottawa-for-cancelled-trade?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)) To recap, STL has 4 picks, SJS has 3 picks, 5 teams have two picks, 14 teams have 1 pick, 11 teams have no picks, and the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup without trading the first overall pick this year. Who the Leafs take first overall might not be the most interesting thing to happen by the end of the night, but if it's not that I'm sure we'll find a way into the spotlight. We always do. Let's see what happens! Enjoy the draft everyone! Until then, memories of the last draft in Buffalo: ### Maple Leafs trade rights to Samuel Ersson URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-trade-rights-to-samuel-ersson/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T17:36:55.000Z Toronto trades the rights to unsigned RFA goalie Samuel Ersson to Ottawa, a team much more hungry for talent in goal than the Leafs. > Toronto gets the Raddysh pick back and didn’t plan on giving Ersson a QO. [https://t.co/YBNBIJFdZ6](https://t.co/YBNBIJFdZ6?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) [June 26, 2026](https://x.com/DarrenDreger/status/2070560575206113395?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Update: > [#Sens](https://x.com/hashtag/Sens?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) have acquired G Samuel Ersson from Toronto in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick in 2027\. He is an RFA > > — Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) [June 26, 2026](https://x.com/SunGarrioch/status/2070561668464087080?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It's the 2027 pick. ### 2026 NHL Draft Preview & How to Watch URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-preview-how-to-watch/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T13:00:38.000Z Did you know that the NHL draft is happening tomorrow and Saturday? You might have seen some indication of that on Twitter, Reddit, or the only Actually Good Leafs Blog(TM) here. If you're getting into this year, here's some quick information you may want to know as a preview, and how and when you can watch it all. ## When and Where Is the Draft Happening? This year's draft is being held in the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. There are two days for the NHL entry draft. Day one is in the evening on Friday June 26th, starting at 7:00 pm EST, and will only involve the first round. Day two will start at 11:00 am EST on Saturday June 27th which is the following day – it will complete rounds two through seven. If you want an idea for the time it will end, or how long day two will take... my sweet summer child, it will end when all the picks are done. Things are supposed to move much quicker between picks on day two, though that hasn't always been the case. The pandemic years saw things move a lot slower, to the point that day two took something like 12 hours to finish. Last year, the first year of the "de-centralized" draft, seemed to take just as long for no god damned reason. Hopefully this year things move faster, especially in the later rounds. ## How Can I Watch the Draft? Day one will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN+ in the USA, and on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada. It will likely have everyone's A-list commentators and analysts on the whole first day to talk about the biggest prospects and interview everyone involved. The first day always has a lot more pomp and theatre to it and it's made to be a show. Day two will be broadcast on the ESPN+, NHL Network, and Sportsnet. Looking at Sportsnet's information, I am assuming that the broadcasts start at 7 pm but the actual draft picks won't begin until later – this matches my memory of the past years and how long they took to actually get going. Here's a quick summary of all that information: | **Event** | **Date & Time** | **USA Broadcast** | **Canada Broadcast** | | -------------- | ------------------------------- | ------------------ | --------------------- | | **Round 1** | Friday, June 26 @ 7:00 PM ET | ESPN, ESPN+ | Sportsnet, TVA Sports | | **Rounds 2–7** | Saturday, June 27 @ 11:00 AM ET | NHL Network, ESPN+ | Sportsnet | ### Streaming options: - **Sportsnet+:** If you don't have cable, you can stream both days live via Sportsnet+. The draft is included without regional blackouts, though access to the full weekend typically requires their standard or premium tier depending on your subscription package.Shop - **TVA Sports App:** French-language streaming for Day 1 is available by authenticating through your TV provider or via a direct digital subscription. ## Watch-Along Streams For people who like seeing more commentary and discussion than the actual draft floor broadcasts from Sportsnet or ESPN, there has been a recent rise in public scouts who stream their reactions to the draft and provide more frequent discussions and commentary as things happen. Will Scouch has done this the past few years on his YouTube channel: [ScouchingWelcome to Scouching! Scouching is a platform for NHL fans and scouts alike to get all the information you could ever want about the NHL, it’s draft and it’s prospects. With monthly NHL update videos, NHL Draft Prospect player profiles, livestreams and more, there’s something for everyone! Whether you’re just dropping by to watch a video, or would like to support us through Patreon or Teespring, we hope you enjoy what we’re creating.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon_144x144-2ce8256c-0477-4883-b01b-3b14e7b65a6e.png)YouTube![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/k948O0KjR8QF-cuw_jg_kQaiZ8NPlI_xsSyWC9VflFZnSii4MfC60M6ga0tk-f2U49PIyalMhJY-s900-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj-9f78352c-b0bb-4cd1-9679-68c6495b7db9)](https://www.youtube.com/@Scouching/streams?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I just saw that Scott Wheeler announced he'll be on a similar kind of stream on [The Athletic's Hockey Show podcast Youtube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@theathletichockeyshow/streams?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) with a few other scouts: > Announcement: [@TheAthletic](https://x.com/TheAthletic?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and [@FloHockey](https://x.com/FloHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) are teaming up for a studio NHL Draft show. [@coreypronman](https://x.com/coreypronman?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), [@chrismpeters](https://x.com/chrismpeters?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), [@m\_bultman](https://x.com/m%5Fbultman?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and I will livestream during Round 1 on June 26 at 7pm ET on The Athletic Hockey Show’s YouTube, FloHockey platforms, Amazon Prime (🇺🇸) and Fubo (🇨🇦). > > — Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) [June 17, 2026](https://x.com/scottcwheeler/status/2067239274739605604?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There's another from HockeyProspect.com. They're the folks that were the only ones to have Cowan ranked in the first round when the Leafs took him as the big surprise. They're a weird mix of having traditional mindsets with seemingly wild takes because they stand on their principles. Their rankings can be insane but I have a lot of respect for them as a result. So if you want to check in on them at any point while following the draft... > We’re doing a live show for the [#NHLDraft](https://x.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Friday night for round 1 and Saturday for rounds 2-7 [https://t.co/qz63o9iouv](https://t.co/qz63o9iouv?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Jérôme Bérubé (@Jerome\_Berube) [June 19, 2026](https://x.com/Jerome%5FBerube/status/2068086316567318651?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## How Does the NHL Draft Work? If you want a primer on how the draft works, from the draft order, age of eligibility, and so on, Cathy wrote this helpful guide a few years ago that is still applicable today: [How does the NHL Entry Draft really work?Not an expose on how the fix is in, just the boring facts about a thing we think we understand because it’s ubiquitous.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/size/w256h256/format/png/2023/04/pension-plan-min.svg)Cathy SquiresPPP Leafs![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2023/03/scott-gummerson-Maple-Leafs-Jersey-unsplash--cropped--1.jpg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/how-does-the-nhl-entry-draft-really-work/) ## Who Should I Be Interested in for Toronto? I spent about 2-3 months writing several draft profiles for prospects I liked for Toronto's various picks this year (1st through 6th rounds). You can find the full library of them here: [NHL Draft - PPP LeafsCoverage of the NHL Entry Draft and draft prospects.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/size/w256h256/format/png/2023/04/pension-plan-min.svg)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1608270586620-248524c67de9?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDExfHxkcmFmdHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTcwMDM2ODV8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tag/nhl-draft/) ## Who Should I Follow on Twitter? For our own commentary and articles related to the draft, you can follow us at [@PPPLeafs](https://twitter.com/PPPLeafs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). Here's a bigger list of people I follow for the draft and prospect related things: For the Leafs, specifically: - [Joshua Kloke](https://twitter.com/joshuakloke?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Maple Leaf Hotstove](https://twitter.com/LeafsNews?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Nick Richard](https://twitter.com/%5FNickRichard?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Kevin Papetti](https://twitter.com/KPapetti?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) For potential draft related news, like trades: - [TSN Hockey](https://twitter.com/TSNHockey?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Chris Johnston](https://twitter.com/reporterchris?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Kevin Weekes](https://twitter.com/KevinWeekes?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Craig Button](https://twitter.com/CraigJButton?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Frank Seravalli](https://twitter.com/frank%5Fseravalli?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Pierre LeBrun](https://twitter.com/PierreVLeBrun?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Scott Wheeler](https://twitter.com/scottcwheeler?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Corey Pronman](https://twitter.com/coreypronman?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) For the main public scouting folks: - [Will Scouch](https://twitter.com/Scouching?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Elite Prospects](https://twitter.com/eliteprospects?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Mitch Brown](https://twitter.com/MitchLBrown?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) – one of my favourite people in the prospect world to follow - [David St. Louis](https://twitter.com/DavidSt%5FLouis?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Lassi Alanen](https://twitter.com/lassialanen?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Lauren Kelly](https://twitter.com/laurkelly24?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Cam Robinson](https://twitter.com/Hockey%5FRobinson?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Dylan Griffing](https://twitter.com/GriffingDylan?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Daniel Gee](https://twitter.com/DanielGScouting?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Smaht Scouting](https://twitter.com/smahtscouting?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Josh Tessler](https://twitter.com/JoshTessler%5F?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Puck Preps](https://twitter.com/PuckPreps?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Joel Henderson](https://twitter.com/dathockeydoe?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [FloHockey](https://twitter.com/FloHockey?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Chris Peters](https://twitter.com/chrismpeters?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Hadi Kalakeche](https://twitter.com/HadiK%5FScouting?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Tony Ferrari](https://twitter.com/TheTonyFerrari?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Brandon Holmes](https://twitter.com/BHolmes%5FHockey?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [McKeens Hockey](https://twitter.com/McKeensHockey?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Derek Neumeier](https://twitter.com/Derek%5FN%5FNHL?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) - [Brock Otten ](https://twitter.com/BrockOtten?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) For specific/regional scouting info: - [Swedish Prospects](https://twitter.com/ProspectsSE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) – take a guess - [Jimmy Hamrin](https://twitter.com/jimmyhamrin?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) – Sweden - [Marek Novotny](https://twitter.com/MarekNovotny96?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) – Czechia and Slovakia - [Draftin Europe](https://twitter.com/draftin%5Feurope?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) – for all of Europe - [Jeff Rea](https://twitter.com/DraftinEU%5FJeff?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) – for Europe - [Czech Prospects](https://twitter.com/CZprospects?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) – take a guess - [Russian Prospects](https://twitter.com/RUSProspects?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) – for Malaysia - [FinnProspects](https://twitter.com/FinnProspects?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) – for Sweden ## Where Can I Talk About the Draft Here at PPP? We will be putting out a Draft Day Thread (DDT). It's just like our Game Day Threads (GDTs), but for the draft. Not sure if we'll have one for each day, or just one for both combined. If we get a lot of comments on the first one I assume we'll split it just for ease of keeping up with everything. ## How Can I Subscribe and Support All This Great Draft-Related Content That the Handsomest and Humblest Writer Here Made? I'm so glad you asked! You can click on the button in the blue banner below to subscribe to the site. You can join as a free member to subscribe which allows you to comment with everyone else here, or you can pick one of the paid membership plans to help keep the lights on here and a bit extra for all the work we do. I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and to follow Toronto's prospects through the season. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (mainly FloHockey.tv for the AHL, OHL, QMJHL, USHL, some USHL and some European games) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Will Scouch, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, I invest all of it back into all of those streaming and scouting sites and the difference is made up by my own personal money. This past year, times were tough financially and I wound up running a short GoFundMe here to help pay for it all. This year things are looking a bit better so I will hopefully not have to. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### 2026 NHL Draft Profiles: Goalies URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profiles-go/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T12:00:36.000Z Goalies... voodoo... etc. Won't belabor this introduction. I'm no goalie scout, but these are names who have had some hype from people I follow, and if you want better scouting from actual scouts you can also just watch this: [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## TOBIAS TREJBAL - **League(s)**: USHL - **Height**: 6'4" - **Weight**: 185 lbs - **Birthdate**: Nov 9, 2007 Has a good chance to be the first goalie taken this year. He was tied for 2nd in the entire USHL in save percentage with .916, and has a commitment to UMass in the NCAA next year. The goalie he tied with, and the goalie who finished at the top, are both a year or more older than Trejbal. From the scouting reports, scouts rave about his combination of size and mobility, and gives good grades to his butterfly mechanics and post discipline. From: [https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/2026-nhl-draft/film-room-tobias-trejbals-well-rounded-tools-could-make-him-an-nhl-starter](https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/2026-nhl-draft/film-room-tobias-trejbals-well-rounded-tools-could-make-him-an-nhl-starter?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Trejbal gets knocked for his glove hand, strength, and puck tracking when it goes behind the goal line. There are conflicting opinions on his scanning and rebound control, and overall projection. His draft range, from what I can tell, is anywhere from a first to a third rounder depending on who you ask. He's not a consensus-best guy, but he might be the guy I like the most for the nothing that's worth. From: [https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/2026-nhl-draft/film-room-tobias-trejbals-well-rounded-tools-could-make-him-an-nhl-starter](https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/2026-nhl-draft/film-room-tobias-trejbals-well-rounded-tools-could-make-him-an-nhl-starter?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## DMITRI BORICHEV - **League(s)**: MHL - **Height**: 6'3" - **Weight**: 198 - **Birthdate**: Jun 19, 2008 Ranked by NHL Central Scouting as the top international goalie, Borichev is the other guy who could be the first one taken in the draft. He's also one of the youngest on any ranking list I've seen. He played for Loko's junior team in Russia's MHL league, where he finished tied for 15th in the league in save percentage with a .929\. Among U18 goalies, he ranked 3rd. He was one of Russia's top goalies in their "international" games – meaning he was the U18's top goalie in their friendlies vs Belarus. From: [https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/2026-nhl-draft/film-room-dmitri-borichevs-physical-gifts-could-make-him-an-elite-nhl-goaltender](https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/2026-nhl-draft/film-room-dmitri-borichevs-physical-gifts-could-make-him-an-elite-nhl-goaltender?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Borichev has a good mix of decent size, plus he is considered to have elite mobility in net. He's supposed to already be a very technical goalie with precise "robotic" movements. Honestly it seems like almost everything a goalie is supposed to be good at, he gets good grades for them. The exceptions are his blocker hand being considered a bit weak, having a stance/posture that's too low and leaves the upper part of the net open once he goes into the butterfly, and not being great at seeing through screens. From: [https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/2026-nhl-draft/film-room-dmitri-borichevs-physical-gifts-could-make-him-an-elite-nhl-goaltender](https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/2026-nhl-draft/film-room-dmitri-borichevs-physical-gifts-could-make-him-an-elite-nhl-goaltender?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## YURI IVANOV - **League(s)**: MHL - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 165 lbs - **Birthdate**: Sep 12, 2008 Ivanov is THE youngest goalie on this list, in fact he may even be the youngest entirely in this draft for goalies. He plays for Spartak in the MHL, the same team as the Leafs' Alexander Plesovskikh. For most of the year he was the team's main backup,with a .924/.928 sv% between Spartak's two junior squads in a combined 28 games. But when their main starter got hurt early in the playoffs, Ivanov took over in the playoffs and has been dominant – he is second in the league for the playoffs with a .939 save percentage in 10 games, only .002 behind the leader who is almost two years older. It's worth noting that Spartak plays in the good conference of the MHL, so his numbers aren't juiced by playing easier competition. Stop me if you've heard this before, but Ivanov is described as being extremely athletic, showing elite power from his knees when changing directions even while maintaining his butterfly. His lateral movement in particular is said to be very quick and precise when he's "on". He is also said to be an intense competitor, taking good routes in the crease, and showcases good awareness and scanning to know where the puck and various players are on the ice around him. After looking into all of these goalies, I think Ivanov is my personal favourite choice for a later round pick. ## PATRIKS PLUMINS - **League(s)**: Latvia - **Height**: 6'3" - **Weight**: 216 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jan 7, 2008 Didn't have him in my radar at all, and didn't see him mentioned much, and then the World U18s came around. He leads the tournament in save percentage with a .952, including a 43 save upset win over Team USA in the quarter finals. Apparently the deep diving goalie scouts were at least aware of him before this (or are now acting about it), he's played all year in Latvia's pro leagues – 5 games in the second tier, and 16 games as the backup for Zemgale in the top pro league. Even though he was a backup and didn't have a full workload, he did lead the league in save percentage there with a .927. Scouts like his hands – meaning his glove and blocker – as well as his rebound control, making him kind of the opposite of Trejbal. Continuing that theme, his lateral skating and explosiveness gets knocked as well although there's some differences of opinion on that. He'll probably be a later pick unless a team puts a LOT of stock on his international play. ## FILIP RUZICKA - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'8" - **Weight**: 229 lbs - **Birthdate**: Mar 24, 2008 Ruzicka is another Czech goalie playing in North America, specifically on Brandon in the WHL. He's the biggest goalie on this list at 6'8", which is probably the largest driving force for his draft hype. In the WHL he was their main starter, playing 42 games with a .906 sv% in the regular season and a .936 sv% in the four game playoff series where Brandon got swept. Among the WHL starters, he had the 7th best save percentage. He'd be tied for the best in the playoffs, for what that four game sample is worth. > Get this Wheat King his crown![@bdnwheatkings](https://x.com/bdnwheatkings?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#NHLDraft](https://x.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/kS6o3VufdU](https://t.co/kS6o3VufdU?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [June 13, 2026](https://x.com/TheWHL/status/2065871828564758645?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Aside from Ruzicka's size, scouts like his athleticism – both his explosiveness and his flexibility. He also gets good grades for his calmness and puck tracking. The knocks on him are his coordination and control, even if he's explosive and flexible he can get wild and out of control. His mobility once he drops into the butterfly is also said to drop off. However, one thing I've seen every scout say is that he is one of the most improved goalies in this draft, especially around his coordination and fine mechanics. He's another guy who's rankings are all over the place. ## ROBERTO HENRIQUEZ - **League(s)**: USHL - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 185 lbs - **Birthdate**: Apr 29, 2007 Henriquez is the only re-entry goalie on this list, and I'm mentioning him because I almost wound up including him in last year's goalie list. He was also the top goalie by save percentage in the USHL. He's got a unique background, being born to parents from Slovakia and the Dominican Republic. He likely wasn't drafted last year because he mostly played in the NAHL, and when he joined the USHL he had not great numbers on a bad team. But this year, his breakout season helped him upgrade his NCAA commitment from the University of Maine to a top program in Boston College. From the scouting reports, he's described as having a high motor and elite athleticism. His skating and movements are described as one of the most fluid and effortless-looking in this year's draftable goalies. The speed of his game processing allows him to anticipate the plays developing in front of him quickly as well, giving him excellent positioning. He's considered to be more technically advanced, but that's likely because he's a re-entry that has one year of experience over the newbies in this year's draft class. His weaknesses are more on being too low when he's down in the butterfly at times, giving up more of the upper part of the net, having hand placement too low at times and having inconsistent aggression. ## HARRISON BOETTIGER - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'3" - **Weight**: 183 lbs - **Birthdate**: Dec 11, 2007 Boettiger is an American goalie who was part of the US NTDP last year, so he's always been considered a top goalie prospect. This year, because he was a late 2007 birthday, he was too old to play again for the NTDP but his NCAA team didn't need him yet, so he joined Kelowna in the WHL for his gap year between that and his NCAA commitment to Denver. His .911 sv% in 41 games was good for 4th in the league among all goalies regardless of age. Boettiger's strengths are his mobility and quickness, built on top of a foundation of solid mechanics. He gets good grades for tracking the puck and being able to anticipate the play in front of him. The weaknesses I see mentioned by scouts honestly sound pretty minor – slight problems with his hand positioning, not maintaining upright posture consistently, and being inconsistent in having good angles. I've seen one scout say he's arguably the most well-rounded goalie in the draft this year, another saying something similar in that he's a jack of all trades but master of none sort of guy. He probably won't be the highest goalie taken, but will likely among that next group. ## SAMUEL HRENAK - **League(s)**: Czechia U20 / USHL - **Height**: 6'3" - **Weight**: 183 lbs - **Birthdate**: Mar 19, 2008 Hrenak is a Slovakian goalie who split his season between Slovakia and the USHL. In Slovakia he played some in junior and some in Slovakia's second tier pro league for Slovakia's version of the NTDP. In those pro games, he faced over 50 shots per game on average including a lot of dangerous chances, and still wound up with an .888 sv% in 16 games that the junior team all lost. He's got a lot of late hype thanks to his strong performance since coming to North America – a .918 sv% in his 9 games, where he was 7-1-1\. If he had played enough games, that would rank 2nd in the entire league. And then he followed it up by stealing the show at the World U18s, hosted by his home country. He had a 4-0-0 record leading his team to the gold medal game. Like other goalies on this list, Hrenak gets rave reviews for his skating and edges to make powerful lateral pushes, allowing him to cover a lot of the net even as the puck moves east-west on him. He also has quick reflexes in his legs and hands, reportedly adjusts to different systems and environments well (from an overwhelmed junior team to a tight structure on a top in the USHL). The concerns about him are over his posture at times, maintaining his angles during scrambles due to him being too aggressive and busy, and over-committing. ## RYDER FETTEROLF - **League(s)**: OHL - **Height**: 6'0" - **Weight**: 185 - **Birthdate**: Jan 5, 2008 The only OHL goalie and the shortest goalie on this list, Fetterolf is unique in more than just a couple of ways. Will Scouch put me onto him with rave reviews from himself and from people he talked to who think he has star potential despite the lack of size. He led the OHL in save percentage for all goalies (.923) on an above average but not elite Ottawa team, playing a decently heavy workload at 41 games. He's an American goalie who came over to the OHL just this season, having played in high school prep leagues before. He has a commitment to Penn State starting next season. Fetterolf has all the skills you'd want a shorter goalie to have. He has elite speed and mobility with quick footwork, great edgework, explosive lateral movements in the crease while staying in control and not getting too wild and aggressive to take himself out of position. He has an excellent brain as a goalie in terms of scanning the ice and anticipating the play to be ready for when and where shots will come. The flaws that Fetterolf is said to have is focused mostly on his lack of size and a need for more strength in his push offs. He is said to have a problem where he looks/plays small when he goes down into a butterfly, and honestly that's something I also notice a lot when I watch Akhtyamov play. Mind you, Artie isn't that much bigger as a goalie and he seems to be doing okay these days, so that doesn't make me less interested in Fetterolf as a later round pick. He seems like a guy you could get in the very late rounds given his size concerns, and since he's going to the NCAA you'd have more time to let him develop there before needing to sign him. ## YEGOR RYBKIN - **League(s)**: MHL - **Height**: 6'7" - **Weight**: 207 - **Birthdate**: Dec 3, 2007 Rybkin is on the older side of the goalies on this list, but he's also one of the biggest and most mobile, flexible and athletic goalies in this year's draft too. I'm just going to quote a [scouting report I read on him](https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/836548/yegor-rybkin/scouting-report?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com#report-100290) that, for clarity, wasn't universally positive, because it summarizes the top reasons why he's interesting as a goalie prospect: > The athleticism is outstanding, and the technicality in his movement is pristine as well. It’s hard to find a goalie whose movement mechanics are as refined as Rybkin’s, let alone one that is listed at 6-foot-7\. The down sides of him is that he gets poor reviews for his reads and tendencies to bite on fakes, and while he's athletic there are some mechanical issues to his movements in the crease that apparently need work (I'll trust the goalie scouts I'm reading on that kind of thing). The other concern is that he just doesn't have a lot of experience. Last year, Rybkin played in 11 games. That's it. Three of them were in the VHL in his D-1 season for the record, which is kind of nuts. But this year he only played in 11 games again, and all of them were in the MHL this time. His numbers in those 11 games were good, but not "great" for other top Russian goalies in junior and in his age group. But he suffered an injury in November and didn't return to play all year. The lack of playing time is why Rybkin doesn't have as much hype as you'd expect. However, that size and athletic profile has him being talked about enough that I'm sure he will get drafted by someone, just not as high as he would otherwise. ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Draft Day FTB: Liquidity in the Labour Market URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/draft-day-ftb-liquidity-in-the-labour-market/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T11:00:05.000Z We'll set up a draft watch post later on in case this post fills up with thrills, chills and great excitement. For now this is the news: I would suggest you don't bother watching this. Most of the interesting quotes are not aired in the stream, but are discussed in some articles linked below. If you have time, though there are some things that are worth watching. The introduction of Jim Hiller was largely pointless. He has no news yet on his staff, and only arrived in Toronto yesterday. After the photo op, it became a Q&A with John Chayka. He said that they all agree on the first overall pick, but he is not naming names. As usual, he makes a point of mentioning that the scouting staff and new AGM Judd Brackett are in charge of making these decisions. Chayka's glowing, and very engaged description of "Gavin" and what he thinks of him after meeting him and his family in Whitehorse, is however, not a very difficult message to decode. Chayka is often a very dull, read it off a card speaker with the media, and suddenly he was all lit up. "Really impressed with Gavin." Yeah, it shows! He also describes Hiller in very glowing terms, calling him a "thought partner" and an extension of the front office. They are clearly aligned (the Leafs new favourite word) on how they view the game and the team. The most honest statement is near the end when he says they are better than they were, but they still have holes to fill. He confirms the reports that Tinus Luc Koblar will be at training camp as well. After another pause there is a Q&A with Hiller where he talks some more about his alignment with Chayka and his process of getting in touch with players. He mentions Auston Matthews specifically but did not name any other names. There is nothing on that stream about this: > John Chayka says right now he anticipates Morgan Rielly being on the team. Jim Hiller has been in touch and is excited to work with Rielly. > > — luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) [June 25, 2026](https://x.com/lukefoxjukebox/status/2070197005108855076?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There are many stories with fulsome quotes that had to have happened off-camera or in scrums after the stream. This contains much of interest: [4 takeaways from Maple Leafs’ Jim Hiller and John Chayka’s pre-draft media availability

Ahead of what will be a franchise-altering weekend for the Toronto Maple Leafs, head coach Jim Hiller and general manager John Chayka met with reporters Thursday at the Ford Performance Centre. Hiller was formally introduced to the larger media contingent, while Chayka offered his thoughts and updates on a number of topics, ahead of the…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-19051625-8331-4337-8f61-303a4548d18d.png)The Leafs NationArun Srinivasan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-6508a840-e345-4498-95aa-1d463f695fa3)](https://theleafsnation.com/news/4-takeaways-toronto-maple-leafs-jim-hiller-john-chayka-pre-draft-media-availability?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) As does this: [4 takeaways from Maple Leafs’ Jim Hiller and John Chayka’s pre-draft media availability

Ahead of what will be a franchise-altering weekend for the Toronto Maple Leafs, head coach Jim Hiller and general manager John Chayka met with reporters Thursday at the Ford Performance Centre. Hiller was formally introduced to the larger media contingent, while Chayka offered his thoughts and updates on a number of topics, ahead of the…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-ecbdad3a-e8d8-4f7f-97a3-0148baeed573.png)The Leafs NationArun Srinivasan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-01bed143-0799-4698-b68b-b8787b02f1f8)](https://theleafsnation.com/news/4-takeaways-toronto-maple-leafs-jim-hiller-john-chayka-pre-draft-media-availability?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Maple Leafs GM Chayka says he doesn’t anticipate trading D RiellyMorgan Rielly run as the longest-tenured Toronto Maple Leafs player may be set to continue for another season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-0cd848e6-9794-4662-a036-d59c4803fd14.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/HOS5Z4QEBFBVDAPMNO4VD3EOUQ-58a9edc0-26dd-4546-a7eb-df15b22f1ee2.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-gm-chayka-says-he-doesnt-anticipate-trading-d-rielly/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) --- ### Counterpoint Pushing back against the playing down of the Rielly trade... [Insider Trading: Rielly still available for trade after shift in tone from LeafsTSN’s Hockey Insiders have the latest on the possibility of a Morgan Rielly trade, the holdup on the Jets moving Connor Hellebuyck, a pair of Canadian teams that could be potential fits for Mason Marchment, Zach Werenski’s future in Columbus, and more.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-62d788cd-014d-4956-982f-1bb44f2f57ad.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/HOS5Z4QEBFBVDAPMNO4VD3EOUQ-5fd0281d-ce44-44f0-bb64-40a06a417fbe.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/insider-trading-latest-on-rielly-hellebuyck-habs-robertson-and-werenski/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > **Johnston:** I can tell you it would be very premature to take him off your trade bait list at this point, Gino, because Morgan Rielly’s name remains very much in play on the trade market. And look, Jim Hiller in particular was quite effusive in his praise of Rielly as he was introduced officially as the head coach of the Leafs. He’s got a lot of respect for the player and they have a history from the past. But it’s Jim Hiller’s job to coach the team. It’s John Chayka’s job to manage the team. And Chayka certainly is going to continue to listen on Rielly. He’s not going to give the player away. So, it’s going to have to be a decent offer that compels the Leafs to act here. But with the off-season still in its early phases and the Leafs looking to continue to reshape their blueline, don’t rule out the possibility of a Rielly trade just yet. Remember this period of time is all about lies, misdirection and a public pose that keeps all possible outcomes in mind. Paging all Marchment fans: > **LeBrun:** Yeah, Gino, my understanding is that Montreal and Toronto are potential fits for Mason Marchment. Both teams that have interest and \[can\] talk to him next Wednesday if he hits the market. ### Trades ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/6a3d4b360463a-1-.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/6a3d5e620e339-1-.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/6a3d8f9e1c9a4-1-.png) There were also several trades of AHL level players which seems like a mid-July exercise carried out a month early. Getting on for 9 pm, it became clear that there was a bidding war going on for the Ducks' Mason McTavish between the Rangers and the Senators, or the Rangers and the Blues, depending on the moment, while Jason Robertson was saying no, no, no, he won't go to Seattle to a mega-offer. [Sources: Jason Robertson turns down contract offer from Kraken![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caElliotte Friedman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/SN-TEMPLATE-2-f1f4ff66-0592-4c90-bfdb-267b90360e8f.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/sources-jason-robertson-turns-down-contract-offer-from-kraken/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Further to what [@FriedgeHNIC](https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) reported on Jason Robertson rejecting a contract offer from Seattle, the Stars now are circling back to teams that had shown interest in the winger. Plus still keeping dialogue open on trying to sign him. Trying to keep all avenues open. > > — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) [June 26, 2026](https://x.com/PierreVLeBrun/status/2070321403685928962?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > I’ve seen Vincent Trocheck has been ruled out, FWIW It doesn’t sound like Alexis Lafrenière is part of the [#NYR](https://x.com/hashtag/NYR?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) offer either. > > I thought it might be possible because I’ve heard Drury would only be willing to part with No. 13 for a comparable player/contract. [https://t.co/rWkvE5uDjg](https://t.co/rWkvE5uDjg?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) [June 26, 2026](https://x.com/MollieeWalkerr/status/2070318040877531366?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Other News > A sincere thank you to Assistant Coach Michael Dyck for his dedication, leadership and countless contributions to our organization. > > We wish Michael, Char and his family all the best as he begins his next chapter in Vancouver. Thank you, Dycker! 👏 [https://t.co/B39Q9C6LQF](https://t.co/B39Q9C6LQF?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 25, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2070212683974975675?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Marie-Philip Poulin explained her injury at the Olympics "probably kinda started it" before she sustained a torn ACL and meniscus in the PWHL. > > Poulin said she was "feeling good" when she returned in the PWHL. [pic.twitter.com/S6QldrQOQn](https://t.co/S6QldrQOQn?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Kyle Cushman (@Kyle\_Cush) [June 25, 2026](https://x.com/Kyle%5FCush/status/2070160903429853330?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And to end on... That's all for now, for a definition of now that means when I went to bed. The post-bedtime Leafs news: > Sources said [#Leafs](https://x.com/hashtag/Leafs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ask for Knies has included a Top 10 pick along with roster player(s) in a multi-faceted package. > > If they’re going to move Knies, it’s going to be for a true haul. > > Or they’re going to have to soften the ask to get into the Top 10. > > — Frank Seravalli (@frank\_seravalli) [June 26, 2026](https://x.com/frank%5Fseravalli/status/2070333833967280312?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### 2026 NHL Draft: Final Rankings and Mock Drafts URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-final-rankings-and-mock-drafts/ Last updated: 2026-06-25T14:20:30.000Z As I've mentioned, when I start writing my draft profiles it is well before people's final rankings come out. Those typically don't come out until a week or two before the draft, and I can't wait that long to predict who might be available where. So, with everyone's final rankings out by now and, more importantly, mock drafts published by people who write them after feedback from NHL team scouts and executives being out, I wanted to make a quick post that talks about what has changed from when I finalized my lists and now. ## Players That May Be Out of Toronto's Range Now This year, Toronto actually has a lot of picks and at least one in every round but the seventh. So it was almost impossible for there to be a range that would be out of reach for the Leafs to potentially pick. The one exception to much of the first and second rounds, since Toronto's first round pick is first overall and there's basically only one player they're seriously looking at taking by all reports. Their second round pick is also at the very end, so there's effectively a two round gap. There are some players I profiled thinking they might have their final rankings slip, and others who were potentially available around the late second round who's hype have taken them out of that range. Those players are: - Mathis Preston - Ryder Cali - Jonas Lagerberg Hoen - Jaxon Cover - Måns Gudmundsson The first two especially, I don't see a single mock draft from those who talk with NHL teams who have them even in the 50's. Cali especially I haven't seem him taken in these mock drafts later than the 30's. Hoen, Cover, and Gudmundson are more rare to be available at the upper edge of Toronto's range, but there are one or two I've seen. So I'd consider them potentially available on the off chance that things go more towards that one or two prediction than the majority. ## Players Whose Available Ranges Have Changed There are also a bunch of players who are still in Toronto's range, but either in an earlier or later round than I initially predicted. - Brek Liske – I had him as a 4th rounder, but he looks like a late 2nd/early 3rd round guy now - Wiggo Sörensson – I had him as a 3rd rounder but it looks like he could wind up as a 4th rounder at the earliest - Giorgos Pantelas – Same thing as Sörensson - Alofa Tunoa (Noa) Ta'amu – Same thing as Sörensson with an even greater likelihood of being a later round pick - Yelisei Ryabykin – Same thing as Sörensson Then there are a bunch of guys I included in the list of later round targets who look like they will not be available by then. - Jonah Sivertson – Mocked as high as the 3rd round - Tyus Sparks – Mocked as high as the 3rd round - Matvei Kotkov – Mocked as high as 3rd/4th round - Lars Steiner – Mocked as high as the 4th round - Jayden Kurtz – Mocked as high as the 3rd round - Alexander Ivanov – Mocked as high as the 4th round - Ola Palme – Mocked as high as 3rd/4th round I am not advocating to take any of these players earlier or later than when I previously included them. My stance with this is very much: take the player you like the most/think is best when your pick comes up, even if they're ranked a lot lower by all other teams. Don't get cute trying to take your guy just before anyone else wants him, that's a good way to lose out on your guy. This is also known as the Koblar Method(TM). Aside from that, there are a group of players who I didn't write profiles on because I didn't think they'd be available when Toronto picks who are slipping in the latest mock drafts and juuuuuuuuuuust into range. ## Niklas Aaram-Olsen - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: U20 Nationell / SHL - **Height**: 6'1" - **Weight**: 187 lbs - **Birthdate**: Apr 19, 2008 I've liked Aaram-Olsen all year. He plays a power winger game with flashes of playing a very NHL-ready 200-foot game. He has an elite, NHL-calibre shot, with a quick and deceptive release that easily deceives goaltenders from anywhere on the ice. He has good size at 6'1" has smooth, agile skating. He shows glimpses of high-end puck skills with a willingness to drop his shoulder and drive the net, score off the rush, or finish dirty plays in the crease. He played 16 games in the SHL and looked good in limited minutes, and most importantly he showed some good chemistry with Koblar on Team Norway as they dominated the U20 junior tournaments they played in. Despite his high ceiling, the reason I think his final rankings and mock draft position has been slipping is, I think, because he has shown some consistency issues in his execution. Meanwhile, others who were considered below him are maybe perceived to have better certainty as prospects and stronger finishes in the season got the bump over him. His playmaking amd vision seem just okay as of now, which raises questions on if he can consistently drive play and create offensive chances for his linemates rather than needing them to set him up so he can finish plays. He may have some risk as a boom-or-bust kind of profile, but I like his potential even as a bottom six energy/power guy with a good shot and some powerplay utility. ## Simas Ignatavicius - **Position**: Right-shot center/winger - **League(s)**: NL (Switzerland's top pro league) - **Height**: 6'3" - **Weight**: 201 lbs - **Birthdate**: Oct 22, 2007 Ignatavičius is an interesting one. He's from Lithuania, born to parents who were both professional athletes – his dad was a basketball player, his mother a handball player. He was always encouraged to play whatever sport he liked, so when he was a kid getting pizza in a mall and saw a hockey practice he asked to try it and fellin love. Now he is a highly athletic and projectable prospect with a very high floor, coming off a season playing in Switzerland's top professional league against the likes of Jesse Puljujarvi, Theo Rochette, Denis Malgin, Dominik Kubalik, Markus Granlund, Erik Brannstrom, and other former or future NHLers. Ignatavičius plays a hard and physical style and is known to be highly competitive – reminds me of what was said about Koblar, honestly. He is a very effective forechecker who combines great attention to detail (e.g., precise stick placement) with punishing body checks to disrupt defensemen on their retrievals and breakouts. And once he gets possession he is a puck protection nightmare along the boards. He gets top grades for having an elite hockey sense and very intelligent understanding of the game. He has a quick set of hands, very good hand-eye coordination, and drives offense and defense by just being an enticing combination of smart and physically imposing. The primary concerns limiting Ignatavičius's ceiling are his pure offensive skill level and a somewhat unexciting, basic profile that lacks a dynamic, high-end element. While some scouts praised his edge work, others noted he lacks the natural foot speed and agility required to be a primary play-driver or a dynamic creator from range, giving him one of the weaker wheelhouses among top prospects. Because he projects more as a quick-touch, complementary piece rather than a flashy transition star, he faces skepticism about his ability to produce top-six numbers in the NHL, leaving him heavily reliant on adapting his straight-line physical game to a lower-line, checking role. ## Xavier Villeneuve - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: QMJHL - **Height**: 5'11" - **Weight**: 163 lbs - **Birthdate**: Sep 29, 2007 You can consider Villeneuve to be the next line of smaller, elite offensive defensemen to come up in the draft with a lot of divisive opinions. On the one hand, a lot of people consider Villeneuve to be the nest Lane or Cole Hutson with that level of skill and mobility to more than balance out the concern around his size and defensive projection. One thing I'll say straight away is that Villeneuve was said to have played through a nagging hip injury down the stretch and through his playoff run in the QMJHL. A lot of the more critical opinions on him began around that time, but before his injury was known. I do think that colours things, but not all of it. Villeneuve has one of the highest offensive ceilings in the entire draft class, even among forwards. His game is driven by an elite, effortless skating profile that features among the highest levels of agility, edge work, speed, and the knowledge of how to use his change in speed and tempo and shifting balance to manipulate defenders. He is an elite, dynamic, and high-impact playmaker and projects as a prototypical modern power-play quarterback. He has lightning-quick hands and with his deceptive skating can freeze multiple defenders, free up passing lanes for his teammates and create odd-man rush opportunities from nothing. And for all the concern about his size he is actually bigger than Lane Hutson and just as big as his younger brother Cole – and even with a smaller size of 5'11" and 162 lbs, he is a battler who doesn't quit on plays, and shows both a high motor and a chip on his shoulder. The issues or concerns around Villeneuve as a projectable prospect come back to that age old size question, and how much that may limit his ability to be effective in the NHL. It may seem like a tired concern given the success of guys like the Hutsons, Adam Fox, or Quinn Hughes. But for each one of them, there are dozens of zippy skilled defensemen who never make it because they just don't have the skill, skating, or hockey sense to make it work in the NHL. His development this year was definitely hampered by that nagging hip injury, and that's not exactly the kind of injury you would be comfortable with for a small mobile defenseman like him. Furthermore, his lack of physical mass and reach makes him easier to push around during sustained cycles in his own end, even if you can commend him for his willingness to battle and not quit. So there is some doubts among some scouts about whether his defensive awareness and physical limitations will make him into a 5-on-5 liability at higher levels. Those are the same concerns that still exist for the Hutsons and, honestly, probably for Fox and Hughes too whenever they go through a period of struggle. Personally, I don't fully buy into those concerns but I don't completely ignore them either. However, I'm talking about him maybe slipping to Toronto in the late second round pick, and considering his potential I have zero concerns about whatever risk he may carry in that spot. If he does fall that far I hope Chayka's love of Andrae manifests and he grabs Villeneuve and runs to the podium with him under his arm. ## Adam Goljer - **Position**: Right-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: Slovakia - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 194 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jun 7, 2008 Goljer is a guy I wrote about during the year on one of my watch lists. His ranking seems to have slipped because he's seen as more of a developmental project than being more of a sure thing. But he's got a solid foundation to build off of – he's a right-shot, he's 6'2" and 194 lbs, he has projectable mobility with a smooth stride, and he's on the younger side with a June birthday. Playing in Slovakia's top men's league, he was already used as a minutes-eating (18+ minutes per game) workhorse thanks to playing a more mature, pro-ready style. He was also the captain for Slovakia as they won a silver medal at the World U18s a couple of months ago. His strengths are playing a calm and poised game with an above average hockey sense. He is very good at generating breakouts of of the defensive zone with accurate passe. He has a decent level of offensive activity rate by aggressively activating off the blueline but making good decisions on when to go and when to back off, and by jumping into the rush as a late trailer. The biggest issue with Goljer's game that I think has caused his position in mock drafts to slip relative to his rankings is that he's one of those jack of all trades but master of none guys. He doesn't have a major standout skill. He can have a good impact on his team's offense but won't be a top powerplay quarterback or point generator. He's solid defensively but he's not an elite shutdown defender. Without any real elite or specialized tools, plus some inconsistency issues there's less certainty with him than there may be with others who have leapfrogged him. Against pro-level competition, Goljer's decision-making can break down under pressure, and his passing overall can get wild at times and led to him being bumped off Slovakia's power play at the World Juniors (U20, not U18s). Defensively, he can look too calm at times, or rather he seems to have a lack of urgency. It's one of those things that looks great when you still make a play and frustrating when you don't. Personally, I give more credit to being able to play that many minutes on a pro-league team. I'm sure he could have racked up more points and looked more consistent if he played against juniors, so I don't hold the issues exposed by playing in a tougher league against him. ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### 2026 NHL Draft Profiles: Re-Entry Defensemen URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profiles-re-entry-defensemen/ Last updated: 2026-06-25T12:00:52.000Z This year there's an interesting group of defenders who are re-entering the NHL draft this year, some for the third (and final) time. That said, the number of them this year is shorter for me than it has been in previous seasons. I started out wanting to have a round ten in total to profile, but after I did the first eight I really struggled to find two more. Rather than adhere to an arbitrary number I set for myself, I cut it off there. The ones that are left, however, I found pretty darn interesting. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## ETHAN MACKENZIE - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'1" - **Weight**: 189 lbs - **Birthdate**: Sep 2, 2006 This is MacKenzie's third time being eligible for the NHL draft, and if you're wondering whether or not I'm bitter that Toronto could have taken MacKenzie as a D+1 re-entry last year with a late round pick instead of, oh just picking a random name off the top of my head, someone like Hlacar [when I included him as a potential re-entry](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2025-nhl-draft-profiles-re-entry-defensemen/) to take because of his stellar numbers... I plead the fifth. Anyways, this year he was even better. He made Team Canada's World Juniors squad and was one of their best overall defensemen. His point production almost doubled, and his goal rate improved by more than four times while maintaining his elite tracking metrics. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-30.png) MacKenzie is still the same elite skating, highly competitive two-way defender he turned into last year. His impact and quality of play are at a high level, which you'd expect from a guy in his final junior year. He makes excellent decisions when activating offensively while maintaining strong defensive ability to kill plays and win battles along the boards despite being an average size. Ultimately, I'd put it this way... if the Leafs had drafted him two years ago with a mid to late round pick, and he turned into what he is now, I'd be ecstatic. As it is, he'll probably be one of the first re-entries taken this year, maybe as early as the second round. His upside is probably still that of a mid to bottom pair defenseman, and he's still not a sure-thing to be an NHLer at all. But you could make worse picks, especially once you get into the middle rounds. ## TIMOFEI RUNTSO - **Position**: Right-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 187 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jul 06, 2007 Runtso is an interesting case who was on the younger side last year (July 2007 birthday), and went undrafted after playing all season in the NAHL. This year, he joined Victoria in the WHL and had a breakout season and/or he happened to be noticed in a more scrutinized league. He had 11 goals and 44 points in 68 games as one of Victoria's top defensemen, though they were one of the bottom teams in the league and missed the playoffs. He was one of their lone bright spots, and will join the NCAA next year so he'll have some years of control yet. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-31.png) Runtso's biggest strengths are his rush defense, offensive impact and using physical play to his advantage. He creates chaos offensively, the good kind most of the time, but has strong two-way impacts and can transition the puck at a good level. Like MacKenzie, he is not projected to be a high-level defenseman overall, but he has projectable skills and habits. If he works on improving his explosiveness, his decision making (just needs to rein in that chaos-causing a bit), and the consistency of his defensive play in his own end, he'd make for a solid mid round pick. ## COLE TUMINARO - **Position**: Right-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: USHL - **Height**: 6'4" - **Weight**: 229 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jan 24, 2007 Tuminaro is an interesting re-entry defenseman because of his size, and because he missed all but one regular season game in his draft year due to an injury. Stylistically, he's much different than MacKenzie or Runtso. Where they have more flashy or smooth two-way skill, Tuminaro is more of your defensive specialist. He had only 16 points in 54 games for Chicago in the USHL, but that isn't a very high scoring junior league... especially for defensemen. He's got a commitment to Cornell University in the NCAA, not a top program or conference but one of the better teams in that conference. He was invited to the USA All-American game for the top prospects playing in the US this year, and played as the top pair right defenseman for Team Blue. > Cole Tuminaro sends a great feed to Chorlton to open the scoring [https://t.co/LhAdtycbwz](https://t.co/LhAdtycbwz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/o6rBMDwny8](https://t.co/o6rBMDwny8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Chicago Steel (@ChicagoSteel) [September 6, 2025](https://twitter.com/ChicagoSteel/status/1964125257624609191?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Tuminaro is already huge, and his skating improved a lot this year to catch him up from so much missed time. The size, reach, and skating make it almost impossible for most junior competitors in the USHL to beat him off the rush. He's strong positionally and a good shot blocker if that's your thing, and all of that combines to make him someone that can deal very well with high paced play. The downsides of his game, likely influenced at least somewhat by how much missed time he had last year, is his skill with the puck tends to be very simple and passive plus his skating mechanics could be refined to add better fluidity and explosiveness. > Cole Tuminaro hammers a one-timer bomb for a power play goal[#FeelSteel](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FeelSteel?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#USHL](https://twitter.com/hashtag/USHL?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/pqxoeFsq0r](https://t.co/pqxoeFsq0r?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Chicago Steel (@ChicagoSteel) [January 24, 2026](https://twitter.com/ChicagoSteel/status/2014902647573094682?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## DAKODA RHEAUME-MULLEN - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: NCAA - **Height**: 6'0" - **Weight**: 185 lbs - **Birthdate**: Dec 18, 2006 Rhéaume-Mullen is on the older side for a D+1 re-entry, but he's coming off of a strong sophomore season for Michigan in the NCAA – one of the top teams in college this year in arguably the toughest conference. His freshman season was slower, with less of a role where his play on the ice didn't really warrant more time. This year, his point production doubled (from 9 to 18) and his ice time increased as well, and you can see his overall impacts in his tracking data from last year (left) to this year (right). It mostly came with his offensive and transition game, but his "little things" also improved. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/image-4.png) From Mitch Brown's Patreon: [https://www.patreon.com/posts/2025-26-tracking-148937986](https://www.patreon.com/posts/2025-26-tracking-148937986?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Rhéaume-Mullen projects as a bottom pair defenseman, mostly because he isn't so good offensively or defensively that you can see a specialized role like that. He can help offense a bit, especially driving good transitions, and he has good mobility as a defenseman. But he's only average in size which hurts his defensive impact in his own end, though in the NCAA he's noted as a dog against the cycle. His skating helps him defend against rushes much better. I feel like I'm including him mostly because I saw how painful it can be to have defensemen who aren't able to move the puck out of their own end, and that's one of his strengths. I wouldn't take him before the late rounds though. ## ALEXANDER SAPOZHNIKOV - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: MHL / KHL - **Height**: 6'6" - **Weight**: 209 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jan 17, 2007 It's easy to see why Sapozhnikov may have some hype as a re-entry prospect – he's a 6'6" defenseman who has above average mobility. He went unknown last year because he didn't even play in the MHL, he was a level below that in the NMHL. This year, he not only got to the MHL but after only two games he was called up to the KHL directly. He only got onto the ice for 5 games, but dressed for 30 KHL games in total. It's not really ideal for a guy who barely played in a not-so-great junior league to not play much like that this year, but it is a sign that his pro team took his value seriously. When he was playing back in the MHL, he did very well and was eventually traded from a very bad/lowly program to a top program in SKA-1946 St Petersburg. In the MHL, he had 15 points in 19 games, which is a very good rate for even a D+1 defenseman in that league. The easiest strengths scouts have identified with Sapozhnikov are his skating and reach. Those alone already give him value, and when he leans into his size and physical advantages he is defensively dominant in junior. His play in junior also showed some interesting offensive capabilities, where he was their top powerplay quarterback, showcased creative playmaking and a bomb from the point, smart activations into the offense, and a lot more calm and controlled decision making. Despite that, Sapozhnikov's projection likely will be almost entirely based on his defense. It's hard to ignore just how little he's played in more competitive leagues when he's already in his D+1 season, and there is still a lot of rawness to his game as a result. If you believe he can be a late bloomer because of that and want to bet on that size/skating combination, he'd make for an interesting late round swing. ## OWEN CONRAD - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: QMJHL - **Height**: 6'3" - **Weight**: 207 lbs - **Birthdate**: Mar 10, 2007 For those who remember, [I had written about Conrad as a late round pick option](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2025-nhl-draft-profiles-late-round-defensemen/&ved=2ahUKEwiciuS83Z2UAxUioisGHUYcHdYQFnoECB4QAQ&usg=AOvVaw3r6jF%5FfvwhU9v-hm8u46Ux) before the draft, and he wound up being one of the highest consensus ranked players to go undrafted last year. After that, he was an undrafted invite to the Leafs' rookie tournament in Montreal this past summer, and [I wrote about him again as one of the standout players](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-prospect-report-standouts-from-the-prospect-challenge/) on Toronto's roster even among their older, drafted defense prospects. He returned to the QMJHL this year where he more or less replicated the previous season. He was a top defenseman, had slightly more points with more of them coming at even strength this year, and produced a lot better in the playoffs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-33.png) I didn't watch Conrad as much this season, but from what I did see I still like him. Depending on how you feel about other prospects available when you're into the later rounds, I think you can do worse than giving Conrad a chance (cough Hlacar cough). He has that size-mobility combination, decent defensive instincts and some ability to move the puck up the ice without treating the puck like a live grenade. > KEARSEY BOMB 🚨💣 2nd in 2 games! > > Assisted by Owen Conrad & Nolan Duskocy 🍎 > > CHA 1 // VdO 0 [pic.twitter.com/YIiNySXljT](https://t.co/YIiNySXljT?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Charlottetown Islanders (@IslandersHKY) [November 2, 2025](https://x.com/IslandersHKY/status/1985081243696853022?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## MATUS LISY - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'1" - **Weight**: 192 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jun 15, 2007 [Lisy is another defenseman I wrote about](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2025-nhl-draft-profiles-late-round-defensemen/) as a late round option last year. I liked him them as a potential puck moving, two-way defenseman even if his big point totals playing in Slovakia last year made you think he was more offensively inclined. Actually, now that I think about it, he seems like the defenseman version of Holinka! For this season, he came to North America as an import pick with Red Deer in the WHL. What I said last year came true – the points weren't as gaudy (22 in 52 games, none in 5 playoff games) in Canada like it was against Slovakian competition, but he was showcasing exactly that puck moving and two-way potential. He did also make Slovakia's roster for the World Juniors this winter. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-34.png) Like Conrad, I haven't seen as much of Lisy this year since he is a re-entry. But from the WHL games I caught of him, what improved the most this season was his defense. He maintains better gaps on rushes coming at him, and he had much better positioning in the defensive zone. He also adapted well to the faster and more physical style of play in the WHL compared to Slovakia. His puck movement stayed at a high level, which helped his team a lot in breaking out of their own end. The question marks that remain for him are tightening up his defense and improving his explosiveness. He's another guy that would wind up as a depth, third pairing defenseman if he ever makes the NHL. So call him a late round swing if he gets taken at all. > FROM THE SLOT!🤩[@Rebelshockey](https://twitter.com/Rebelshockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/n7zFfF1M7p](https://t.co/n7zFfF1M7p?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [November 11, 2025](https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/1988356805794451506?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## ETHAN WEBER - **Position**: Right-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'0" - **Weight**: 196 lbs - **Birthdate**: Dec 10, 2006 Weber is a California-born right shot defenseman who played in Canada the first time this year for Penticton in the WHL. Before now, he had been playing for the Lincoln Stars in the USHL, where he was down the depth charts behind older and/or already drafted to the NHL defenders. His scouting reports gave him decent grades for his defense, but he was an average-sized guy without showing eye-popping offense, so it's not the most surprising he went undrafted. This year, his defense improved and his offense ***really*** improved with a year's worth of physical growth, experience, and more playing opportunity. He put up 14 goals and 51 points in 68 points despite being their PP2 defenseman for most of the year – only 16 of his points came with the man advantage. He's committed to Penn State in the NCAA next year, which has become one of the better programs in college in recent years. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-35.png) What scouts saw from Weber this year was a style of defense that projects well to the NHL. He uses physical play intelligently and can hold his own even against bigger players, and he'll meet dirty in kind when the situation calls for it. He defends the rush at a very high level with a good use of stickwork, good positioning, and intelligent play-reading. He was relied on heavily in all situations by Penticton, with good positioning all over the ice. His offensive game bloomed this year, especially his reads of when to jump into the play and in handling the puck. It probably isn't enough to carry him to the NHL as an offensive guy, but it's enough that it gives some confidence he can use those skills to push the puck in the right direction. The question is if he can refine his tools and skills to a high enough level to make him a decent bottom pairing defenseman who can pitch in on both special teams. > 🎥 HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT 🎥 > > Overtime winner? Doesn’t get any better than that.[@PentictonVees](https://twitter.com/PentictonVees?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#WHLHoN](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHLHoN?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/4FMNrmDJ74](https://t.co/4FMNrmDJ74?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [January 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2006920385883942966?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thursday's FTB: Today needs to work harder than yesterday for excitement URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-today-needs-to-work-harder-than-yesterday-for-excitement/ Last updated: 2026-06-25T10:00:33.000Z There was one big deal, another sign and trade. The Washington Capitals have upped the price you have to pay for these. > We have acquired a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and forward David Kampf from the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward Alex Tuch. > > Details → [https://t.co/OrMC9fpO8i](https://t.co/OrMC9fpO8i?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/PEZVeyBtLJ](https://t.co/PEZVeyBtLJ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) [June 24, 2026](https://x.com/BuffaloSabres/status/2069928648212099410?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Buffalo also re-signed Zach Benson. > SEVEN MORE YEARS OF BENNY ⚔️ > > We have signed Zach Benson to a seven-year contract with an AAV of $7.5 million. > > Details → [https://t.co/GWcREJzmxC](https://t.co/GWcREJzmxC?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/7OHpLtjZeN](https://t.co/7OHpLtjZeN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) [June 25, 2026](https://x.com/BuffaloSabres/status/2069937554158182730?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/6a3c47652894f-1-.png) In other news: > NHL Draft note - The 4 year signing window equalization begins with this draft class. NHL teams will have 4 years to sign players drafted from either the CHL or NCAA. > Previously it had been 2 years for players drafted out of the CHL. > > — Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) [June 24, 2026](https://x.com/JeffMarek/status/2069822039196684456?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Simon Benoit on time in Toronto: "It was great. They're a good organization. They treated me so well. I have great memories for me, my wife & my kid. I had my kid there so it's always going to be special. The guys there were just so welcoming to me. We really had a good group." > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [June 24, 2026](https://x.com/markhmasters/status/2069850887078502494?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [\- TSNJoseph Woll experienced “a lot of emotion” upon hearing about last week’s trade from Toronto to Philadelphia. “I was pretty sad,” the 27-year-old goalie said. “Even with all the positive and negative memories, I think it’s been a beautiful experience playing with them.” Woll is now excited to experience a “clean slate” with the Flyers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-f4de6f9a-8a25-4b96-b057-74518f0f919a.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F06-24-2026-2Ft_1a5a4b362ebe460fab9eb84e64f61da2_name_2026_6_24_fe5f2ba2_0165_4c4a_8753_f6099ae17fba_jpg_1920x1080-83cf9d0c-3a0e-480d-a733-d803e7692f4a.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/06/24/i-was-pretty-sad-woll-calls-leafs-tenure-a-beautiful-experience-despite-ups-and-downs/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > La Victoire de Montréal convoque les médias demain matin, jeudi, pour faire le point sur de l’état de santé de la capitaine Marie-Philip Poulin. [#LPHF](https://x.com/hashtag/LPHF?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mikaël Lalancette (@MikLalancette) [June 25, 2026](https://x.com/MikLalancette/status/2069961389314081010?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Flames trying to trade Zary, seeking second-rounder in returnThe Calgary Flames are trying to move forward Connor Zary, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger. Dreger adds it sounds like the Flames are asking for a second-round selection in return.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-b84623b1-332c-4edc-96fb-8ddbe35e5944.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/4CRFZ2YULRATPHRI376RPHWVAI-b1dbf086-474e-476a-b8bf-776fab0c83b7.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/flames-trying-to-trade-zary-seeking-second-rounder-in-return/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I'm just going to end with this. A sombre tone to this one from Luke Fox, but realistic too. [‘Change is good for everybody’: Morgan Rielly shows maturity with trade listMorgan Rielly has shown maturity with his trade list. If he does indeed change his address after 951 games with Toronto, he should leave with his head high, Luke Fox writes.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CP175512694-f10b8a69-b6ae-473f-af48-3197b11323e5.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/change-is-good-for-everybody-morgan-rielly-shows-maturity-with-trade-list/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### 2026 NHL Draft: Trading for Picks AND Players URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-other-trades-for-picks-and-players/ Last updated: 2026-06-24T13:00:52.000Z In Monday's post from this week, I talked about what it could realistically look like if Toronto were to trade down from their first overall pick. I hinted that while it was difficult to envision a trade down from first overall for just picks because of the huge difference in value, it is possible to make up some of that difference by including NHL players and prospects already drafted. Yesterday I talked about how Toronto could acquire more picks using the players they have on the roster who they seem to want to trade already anyway. And we've already seen them get one other pick through the Woll deal. Today I'm going to kind of combine the two of those together and talk about other trade possibilities that could happen at the draft. They could technically happen after the draft too, but with all the pick value they have (PuckPedia rates them with the highest pick value in the draft as of the day they got the other third rounder from Philly) there are more assets at play that could help it happen. Because these are all more swing for the fences kinds of trades, you can basically consider them to involve the Leafs using one of their two biggest assets to make these deals (maybe some other smaller ones): either the first overall pick, or Matthew Knies. The principle with either scenario is the same. Both the pick and Knies are young and will be providing some level of impact on the Leafs next year if they're not traded away. They can be kept and still be good and valuable now and for the long term. The only reason you should trade either of them is if a team absolutely knocks your socks off with an overpay. That's how you get a home run trade to help the Leafs now ***and*** in the future. Otherwise, you just hang onto them and you're still happy to have them. You also still have time to trade them later even if you don't get a good enough offer right now (that's more for Knies than McKenna). ## Trades Involving the First Overall Pick ### Vancouver Canucks With Vancouver, I see this as more of an opportunity to do a trade down from 1st overall with other assets coming back from the Canucks to bridge the gap in the pick values. At the state of their team/rebuild, they won't want Knies. If Vancouver is indeed acting more desperate for that star prospect, and Toronto wants something that offers more immediate value than picks for a prospect that may not be ready for another 2+ years, then I would say Toronto can ask for assets that fit that bill. That would mainly be young star prospects who already have some NHL experience or at least close to making that jump. That would include the following: - Zeev Buium - Tom Willander - Braeden Cootes - Jonathan Lekkerimaki - Elias Pettersson 2.0 (the younger defenseman) - Victor Mancini To make this a real home-run trade for the Leafs, they'd want one Buium or Willander. Both were high draft picks, both have been top defense prospects, and both have played most of a season in the NHL last year. Their results haven't looked great yet, but they're still young and were on a baaaaaaaaaaaad team as they were trying to break into the NHL. The rest of the assets are not as close to the NHL and/or not as good as prospects, but they are good enough to maybe take the place of a later first/second round pick for the trade down. I think Vancouver will be very hesitant to trade Buium especially, since he was the primary piece they just got in the Quinn Hughes trade. But that's definitely what I'd push for if Vancouver really wants to trade up to first overall. Swing for the fences, not a bunt single. ### New York Rangers The Rangers would be another candidate more for a trade down that could bring back some NHL level help immediately. Like Vancouver, if they're starting a rebuild they probably want the first overall pick more than Knies. Aside from the 5th overall pick, there are three players that have been put on various trade boards by insiders: - Adam Fox - Vincent Trochek - Alexis Lafreniere Adam Fox would be the home run trade return, but there's very good reason to think that even if Toronto and New York found a framework they each liked enough to seal the deal, that Fox wouldn't want to play here considering the lengths he went as a prospect to not sign his ELC with any team but the Rangers. He likely wants to stay close to home on the east coast but also still in the USA. Cathy recently talked about Trochek, which is worth a read to get an idea for how good he'd be as a trade target for the leafs: [Vincent Trocheck - the non UFA option for the LeafsAnd several other teams as well.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-e43c01e8-ebf7-4b69-9eab-822d12deddc8.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1612012060851-20f943c02d3d-174ef3a6-faaa-4886-a8b8-ede1a4cbd70e)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/vincent-trocheck-the-non-ufa-option-for-the-leafs/) The other is Lafreniere, who is a lot less interesting as a player to get back aside from potential depth given he has a Knies-like contract. To replace the value of other picks outside of their 5th overall, they have four prospects who are 2+ years after being drafted and closer to the NHL, and while they're not top prospects necessarily they're in or close to that next tier: - Scott Morrow - Liam Greentree - Jacob Battaglia - Nathan Aspinall ### Seattle Kraken Seattle I mentioned as a team that I think is arguably the most desperate for a true star. They're the island of misfit very good players without any star power. They're not good enough to make the playoffs every year but not bad enough to tank for top picks. They have an interesting foundation of supporting players but that's it. This is not based on any rumour I've seen directly linking to the Leafs, but I have seen rumours that they have considered dangling the likes of Shane Wright or Vince Dunn. Others as well, but they're the two that interest me to go along with their 7th overall pick. Wright is semi-infamous as the guy who did NOT get taken first overall and has not really had a breakout year in the NHL yet. He does have a year with decent production but also good defensive metrics, apparently, so he could make for an interesting 3C candidate who could maybe still finally have a late breakout and become their 2C. That would make for a pretty great return to go with another high pick. Dunn is on the older side at 29, but he's a solid veteran who could fill the need for good puck movers and PP quarterback. Why not try and get all three! If you want to shoot for younger prospects who are closer to the NHL but not quite there yet, there's guys like: - Julius Miettinen - Oscar Fisker Molgaard - Jagger Firkus - Blake Fiddler ### St Louis Blues The Blues are perhaps one of the most interesting teams that have been connected to the Leafs in rumours that I've seen, because they could go for either the first overall pick or Knies. They were connected to Knies at the recent deadline, but nothing was ever revealed about what the return could have involved. Based on more recent rumours I think they'd be more likely to want the first overall pick but that's just me guessing. They have three first round picks: 11th, 15th, and 29th overall. They also have a new GM and may be entertaining a rebuild who were rumoured to be shopping some star young players like Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas. More recent reports have said they've pulled those two off the market, but that could just be what they're saying to drive up the asking price. If the Leafs wanted to lure a star top winger or top young center, both on long term deals that are relatively low and both with some two-way accumen, they would immediately make the Leafs a better, deeper team with a star forward. If they're trading down from first overall and want additional value outside of their picks, there's the likes of: - Matthew Kessel - Lukas Fischer - Adam Jiricek ## Trades Involving Matthew Knies Yesterday I published an article that had a lot of trade ideas around Knies, but it was mostly focused on getting back other picks or young prospects with no NHL experience yet. Now I'm going to focus on rumours involving teams who are potentially offering NHL players who are already stars, even if they are also offering picks. ### Nashville Predators I haven't seen any rumours directly linking the Leafs and Nashville in any trade, let alone for Knies. But I have seen insiders talk about how they are not looking to rebuild, they want to retool and make trades that make them better in the NHL right now to add to their core of Josi, Forsberg, and Saros before the other guys they have around them are too old. That does sound like they would at least kick tires on Knies if they're hearing he's potentially available. Aside from the 10th overall pick, they don't have a lot of young NHL assets, especially on defense. They do have Fyodor Svechkov as a young center who's been in the NHL the past two years, but they do have a lot of interesting and pretty high level prospects like Brady Martin, Felix Nilsson, David Edstrom, Tanner Molendyk, Ryker Lee and Egor Surin. Martin was drafted 5th overall just last year so he's both further from the NHL and a high enough pick they may not want to trade him, but he's a Knies-like player stylistically but smaller and also a center. Ryker Lee is also a pick from last year so not right on the cusp of being an NHLer, except he's so good and had a great freshman season in the NCAA last year so he could be a guy who jumps to the NHL after this coming season in his D+2 year like Knies did. Surin is a big Russian center who drafted two years ago in the first round, who has played the last two years in the KHL, making big improvements this year. He'd be interesting if he's willing to come to North America soon. The one top defense prospect they have who already has some pro experience, just not in the NHL, is Tanner Molendyk who was also a former first rounder. The others I mentioned aren't as high end, but I still find interesting as potential guys to include instead of other, lower draft picks than 10th overall. ### New Jersey Devils Along with St Louis, this may be the most interesting possibility. This is another case where there's no current rumour (that I know of anyway) that directly connects the Leafs with New Jersey. But there have been rumours, independent of each other, that the Devils are also looking to "aggressively retool" the team and may need to cut some salary to free up space to get those same kinds of young NHL players. Knies going back to New Jersey makes more sense than the first overall pick for two reasons. First, as I said the Devils are retooling not rebuilding, they want players now. Second, the reason why no trade happened last year is because every team needed NJ to retain a lot of salary and they didn't want to do that, meanwhile Knies' cap hit is close enough to Hamilton's that they may not need to retain much if at all. Aside from the 12th overall pick, the big piece they are reportedly considering to trade is Dougie Hamilton. Now, Hamilton is probably the oldest player I'll mention as a trade target on this list. He has two years remaining on his contract with a $9 million cap hit. They were reported to be shopping him last year already and Toronto's name did come up at the time, but nothing came of it. Now they have a new GM, who is apparently analytically savvy, so he may see that Hamilton was actually quite good by the end of last year in terms of both points but also his play driving metrics. He is 33 now (as of June 17th), but he has size, he is a mobile defenseman, he can move the puck, he can quarterback a powerplay, he'd be a very good option for the next two years for the Leafs to try and compete right away. The Devils have also been rumoured to be shopping Dawson Mercer, a young player coming off a contract with a $4 million cap hit after this coming season but will be an RFA. He's just 24 and has been in the NHL full time for the past five years. He's topped 20 goals three times, he's been a pretty constant 40+ point producer in that time. On the other side, he's apparently pretty solid defensively too. This past season, his defensive Goals Above Replacement (GAR)—which factors in even-strength defense and short-handed play—ranked in the league's 86th percentile. He isn't the best play driver, being more a passenger to get into the offensive zone and finish off plays, and he may be better suited to the wing than a center, but he could be an adequate replacement for Knies as a supporting winger with Matthews and McKenna as a result. The other guy who could be interesting is Simon Nemec, who reportedly asked for a trade. He was a former 2nd overall pick back in 2022, he's 22 years old, he's got decent size and is a good skater but he just hasn't had the expected impact or breakout in the NHL yet. He did have his best season last year, scoring 11 goals and 26 points in 68 games. He plays a riskier style of game and can have frustrating turnovers, and has been blocked on the depth chart by Hamilton and their other top young RHD prospect in Luke Hughes. On the one hand, if they trade Hamilton that does free up some salary and a spot on the depth chart for a younger, relatively cost controlled defenseman, on the other hand Nemec may still want out even if he walked it back after a while, and if that's what Toronto insists on to make the deal happen it would free up more money for them to try and get another forward which they apparently want to shore up on. For Toronto, it would be a right shot offensive/puck moving defenseman for the long term. ### Washington Capitals The only other team I could see making sense from the rumours I've seen is Washington. They're trying to stay competitive during the twilight of Ovechkin's career. Like New Jersey or Nashville, I haven't seen any direct rumours linking Washington with Toronto but they are also in that "retooling" phase and there have also been some rumours of their young(ish) NHL players who could be traded that makes me think they'd be an interesting fit with the Leafs in a Knies trade. So they have the 16th ***and*** 18th overall picks they are reportedly trying to use to acquire an NHL forward. Curiously, I have seen two surprising names popup as players they have been thinking of shopping as well. The first is Dylan Strome, whose name was linked with Montreal at the trade deadline last year. Apparently there's been some questions about Strome sticking in Washington in the long term. They also have a bunch of young center prospects coming in Lapierre and Protas and may want to use Strome to upgrade on the wing while he has more value. Still seems weird to me, but if that rumour is real then Strome is 29 years old as of this past March, and has two years remaining on a pretty team-friendly deal at a $5 million cap hit. He's a regular 20+ goal scorer, and 60ish point who's been the center for Ovechkin in his time with Washington. He'd be a good get for Toronto's 2C, especially if he can be extended for not too much. Apparently the The other guy who was in some trade rumours last year but got pulled off that after suffering a serious knee injury ended his season is Rasmus Sandin. This one isn't too surprising, since Washington already has Chychrun and Fehervary ahead of him on the left side, plus Cole Hutson just went pro for them and had 10 points in 14 NHL games while also being an undersized defenseman. Good reason to think they'd trade Sandin as a surplus. His knee injury will reportedly keep him out until around January, but he's on a good contract a ta $4.6 million cap hit for the next three seasons. Knies for the two of them plus one of those two mid-first round picks would give them a 2C and a solid middle pairing defenseman who can move the puck well, plus a pick for the future. That's not bad value either, if Washington would go for it. They do like their big beefy power forwards like Tom Wilson and Ryan Leonard. So those are all the ones I saw some kind of rumours about where I could realistically see something there, if both Toronto and the other team wanted it. I'm not saying any trade is likely, or that they should make any trade involving Knies or their first overall pick. But if it's going to happen, that's how I think Chayka could approach it in terms of what assets he could ask in return. ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### 2026 NHL Draft Profiles: Re-Entry Forwards URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profiles-re-entry-forwards/ Last updated: 2026-06-24T12:00:29.000Z This year wasn't as strong for re-entry prospects compared to previous drafts. There isn't really 1-2 big names that could be taken as early as the second round, even if I've seen some lone scouts name someone they really like... colour me skeptical. What this year does have a fair amount of, however, are some interesting supporting or depth players that play an ideal style for a bottom six checking/energy lineup. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## LIAM LEFEBVRE - **Position**: Right-shot centre - **League(s)**: QMJHL - **Height**: 6'3" - **Weight**: 203 lbs - **Birthdate**: May 15, 2007 Lefebvre has certainly taken an unusual route in his development path. Born in Montreal, he moved from Quebec's various minor leagues to play in the USA's AAA and High School Prep leagues for three years, including his draft year last season. This year, he returned to his home province to play for Rimouski, where he had 15 goals and 29 points in 34 games. Halfway through the season he was traded to Chicoutimi, where he had 17 goals and 30 points in 25 games. He was an integral part of their QMJHL championship and Memoral Cup run, even if his production slowed in the playoffs. After this year, he has a commitment to the University of Vermont in the NCAA... not exactly a top program, but his strong season may be enough to get him recruited to a better one. > 1\. Liam Lefebvre > > Some real pro intangibles here. Frame and skating combination are legit. Flashes high end skill and finishing ability. Super physical and assertive in puck pursuit. He's a top three round pick for me. [pic.twitter.com/2yx4GCezPN](https://t.co/2yx4GCezPN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Brock Otten (@BrockOtten) [March 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/BrockOtten/status/2035719859095388275?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Lefebvre has a power forward style game, but as a centre. He throws some big hits with a hard shot that one scout said is the best release in the Q. He has a pro-level size and uses it well for puck protection, winning board battles, and fighting for position in front of the net. He gets good reviews for his off puck play too, particularly his positioning both offensively and defensively. He plays a smart and simple-but-effective style, and plays with a lot of energy. The big question marks around him are about his ability to deal with higher paces of play, and if he has enough skill. Honestly, I liked him a good deal while watching him, but not for more than a lower round pick. He wasn't dominant as a D+1 with his size advantage, but like some of the guys I mentioned at the start of the list his strengths are ideal for a depth player. ## MATIAS VANHANEN - **Position**: Left-shot winger - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 5'11" - **Weight**: 176 lbs - **Birthdate**: Sep 11, 2007 I could have sworn I wrote about Vanhanen at some point either last year or this year, but apparently not. He was one of the youngest players in the draft last year, only 5 days away from not being eligible until this year. He played last year mostly in Finland's junior league where he had a good amount of points, but being 5'10" and not having eye popping numbers playing in a mid-tier junior league... it's not completely surprising that he went undrafted. However, this year he was taken by Everett in the WHL's import draft and became one of their best players on one of the best teams in the CHL. He actually reminds me of another, smaller Finnish winger also with the first name Matias. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-28.png) Vanhanen is an elite playmaking winger with a lot of supporting skills. He can sling passes cross ice, through multiple defenders. He is very smart and has a lot of off-puck skills in terms of positioning, anticipation, and the routes he chooses. Even though he's smaller, in the WHL he was a very good forechecker with a high work ethic and motor, jumping into passing lanes to pick off outlet passes or forcing turnovers with his skating. While he's a bit on the small side, in junior so far he's shown he can protect the puck well and absorb contact from bigger players by rolling with it to avoid most of the force. However, there's no getting around him being on the smaller side, and on top of that he isn't the fastest or most dynamic skater. That puts a lot of questions around his projection to the NHL, but for a late round pick? You can do worse than one of the smartest, best and most pure playmakers in the WHL. ## YAROSLAV BRYZGALOV - **Position**: Left-shot winger - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'4" - **Weight**: 220 lbs - **Birthdate**: Mar 23, 2007 Bryzgalov, for the most part, is the opposite kind of player to Vanhanen. He's huge, and while he's also a decent playmaker his strengths are more on the physical side than the cerebral skill side. From Belarus, he made the jump to North America last year, where he played in the USHL for his draft season (starting to see a pattern in these re-entries I've written about). The play style on Des Moines wasn't something that suited him at the time, so this season he moved to Medicine Hat in the WHL where he thrived. He had 55 points in 64 games despite not playing on their powerplay very much, and added 14 more in their 15 playoff games. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-29.png) Bryzgalov has a cannon of a shot, but doesn't use it that much. He's more of a detailed playmaker, making short passes when he gets the puck in the dirty areas of the ice. He shows patience with the puck at times, delaying on rush attempts and using his size to protect the puck while he waits for trailing teammates to get to an open seam. He has a good set of hands too, with some decent dangles in his toolkit. He uses his size to get leverage and positioning on battles along the boards and in front of the net. His issues are mechanical rawness, especially when it comes to his skating which limits his ability to create separation. That's likely why he's so good at making shorter, quicker plays with the puck and buying time with his size to protect it when he needs to. If Toronto thinks their skill coaches can clean that up and buy into his skill as a big supporting winger as a power forward, he could be a worth a later round swing. > CAN WE HEAR YOU SAY WOOOOOOO? 🤩 > > Jonas Woo finds the back of the net off a beautiful pass from Yaroslav Bryzgalov to even things up. [@tigershockey](https://twitter.com/tigershockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#WHLPlayoffs](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHLPlayoffs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#FeedingTheFuture](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FeedingTheFuture?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > 📺 | [@victoryplustv](https://twitter.com/victoryplustv?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > 🔗 | [https://t.co/ejuFny1mnK](https://t.co/ejuFny1mnK?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/N598volvvE](https://t.co/N598volvvE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [May 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2050389565341671439?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## JERE SOMERVUORI - **Position**: Left-shot winger - **League(s)**: Liiga - **Height**: 6'0" - **Weight**: 159 lbs - **Birthdate**: Aug 10, 2007 Somervuori is like Bryzgalov, in that his game is based around being a supporting forward than in driving his own line. He's on the young side for last year's draft with an August birthday, and he played most of the year in Finland's junior league at under a point per game while being very skinny (145 lbs). His numbers in international play were better, but like Vanhanen went undrafted. This year he mostly played for HIFK in the Liiga, where he got to play on their top line at times and had 16 points in 52 games as an 18 year old. > Finns score first to make it 1-0. > > Good feed from Jere Somervuori to Max Westergard. [#WorldJuniors](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/fhsNpnisv9](https://t.co/fhsNpnisv9?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) [November 5, 2025](https://twitter.com/SEllisHockey/status/1986104342378631204?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Somervuori carved out a role for himself with elite, explosive skating, trying to work harder than everyone else on the ice, and using that with good hockey IQ to drive transitions, forecheck aggressively, and get back quickly on defense to support his defensemen. He doesn't have a good shot, nor does he show a lot of finishing touch around the net, and while his passing and playmaking is better it isn't at that high a level either. The fact that he's still pretty skinny holds him back too, as does some smaller mechanical flaws. I'd still be interested in him as a potential speedy supporting winger in the bottom six who can kill penalties, drive good transitions, and... you know, basically just be like Mikheyev. Him being able to do that will be a question of if he can pack on some muscle so he can still hold his own in battles against better quality pro competition. ## PHILIP HEMMYR - **Position**: Left-shot center/winger - **League(s)**: U20 Nationell / HockeyAllsvenskan - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 174 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jun 17, 2007 Hemmyr took a huge step forward this year. Last season, in his draft year, he had 33 points in 49 games in Sweden's U20 junior league. He wasn't on anyone's draft radar, and was ultimately not selected by anyone. This season, he exploded. He started in a return to Sweden's junior where he simply dominated with 19 goals and 44 points in just 27 games. He returned to them for the relegation playoffs and put up another 7 goals and 16 points in 8 games. His point per game pace was 4th behind two players already drafted to the NHL. That was good enough to earn him a promotion to the Allsvenskan team, and an invite to some of Sweden's junior team for various international games. In the Allsvenskan, he had 12 points in 36 games, good for 6th among U19 players and ahead of some guys born the same year who were drafted to the NHL. He also added 6 points in 8 games for Sweden's U19 team, and is only a month older than Koblar for reference. The strengths of Hemmyr's game is his intelligence: how he reads the play, anticipating what might happen next and making sure he's in a good position to make a play. He also makes quick decisions with the puck, preferring to be a "connector" as one scout called it rather than being a play driver. So if he gets a pass, he'll be passing it off or shooting it quickly. He is good at finding uncovered areas of the ice to be open for a pass and shot, and anticipates rebounds or loose pucks that he can pounce on quickly. His smarts show up off puck as well, and he could have some two-way potential as a depth center. He doesn't have a lot of high level physical tools or dynamic skills, but once he ads more muscle and fills out he can just focus on being a responsible center who's a handful in the offensive zone. This goal he scores, fighting through a checker to get to the front of the net for a shot right in front of the crease is a good indication of what I mean: ## NIKO TOURNAS - **Position**: Right-shot winger - **League(s)**: QMJHL - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 198 lbs - **Birthdate**: Feb 17, 2006 Tournas is a D+2 re-entry for this year's draft, the only one on this list and therefore the oldest player by almost a full year. There's no real shock why he went undrafted twice – in his draft year, he played in the USHL and had 5 points in 41 games. Last season, he moved to the NAHL and did have a lot of points... but it's the NAHL and he was a D+1 re-entry guy. This year, he moved to Moncton in the QMJHL and put up a 43 goal, 71 point regular season followed by a 3 goal, 13 point playoff run. He has a commitment to the University of New Hampshire in the NCAA next year, but I wouldn't be surprised if he re-commits to a better college eventually – maybe even this off-season. > Here is another example : Niko Tournas can - definitely - shoot the puck. 🎯 > > What a night for him, with a natural hat trick! 🎩🎩🎩 [@monctonwildcats](https://twitter.com/monctonwildcats?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#HatTrick](https://twitter.com/hashtag/HatTrick?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#Vidéotron](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vid%C3%A9otron?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/5XU6kwENQq](https://t.co/5XU6kwENQq?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — QMJHL (@QMJHL) [December 12, 2025](https://twitter.com/QMJHL/status/1999298734384173339?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Tournas' biggest strength is his shot and finishing ability. He has a quick but heavy release, with both a wrist shot and slapshot/one-timer as legitimate weapons. He has some manipulation with his shot at times, like the curl and drag snipe that Matthews made popular. But he can even beat goalies easily from distance using a deceptively casual release that has surprising power behind it. He has some other skills that help him as a goal scorer – he is smart without the puck and has that ability to find soft areas in the offensive areas to get open for a pass, and when he has the puck he has good size to protect it and some creativity handling the puck. His issues are around the mechanics in his skating which makes his ability to play at higher paces inconsistent, and despite his size he doesn't use it much outside of puck protection. He's also not much of a defensive forward, making him a bit one dimensional as an offense-only guy with legitimate powerplay potential. > Niko's 2nd tonight seals the deal in OT! [https://t.co/21t7bzHkMs](https://t.co/21t7bzHkMs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/zNiWc0ZjjP](https://t.co/zNiWc0ZjjP?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Moncton Wildcats (@monctonwildcats) [January 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/monctonwildcats/status/2013004186892279898?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## ROMEO EDVARDSEN SORENSEN - **Position**: Left-shot winger - **League(s)**: U20 Nationell / Allsvenskan - **Height**: 6'1" - **Weight**: 187 lbs - **Birthdate**: Sep 11, 2007 Sørensen is, like Vanhanen, extremely young for a re-entry – in fact, they share the exact same birthday! He's a Norwegian playing in Sweden's junior and pro leagues, much like his countryman Tinus Luc Koblar. In fact, I caught on to Sørensen when they played together for Norway at the D1A World Juniors qualifier, where Norway earned a spot in next year's top World Juniors Championship tournament. Where Koblar was named top forward, Sørensen was his winger for most of the tournament and had 3 goals and 6 points to Koblar's 10 points. In Sweden, he started in the U20 junior league where he was one of the breakout forwards and best playmakers – he had 12 goals and 40 points in just 25 regular season games. He earned a call up to the Allsvenskan team, where he had 4 points in 24 games as one of the youngest players in the league. Sørensen is a dual-threat with the puck, even if he usually chooses to be the passer than the shooter. He has a good, hard and accurate shot that can surprise goalies who sell out on him making a pass. He can protect the puck well and has a frame that could still be filled out, and he is able to attack with the puck and handle it well at his full speed. He has some mechanical flaws in his skating, some issues adapting his processing speed at the pace of the Allsvenskan, and can still be inconsistent defensively. However, I liked that he managed to adapt his role in the pro level to simplify his game to focus on forechecking, being more defensively responsible, and serving as an energy/checking line guy. That's what he'll have to do to increase his chances of making the NHL, so it's a good sign that he's willing to be that guy. 0:00 /1:00 1× Sørensen is #11 in red/blue in these highlights ## ISAC NILSSON - **Position**: Left-shot winger - **League(s)**: SHL - **Height**: 6'1" - **Weight**: 176 lbs - **Birthdate**: Apr 10, 2007 Last season, Nilsson had a pretty decent season – 30 points in 43 games in Sweden's top junior league. But it wasn't enough for him to get drafted. In fact, looking back at the few scouting reports from last season, I'm not sure he got noticed much at all. Despite that, of the few scouting reports I could find, a couple mentioned "hey this guy's actually pretty neat I should look into him more...". I don't think he's a grand hidden gem who can turn into a superstar, but he seems to be someone who could provide depth value. He started in junior again and had 11 points in 8 games, then got called up to the SHL where he had 8 points in 44 games where he averaged 8:35 of ice time. For reference, Koblar – who is three months younger – had 14 points in 47 games with 14:33 ice time on average. > Isac Nilsson gör sitt första SHL-mål och ger hemmalaget ledningen! 🔥🏒 [pic.twitter.com/IRwxSRFIUG](https://t.co/IRwxSRFIUG?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — SHL.se (@SHLse) [October 25, 2025](https://twitter.com/SHLse/status/1982080350432973014?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There are a few things that I like about Nilsson. First, he plays at a fast pace and uses his speed and quickness to aggressively forecheck and kill penalties and create turnovers. He also showed both a willingness and ability to get the puck to the middle of the ice instead of staying on the perimeter like a lot of younger players getting their first shot in the pros. It's not at an elite level, but he has some skill to protect the puck along the boards and find an opportunity to find an open teammate for a pass or to carry it into the center of the ice himself. He just showed he had a lot of utility as a depth player, with very smart off puck and on support. He may not be flashy or have a high amount of skill, and he needs to add some muscle of course, but I can see an NHL style depth player in how he plays to his strengths so for a late round pick (even a re-entry)? You can do worse. ## MIKHAIL MELIKOV - **Position**: Right-shot winger - **League(s)**: MHL - **Height**: 6'0" - **Weight**: 150 lbs - **Birthdate**: Feb 07, 2007 Last year, Melikov was a super small, super skinny Russian winger and had only 30 points in 46 games in Russia's junior league. Now, just how small he is has some mystery around it, but when I look at his player page on the MHL website he's still listed as 173 cm, which is about 5'8". This year, on Elite Prospects at least, he's listed as 6'0" but still only 150 lbs. Also this year, he had a big breakout and lead the MHL in points with 87 in 60 games. His next closest teammates were 20+ points behind him, and he was tied for the league lead in +/- too if you put any stock in that. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a big growth spurt compared to when he first got to the MHL, and his physical tools and performance took off. 0:00 /1:51 1× Mikhail Melikov (#79) Highlights From watching him, as you can see in the highlights above, Melikov certainly has skill. He can thread passes, has good vision, a good set of hands, a good shot, and has some nifty mittens handling the puck. He is a play driver and an offensive creator, in the MHL at least. For that level, he's also a very good skater – he has a quick burst of speed in his first 1-2 steps, and can out pace most of his peers in a straight line race. More importantly, he uses his speed well without the puck. You can see some examples of him creating turnovers, including short handed, by harassing the defensemen in their own zone or at his blueline. He has an element of fearlessness to him as well, he'll take hits and get hurt to make a play. The thing is... he's still very skinny. He can take the punishment teenagers can inflict on him, but that story will change once he gets to the pro level. There's also the question of how much his skill has substance, and how much is just flash that can work in Russia's junior level? I came to like him the more I watched him, so I wouldn't mind a late round swing if you think he's literally a late bloomer and his game can play up once he finishes growing up and filling out. ## OLIVER DEJBJERG LARSEN - **Position**: Left-shot wing/centre - **League(s)**: U20 Nationell - **Height**: 5'11" - **Weight**: 168 lbs - **Birthdate**: Mar 23, 2007 Larsen is a Danish forward who played in Sweden's U18 and U20 leagues in his draft year. His numbers were okay, but not great. For a slightly below averaged size skill guy, he unsurprisingly didn't get drafted. This year, he had an offensive explosion repeating the U20 junior level in Sweden – he led the league in points with 20 goals and 53 points in just 36 games which is 11 points ahead of his closest teammate. He was also very strong playing for Denmark internationally. He had 6 points in 5 games at the World Juniors to lead his team. They wound up losing every single game by a combined score of 36-12, but he played over 20 minutes in each of Denmark's final two games as they tried to avoid relegation. > Oliver Dejbjerg Larsen puts Denmark on the board![#WorldJuniors](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/jyNHIAzVNt](https://t.co/jyNHIAzVNt?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [December 30, 2025](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2006137229857456604?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In junior, Larsen made a lot of strides in his offensive game this season. He has shown he has a very strong feel for scoring – he has a deceptively wicked shot, he has above average speed and mobility, and he is a smart playmaker with the puck on his stick. The question marks for him are what you'd expect – he isn't that big or that strong, so there are questions about his projection to more difficult competition above junior and how well he can check or play defensively. Whether you want to throw a late round pick at him or not will depend on how much you buy into his offensive skill and how much further he can improve beyond this season. > Oliver Larsen RIPS IT HOME right off the face-off for Denmark! 🇩🇰🔥[#WorldJuniors](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/zQ38E9fN9d](https://t.co/zQ38E9fN9d?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2005110915071684782?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Wednesday's FTB: Trades! URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-trades/ Last updated: 2026-06-24T10:00:49.000Z Yesterday after the Board of Governors meeting broke up in Buffalo, the NHL burst into life and everyone traded their first-round pick. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/6a3adc20ce089-1-.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/6a3af458f1f82-1-.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/6a3afb8be15d6-1-.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/6a3b2dd3ef888-1-.png) That Sharks trade made some sense of this that I'd seen earlier: > [#SJSharks](https://x.com/hashtag/SJSharks?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Mike Grier says 5 teams have been seriously interested in trying to acquire the No. 2 pick. Says there's been a few legit offers they've had to consider > > — Max Miller (@Real\_Max\_Miller) [June 23, 2026](https://x.com/Real%5FMax%5FMiller/status/2069483051684336037?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And Insider Trading built on that: [\- TSNTSN’s Hockey Insiders have the latest on the Sharks listening on their first round picks, interest in the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, the Leafs and Brandon Carlo, Jason Robertson, the Devils’ plans, and pending UFA Patrik Laine.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-1d94e5e6-de86-45aa-862b-4466854e2068.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F06-23-2026-2Ft_991303b5d4b04feda6b7c7c9d3598307_name_2026_6_23_24cc74b9_3e7b_446c_b593_ec01e1820506_jpg_1920x1080-9f3a3bcb-a374-48f1-abb7-31c5d814e4e2.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/06/23/insider-trading-sharks-have-immense-interest-in-2nd-overall-pick/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There's no way the Sharks GM is being so open about getting offers unless he wants more offers. And now he has two top-10 picks. Also in that segment Chris Johnston put some brakes on the idea of a Morgan Rielly trade, saying everything is status quo and a trade isn't imminent, and also that the Leafs are shopping Brandon Carlo. Note that Darren Dreger was sitting right there. And then he said this: > Morgan Rielly’s agent J.P Barry has submitted a list of 4 Western based teams Rielly is willing to go to. This will be a team by team assessment and depending on the fit, there could be some flexibility to add teams to the list. > > — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) [June 24, 2026](https://x.com/DarrenDreger/status/2069601382336700680?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Which is clearly direct from the agent. This is also not new information. This four teams in the Western Conference list has been known for, well it feels like a month, but maybe a couple of days? And at the time it was first reported, Barry deflected it by telling some other reporter about the NMC Rielly has like it might be news. This feels a bit like the Knies situation where there's almost duelling statements being made via various reporters that aren't actually contradictory but seem like it superficially. I don't see any reason for Barry to confirm publicly something he deflected a few days ago unless he's goading John Chayka to act. It is entirely possible we have not fully considered that Rielly himself may well want this trade more than the Leafs need to make it. > While there’s been ongoing discussion on the possibility of Alex Tuch extending in Buffalo, at this point it appears the coveted forward is going to test free agency. > > — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) [June 23, 2026](https://x.com/DarrenDreger/status/2069507946304659892?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And re the trade of Simon Nemec to the Flames. If they're keen to move up from six, then they might be one of the teams offering the Sharks something: > Nice add for the Flames who remain keen on also moving up from 6 in the Draft. [https://t.co/Pr76PHmGKQ](https://t.co/Pr76PHmGKQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) [June 23, 2026](https://x.com/DarrenDreger/status/2069501955819315342?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Now, what does all this mean? The discourse is going to land right on "weak draft class" but last summer was the first offseason with a rising cap, and... it was a bust. Teams re-signed their own players, nobody made trades, you couldn't add players beyond the $4 million mark to any extent and the result was a season of more than half the teams hovering at the average mark – many of them to the bitter end (looking at you, St. Louis). And the bunch that made it in, all got kicked out of the playoffs pretty easily. Recency bias is always the answer to what is going on in the NHL. GMs don't want to be stuck in the middle with you and you and you over there, and the Flames because they're always there and... They're being aggressive because the circumstances have aligned to make that the safe move from a keeping your job perspective. The Chicago trade is not getting a lot of accolades, and I think for some it's because they can't process how little a fourth overall is to a team with too many prospects and no one to play on the team now. > TRADE GRADES: The player isn't the issue. The price is. > > The Blackhawks put the No. 4 pick to use, but Connor Bedard still doesn't have a worthy winger. > > I have... thoughts. Lots of thoughts. > > So do [@shaynagoldman\_](https://x.com/shaynagoldman%5F?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and [@domluszczyszyn](https://x.com/domluszczyszyn?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). > > Free to read: [https://t.co/BlXzD8O4So](https://t.co/BlXzD8O4So?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) [June 24, 2026](https://x.com/MarkLazerus/status/2069602488253383006?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I think the player is the issue. But you can't just place an order for a top line winger, so if you have to pivot to defence, you do it. There is an aspect to the debate about drafting for need vs best player available that misses the mark. When a team drafts for need, the need is in the balance of their prospect pool not their NHL team. What Chicago did was choose to not draft at all because the need is in the NHL. If you're in the kitchen making a sandwich and you need a pickle, you don't get in your car, go to the garden centre and buy a cucumber plant. Chicago just went and got a pickle. Maybe not exactly the kind of pickle they need most, but it's crunchy. You can't measure Byram vs a fourth overall, you have to measure Byram at 25 vs some teenager they'd take with the pick. They bought time with that pick, and that's one of the many reasons why picks don't have static values and trades can't be financially balanced like stock trading. --- Speaking of the draft and teenagers and what they might bring now: The development camp is moving: [Ottawa Senators to host September Prospect Challenge in Gatineau, QCTop prospects Carter Yakemchuk and Lucas Beckman will play in the tournament taking place at Centre Slush Puppie.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/icon-oc-66cf7c00-59b2-4464-a0d5-2d53295ca7d3.png)Ottawa CitizenCallum Fraser![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/2268211027_302252505-e1774403195906-022af128-c6ce-4758-bc38-b6e17237606a.jpg)](https://ottawacitizen.com/ottawa-senators/host-september-prospect-challenge-gatineau?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > The full schedule > Saturday, Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. — Winnipeg Jets vs. Montreal Canadiens > Saturday, Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. — Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators > Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. — Winnipeg Jets vs. Toronto Maple Leafs > Sunday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. — Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators Emma Maltais is moving: > MALTAIS DÉBARQUE À MONTRÉAL! > > La Victoire de Montréal s’entend avec l’attaquante Emma Maltais pour un contrat standard de deux ans. > > MALTAIS IS NOW A MONTRÉAL VICTOIRE! > > The Montréal Victoire have signed forward Emma Maltais to a two-year Standard Player Agreement. > > 📰 FR:… [pic.twitter.com/XERvcqpnhd](https://t.co/XERvcqpnhd?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Victoire de Montréal (@PWHL\_Montreal) [June 23, 2026](https://x.com/PWHL%5FMontreal/status/2069435640517718346?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > This clears those dates for the PWHL's Ottawa Charge [https://t.co/4r99P5eYaH](https://t.co/4r99P5eYaH?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) [June 23, 2026](https://x.com/SunGarrioch/status/2069469601616855249?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Black Bears are a lacrosse team. The Charge have been in an ongoing but contentious negotiation with the City of Ottawa over proposed rebuilding of the arena that they consider to be too small for them. The NHL is talking expansion seriously now. > More details after meeting is complete, but it is believed the same ownership group will lead the process, deciding on which of the two cities better fits for the NHL > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [June 23, 2026](https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2069483350956671067?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Texas Stars, AHL affiliate of Dallas, are in a suburb of Austin and would not appreciate being stepped on by a new team, I wouldn't think. Seems like Houston is the natural location. > Atlanta and Arizona were also discussed. But neither as far along as Houston > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [June 23, 2026](https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2069515418746622277?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Hoffmann Family Receives Unanimous NHL Approval to Acquire Pittsburgh Penguins | Pittsburgh PenguinsFamily-Owned Firm Officially Adding Iconic NHL Franchise to Growing Portfolio![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-0939a594-8936-4217-92ce-8efbc941916c.png)PPGPittsburgh Penguins![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/lobex0q8r3jsrrefidd4-395e9aff-8b86-4def-95db-82cd4ccff8c2.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/hoffmann-family-receives-unanimous-nhl-approval-to-acquire-pittsburgh-penguins?utm%5Fsource=social&utm%5Fmedium=x) > A year ago, the [#CHLImportDraft](https://x.com/hashtag/CHLImportDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) added a third round. > > In 2026, other updates have been made, most notably around 16 and 20-year-old players ⤵️ > > ℹ️ [https://t.co/cFu3S9R78S](https://t.co/cFu3S9R78S?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/CS8ZtN0ldC](https://t.co/CS8ZtN0ldC?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) [June 23, 2026](https://x.com/CHLHockey/status/2069447652899492247?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that is it (I hope) for today. How many trades today, which rumoured deal will happen? Who knows because the very nature of speculating and reporting on things in the process of happening is that the future is actually unknown. It's a feature not a bug of this time of the year. You know there's going to be people out there redoing those mock drafts of theirs. Good luck with that! ### How the Marlies won the Calder Cup URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/how-the-marlies-won-the-calder-cup/ Last updated: 2026-07-06T02:12:09.000Z The Chicago Wolves were supposed to be a threat, especially after clobbering the Grand Rapids Griffins, notionally the best team in the league. The Wolves played under rookie AHL head coach Spiros Anastas, a mid-season replacement, and they looked like a serious threat at the start of the series, but continuously lost their stride against the Marlies with each game that passed, that was until game #4 where the Wolves finally turned the tables in the final period of the game and made a comeback to stop the Marlies from sweeping the series. This all happened on the backs of the Marlies starting in the play-in round, somewhere they didn't want to be, especially after last year's early exit to the Cleveland Monsters there. Alex Nylander was clear toward the end of the season that best-of-three series was a challenge he didn't want, saying "I've done that play-in round and it's not where we want to be, we want to go straight to the playoffs." It didn't work out that way, and they slipped down the rankings to have to play the Rochester Americans in the play-in where they beat them in game #3. But that would be the only time the Marlies had home-ice advantage in any part of the playoffs, as after that every team was ranked higher than them and so every game started on the road. The team persevered through many close calls, with John Gruden frequently noting "this team is at their best when their backs are against the wall." The series win against the Laval Rocket proved that, with it being a bitterly contested division semi-final between two teams that clearly didn't like each other at all, but every member of the Marlies came through to make it happen. > BATTER UP!!!⚾️ > > Alex Nylander bats it home to extend our lead to 4! [pic.twitter.com/eNAgXI8yxr](https://t.co/eNAgXI8yxr?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [May 3, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2051040862117786050?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies lost game #4 of the series 4-0 to the Rocket with 80 penalty minutes handed out in the final two minutes of the game, but it makes sense when you are playing a team that has Florian Xhekaj on the roster. After breaking the Rocket, the Marlies made quick work of the Monsters and then the W-B/S Penguins to win the Eastern Conference Championship, and then it was on to the finals. The Marlies went up three games to none and then the Wolves finally got one back in OT. Anastas noted the Wolves had played the Griffins ten times in the season and were the only team to be able to consistently defeat the league's best team, however they had only played the Marlies twice in the early regular season and that "this is now a totally different team then the one we played before," and in particular citing that Akhtyamov was an unknown element in the equation to them, but that maybe they had cracked the code, but it turned out they didn't. The Marlies won game #5 and picked up their second Calder Cup in franchise history, though if you want to go back in time you could include the Leafs' AHL affiliate in the early 1980's which was the New Brunswick Hawks who had some names play for the team you would recognise if you are old enough like Barry Melrose, Dave Farrish, Todd Gill, and Bruce Boudreau who had 231 points in 160 games during his time on that team, though Boudreau was called up to the Maple Leafs half way through the season and was not with them when they won the Cup. But all that was a long time ago. What we really care about is how the Marlies won the Calder Cup here in 2026 and there's a complex answer and a simple answer, the simple one is Artur "Arty" Akhtyamov. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/55346685254_5a165ac995_k-1.jpg) Photo credit Barry McCluskey / Toronto Marlies I first learned to call him Arty, or Artie, I don't think there's a clear idea of which spelling is correct, when Blake Smith looked at me with confusion over who I was talking about when I asked him about Artur after a game, trying my best to use the proper Russian pronunciation, it took him a few seconds of confusion before his face lighted up with a big smile and he said "Oh! You mean Arty!" Arty was clearly one of the most popular guys in that locker room this season. This Calder Cup win was facilitated by Arty who was drafted by the Leafs in 2020 and signed to an ELC, then subsequently re-signed in March this year to a three year contract extension. He clearly has the support of the organisation, getting all starts in the last three rounds over Dennis Hildeby, and he ultimately won the Jack A. Butterfield award as the MVP of the playoffs. There's no doubt that he played a massive role in winning the championship, and as a man of few English words he would regularly say he was simply "grateful for the opportunity." And of course, we have the photo with Arty and the Amirov jersey which was an amazing moment. John Gruden said they have kept it in the locker room this whole time. Amirov probably could have been playing in this game if he had not shockingly died from cancer in 2023 at the age of 21. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/Marlies-win.png) All of this leaves questions about Hildeby's place in the organisation, with both he and Akhtyamov 24 years-old and both will turn 25 this summer, but that will be after after July 1, so they will both remain eligible for our Top 25 Under 25 lists, and that will be an interesting ranking to look out for, but the debate on them is for when we do that later, not for here. The more complex answer is literally everyone on the team chipped in, even Blake Smith scoring in the one playoff game he was in against the Rocket, but there's no one who made a name for themselves out there more in these playoffs than Easton Cowan. Our cowboy came through in many big moments in all of the series, but flying under the radar was one of his old teammates from the London Knights, Landon Sim. Out of nowhere, Sim showed up from the ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones on to the Marlies and immediately had an impact right through the playoffs to the final game where he scored this goal. > LET IT SIMMER BABY! > > Landon Sim tips one home to put us within one! | [@cocacola\_ca](https://x.com/cocacola%5Fca?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/y04NgjbZS8](https://t.co/y04NgjbZS8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 19, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2068121036466384949?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Of course we can't forget about our favourite cowboy showing up all through the playoffs. > YEEEEEHAWWWWWW 🤠 > > Easton Cowan scores to give us the 3-1 lead! [pic.twitter.com/NNQ46Yr8JQ](https://t.co/NNQ46Yr8JQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 6, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2063066362239402362?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And Bo Groulx certainly made a case for an NHL job this coming season many times. > BO MY GOODNESS!!! > > Bo Groulx scores on the power-play to give us the 2-1 lead! [pic.twitter.com/8jdOIt2nRA](https://t.co/8jdOIt2nRA?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 6, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2063057851418124407?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There's also much to the success of this team due to Vinni Lettieri and his ability to come up with goals right when they are needed. > Vinni Lettieri turns on the jets & gives [@TorontoMarlies](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) a 3-2 lead with 8:28 left in Game 1 of the [#CalderCup](https://x.com/hashtag/CalderCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finals.[@InsideAHLHockey](https://x.com/InsideAHLHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/gkKl05bvcO](https://t.co/gkKl05bvcO?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Tony Androckitis\* (@TonyAndrock) [June 13, 2026](https://x.com/TonyAndrock/status/2065623367508455924?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) As Gruden often noted, he was able to run a four line team and spread out the ice time so everyone got their chances from a 6th round draft pick like Landon Sim playing in the AHL for the first time, to the Captain Logan Shaw. Last year, when the team was bounced out of the playoffs, Shaw said that he was aware some players would not return "but this team is family and we'll always be that way." He echoed those comments again this season. There will be players leaving the team, we already know a few who are confirmed or rumoured to be moving on, but that's life in the AHL, and he said "we'll always remember these moments together." ### The End... For Now After the on-ice celebrations were largely over, I packed up to head home, but walking outside the arena by the convention centre I bumped into a familiar face, Michael Nylander, and I had a chance to chat with him for a few minutes and I asked how proud he must be of Alex winning the championship and all that he has accomplished. His response very much echoed Logan Shaw's emotion and was also a statement you would expect from a 920-game NHL player, saying "I am proud of him, but it's the team, the whole team, they all deserve it." This happened to be simultaneous to the end of the World Cup watch party so all the roads were blocked off and public transit was jammed full with thousands of people milling about the area. Having a second wind from the exhausting day, and the pleasant evening cool air, I decided to walk out through the Princes' Gate and across Lake Shore Boulevard to Dan Leckie Way where I was finally damn lucky and managed to get a ride-share taxi home from there. And with that, the Marlies season for me was concluded. Hit me like a ton of bricks when I got home that it was all over again for another season, but I'm grateful for having been able to be down on the ice for a second time to see the Marlies hold up the Cup again. The only thing left is to add a special thanks to the friends I have made working there including Kate, Todd, Armando, Barry, Tomas, and of course, John Gruden; thanks to all of you. Now let's win it again next season! > The final 30 seconds! [pic.twitter.com/v5RWGFRiJs](https://t.co/v5RWGFRiJs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Pension Plan Puppets (@PPPLeafs) [June 20, 2026](https://x.com/PPPLeafs/status/2068149558559826378?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### 2026 NHL Draft: Trading Players to Get More Picks URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/trading-players-to-get-more-picks/ Last updated: 2026-06-23T13:00:07.000Z Yesterday I talked about what it could realistically look like if Toronto were to trade down from their first overall pick. What teams make the most sense with the picks they have to send back to Toronto, and getting a rough idea of what specific combination of picks the Leafs could get out of it. The short answer was... nothing that looked even remotely likely, even if you could try and think up some logic for why some teams may want to. Today, I want to do something different. I want to look at some of the players the Leafs have under contract but have been rumoured to want to trade, or where the player themselves wants to be traded, or neither of those is true and it's just a guy who has been strongly mentioned in various trade rumours whose name rhymes with Knatthew Mies. ## Matthew Knies I'll start by saying that there is an inherent problem with the idea of trading away Knies, at least when it comes to trading him for picks. Even if a team blows your socks off with a ton of high picks or prospects who were drafted high that would clearly set up the Leafs to be better in the long run... the Leafs are in a position where they are looking at needing to be better in the more immediate term. As in, the next 1-2 seasons. They're not rebuilding. That's not to say a Knies trade doesn't make any sense, or that it won't happen. Since his name has come up in so many trade rumours going back to the last trade deadline, and since I've heard more rumours about this off-season even after Treliving was fired and replaced with Chayka, Knies is almost unquestioningly the best trade asset Toronto has. So we may as well start with him. In fact, some insiders have recently said that rather than Chayka pulling Knies off of the trade market, he is exploring it even more. There are so many relevant rumours and apparently interested teams, he could have his own article. So I've separated the teams I've seen come up the most when it comes to the Leafs potentially getting other high pick(s) or prospects as the main pieces being involved, I'll focus on him more getting other current NHL players in tomorrow's article (St Louis, Seattle, New Jersey, etc). I think you can view a Knies trade to be in a similar place as the Leafs trading the first overall pick. It's not likely to happen unless a team ***really*** knocks Chayka's socks off with an offer. Knies is a known commodity, he's a valuable kind of player that every team wants, he's far from being too old still and he's locked into a long term deal already. He is coming off a relatively down year, not necessarily in terms of points but in everything else with some rough play not helped by a nagging injury he played through. But despite all that, he ***still*** is being linked to some potentially really big returns. But that means Chayka can absolutely shoot for the moon. Why not? If every team turns him down he can hang on to Knies and wait for this year's deadline, or next year's off-season. He'll still be young, cost controlled, and the kind of player teams love while also potentially having a better season than this one, so he could be worth ***more*** on the trade market. So, considering the rumoured trade returns that was agreed upon with Montreal and another that was reportedly talked about with Buffalo, that would have to be a lot. For reference, the rumoured return from Montreal was: - Alexander Zharovsky, a 6'2" winger who's only 19 years old and is coming off a huge breakout season where he won KHL rookie of the year after putting up 16 goals and 42 points in 59 games which is better than the U19 seasons by Michkov, Kaprizov, Kuznetsov, Tarasenko, and Panarin in their U19 seasons in the KHL. He is a legitimate piece. - Bryce Pickford, a 6'1" right shot defenseman who's 20 years old and coming off a season where he had 45 goals and 83 points in just 55 games. I may not value him as a prospect (at all) but that doesn't mean he is a nothing throw-in. - Two first round picks, this year being a late first. Next year's would be determined and presumably come with some kind of lottery/top 5 protection or something. The Sabres also reportedly talked a lot with Toronto but never had a deal that was agreed upon. According to a rumour Dreger reported, the Sabres offered a similar package as what they had offered to St Louis when they tried trading for Robert Thomas. Dreger described it as a "four-pronged package" with each asset being roughly valued as a first-round pick or equivalent piece. That roughly lines up with what the Canadiens package wound up being before it fell through. So if a team wants to pull Knies out of Toronto, they're going to have to come up with a package that is a) better suited to helping them be a better, more competitive team this year in some regard, and b) probably a better overall package in assets than either what Montreal or Buffalo had been offering. There is no reason for Chayka to accept less. If the Leafs are going to make a potential blockbuster trade that brings in assets that helps them turn around into another contender, a potential Knies trade is it. Something like... ### Blackhawks Chicago has (reportedly) really wanted Knies for the past 2-3 years, and I've heard Knies and Chicago's fourth overall pick mentioned by more than just one or two insiders and draft guys in the past few weeks. In fact, I've seen some insiders say things like the 4th overall pick would be "the centerpiece" of a Knies trade, implying more than just the 4th overall pick coming back. So that would be one great centerpiece where they could get one of Stenberg (elite winger who could play in the NHL next year), Malhotra (top center in the draft probably not ready for next year) or whoever Toronto likes as the top defenseman in this draft (Chase Reid, Carson Carels, or the correct answer Malte Gustafsson). The irony of me saying before that "the problem with Toronto picking either McKenna or Stenberg is that what they really need is both" and then winding up with both would be very, very funny to me. For the other assets, if I were Toronto I would ask for one from the following groups of assets: - One of their young NHL defense prospects who have NHL experience (Levshunov, Rinzel, Korchinski) - Another decent prospect or young player that is a first-round value (Oliver Moore, Nick Lardis, Roman Kantserov, Sacha Boisvert, or the correct answer Vaclav Nestrasil who I wanted SO BAD LAST YEAR BRING HIM TO ME CHAYKA!!!) - One or two of their three first round picks they have for next year's draft (their own, a top 12 protected pick from Edmonton, and Florida's unprotected 1st). ### Canadiens But there are other teams who were reportedly very in on Knies at the deadline and made big offers. The one that Toronto apparently accepted, under Treliving, but fucked up in filing at the right time was Montreal's. The Habs' GM was apparently so mad that Treliving fucked up filing it on time that he reportedly yelled he should be fired in front of Treliving and Pelley. Some of that yelling included a rant that they'd want to revisit it this summer, so they're likely still willing to do a trade like that. I can keep this shorter since that almost-trade that didn't quite happen makes a lot of the outline for another deal pretty clear. So I'll just say that if I were Chayka, I'm asking for more now. I still want Zharovsky and those two first rounders, but I'm asking either Reinbacher or Hage instead of Pickford. The picks can stay the same too. If they don't want to give up that much for Knies, we don't have to want to give up Knies for less. Easy as. ### Sabres Buffalo was also apparently pretty aggressively pursuing Knies at the deadline, were also making a multi-asset offer. Like Montreal, they don't have a high first round pick like Chicago does – it's now the 20th overall this year – and also like Montreal they could trade their first rounder next year but will probably put protection on it, and if they repeat their season to at least be a playoff team it wouldn't that high a pick either. What Buffalo ***does*** have are some young NHL players or prospects. They have Konsta Helenius who looked very good for them in the playoffs and was a pretty high pick, plus some much younger players and/or lower tier prospects like Isak Rosen, Peyton Krebs, Jack Quinn, Jiri Kulich, Radim Mrtka, and Luke Osburn. They did have a relatively young NHL defenseman in Michael Kesselring who I thought may be interesting because he was in trade rumours already, but he just got dealt to San Jose so Buffalo could trade up from 27th to 20th this year. Basically, they can't really put together as good a package. ### Mammoth This was news to me, but in researching this article apparently the Mammoth are another team linked to Knies as a young, middling team on the upswing who is looking to beef up their roster with quality young players already in the NHL. You know, the same thing the Leafs also probably want. So what assets do they have to make a similar four-prong pitch, or something of equivalent value? Their other asset groups to ask about: - Draft picks – 19th overall pick this year, they have their 2027 1st - Top prospects - Dmitri Simashev is who I'd desperately want but the reason why Utah wants to trade Durzi is to clear the way for him, so other than that there's Caleb Desnoyers, Daniil But, Tij Iginla, Cole Beaudoin, and Max Psenicka. - I did see some rumours (not from any insider to be clear, just a guy on Twitter) about a deal being worked on to send Durzi back to Toronto. He's a 27 year old right hand defenseman who has a $6M cap hit the next two seasons, and would fit the puck moving offensive defenseman the team apparently wanted. That would also very much count as something to help the Leafs right away. But with them already having traded for Raddysh I think it's less likely. ## Morgan Rielly The longest tenured Leaf has had rumours surrounding him for a while, that the Leafs want to move on from him given his age (32), performance decline, and to better use his $7.5 million cap hit over the next four seasons. Those rumours haven't included much speculation on what the Leafs could get back in a trade, because it will be almost impossible to even guess at that until Rielly does agree to waive his NMC and submits a list of teams he's okay to be traded to. The few bits related to a return I've seen have either involved trading him to a team who has their own bad contract coming back (like Darnell Nurse... which, no thanks) or a package of mid-round picks (in this case, a 2nd and 3rd) or a mid-level prospect. Again, I wouldn't put any stock in any of that, but if he does get traded there is at least the possibility they could get some kind of draft pick back. ## Brandon Carlo Carlo didn't have a great season last year, but was pretty solid for Boston and for his one playoff run with the Leafs. He has one year remaining on his contract with only a $3.485 million cap hit. His size, position, and pretty low cap hit would make him a valuable trade asset even with last season in mind. Just like with Rielly, I wouldn't put too much stock in any rumours about a specific return that's been actually discussed by the Leafs with any potential suitors. But a lot of the hypotheticals being thrown out has the framework around a 2nd round pick and a "respectable, mid-tier prospect". ## Anthony Stolarz Well... this section made a lot more sense before the Woll to Philly trade already happened. I still want to keep it because I have a strange feeling that Chayka may not stop at just Woll, but could also deal Stolarz if he felt the price was right and had a good enough replacement for him. The reason why is because there are other teams already trying to make a move for goalies. Cossa was heavily rumoured to be traded to Edmonton until that didn't happen, and now he's linked to Utah. Stuart Skinner, Jordan Binnington, and Sam Montembeault have also been mentioned, or even potentially Connor Hellebuyck. Stolarz isn't be the biggest name on the list of goalies in these rumours, but he's not the worst either. Whoever loses out on the better names and is more desperate (cough Edmonton cough). The teams that have apparently been said to be interested (grain of salt considering lack of real sources) include: the Oilers, Senators, and Panthers. For the Oilers, the rumoured (salt) deal would involve Toronto taking back an NHL depth piece or a mid-tier prospect/mid-round pick. It would be a similar return with Ottawa, either a mid-round draft pick (3rd or 4th rounder) or similar value prospect. Same thing with Florida, though the rumour with them went as high as a 2nd rounder or a depth roster player. ## Various Depth Players Then there are three of Toronto's depth players that have also been rumoured to either want a trade out of Toronto, or that Toronto is rumoured to want to trade them... or both. Nick Robertson has had some grumbles about him for the past couple of years. He was mentioned as a piece in that potential blockbuster with the Flyers for Drysdale but... salt. He's also been connected to Dallas, maybe only because his brother is there? One rumour (heavy salt) said Toronto could get a 2nd round pick in that deal and sure I'd love that but... (bigger heap of salt). San Jose, Edmonton and Pittsburgh are all apparently interested in Simon Benoit. The going rate for him on his own was a mid round pick, like a 4th rounder. Edmonton apparently kicked tires on him and McMann as a package deal at the deadline before the Leafs sent Bobby to Seattle instead, so there may still be some interest there to replace the style of defense Nurse brought at a much bigger price tag. So looking at all of these, it is not inconceivable for Toronto to wind up with another pick or two at this draft. They could also acquire picks in future drafts instead, and use those assets at this year's deadline depending on how they're doing in the standings. They could also focus more on bringing back current NHLers or young prospects who are already pretty close to the NHL if they want more immediate help for this coming season. But I'm the prospect guy so I'm hoping they do get another pick or two in some of these deals, if they make any at the draft. Just throw me an extra bone, Chayka, it doesn't have to be ALL draft picks coming back in these deals! ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### 2026 NHL Draft Profiles: Late Round Defensemen URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profiles-late-round-defensemen/ Last updated: 2026-06-23T12:00:29.000Z It's so hard trying to pick out late round players, and especially defensemen. I'm trying to predict a narrow window of players that at least some teams sort of like, but not so much that they'd be taken in the first four rounds. Anyone who stands out with actual interesting skills or tools are more likely to already be gone, so I'm trying to guess at who might slip or who might be off everyone's radar... except Toronto's. In the similar list I made for last year's draft, six went undrafted and one was drafted before the fifth round. So I was 3/10 for guessing who might be available and taken from the fifth and seventh rounds... which would be great if I were a baseball hitter, but let's see if I can get my hockey average up this year. For the record, some of these defensemen I'd still be interested with a fourth or even third round pick. These are just guys I think are more likely to be available beyond that, who I think are still good enough to be worth a roll of the dice in the later rounds. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## JAYDEN KURTZ - **Position**: Right-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: US High School–Minnesota / USHL - **Height**: 6'3" - **Weight**: 194 lbs - **Birthdate**: Dec 30, 2007 Switching things up a bit, I saw McKeen's and Elite Prospects talking up a couple of American high schoolers that caught my interest. Kurtz has a lot of late helium as a prospect so he might wind up being gone before the late rounds. He started the season in high school where he was in the second tier of point producers for defensemen, then moved to the Chicago Steel in the USHL for 16 games where he had 3 points in 16 games. He has a commitment to Wisconsin in the NCAA, which just came off a close loss in the Frozen Four finals. I saw Brock Otten from McKeen's call him a "breakout machine" and, after watching the Leafs the last two years, immediately wrote his name down to include ***somewhere*** in my draft profiles! > Kurtz is the prototype of the modern day NHL defender. Great size, right shot. Good mobility. Not exceptionally skilled, but very smart. Breakout machine who can have a profound impact on the transition game. Good defensive IQ too. [pic.twitter.com/9qaPz8IJYs](https://t.co/9qaPz8IJYs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Brock Otten (@BrockOtten) [March 25, 2026](https://twitter.com/BrockOtten/status/2036610019706200442?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) At 6'3" and almost 200 lbs, he has the size that NHL teams will like. He also has above average mobility. He is a very good passer, including launching long-distance feeds way up the ice and crossing the seams through defenders. That is the core of his breakout game, rather than being an elite skating puck carrier. He's also said to be a very smart defender who uses his stick and positioning more than pure physical dominance to kill plays. He also is said to have a heavy shot, but I don't care as much about that. He could be a late round gem that could be an all-situations, two-way minutes eater. The issues with him is his defensive positioning at times can fall apart, especially when things get chaotic. A lot of scouts, unsurprisingly, would love him to be more physical, but I don't necessarily see that as a major knock on him. A bigger concern is that his experience at the more competitive junior level, the USHL, is more limited compared to high school, which is much easier to look good in. That's the main reason why he may still wind up as a mid or late rounder at best. But I like him a lot for that range. ## ALEXANDER IVANOV - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: VHL / KHL - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 181 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jun 10, 2008 Ivanov's strengths and style of play are seem very tailored for pro hockey. As evidence of that, he didn't play a single junior game all year despite being on the younger side with a June birthday. He played 36 games in the VHL, where he had three points. He also played 7 games in the KHL and had no points. His pro-readiness is built around having solid mobility, an advanced defensive game in terms of anticipating play, good positioning, and solid fundamentals for boxing out the front of the net and defending against the rush. And while his transitions are more basic, they are effective. He can carry it well if needed and make simple outlet passes – in fact his passing rate and completion percentages are on the higher end even though he played above junior all season. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-13.png) From [scouching.ca](https://www.scouching.ca/tracked-data-viz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), measuring the passing volume and success rate for those passes being completed. The issues for his projection as a prospect are around the fact he doesn't really have standout tools. He's got a bit of size but its not overwhelming. He is mobile but it's not elite. He can move the puck okay but he isn't a great passed or puck handler, and his offensive impacts seem like they'll be more limited. He's someone whose defensive skill comes from knowing how to play within a strict system, which is great because that's something valuable for a potential NHLer, but not great because it means he's very rigid in how he defends. It's not necessarily coming from being a smart or instinctual defender – in fact, in his tracking data his success defending against transitions doesn't come from being physical or having a good stick, it's mostly from just having good positioning. Again, not inherently a bad thing, but illustrative for who he is as a player. More importantly for me, he is one of the better two-way defensemen when it comes to driving offensive transitions and defending them. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-14.png) From [scouching.ca](https://www.scouching.ca/tracked-data-viz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), measuring the success rate of completing an offensive transition/zone exit or zone entry (OTS%), and defensive zone transition/defending his blueline against controlled entries (DTS%) ## VERTTI SVENSK - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: Liiga - **Height**: 6'1" - **Weight**: 168 lbs - **Birthdate**: Nov 09, 2007 Svensk has decent height (6'1") but is too light at only 168 lbs. However, he is an extremely mobile skater and uses that heavily in his defensive and offensive game. He activates into the offense aggressively at times but can get back on defense. I've seen a few scouts praise his confidence with the puck, which he is also very skilled at. The combination allowed him to dominate junior, where he had 31 points in 33 games in Finland's U20 league, and earned 18 games in the Liiga. There are some scouts who have him high in the second round, borderline in the first. But others don't even have him ranked at all. > A great end-to-end rush from Vertti Svensk ([#2026NHLDraft](https://twitter.com/hashtag/2026NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)) in Finland's 4-2 win over Czechia in yesterday's U18 Five Nations action. > > His skating has stood out across the first two games of the tournament. [pic.twitter.com/L6FGvGSxNE](https://t.co/L6FGvGSxNE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Lassi Alanen (@lassialanen) [February 8, 2025](https://twitter.com/lassialanen/status/1888276218799128657?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The biggest reasons I've seen given from those who aren't as high on Svensk is his decision making and average size. Particularly when he was playing on his Liiga squad, he struggled at times to deal with the pace and pressure of professional forecheckers which led to more turnovers than you'd like. And as I mentioned for Klimpke, average sized defensemen who are skinny is not an archetype that most NHL teams will go for unless they have overwhelming skill. Svensk is fun to watch, but he is not at an elite level. But for a late round gamble...? ## ALEXIS FORTIN - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: QMJHL - **Height**: 6'4" - **Weight**: 220 lbs - **Birthdate**: Oct 4, 2007 I've said it many times and I'll say it many more. I won't consider someone to be a good "defensive defenseman" if they can't at least move the puck at an adequate level. If you can't get the puck out of your end so you're ***always*** stuck on defense, how can you be considered to be defensively good? Fortin is a good example of a guy who I think has the potential to be a good defensive defenseman in that regard. He's big, he plays in the QMJHL where he had 9 points in 63 games for the regular season and then 3 points in 9 playoff games. He gets good reviews from scouts for using his physical advantages smartly, and has good vision and awareness to know where people are on the ice and adjust his position accordingly. So even if he doesn't have elite speed and mobility, he can be where he needs to be to defend. Most importantly, he can deal with forechecking pressure in his own zone to make good, accurate exit passes and drive breakouts at a good level. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-11.png) The big question marks around Fortin are around his explosiveness, moments of passiveness or hesitancy on defense, and his ability to execute on offensive playmaking. For the explosiveness, his positioning and awareness covers his slow acceleration to get up to speed. Otherwise, he'd already be considered to have NHL-level mobility. For his passiveness, the issue is he sometimes seems to forget he can just erase guys or pin them on the boards and outmuscle them there and focuses too much on trying to tie up sticks. And for the offensive execution, it's kind of weird because he's good on passing for breakouts, but outside of that his accuracy is much less consistent. That may be why he slips to the later rounds but I wouldn't be surprised if someone takes him in the middle rounds. ## OLA PALME - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: U20 Nationell - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 201 lbs - **Birthdate**: Feb 9, 2008 Palme is a lesser-known defensive prospect out of Sweden this year, but he showed some interesting utility this year a mobile and puck moving defenseman. He played most of the season in Sweden's U20 junior league, where he had 14 points in 20 games. With fewer games played than most, his point per game pace there would have been 3rd in the league for U18 defensemen, right behind second place (Mans Gudmundsson). In the playoffs he had 8 points in only 5 games, good for 2nd for U18 defensemen and 9th overall. His per game pace in the playoffs was tops for all defensemen. Palme's strength is as a puck mover. He showcased elite passing rates in his tracked data per Will Scouch, in terms of volume, accuracy, and creating high danger scoring chances. He is reliable and patient with the puck so he doesn't turn it over in a panic. He has very smooth and fluid skating mechanics, and while his speed and agility isn't elite it seems above average. It helps him manage the blueline in the offensive zone, and to jump into the play to help out offensively. Defensively, he isn't bad but could improve his rush defense by managing a tighter gap, and by asserting himself more physically in his own zone. He just feels like a more prototypically "modern" puck moving defenseman. He'd be a longer term project but he foundation he has with his current strengths are enticing for a later round pick. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-17.png) From [scouching.ca](https://www.scouching.ca/tracked-data-viz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), measuring the passing volume and success rate for those passes being completed. ## THEODOR KNIGHTS - **Position**: Right-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: U20 Nationell - **Height**: 6'4" - **Weight**: 207 lbs - **Birthdate**: Apr 16, 2008 The reason why Knights would make for an interesting late round pick is because he's big, physical, aggressive, and has great mobility. That makes him an ideal pick if you're looking for someone to become a depth defenseman who can neutralize offense and kill penalties. He's fast and explosive, and with his size and reach he can really suffocate puck carriers and create turnovers. I've seen scouts say that his projection is as a pure shutdown defenseman and a high-level play killer. The question is if he'll actually fall to the later rounds, or if a team who loves that type of defenseman gambles on him earlier than that? > Theodor Knights ties it up with his first goal of the tournament! > > It's 2-2 just 7 minutes into the Gold Medal Game.[#HlinkaGretzky](https://twitter.com/hashtag/HlinkaGretzky?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/ofM86AGzC6](https://t.co/ofM86AGzC6?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [August 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/1956739172800020947?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) For me, there are good reasons why I wouldn't take Knights until the fifth or sixth rounds. As you'd expect from a young, big and physical defenseman, his discipline is inconsistent and he can take some bad, dumb penalties. He also really does seem like a null factor with the puck, with only a few points this season playing in junior. I did say (often) that I like a defenseman who can defend well, but I include having the ability to get the puck out of your own end so you don't just always have to defend to be a big part of being good at defense. And that's a concern for Knights. Couple that with the odds of him being able to make it to the NHL just on the defense he has now, and there's no way I'd be betting on him as high as some people rank him. But as a 5th or 6th round guy? I like him. ## BRAYDEN KLIMPKE - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'0" - **Weight**: 168 lbs - **Birthdate**: Oct 08, 2007 Klimpke is a change of pace from the others on this list so far. His projection as a defenseman lies more on the offensive side of the puck, of which I will include transitions. His 46 points in 68 games for Saskatoon in the WHL was good for 5th among defensemen in his age group. He added 5 points in 11 games for their playoff run. Something to note about his production is that not a lot of it came on the powerplay. He averaged around 25 minutes per game this season, with regularly reaching 28-30+ minutes down the stretch for important games. In junior he's literally an all situations defenseman that was heavily relied on. He killed penalties, ran the powerplay, held leads, pushed for offense during comebacks, the lot. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-18.png) The strengths of Klimpke's game comes with his mobility, rush defense, motor, and two-way potential. He projects to have potentially elite mobility, which helps him be aggressive defending against rushes to disrupt entries with good timing on stick checks. His motor comes from being used heavily in all situations by his coaches, playing 30+ minutes in big games, and from being an absolute dog on the boards. He's a bit undersized now, his height being average and his weight being too light, but he has good strength in his lower body and uses low postures as leverage against bigger opponents to pin bigger opponents on the boards. The issues he faces are projecting him to the NHL when he has good but not spectacular offensive skills and defensive skills while just being an average/slightly below average sized defenseman. Those don't typically project well to the NHL. I still like taking a swing on him in the later rounds because of his mobility, good stickwork, and already showing he has some tricks to still have a physical element when battling with bigger players. > Klimpke lights the fire 🔥 [pic.twitter.com/HnPgAaP791](https://t.co/HnPgAaP791?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) [February 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/BladesHockey/status/2021758965084995940?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## JIRI KAMAS - **Position**: Right-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 198 lbs - **Birthdate**: Mar 4, 2008 Kamas is a decent sized right-shot defenseman from Czechia who split his season between Penticton before being traded to Red Deer halfway through the season. His point production was similar with both teams, and he had a total of 18 points in 59 combined regular season and playoff games. Penticton had a deep defense group, hence why they saw him as expendable and traded him to beef up for the playoffs. By the end of the year with Red Deer he was a mainstay on their second pair, but earned his way to a regular top pairing guy by the time the playoffs came around. He played for Czechia at the Hlinka, where he had 3 points in 4 games, and was leading Czechia in ice time through three games at the World U18s before a concussion ended his tournament. He got a good amount of time on the penalty kill, and a bit of powerplay usage as well. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-19.png) The good parts of Kamas' game is his combination of decent size and having above average four-way mobility – good acceleration, north-south speed, solid edgework for east-west agility, and smooth pivots between forward and reverse skating. That combination helps him a lot in driving excellent defensive results retrieving dump ins and driving transitions. He can retrieve the dump ins, elude forecheckers and/or absorb the initial wave of contact and then make good short/medium length passes to start a clean breakout. He also has very strong transition results through the neutral zone. He has a cannon of a shot from the point, but it's not something he is yet able to use to much effectiveness. The issues with his game has to do with his game seeming more raw and inconsistent, and not having offensive skills outside of driving good transitions – but ask me how much I care about that. He needs time to put on more muscle and refine his skills so he can gain better consistency. > Jiří Kamas se prosazuje jako první střelec osmnáctky a vyrovnává stav utkání![#CZESUI](https://x.com/hashtag/CZESUI?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#narodnitym](https://x.com/hashtag/narodnitym?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#ceskyhokej](https://x.com/hashtag/ceskyhokej?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/6cHhflbsns](https://t.co/6cHhflbsns?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Český hokej (@czehockey) [August 11, 2025](https://x.com/czehockey/status/1954959491390144613?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## BRIAN MCFADDEN - **Position**: Right-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: US High School–Prep - **Height**: 6'5" - **Weight**: 181 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jan 2, 2008 McFadden is another high schooler who, unlike Kurtz, never played in the USHL this year. He's two inches taller and somehow lighter, so he has a lot more physical projection. His play-style is as a big and mobile defensive specialist. He was considered one of the best shutdown defenders, rush defenders, and penalty killers in his high school circuit this past year. This is thanks to his combination of size, reach, and straight line mobility. He plays more of a physical style, which will be helped as he fills out more. > McFadden seems like a real diamond in the rough. Big, mobile, and right shot. Really strong physically at the prep level and I think that projects to higher levels. Not going to be a high end point producer as he moves up the ladder, but has a chance to be a real defensive asset. [pic.twitter.com/9SYNBLDggm](https://t.co/9SYNBLDggm?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Brock Otten (@BrockOtten) [March 25, 2026](https://twitter.com/BrockOtten/status/2036610783308574736?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The question marks around him are a much weaker set of offensive skills – you should know you're getting a defensive specialist if you draft him, but the worry will be that he isn't as good as you need him to be at getting the puck out of his end when he needs to be that guy. And while his defensive instincts and intelligence are good, his mobility is a concern with his mechanical refinement. That comes out when he has to make sudden pivots or use lateral edges to deal with shiftier forwards. Combine that with the fact that he has ***no*** experience outside of high school, and there's more wariness around how good his defense would actually be against tougher competition. ## RYLAN SINGH - **Position**: Right-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: OHL - **Height**: 6'0" - **Weight**: 187 lbs - **Birthdate**: Oct 04, 2007 At the start of the year, Hardev asked me about him. I wound up following him and including him here because, for a potential late round pick, he has some potential. He's got average size, but he is a very hard working defender on the ice, has high level mobility and two-way potential. He activates a good amount for a defenseman, and was one of the top rush defenders in the OHL this season. His defense in his own zone was less good, but he was also very successful at driving zone exits to get his team out of danger and onto the attack. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-20.png) Singh's weaknesses are basically exactly the same as the other average sized guys I already mentioned on this list. He's not elite offensively, he has good defensive metrics in junior but because of his size, passive physical play, and lack of any real elite standout skill, there's concern he would struggle against heavier, faster, bigger, and more physical forechecks at higher levels. He also isn't much of an offensive driver, aside from driving really good transition rates in junior. But if you buy in on his mobility, maybe he grows an inch or two and develops tricks and tools to hold his own physically over time, you can buy into swinging on him in the late rounds. > Look good, feel good, play good 👍 > > Dressed to impress in the [@Storm\_City](https://twitter.com/Storm%5FCity?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) alternates, Rylan Singh dazzled with a nice move to open the scoring against Saginaw.[@FloHockey](https://twitter.com/FloHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/k8RZx8SpId](https://t.co/k8RZx8SpId?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) [September 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/OHLHockey/status/1972300262720118916?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## JET KWAJAH - **Position**: Right-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: USHL - **Height**: 6'0" - **Weight**: 177 lbs - **Birthdate**: March 13, 2008 Kwajah is a local boy from Etobicoke who chose to go the NCAA route, so he's been playing for Madison in the USHL the past two years. This season he was second in the USHL for points by defensemen with 7 goals and 27 points in 55 games. He's committed to Penn State in the 27/28 season as of now. Penn State we know well from Gavin McKenna spending his draft season there, and they've become a bit of a powerhouse in recruiting talent since the NIL regulations and the eligibility rules with CHL players changed. He was one of their top powerplay defensemen this year, not necessarily their top even strength defenseman but not far from it, and was more of a secondary penalty kill guy. I would say that Kwajah is an interesting player to take a gamble on with a later pick. His skating, puck movement and transitions are legitimate talents. His defense I think can be improved by adding strength and working with good defense coaches. He already showed some good improvements in this area over the season, so if you want a mobile puck mover who can maybe turn into something a bit more why not take a swing at a guy who is already very good in half of those areas? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-43.png) From [@PuckPreps](https://x.com/PuckPreps/status/2065105640087810428?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) on Twitter Kwajah's weaknesses are mostly around not being that big and not playing bigger than he is either. He's not very physical and can get pushed around a bit, so he relies on his skating and stick mostly. He can get too aggressive in his decision making offensively as well, especially when activating into the offense and pinching off the blueline. Defensively he has mixed results, with a bigger weakness in his own end, but that's something that scouts said improved a lot over the season thanks to improved awareness and positioning in his coverage. But Kwajah's main strengths are around his mobility, both with his skating and in terms of moving the puck. He has potentially elite level skating, with excellent edges, explosive acceleration, and a separation gear in his straight line speed. With the puck, he is one of the most impactful and efficient transition drivers of any defensemen in this draft class. He has good passing, using his skating to get to retrievals first and elude forecheckers so he can make that first pass up the ice. Defensively he may have had problems in his own end, but he showed very good results defending against the rush. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-44.png) From [Scouching.ca](https://www.scouching.ca/tracked-data-viz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), measuring the success rate of both driving offensive transitions (OTS% refers to the success rate of both zone exits and zone entries driven by Kwajah) and defending well against transitions (DTS% refers to the success rate of transitions against Kwajah) ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Tuesday's FTB: Goalies, defencemen and forwards URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-goalies-defencemen-forwards/ Last updated: 2026-06-23T10:00:41.000Z Three full days now before the draft on Friday and a lot hasn't happened that is expected. Will expectations be fulfilled? Yesterday was the reaction to the Tkachuck trade, and the announcement of the HHOF inductees. The only signing was Connor Murphy re-signing with the Oilers at 5 by $4.1 million. [2026 Hockey Hall of Fame class includes Bergeron, Price, Rinne, Tkachuk | NHL.comCurley, Burke will also be inducted in November![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-16314c8e-0caf-44c2-9c98-e034944314f7.png)NHL logoBill Price![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/eu04hjjo58ayghgshqeq-46bb9d01-56d5-4b3f-91cb-b139e07556bb.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/patrice-bergeron-carey-price-pekka-rinne-keith-tkachuk-elected-to-hockey-hall-of-fame?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [HHOF | 2026 Induction Celebration - Nov. 7-9A three-day celebration featuring fan forums, signings, hockey games and the Celebration.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-ad96fda3-52d7-4115-ad8d-a707e650cfc3.png)Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of Fame![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Induction-2025-3805cb67-9587-4315-9958-55da0c5c509c.jpg)](https://www.hhof.com/induction/induction2026/induction2026.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) On Leafs issues. Sergei Bobrovsky's name is now linked to the Leafs, so this is what is out there: Pierre Lebrun, on Overdrive, said he believes the Leafs are looking at defencemen, goalies and forwards. They are interested in any upgrade. He also said that while Florida has interest in Connor Hellebuyck, they might be out of assets to pay with. They will not trade Anton Lundell. He did say that Florida is looking at a lot of goalies, some that might be surprising. Elliotte Friedman, earlier in the day on 32 Thoughst, mentioned Bobrovsky and the Leafs in a speculative way and also speculated in a way that sounded like just a reason to say his name about Florida and Samuel Ersson. Now back to LeBrun, who also said that Florida would like to re-sign Bobrovsky, but his initial contract ask was much more than they were willing to consider. The resolution might be Bobrovsky back with Florida as July 1 approaches. He also said he thinks Hellebuyck is flexible and wants to work with the Jets to allow them to get a good return. LeBrun's statement on the Matthew Knies trade speculation was that teams are offering the Leafs a wide variety of packages, but the Leafs are not setting a price, they're just taking these calls. He believes there is more to this discussion than a lot of people think, but he also said Chayka's statement that it's not likely they trade him was true. Or as I'd put it, true at the time he said it. This Knies trade idea, Chris Johnston called it an auction, and I think it's something else, now that I've thought on it more. It's a game of musical chairs. Florida took Tkachuk so Ottawa wants a forward and whoever they get is someone someone else wanted and the more that goes on, the higher the price until the offer that blows off socks becomes more and more likely. Which actually means the Leafs are the team left standing with no chair to sit in, this is a valid criticism of the idea unless their answer is an unsigned RFA forward they can get in trade and sign to a good deal (no not Robertson). Everyone expects Morgan Rielly to be traded, and his list is Western Conference teams. The surprising name now is Zach Werenski, who LeBrun states has not asked for a trade. This might be look at the contract, look at the team and jump to an obvious conclusion on people's part, or it could be that Columbus has changed direction with their most recent GM change. LeBrun certainly implied that the Leafs have expressed some interest there. More on Alex Tuch, Jason Robertson and Elias Pettersson: --- In Sceptres news, Blayre Turnbull is expecting, which is delightful news, but means she won't be playing this season. She announced that she is due in December. > Cap's not going anywhere 💙 [pic.twitter.com/zc0OUQwB49](https://t.co/zc0OUQwB49?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Sceptres (@PWHL\_Toronto) [June 22, 2026](https://x.com/PWHL%5FToronto/status/2069188647258329312?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) At the Marlies event yesterday, John Gruden said he'd like to come back as coach and they will talk about that soon. The official (non-Zoom) introduction of Jim Hiller is supposed to be this week as well. Today is the Board of Governors meetings in Buffalo ahead of the draft. Nothing earthshaking is expected out of this one. That's all for now. More news could happen at any moment! ### 2026 NHL Draft: What Trading Down from First Overall Would Look Like URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/what-trading-down-from-first-overall-would-look-like/ Last updated: 2026-06-22T13:00:09.000Z We've already seen and heard a lot of rumours of what Toronto will do with the first round pick. Mostly focused around who they will select with the first overall pick, but there is also a segment who say trading down makes more sense in this year's draft because the top 5(ish) picks are in the same tier and very close in value – even if you think McKenna is the clear first overall pick at the top of that tier. I've done this in other years, but to give you all an idea of what kind of trade downs Toronto could do to get more picks, I'll use some of the studies done that looked into establishing a rough mathematical value for each individual draft pick and then look at what teams below Toronto have multiple picks that add up to being roughly fair. Obviously, you can have pick trades that are more unequal in value, it really depends on the teams involved and if one of them thinks the player they want to trade up for is worth more than the pick position indicates. "We had this guy as a first rounder and he's still available in the second/third round???" That kind of thing. One funny note I want to add before getting into the meat and potatoes of the article is that I've heard rumours (with varying amounts of salt applied) of pretty much every NHL team's scouting groups groaning that they hate this year's draft class and want to trade down or trade their picks entirely. That does complicate the math for these potential trade picks beyond the pick values alone. ## Establishing Pick Value First, let's look at the math. There are a bunch of studies that look into this, but PuckPedia helpfully put together a [draft pick value calculator tool](https://puckpedia.com/pickvalue?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) based on research done by some guy who may or may not have been a blogger then NHL GM who just won a Stanley Cup... So the way this tool works, it sets the top pick (first overall) with a value of 100 and then trails off sharply down to the middle of the first round, then starts to smooth and slow as picks next to each other become more similar in value. ## Vancouver Canucks Picks Vancouver has: - 3rd overall = 62.07 value - 24th overall = 15.21 value - 33rd overall = 9.92 value - 41st overall = 7.04 value The value of all four of these picks comes to around 95, I believe. Which is still a bit short of the value that the first overall pick represents. I'll admit, I had used other pick value studies before that don't have as extreme a drop off from the top pick to even the rest of the top 10, so this surprised me. Then again, I think you can now see the main reason why pick trades with the first overall involved (or even the top 10 involved) are so rare. The drop off between each pick is ***a lot***, and it takes a lot to trade up and make up that difference. So why would Vancouver trade two first round picks and two second round picks just to move up two spots? The realistic answer is... they very likely wouldn't. The logic may be that Vancouver is starting a rebuild and they may desperately want to start out with the biggest potential star to kick it off. What do all rebuilds need? Stars. Vancouver has been heavily rumoured to really want Caleb Malhotra at 3rd overall, which was true even before they hired his dad to be the head coach. But while Caleb may be the top center in the draft, he doesn't have the star power of McKenna or even Stenberg. So the reason why they would do this deal isn't because of the math of the pick value... I don't think any NHL team aside from maybe Carolina would seriously look at that. What matters is the potential players involved. Vancouver would have to think that getting McKenna would be worth more than the combination of Malhotra/Reid and then whatever players they'd be thinking of getting with those other picks. ## Chicago Blackhawks Picks Chicago has: - 4th overall = 55.24 value - 34th overall = 9.49 value - 37th overall = 8.32 value - 45th overall = 6.01 value The total for this combination comes to just under 80, which is still 20% away from equaling this theoretical value of the first overall pick. So, again, it doesn't seem realistic does it? But let's think out why it could happen. Like Vancouver, Chicago is in a rebuild. Unlike Vancouver, they're (hoping to be) closer to the end of their rebuild. They're reportedly less interested in having lots of draft picks again, as they have the past few years, and more interested in using their assortment of picks and prospects to acquire young talent already in the NHL. That's why they've been rumoured to be heavily pursuing someone like Matthew Knies. They want someone who can help them in the NHL right now and for the long term, someone who has certainty for being an impact player in the NHL. In theory, McKenna could be an NHL impact guy right away too, with even greater potential in the future as he gets better. He could be the skilled playmaker to set up Connor Bedard or Anton Frondell. Of course, the added difficulty is that Toronto ***also*** wants players who are ready to play in the NHL right now. So they'd do this deal if they thought that the guy they could get at 4 would be just as likely to be an equally (or more) impactful player in the NHL than McKenna. Say... maybe they have some knowledge that Stenberg could fall to fourth like so many mock drafts have predicted. If you could get a guy you think is close to or better than McKenna's projected value, and then get three other picks in the early/middle second round? That's a good value find for them. But then, that scenario would also hold true for Chicago. So if a trade for these picks were to happen, it would have to be a scenario where the Leafs value whoever they think would be available at fourth overall but Chicago doesn't, and Chicago would have to value McKenna more than Toronto does. ## Calgary Flames Picks Calgary has... (deep breath) - 6th overall = 45.98 value - 28th overall = 12.5 value - 35th overall = 9.07 value - 36th overall = 8.69 value - 51st overall = 4.83 value - 55th overall = 4.22 value Calgary having two first rounders and four second rounders is why they can get closer to the value of the first overall pick than Chicago. Those six picks still only add up to 85 and change. Why would Calgary do this deal? Basically the same reasons I struggled to theorize why Vancouver might want to. They're also rebuilding, they also might really want a star, and they probably have more reason to perceive a sizeable gap in value between who they'd take first overall and who they think will be available at sixth overall. ## Seattle Kraken Picks Seattle has: - 7th overall = 42.44 value - 26th overall = 13.77 value - 38th overall = 7.97 value I wound up removing the New York Rangers because their combination of picks were similar to Seattle, with the benefit of having a first rounder two picks higher but having no second round pick until 63\. The difference in value is actually more in favour of the Rangers – 67.14 in value vs 64.18, but I am keeping Seattle instead because I think they are potentially the most desperate to have the first overall pick compared to the first round pick they have. They have been mediocre for years. They have had a lot of high picks, but none have turned into the stars they need. They're all just a bunch of good players. The thing is, their picks alone are not enough to come close to the value of the first overall pick. I personally believe that you can likely get a very, very good player in the same tier as the first overall at 7th (Malte Gustafsson my boy!) but who will take longer to get to the NHL and isn't as sexy a pick as the next Kucherov or Kane. That's where tomorrow's article comes in... because there's no rule that says teams are only allowed to trade picks. They can throw in other existing assets to make up the difference. So I am keeping Seattle here because I am just guessing they may be the most likely team to really want to trade up to first overall and therefore give Toronto enough of an overpay in picks and other assets to make it happen. That does ***not*** mean I think any trade with them is likely to happen at all, just that I can envision a scenario where Seattle does this more than I can with these other teams. ## St Louis Blues Picks St Louis has: - 11th overall = 31.99 value - 15th overall = 24.93 value - 29th overall = 11.92 value You'd think that St Louis would be an interesting team for a pick trade because they have three first rounders, including two in the top half. But because those two top 15 picks are outside of the top 10, and the drop off in value from 1st to 11th is so steep, it still only comes to a 68.84\. That's still better in value than either the Rangers or Kraken, mind you, but they also have zero second round picks to make up more of the difference. However, they are also like Seattle in that they could use other prospects or players to equalize things. I think they're far less likely to do it, but I also love the idea of getting 11 and 15 and 29 because that's potentially great value players (like Gustafsson!) with those two top 15 picks so I'd be rooting for it to happen as much as I am any of these other potential teams. However, after looking at all of these hypothetical pick trades, suffice to say there is pretty much nothing that seems very likely to happen. I'm sure some teams would love to trade up, but I don't think they'd be prepared to trade away so many high picks in the top two rounds to make it happen. What's more interesting as a possibility is what I already teased when talking about Seattle... how Toronto could combine trading down for other picks but also other prospects and players or even acquire more picks in this year's draft through trading their players for picks. We've already seen one such trade as of writing this – in the Woll and Benoit trade to Philly, Toronto got another third round pick back. Which isn't as exciting to most people, but it is for me! ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### 2026 NHL Draft Profiles: Late Round Forwards URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profiles-late-round-forwards/ Last updated: 2026-06-22T12:00:29.000Z Here's an introduction! [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## MATVEI KOTKOV - **Position**: Left-shot winger - **League(s)**: MHL - **Height**: 6'1" - **Weight**: 175 lbs - **Birthdate**: Aug 27, 2008 Kotkov has been a bit of a late surger. He's the last guy I've added to this list after I didn't know anything about him until June, but he quickly became my favourite and why I added him to the top of this list. He played all year in the MHL for Loko, the team that won the league championship. Kotkov, a very young 17 year old for this draft class, was named the playoff MVP for leading his team in points for that run. He missed some time due to an injury, but finished with 14 goals and 31 points in 36 games in the regular season, then 9 goals and 15 points in 18 playoff games. Kotkov is a guy who literally grew as a player all year. He started the season listed as 5'11" and 154 lbs, but finished listed as 6'1" and 175 lbs. By the end of the regular season he was a top line winger for the best team in the league. He was a bit insulated as the Matthew Knies of the line to their Matthews and Marner who did some of the heavy lifting, but he played his role well. He was on the bumper on the top powerplay, his aggressive and relentless forechecking and defense made him a maintstay on the penalty kill – and he had about 5-6 short handed points this year. In fact, you'll notice watching his goals and assists in the video below how much offense came after or during his forechecking, defense, puck pursuit, and other hard working plays where just makes things happen even if he doesn't have the puck. 0:00 /5:51 1× Matvei Kotkov (#17 in red/white) - Offense Highlights As a player, he really took off as he physically grew into more of the player that he already was stylistically, which is being a two way power winger/goal scorer. There are some conflicting reports from scouts, but I support those who consider him to be a guy who plays a structured, pro-ready 200-foot game. He has boundless energy – and I consider this to be the highest praise – his level of relentless pressuring of puck carriers on the forecheck and penalty kill reminds me of Vaclav Nestrasil. He has an impressive level of off-puck intelligence, and since his growth spurt where he grew taller and filled out with some real weight his physical game became that much more effective on both sides of the puck. The issues with Kotkov's game are of a similar nature to other power winger goal scorers. He could stand to get better as a puck handler and a passer, though he has flashes of some neat moments with both. His skating is very north-south focused in terms of straight line speed, but he could also improve both his east-west agility and his acceleration. I think he could also use more time, seasoning, and dedicated practice to learn how to leverage more of his physical gifts in terms of the power element. Things like unlocking more skill and playmaking around the net, short-area passes and handling, things like that. ## JONAH SIVERTSON - **Position**: Right-shot winger - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'3" - **Weight**: 194 lbs - **Birthdate**: Aug 27, 2008 Sivertson is a prototypical power forward type. He's got a young birthday and good size already with a bit of room to still add more muscle and power. He had a decent 24 goals and 53 points in 66 games this season, but showed some improvements in the second half of the season – in the first half, he had 21 points in 33 games; in the second half, he had 32 points. It's noteworthy that he was never getting top usage on a deep Prince Albert team, especially as they loaded up ahead of the WHL playoffs. He only had 8 points on the powerplay, the rest were all at even strength. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-38.png) Sivertson is a beast along the boards when protecting the puck, and has the ability to take it off the boards and into the middle of the ice where there are more dangerous scoring chances to be had. He uses his physical advantages where he can, throwing big hits or getting into the occasional fight if that's your thing. Without the puck he goes to the front of the net and parks his ass there where most defensemen in junior can't move him. You can also see he's very strong in the segment of tracking data I call the "little things king" section. The issues with his game are mostly down to his mobility. He doesn't have good top speed, foot speed, or explosiveness. He's not very agile in terms of lateral movement or pivots, and it takes him longer to recover when he needs to change direction. He also cooled down right before the end of the regular season and it continued into the playoffs, where facing nothing but good competition who are locked in has been something he's not been able to break through as much. But if Toronto thinks they can improve that mobility to an impactful extent, he could be good value if he's available in the later rounds. > 🎥HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT🎥 > > Lightning fast reflexes in front from Jonah Sivertson! ⚡️[@PARaidersHockey](https://twitter.com/PARaidersHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#WHLHoN](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHLHoN?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#NHLDraft](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#WHLPlayoffs](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHLPlayoffs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#FeedingtheFuture](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FeedingtheFuture?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/3gKj9NioVJ](https://t.co/3gKj9NioVJ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [May 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2051140235489394972?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## PARKER TROTTIER - **Position**: Left-shot winger - **League(s)**: USHL / US NTDP - **Height**: 6'1" - **Weight**: 183 lbs - **Birthdate**: Feb 13, 2008 Parker is the grandson of NHL legend Bryan Trottier. He was part of the US NTDP program the past couple of years, with a commitment to join Notre Dame in the NCAA in a year or two. With the US NTDP he was not one of the top offensive contributors, but he played more of a supporting role and I think he did it pretty well from what I saw. He's a physical, workhorse/energy kind of winger, who'd probably be considered a top power forward in this draft if he wasn't somewhere between 6'0" and 6'1". In a combined 85 games for the NTDP, he had 19 goals and 41 points. Playing for Team USA at the recent World U18s, he had one single point in 5 games. What he does do is provide a lot of support, provide effective gruntman work on the cycle and forecheck, and pitch in with some goals around the net. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-37.png) Despite his average size, Trottier is a beast along the boards, on cycles and back checks hard to help out the defense. He may not be the biggest but has some tricks to escape defenders along the wall while shielding the puck, like spinning off of checks, initiating contact to get them off balance, and then attacking the middle of the ice. His passing and playmaking never seemed to be strengths of his game, but I've seen some scouts recently say they thought he's improved on his dynamic elements for playmaking late this year. His weaknesses are around the lack of any high end skill, like puck handling, shooting, passing, anything like that. If he wants to be better than a bottom six depth guy, he'll have to be able to incorporate more than a straight line energy style. But on a late round pick? I like him. > TROTTIER FOR THE LEAD 🚨🚨[#USAvsGB](https://twitter.com/hashtag/USAvsGB?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/fpcmDVZUCs](https://t.co/fpcmDVZUCs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — USA Hockey’s NTDP (@USAHockeyNTDP) [March 8, 2026](https://twitter.com/USAHockeyNTDP/status/2030467787705987555?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## OSCAR HOLMERTZ - **Position**: Left-shot centre - **League(s)**: U20 Nationell - **Height**: 6'0" - **Weight**: 192 lbs - **Birthdate**: Mar 21, 2008 Holmertz can be very fun. He played most of the season in Sweden's U20 junior league, where he had 36 points in 34 games and added 5 points in 5 regular season games. He did have some stints called up to the SHL, but of the 11 games he dressed for he only saw the ice for 7 of them... and only two of them were above 5 minutes. He got into various tournaments for Sweden as well – He had 7 points in 5 games at the Hlinka, then 2 points in 5 games at the U19 WJAC, and then 10 points in 11 various mini tournaments or exhibitions. So he can put up points. > Sweden makes it 5-0. > > Great feed from Elton Hermansson to find Oscar Holmertz in front. [#HlinkaGretzkyCup](https://twitter.com/hashtag/HlinkaGretzkyCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/iEpUzuFgq4](https://t.co/iEpUzuFgq4?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) [August 11, 2025](https://twitter.com/SEllisHockey/status/1954917812830400942?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Holmertz is considered to be one of the best skaters and playmakers coming out of Europe this year, but he's also one of the more polarizing players. He has an incredibly smooth skating stride that helps him zip around the ice looking effortless. He has a deep bag of tricks when making passes, using deceptive head movements, look offs, and being able to fire hard and accurate passes through defenders. It helps that he's a very capable puck handler. His defensive game gets mixed reviews, some good some bad depending on the scout and the games they caught. His issues are that he's not that big and typically shies away from contact, and is incredibly inconsistent where he goes from looking intense and focused to passive and casual. These issues were much more stark when he played in the SHL, so he definitely has some adjustments to make. He has promise but those issues I think will frustrating most teams, so while he's ranked higher than the late rounds I wouldn't be surprised if he slips. ## LARS STEINER - **Position**: Right-shot winger - **League(s)**: QMJHL - **Height**: 5'10" - **Weight**: 176 lbs - **Birthdate**: Nov 12, 2007 I've known of and watched Steiner for 2-3 years now, because he's been playing above his age group for Switzerland for various tournaments I've seen since then. He's played in two World Juniors against U20 competition despite not even being drafted yet. Outside of international play, Steiner has played the last two seasons in the QMJHL where he's been a top player. Last year, he had 60 points in 57 games as a 16-17 year old. This year, he had 30 goals and 55 points in 44 games while adding 5 goals and 9 points in 17 playoff games. I've seen some scouts call him a playmaker-power forward hybrid, despite leading the league in goals per game. He also finished top 10 in the league in points per game – 3rd in terms of players in his age group. If he didn't miss some time this season due to injury and the World Juniors, he'd have been at the top of the league in multiple stats. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-36.png) The most exciting part for me is that Steiner's production isn't what I like the most about him. He's one of those "has that dog in him" players. He has a very high end motor that will battle, and win, at any given chance. His physical play is very effective and helps him win those battles more often than not despite being 5'10". He is an elite forechecker, a dual-threat with the puck as a shooter and playmaker, and can play effective, stifling defense as a smaller winger. The issues with his game have to do with his consistency, his lack of transition impact, and some concerns about how projectable his skills are to the NHL given his smaller size. To that I say: have you seen Logan Stankoven or Denver Barkey lately? He may not wind up as good as them, but I was tempted to include him in one of the full player profiles in the 4th or even 3rd round. But I think he could wind up slipping because of those concerns. Even if he doesn't get past the Marlies, he'd be a fan favourite. Here's a great film room breakdown of the various parts of his game: [https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/2026-nhl-draft/film-room-how-lars-steiners-motor-and-physical-skills-could-win-him-an-nhl-role](https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/2026-nhl-draft/film-room-how-lars-steiners-motor-and-physical-skills-could-win-him-an-nhl-role?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## JOE IGINLA - **Position**: Right-shot winger - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 5'10" - **Weight**: 174 lbs - **Birthdate**: Aug 13, 2008 Another year, another Iggy in the NHL draft. Joe, younger brother of Tij and son of the legendary Jerome, has not shown the same level of skill as those other two. But he still shows some interesting skills and abilities, and has one of the younger birthdays in this draft. I saw him a good deal in the first half of the season, because he was teammates and sometimes linemate of Miroslav Holinka, before he was traded to Vancouver. In this season, he finished with 31 points in 59 games – but only 7 on the powerplay. Despite not getting top minutes at either even strength or on the powerplay, he has a good shot rate from mostly good locations. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-39.png) Iginla has a very familiar play style if you've seen either of the other Iggies. He's a small but compact and dense winger who has a never ending motor, and to quote one scout he has "an intrinsic passion for pissing defenders off". He plays aggressive and heavy on the forecheck and, like Steiner, wins battles in the tougher areas of the ice despite being 5'10". You can see he has an advanced hockey brain and the little details that I'm just gonna guess came from being raised by a hall of fame NHLer. His issues are that he doesn't have very good hands as a puck handler, isn't as fast as you'd like him to be considering his size and play style, and has the same concerns about his size as Steiner while also not being as good or refined in his skills. If you want to use a later round pick on him, it's because you're hoping he has a big leap in his development like his brother Tij did in his draft year... but a bit later. He very likely won't become a top prospect like Tij, but still could be a useful depth guy with his mind and skill set. ## CASPER JUUSTOVAARA KARLSSON - **Position**: Left-shot centre/winger - **League(s)**: U20 Nationell / SHL - **Height**: 5'9" - **Weight**: 168 lbs - **Birthdate**: Oct 25, 2007 I got onto little Casper early in the year after I heard him describe the little Swede, summarizing his game as something like "he's a rambunctious piece of garbage". He's 5'8" or 5'9", but he spent the vast majority of the season in the SHL because of his play style. While in the SHL, he had 6 points in 31 games and added 9 points in 7 junior games. He played for Sweden at the World Juniors this year and pitched in two goals, including a short handed goal to open the scoring in the gold medal game. It's worth noting that he is doing this as a draft eligible prospect, where only 3 players in this age group played more games in the SHL than he did – Ivar Stenberg, who could be a first overall pick this year for the Leafs; Viggo Björck, who is a definite first rounder and likely top 15 guy; and Morgan Anderberg, who played 39 games but had half the points Karlsson did. > Casper Juustovaara short-handed to open scoring in the gold medal game‼️[#WorldJuniors](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#IIHF](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IIHF?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/H9RQrJiSjC](https://t.co/H9RQrJiSjC?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — IIHF (@IIHFHockey) [January 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/IIHFHockey/status/2008359789751877814?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Karlsson is another elite motor, high work ethic, fearless husky in a terrier's body kind of player. He is smart at using his low center of gravity to get leverage against bigger and stronger opponents. Unlike some of the other smaller guys mentioned above, Karlsson is a very good skater, but does have the same intensity in his aggressiveness. He's one of the best penalty killers in this age group, using that speed, work ethic, a good stick and smart anticipation to cause turnovers. And despite being so small, on the offensive side of the puck he is not a perimeter guy. 41% of his shot attempts tracked game in the home plate area in front of the net. The weaknesses... well, it would be great if he was even 5'10" or 5'11", or if he had more high level offensive skill to go with his skating and bulldog mentality. That combination is likely going to lead him to being available in the later rounds, and honestly he could go undrafted. I just love him, and I hope he gets picked by someone even if Toronto doesn't do it. ## RYAN BROWN - **Position**: Left-shot winger - **League(s)**: OHL - **Height**: 5'11" - **Weight**: 176 lbs - **Birthdate**: Oct 27, 2007 Brown is another smaller forward with a late 2007 birthday who was traded halfway through this season and saw a big second half surge as a result. He started the year with Sarnia, who was a very not good team. He had 23 points in 34 games, before he was dealt to London and nearly doubled his production with 16 goals and 40 points in 33 games. His 63 points actually led the Knights, who were pretty good but mostly young and rebuilding, and also traded away some of their top players like Sam O'Reilly. As one of their leading players after all the trades, he wound up being an all situations guy which is a testament to how he was trusted by Hunter. > Ryan Brown and Jaxon Cover are pretty good.[#NHLDraft](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/d9mMmb0Xfa](https://t.co/d9mMmb0Xfa?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — London Knights (@LondonKnights) [March 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/LondonKnights/status/2029359145145491605?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Brown's game is characterized by his energy and pace. He skates and works hard, getting to loose pucks first a lot of the time. He chases defensemen on the forecheck like a beast chasing down prey, and harasses them heavily to force a turnover. And despite his size, which at 5'11" is only a bit below average, he will absolutely throw himself into checks to initiate contact and battle in front of the net or along the boards. For his offense and play driving skills, he has flashes of some higher level transition and playmaking skills, but his biggest strength in that regard is a ridiculous shot. The concern with him is the usual for his archetype... if he was only two inches taller he'd be a top two round pick for sure. But the fact that he plays a fearless physical game, doesn't have elite speed or skating, and relies on his intelligence and work ethic to out work junior competition is – and stop me if you've heard this before – not an archetype that NHL teams think has good odds at working out. But since we're talking about late round picks where the odds are already long, I say what the hell! See if the Hunters can turn him into Easton Cowan-lite. > The Ryan Brown [#NHLDraft](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) stock is on the way up 📈 [pic.twitter.com/10K78niBEM](https://t.co/10K78niBEM?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — London Knights (@LondonKnights) [January 25, 2026](https://twitter.com/LondonKnights/status/2015503659526660301?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## TYUS SPARKS - **Position**: Right-shot winger - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'0" - **Weight**: 180 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jan 4, 2008 How about a third straight average-ish sized forward who was traded halfway through the season?? Sparks played the first 40 games for Vancouver in the WHL, where he had 16 goals and 37 points. He was traded to Spokane, where he finished with 12 goals and 28 points in the final 29 games. He also pitched in 2 goals and 3 points in their 5 playoff games. He was pretty good on the powerplay, but it wasn't the major source of his offense – 22 of his 65 points came with the man advantage. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-40.png) Like the last two players, Sparks is known for being a hard working winger. Unlike them, he doesn't have any concern about his skating, explosiveness and mobility. He plays at a very high pace, making him a nightmare on the forecheck and backcheck to create turnovers. He is a smart off-puck support forward, with good playmaking and a potentially elite shot. His offense lacks consistency in his execution at times, and I'd say that's mostly because he needs to learn to slow down when the situation calls for it. He doesn't have to go all out for every play. Another issue is that he doesn't have a lot of dynamic skill to be a game breaker. But I can see him with decently average size, good bulk and muscle, and then his speed and work ethic making him a decent swing to turn into a bottom six energy winger who can kill penalties. ## LUDVIG ANDERSSON - **Position**: Right-shot centre/winger - **League(s)**: U20 Nationell - **Height**: 5'11" - **Weight**: 190 lbs - **Birthdate**: May 24, 2008 The second Swedish Andersson mentioned in this year's draft profiles, Ludvig is another guy I'm surprised I don't see more hype about. He's a bit small at 5'11", but he already weighs anywhere between 190 to 202 lbs so he's no pushover. He played most of the year in Sweden's junior league, where he finished 3rd in points for U18 players with 20 goals and 42 points in 31 games. He also added 18 points in 14 playoff games. He was a staple for Sweden's U18 international tournaments as well, wearing an "A" at the Hlinka and had 4 points in 5 games, then wearing the "C" for them at the World U18s where he had 2 points in 5 games. > Ludvig Andersson extends the lead for Sweden! [#U18MensWorlds](https://twitter.com/hashtag/U18MensWorlds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/m27AjWjDKy](https://t.co/m27AjWjDKy?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [April 29, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2049467772787138578?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Andersson has a high work ethic and offers all the kinds of smart defense and "leadership"-like intangibles that scouts love. He has the reputation for being more of a grinder forward than being a skilled two-way kind of guy, but he has some underrated skill – especially his scoring touch. With his bulk, he throws his weight around and gets low to gain leverage in physical battles. His issues are... and I feel like I'm just repeating myself at this point... his play style being seen as not projecting well with his size, and not having elite or elite enough offensive skill or skating. There are some split opinions on if he'll top out as a European/AHL star or if he can actually be an NHL regular. Of the players who seem more likely to be in this range, I like him more than most of them. > Bosse Meijer 🚨 > Ludvig Andersson 🍎 [#Team17](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Team17?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#VierumäkiCup](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vierum%C3%A4kiCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > 🎥 [@Svenskhockey\_Tv](https://twitter.com/Svenskhockey%5FTv?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/eQoddN9JwY](https://t.co/eQoddN9JwY?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — SwehockeyGIFs (@swehockeygifs) [December 18, 2024](https://twitter.com/swehockeygifs/status/1869334260014071921?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## ALISHER SARKENOV - **Position**: Right-shot winger - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'0" - **Weight**: 192 lbs - **Birthdate**: Dec 15, 2007 Sarkenov will be an interesting test case for me, because he will perhaps best represent my latest theory on scouting players which is that being good without the puck is way undervalued for non-elite prospects. The reason why I think he is a great test case is because he has a huge discrepancy in his abilities where his off pick game is arguably elite while he doesn't have a high level of abilities in any of the more 'traditional' skills you'd talk about when analyzing a player. He's from Kazakhstan and played in his country until this year, when he had a rookie season in the WHL playing for Prince Albert. They were one of the better teams who lost in the WHL finals to Everett. He played mostly on the third line all year, though that third line also got boosted when they acquired first round pick Braeden Cootes as the center. Despite adjusting to North America and a whole new league and playing third line minutes with a secondary powerplay role, he had 21 goals and 40 points in 47 games. That's pretty good in my books. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-46.png) As I said above, Sarekenov's biggest strength is his intelligent play off the puck. He has great spatial and situational awareness, has excellent timing with his routes and very good positioning on offense and defense. He plays a very defensibly responsible game and was trusted in that kind of role often by his coaches, and he showed a high level of physicality and a very active motor in initiating contact on the boards, protecting the puck, fighting through checks, and not stopping his feet after making a play. His best traditional skill is his playmaking, though that's mostly because he makes a lot of short-range passes from his play along the boards or around the net. He uses things like give-and-go sequences, where after making the first pass he'll drive hard to the net or the middle of the ice to get the puck back. His goal scoring came from being good without the puck, in that sense. The issues with his game are a combination of skating (acceleration and top speed) due to some chaotic mechanics and a relative lack of strength in his legs. Both are things that can be improved to some degree, at least. The other issue is that when he does have the puck, he seems to lose a lot of the quick processing pace he has when playing without it. Combine that with his skating issues and his small-ish size (NHL Central Scouting measured him at 5'10" not 6'0") and there's a reason why a small-ish sized guy who doesn't have a good amount of skill with the puck or good skating is very hyped. One thing to note is he has an older brother who is 6'4", and like I said his skating issues and (to some extent) his skills can be refined. He's just a very raw player who hasn't played in higher level leagues until this season. Some refinement is expected and necessary. But I think he would make for a great late round swing because of the off-puck foundation and the potential that can come from refinement and working with high level development coaches for the first time. > duunnn dunnn… duuuunnnn duun… duuunnnnnnnn dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnn dunnnn!🦈[@PARaidersHockey](https://x.com/PARaidersHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#NHLDraft](https://x.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/j4ncw5GZ31](https://t.co/j4ncw5GZ31?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [June 17, 2026](https://x.com/TheWHL/status/2067329872205427137?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## JULIEN MAZE - **Position**: Left-shot winger - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 5'10" - **Weight**: 170 lbs - **Birthdate**: Dec 07, 2007 Changing gears, I want to talk about a smaller forward prospect who is different from the smaller guys I talked about above. Julien Maze is a smaller winger who played for Regina in the WHL for the first 30 games of the season, where he had a respectable 31 points in 30 games. After that, he was traded to Calgary and his point production took off, finishing with 24 goals and 47 points in 38 games. Funnily enough, his tracking data for just his time with Regina was actually ***better*** than it was with Calgary. His 38 goals and 78 points led a young Calgary as a draft eligible forward, and was 5th in the WHL for his age group in points and 3rd in goals. He followed it with 9 points in 7 playoff games while averaging over 4.5 shots per game. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-41.png) So Maze is an offensive force in junior, and yet I'm talking about him as a late round pick? He is an elite transition driver, arguably better than his point production. He is a very shifty and elusive skater and can carry it well through the neutral zone. He is fearless too, and is surprisingly adept at getting pucks off the boards into the middle of the ice despite being smaller. He will battle and adapt to the situation as needed more often than not, and has a wicked shot to finish off plays. His problem is that he lacks high end speed to go with his skill, and his playmaking skill in particular isn't elite either. He may just wind up as an AHL all star rather than a regular NHLer, but I'd love to see if Toronto's development team can add a few extra horsepower to his engine and help his skill play up more. So... one caveat I'm adding well after I first wrote this, is I heard from some people who are connected with people who would know this, but there's apparently a good reason why Maze a) wasn't drafted in the WHL as highly as his play in his junior draft year would usually indicate, b) was traded three times in junior before his draft season was over, and c) is almost not ranked very high if at all by anyone, and none of it has to do with his play on the ice. He is apparently an enormous asshole. So unless you're the kind of team who thinks "I can fix him" while only using a later round pick on him, I wouldn't be so surprised if he goes undrafted this year until he shows some more maturity. ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Monday's FTB: Is this the summer of the big trade? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-is-this-the-summer-of-the-big-trade/ Last updated: 2026-06-22T10:00:49.000Z Brady Tkachuk has left the station, and Ottawa has some picks to show for it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/6a38605915e96-1-.png) So far what the Senators will do with the return is a subject of speculation: [Ottawa Senators are going big-game hunting on NHL’s trade marketSenators need to make a deal![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/icon-oc-6a078f77-fa5e-4c47-a85b-f8b113dce09a.png)Ottawa CitizenBruce Garrioch![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/gettyimages-2255090215_303759906-383bf27f-170e-4fb0-bddc-ad17105ca25f.jpg)](https://ottawacitizen.com/ottawa-senators/ottawa-senators-are-going-big-game-hunting-on-nhls-trade-market?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) But certainly informed speculation: > Ottawa GM Steve Staios: “This was not a decision we took lightly, but ultimately we did what we felt was best for the long-term future of our hockey club. We now possess cap space and draft capital and will be actively working to improve our roster.” > > — Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) [June 22, 2026](https://x.com/wyshynski/status/2068848426914021869?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) They're on the clock because the only good part of the return is the ninth overall in this draft. Draft picks are junk, usually, and Florida certainly considered them to be worth tossing away. They'd only had the 25th overall for a few hours: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/6a3819aeaf52e-1-.png) The 2029 first-round pick is top-10 protected. This is, to put it bluntly, a large pile of one-dollar bills rolled up to look like an impressive stash by covering it with a fifty. I feel somewhat sorry for the Senators fans, most of whom are likely unsurprised that their Captain has bolted. I want to say he made a run for the border, well, I guess I have, because he did. I don't feel sorry for the Senators management because I don't think they're very bright. But we're all sitting here in Leafs land having some fun imagining other ingredients in the new Leafs salad bowl after the signing of Darren Raddysh, but we also should be aware that Auston Matthews is not signing an extension to his contract any time soon. If ever. > It was clear to the [#Sens](https://x.com/hashtag/Sens?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) that Brady Tkachuk didn't want to be here. Felt that this was going to happen sooner rather than later. He had no intention of signing here. > > — Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) [June 21, 2026](https://x.com/SunGarrioch/status/2068826661508841983?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Hard not to think they waited a year to long to light the fuse on his rocket ship out of town. > Was led to believe the [#Sens](https://x.com/hashtag/Sens?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) were trying to get Carter Verhaghe back in the deal with Florida [#Sens](https://x.com/hashtag/Sens?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) [June 21, 2026](https://x.com/SunGarrioch/status/2068818136338473320?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I've seen another report that they tried for Anton Lundell and were turned down. [Why Senators traded Brady Tkachuk to Panthers![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caElliotte Friedman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/tkachuk_brady1280-9f5f4642-4268-4b2a-a07c-9e9282b852a8.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/why-senators-are-trading-brady-tkachuk-to-panthers/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In other late June action, Bobby McMann signed a deal that is not all that surprising given cap inflation, but people don't want to account for inflation. They just want to complain about the prices. Well, that was me in the grocery store on Saturday, so who am I to judge? I wouldn't have wanted McMann at this price or term mostly because he is a very one-dimensional player whose early good defensive results now look a little like team system under Sheldon Keefe results. His shot is legit, though. > Sources: Bobby McMann signs a six-year extension with [#SeaKraken](https://x.com/hashtag/SeaKraken?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) carrying a $5.75M AAV, taking another top UFA off the board > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [June 21, 2026](https://x.com/reporterchris/status/2068812382378312125?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) A better deal: > The Jason Dickinson contract with [#LetsGoOilers](https://x.com/hashtag/LetsGoOilers?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 5 Yrs at $4M Cap Hit > > Yr 1 - 4: $2.5M Salary, $1.5M Signing Bonus > Yr 5: $3M Salary, $1M SB > > Full NMC Yr 1-3 (expires June 15, 2029), 16 Team Trade list Yr 4-5 > > Rep'd by Patrick Morris [@TheHockeyAgency](https://x.com/TheHockeyAgency?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/u4wTsQRju5](https://t.co/u4wTsQRju5?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [June 22, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2068851808932401278?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) --- With the expansion process officially over, the PWHL has moved into open signing. Toronto added Jamie Lee Rattray, and has lost Elaine Chuli to New York and Kristen Della Rovere to San Jose. They currently have eight signed players and several they own exclusive rights to. --- Today is the announcement of who will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame this fall. As for what else might happen? Anything is possible. Only John Chayka knows how probable it is. ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Brek Liske URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-brek-liske/ Last updated: 2026-06-21T12:00:07.000Z So... Brek Liske. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Right-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'1" - **Weight**: 190 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jan 9, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Corey Pronman: 78th - Will Scouch: 41st - Elite Prospects: 45th - Scott Wheeler: 82nd - McKeen's Hockey: Not ranked - Upside Hockey: 90th - NHL Central Scouting: 44th (North American skaters) Liske was a 10th overall pick back in the 2023 WHL draft by Everett, who have been one of the best junior programs in the CHL in that time. He was playing in a top league that had several of the top defensemen coming out of the WHL this and next year: Daxon Rudolph, Keaton Verhoeff, Ryan Lin, Gioros Pantelas, Carson Carels, Ben Macbeath, and Landon Dupont. Among all of those, Liske was tied for 9th in points by defensemen – that was behind all of those (some only narrowly) except for Carels. The next season, Liske played in an U18 program for prospects that had been drafted but weren't old enough to play a full season in the WHL yet. Among that same group of defensemen, he finished 7th in points this time tied with Ryan Lin and ahead of Keaton Verhoeff, Giorgos Pantelas, and Ben Macbeath. So as a defense prospect, Liske was in a group of top defense prospects when it came to point production – that's about as much insight as I can find for that age group in those leagues. This season, Liske was mostly used on their second pair with next to no time on the powerplay. Like Alexander Bilecki, who I profiled earlier, he played on the best team in the league who won the WHL championship and was runner up in the Memorial Cup to the Kitchener Rangers. On that Everett team was Tarin Smith (20 year old 3rd round pick by Anaheim in 2024) and uber prospect Landon DuPont who was given exceptional status, has two point per game seasons under his belt before he turned 17, and is the consensus favourite to be the first overall pick next year. So whatever point production (24 in 52 games) and impacts Liske had came ethically sourced at even strength and on the penalty kill. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-10.png) That is, until the playoffs came around. After only four games, Tarin Smith went down with an injury and his season was over. Liske got the bump up to the top pairing with Landon DuPont, and did get a big of secondary powerplay time as well. On their run to the WHL championship, Liske finished only behind DuPont in points – he had 17 in 18 games, and led the team in plus-minus with a +25\. Only two of his 17 points were on the powerplay. At the Memorial Cup, Liske was held pointless in their 5 games but was third among the defensemen in plus-minus at +3 which also led his team. The funny thing is, despite Liske's point totals in the playoff run when given a bigger opportunity, and what his tracking data above looks like, the fact of the matter is that his projected potential is more about his defense and two-way impact. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/Liske1.png) From [scouching.ca](https://www.scouching.ca/tracked-data-viz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), measuring the success rate at driving offensive zone entries (OZEnt%) and defensive zone exits (DZEx%) ## THE GOOD: RETRIEVALS, DEFENSIVE INTELLIGENCE, TWO-WAY POTENTIAL I should be known by now for being... shall we say, apathetic towards point production by defensemen. But that doesn't mean I don't like defensemen who can have a good impact on the offense. I just don't think that points are a very good way to measure 'good offensive impact'. I like the kinds of things that Liske seems to be good (but not elite) at. It starts with his impact on transitions. I count it as a defensive skill, but it has an undeniable impact on the offense as well. Liske is very calm when retrieving dump ins, even when dealing with aggressive and heavy forechecking. He has a good awareness of where people are on the ice as he skates back to get to the puck first, so he knows where his relief valves are and where and how fast the forecheckers are coming from. He then uses a mix of feints, fakes, pivots and dekes to escape pressure and get enough time and space to make the first pass to a teammate to exit the zone and kick start the rush. He isn't an elite puck handler, or an elite skater, but he is elusive and smart enough to be a highly effective transition driver. When in the offensive zone, Liske is not a play finisher that will be a big point producer at the pro level. What he is good at is being an offensive support, a general or quarterback at the blueline. He creeps down to the top of the faceoff circle to become a closer threat. He sneaks into open space on the weak side as a cross-ice passing option, and if no one picks him up he times creeping in further to be a back door target. Above all, he is an intelligent and capable passer and puck mover. He knows where to position himself to be the best possible passing target to relieve the forwards if they're facing heavy defensive pressure on the cycle. > OH THAT’S PRETTY! 😮‍💨[#NHLDraft](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) eligible prospect Brek Liske puts on the moves and nets his 3rd of the postseason! [@WHLsilvertips](https://twitter.com/WHLsilvertips?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#WHLPlayoffs](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHLPlayoffs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#FeedingTheFuture](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FeedingTheFuture?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > 📺| [@victoryplustv](https://twitter.com/victoryplustv?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > 🔗| [https://t.co/ejuFny1mnK](https://t.co/ejuFny1mnK?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/QF9P5hG99B](https://t.co/QF9P5hG99B?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [April 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2044607901743108179?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) When it comes to Liske's defense, he is more of a cerebral and mobile defenseman who relies on elite positioning and suffocating gap control to suppress the offense. He gets rave reviews for having a very high 'hockey IQ' with proactive scanning habits and high awareness, allowing him to read plays before they develop and position himself where he needs to be. When defending the rush, Liske is a smooth backwards skater and uses good positioning to angle the puck carrier so take away the middle of the ice. Once he has them cornered towards the boards, he can time his good stick to poke the puck away or and force predictable dump-ins he or his partner can then retrieve to start the transition to offense. When he's defending in his own end, Liske has a good size at 6'2" and 190 lbs and plays with a good, consistent motor along the boards and other dirty areas on the ice. His mobility and keeping his feet moving allows him to match his man step for step, and leverage his size to pin them against the boards to shut down their ability to create any offensive chances. In front of his own net, he is surprisingly aggressively at protecting the front of the crease to push away potential screeners, but also has well timed stick lifts and pokes to prevent any pass into the slot from turning into a dangerous shot. > Brek Liske unleashes the spin cycle for the game winning goal! 🏆 > > Remember that name 😤[@whlsilvertips](https://twitter.com/WHLsilvertips?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#WHLChampionship](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHLChampionship?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#FeedingTheFuture](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FeedingTheFuture?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#WHLHoN](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHLHoN?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#NHLDraft](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/n3NsVs7sZt](https://t.co/n3NsVs7sZt?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [May 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2055515830662881404?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## THE FLAWS: LACK OF EXPLOSIVENESS, QUESTIONABLE CEILING The biggest problem that Liske has as a prospect is that he doesn't have any major, elite standout-tool. That's why I bumped him down from originally writing him as a second round option. He projects as a solid all-around defenseman, but the lack of really high end tools make me question his projection more than some of the other defensemen I profiled for the second or third round. For me, the biggest limitation that Liske has is in his athleticism – specifically, his lack of explosive acceleration and high end, north-south speed. They make me concerned that he wouldn't be able to keep pace with the opposition he'll face in the pro levels as well as he does in junior. His positioning and anticipation help him play against higher paces than he can manage with his athletic mobility alone, but that's in junior and he can already get beat by elite-speed. He'll need to work on improving those areas over the next few years. Thankfully, I think it's something that's relatively easy for a guy his age to do up to a certain point. Liske has a similar issue when it comes to his offensive and transition skills. He is not an elite puck handler or skater, though when it comes to mobility his biggest strength is definitely his agility and elusiveness. He has some mechanical issues in handling the puck in terms of his posture and hand positioning. I don't care about this in the offensive zone, but it does matter a lot more to me when it comes to being able to elude pro level forecheckers so he can drive high rates and efficiency levels of zone exits. Otherwise, while Liske definitely has the brain to be a high level hockey player, the question around him will be if he has the tools (outside of his size, which isn't nothing) to make it as a pro. He can get the most of whatever level of tools he has thanks to his brain, so every little increment of improvement he can achieve will go a long way for him. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT I'll fully admit that, as a defense prospect, Liske is pretty bland. He's the oatmeal of defense prospects. Tastes plain on its own, but damn does it have some very useful foundational elements in the nutrition that can help the heart of your hockey team. Liske did help himself by adding a bit of spice to his game down the stretch, in the form of brown sugar, cinnamon and/or maple syrup that represents playing with a harder physical edge to his defense. Okay I've worn that metaphor out well and truly. Point is, he started playing more proactively with a higher level of execution and consistency, playing a more suffocating and punishing kind of defense. He also improved his breakout efficiency by adding a bit more dynamic skating to help elude forecheckers better. More than anything, what impressed me is that Liske became a top pairing, all situations leader for the team on their WHL championship run. Their top all around defenseman, Tarin Smith, was hurt after the very easy first round. Even with DuPont being the offensive leader from the blueline, Liske became the calming presence that kept things safe behind him, and he really became a leader for the team even though he himself was only 17 years old... DuPont was even younger! Even if he feels like a safer, more boring pick than some of the others I've profiled, I think there's something to be said for him having such a solid all-around, two way game as a foundation right now. There are improvements he needs to make, but none of it comes from a place of being huge weaknesses. He only needs to make more incremental changes across the board to his skating, physical play, puck handling, passing, and so on. If he's a safe pick because he has a higher floor, just raise the floor a bit more. Even if he's still a bore at least his defense won't be a chore, and he would be a valuable addition to the Leafs' D-corps. ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Yelisei Ryabykin URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-yelisei-ryabykin/ Last updated: 2026-06-20T12:00:32.000Z Ryabykin might be the most "out there" player I'm writing a full profile on. When I was picking the final defenseman to get the full write up treatment, I also debated guys like Luke Schairer from the US NTDP, the 6'8" monster Maksim Sokolovskii who played on the London Knights, the Norwegian Axel Brøngel-Larsson playing in Sweden, and Ben Macbeath from Calgary in the WHL. All of them have more hype going for them for different reasons. Instead, I'm picking a young Russian who wasn't even listed by NHL Central Scouting, and they include hundreds of players. In fact, only three public scouting outlets that I've seen have ranked him at all. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: MHL - **Height**: 6'1" - **Weight**: 181 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jul 8, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Corey Pronman: Not ranked - Will Scouch: 64th - Elite Prospects: 93rd - Scott Wheeler: Not ranked - McKeen's Hockey: 89th - Upside Hockey: Not ranked - NHL Central Scouting: Not ranked Ryabykin is at the high end of average in terms of size, and has a younger birthday in July. He played on a very good Dynamo Moskva team that had the second best record in the regular season. They were particularly deep on defense, with two 19 year old, 6'4" defensemen drafted by Carolina in back-to-back years who both played 23+ minutes per game. Ryabkin, on the other hand, was 2-3 years younger than the two, but he averaged the third highest ice time per game at 19:34 in the regular season, and then 20:11 in the playoffs. On a weird roster that had ONLY left-shot defensemen out of the 13 total defenders who were on their roster at any point last season, Ryabykin wound up getting used a good amount – including the playoffs – on the right side. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/image-8.png) From [Will Scouch's](https://www.scouching.ca/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 2026 NHL Draft Prospects tracking data. In terms of his production, Ryabykin's 19 points in 48 games was tied for the third most in the MHL for U18 defensemen. He was also third on the team's defense in points, behind the two aforementioned NHL draft picks (Kurban Limatov and Timur Kol). He was deployed as an all situations minutes-eater with solid two-way impacts for the league. He got occasional time on the powerplay for their second unit during periods when either Kol or Limatov were not in the lineup. He got a lot more time on the penalty kill as a regular on their top two units. Ryabykin's tracking data also rates out as very strong, whether I look at it from Will Scouch, Neutral Zone, or Elite Prospects. You can see some visualizations I shared from Scouching, where he rates out as one of the top tracked defensemen in terms of his passing ability (attempted and completed dangerous passes) and his combined rush and in-zone defense. Per Neutral Zone, he completes 91% of all his passes and wins 66% of the puck battles he engaged in, though again keep in mind that's all against Russian junior competition. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/image-11.png) From [Will Scouch's](https://www.scouching.ca/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 2026 NHL Draft Prospects tracking data. ## THE GOOD: MOBILITY, MOTOR, DRIVING OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE TRANSITIONS That tracking data touches on the strengths of Ryabykin's game. Honestly, he's one of those jack-of-all-trades, but master of none kind of guys. He has a solid mix of decent size (though he can hopefully grow both taller and fill out stronger), puck moving ability, defensive efficiency, and high-level of mobility and relentless motor. What excites me the most about Ryabykin is his abilities as a puck mover, and a mover in general. He is a highly efficient passer and is a high level puck retriever on dump ins. He uses shifty skating and feints to elude forecheckers and makes good and quick passes to move it up the ice at a high pace. He's a capable passer not just from his forehand, but can make deft slip and saucer passes from his backhand as well. He's reliable while handling the puck too, doing a good job of protecting it and not turning it over very often. As a mover in general, Ryabykin plays with endless energy, which he needs to play so much in all situations. His feet are always moving and he is relentless in battling along the boards, shutting down transitions to defend his blueline, and pursuing dump ins so he can transition the puck back up the ice. He isn't really an elite skater in terms of his mobility, but he's at a good level with his motor providing the rest. Defensively, Ryabykin is good at both defending the rush and defending in his own end against sustained possessions. He has a good stick for deflecting passes, poking it away to create a turnover, and luring puck carriers to the outside. His mobility and aggression allows him to maintain an aggressive gap to shut down puck carriers before they can cross the blue line, and he is one of the more efficient defenders in the draft in terms of succeeding in forcing a turnover or dump in. And when it is dumped in behind him, he's one of the more efficient defenders in successfully retrieving it and transitioning it back out of his own end. 0:00 /1:22 1× Yelisei Ryabykin (#16 in white and blue) - Highlights ## THE FLAWS: OFFENSIVE DECISION MAKING, STRENGTH, POSITIONAL CONSISTENCY As a kind of jack of all trades guy with no glaring weakness, Ryabykin's biggest flaw is that he doesn't have a real major strength. He's not elite offensively, even if he's an efficient passer and puck mover. He's more of a facilitator, which I honestly tend to like as much as a defenseman who can turn his skills with the puck into more points. Offensively I can see some potential, and Ryabykin sure does like to activate from the point or jump into a rush. But his success rate and overall impact in these attempts is inconsistent. I tend to like his plays made along the blueline to keep the puck moving from there better, considering his dangerous pass rate is pretty good. My issue is that the style of play Ryabykin has offensively isn't something that you see in the NHL very much, whether because of a stylistic choice by coaches or because it just doesn't succeed at that the top level I can't say. I tend to not mind very much if a guy tries more risky things in junior at this age to learn what they can and cannot get away with, and it helps them practice skill plays during actual games against real-time pressure and space. The problem for him in this area is that he doesn't have a lot of high level skill to pull off most of his attempts, at least not yet. Otherwise, the things Ryabykin needs to work on the most is to refine his decision making more. Right now he plays a very high risk style with and without the puck, and that works for him with a good success rate in the MHL. The problem is... it's the MHL, so all that tells me is he has enough skill to make it work in a weaker league. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT All of that said, one thing I've started doing more in these profiles is talking about how much a player improved over the season. At this age, any player who takes big leaps is someone I value more than someone who started about as good as they finished, even if they wound up roughly as good. In Ryabykin's case, he made some very important improvements that, if taken as hints for how he will develop further in the future, are meaningful to me. Ryabykin's biggest area of improvement is cutting down on turnovers when dealing with pressure from the forecheck. By the end of the season he dealt with it more calmly and executed his dekes and/or passes to complete a successful zone exit with efficiency. In fact, he improved a lot in his transition game as a whole. He was much better at making himself aware of people's positions by scanning and shoulder checking to plan his moves, then made quick touch passes with efficient accuracy. As coaches love to say, the puck can be passed faster than a player can carry it themselves. Considering how much I value this specifically as a skill I want defensemen to be good at, that's a great sign for me. The other areas Ryabykin improved the most are in his edges and explosiveness, and how those specific elements of mobility helped unlock his passing game. They helped him create more time and space for himself so he could avoid pressure and have an easier time making a play. He could better elude checkers and create separation with the explosiveness in his acceleration. And being more mobile is never a bad thing, especially for defensemen. The final area for Ryabykin's improvement was in his more offensive playmaking and both the volume and efficiency of scoring chances he helped generate. He was more of an offensive non-factor to start the year, but by the end he was completing passes into the slot for dangerous scoring chances at one of the highest rates of any defenseman in this year's draft class (with the caveat of the league he played in). If a defenseman is going to be good offensively in a way that I will care about, it's doing exactly this. I don't care about defensemen who have a big shot or who score a lot of goals in junior by activating off the point and scoring in close with pure skill, those are the very last things I would care about having in a defenseman. I'm thinking of what Cathy has been preaching for a while about how good offensive forwards are simply much better at being offensively skilled than good offensive defensemen. So what I want for a good offensive defenseman is a guy who can get those skilled forwards the puck in dangerous areas so they have more and better opportunities to do damage. So, overall, what we're looking at Ryabykin is a young defensemen who is raw but has no glaring weaknesses. He shows a lot of promise as a potential two-way defenseman who can potentially do a good job on both special teams and eat minutes reliably at even strength. The ceiling on his skill means he may not be an NHLer at all, and if he does it would likely be in more of a depth role. But for me, considering the area of the draft where he is likely to be available (mid to late rounds), I see him as one of the more interesting players you could take. ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Weekend FTB: Raddysh is nice, now what? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-raddysh-now-what/ Last updated: 2026-06-20T10:00:52.000Z [Toronto Marlies win the Calder CupThe Marlies win it four games to one against the Chicago Wolves tonight in front of a max capacity crowd at the Coliseum.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-3ba4a60d-2b5e-44ef-9b10-61837df89797.png)PPP LeafsSpecies![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/55342887772_58f000ffc8_k-9f1c1e68-9cde-4780-ab71-d9289ea44691.jpg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/toronto-marlies-win-the-calder-cup/) If you missed it late yesterday the details of the Darren Raddysh deal are now known: > Raddysh 8 year $8.5M Cap Hit Deal: > > Year 1 $1M Base & $10M Signing Bonus > Year 2 5M & 6M SB > Year 3 4.5M & 6M SB > Year 4 4.25M & 4M SB > Year 5 3.45M & 4M SB > Year 6/7/8 3.3M & 3.3M SB > > No Move throughout, 16 team No Trade Years 7/8 > > Rep'd by Craig Oster [@TheHockeyAgency](https://x.com/TheHockeyAgency?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)… > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [June 19, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2068092950031331818?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Darren Raddysh: Been Toronto Down 🦖[@Raptors](https://x.com/Raptors?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/28EO5WAEmE](https://t.co/28EO5WAEmE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [June 19, 2026](https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2068020598421217789?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) John Chayka mentions that he was interested in Raddysh back when he was in junior playing with then Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome. He tried to sign him out of junior, but Raddysh (undrafted) signed an AHL contract and eventually ended up in Tampa. He calls the move aggressive and admits it's not without risk. He also calls this move an organizational win. Terry Koshan asks outright about Matthew Knies. Chayka goes back to his opening press conference comments about it being his job to evaluate everyone. But he downplays the idea that they can improve the roster by trading a good young player. He says it "makes for good writing" and is something that interests people. He calls the idea not probable. On Ben Danford, Chayka had a lot of praise, but sounded a note of caution that this will be a process and they have a lot of options on the right side right now. The whole presser is worth a listen. His answers are very "designed for PPP" in a sense. When asked about Raddysh and the PP, he talks up his five-on-five game. He is himself, that's for sure, and he's not going to put on the mantle of a standard NHL GM and talk about the game the way the TV men do. Listen to him deal with the question about the Leafs "handing out NMCs". Unlike me he didn't sarcastically say "like candy". About Matt Knies – remember that the rule at this time of the year is that GMs lie. And Chayka himself discussed that very idea in answer to a question about their stealthy deals. He said things about being forthright with the fans at the right time. So when he says about Knies that he's evaluating, but trading a player like him won't make you better... well... okay. This reporting and speculation started below the surface long before Nick Kypreos came up with a fully fleshed out theory of how a trade could work for the Leafs. And Kypreos never pretended he wasn't just advancing a theory. But since then several other reporters have stated plainly that conversations are happening between other teams and the Leafs. This is Chris Johnston on the topic (from before the Chayka presser): [\- TSNWith free-agency around the corner, there is much speculation in Canadian markets about potential trades of big name players including Connor Hellebuyck, Matthew Knies, Morgan Rielly and Darnell Nurse. TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston has the latest on where talks have progressed.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-c74af4ab-c24f-4bb0-b799-418bd16d78ca.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F06-19-2026-2Ft_1d56a9454d3e4bbc8693bb3599dfc089_name_2026_6_19_aef8c164_c97c_4245_a959_fb9d69253674_jpg_1920x1080-e3504ce0-cda0-4442-964e-e0e47466e32e.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/video/2026/06/19/cj-updates-on-hellebuyck-knies-rielly-and-nurse/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Johnston describes the past on this file a little differently to how it often is told. He describes the Leafs under Treliving as actively shopping Knies last spring. And that three or four teams got somewhere down the road towards a deal but that it didn't happen. We've all heard the stories about Montréal and gossip about Kent Hughes being angry and the trade being filed late. This has all become truthy now, but it's unlikely anyone who was there is going to speak on the record. As for now, Johnston says the Leafs are "at least keeping their ears open to the possibility that Matthew Knies could bring them back multiple pieces." He also refers to what the Leafs are doing as a "refresh or retool" and that's a good way of looking at it. Step out of the dichotomy of contending or losing on purpose, and see that there is a lot of unexamined middle there. Johnston then lays out why Knies' name is out there. He is under contract for term with no trade protection. He says that what the Leafs are doing is conducting an auction because they can trade him to any of 31 teams. This all makes sense. Now if you've never bought anything at an auction – I have way too many times – you need to know that a seller can put a reserve price on something. And that's also clearly what's going on here, the reserve price on Knies is very high. The other thing about auctions is that when someone outbids you, the urge to win is really powerful and it takes a strong will to resist. Someone might (improbably or not) best that reserve price. This is not "shopping the player" or wanting to trade him for a specific return, but a willingness to be wowed by a return that can help now and in the future on multiple fronts. --- [What Darren Raddysh can do for the Maple LeafsThe Maple Leafs took a big swing by trading for, and then signing, 30-year-old Darren Raddysh to an eight-year contract. Justin Bourne writes what the new defenceman can bring to the team.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/raddysh_darren1280-fdbe3e99-c02a-4090-9c58-304c705eea1a.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/what-darren-raddysh-can-do-for-the-maple-leafs/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Kyle Dubas getting yet another guy from the Soo. [Francis hired by Penguins as special adviser of hockey operations | NHL.comHall of Famer won Cup with Pittsburgh twice, was previously Seattle GM![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-7d0e9541-2821-4f49-acca-01e85cce8693.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/lt7pywn44rffk5hz8uzj-791dfe67-97e7-4d90-90c3-bad43a786fbd.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/ron-francis-hired-by-pittsburgh-as-hockey-ops-adviser?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [TORONTO SCEPTRES RE-SIGN MUNROE, MESSIER AND WOODSThe Toronto Sceptres today announced that defender Allie Munroe has been re-signed to a two-year Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Standard Player Agreement through the 2027-28 season, and forwards Lauren Messier and Emma Woods have been re-sig…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-a2b7b537-5a95-421d-8ab0-5c9900a58e2a.png)Professional Women's Hockey League![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/TOR_MunroeMessierWoods_19.6-8f82074e-0b72-411d-8cba-5ca4dea32995.26)](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/teams/toronto-sceptres/news/2026/june/19/toronto-sceptres-re-sign-munroe-messier-and-woods?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's it for now, but will this weekend really go by with no big news? ### Toronto Marlies win the Calder Cup URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/toronto-marlies-win-the-calder-cup/ Last updated: 2026-06-20T06:27:35.000Z After a post-season in which the Marlies had to scratch and claw their way to make it through a play-in round against the Rochester Americans, and then through the playoffs where they had many come-from-behind victories against the Cleveland Monsters, the Laval Rocket and the W-B/S Penguins, the Marlies sealed the deal tonight with four wins against the Chicago Wolves. Artur Akhtyamov was named MVP. We'll have more on all of this tomorrow, but for tonight, enjoy the highlights of the game, and it's GIF PARTY TIME! I'll update this post with some more GIFs from the celebrations down on the ice shortly. > LET IT SIMMER BABY! > > Landon Sim tips one home to put us within one! | [@cocacola\_ca](https://x.com/cocacola%5Fca?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/y04NgjbZS8](https://t.co/y04NgjbZS8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 19, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2068121036466384949?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Bo Groulx certainly increased his value this season. > WE BO-LIEVE!!! > > Bo Groulx scores on the power-play to tie the game at 2! | [@cocacola\_ca](https://x.com/cocacola%5Fca?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/zvSCkwAQ1x](https://t.co/zvSCkwAQ1x?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 20, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2068126804485849122?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Wolves can't deal with prickly Quills. > RIGHT ON Q!!! > > Jacob Quillan scores to give us the 3-2 lead! | [@cocacola\_ca](https://x.com/cocacola%5Fca?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/a0FNxUI9hm](https://t.co/a0FNxUI9hm?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 20, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2068133585786130751?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Vinni Lettieri always comes through when you need him. > ANDIAMO VINNI! 👊 > > Vinni Lettieri blasts one home to give us the 4-2 lead! | [@cocacola\_ca](https://x.com/cocacola%5Fca?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/2Cs0Z45tiR](https://t.co/2Cs0Z45tiR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 20, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2068134567014215763?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/528.jpg) NOW BRING ON THE GIFS! ### Leafs complete a sign and trade for Darren Raddysh URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/leafs-working-on-a-sign-and-trade-for-darren-raddysh/ Last updated: 2026-06-19T22:32:24.000Z > TRADE: We’ve acquired defenceman Darren Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Toronto’s fifth-round selection in the 2026 NHL Draft > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [June 19, 2026](https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2067948016443761005?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Darren Raddysh is 30, shoots right, and is listed at 6'1" and 203 lbs. He is originally from Caledon and played for the Toronto Marlboros as a kid. He has never played for Team Canada. He has 249 NHL games played over five seasons and broke into the NHL very late. Yesterday I posted two views of Raddysh from Hockey Viz and Evolving Hockey: First his history in a summary form: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-47.png) And his last three seasons in RAPM form: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-48.png) What we know about the player is that he is with Tampa's loss of Victor Hedman at times this season, Raddysh shot up in ice time, playing 23 minutes per game when the most he'd played before was 19 and he did very well. That sounds apt. And risking for big rewards is one of the ways the Leafs can improve their team right now, when they have few assets to spend. The cost here (beyond cap space, which is going to be hefty) is the fifth-round pick. The kind of pick Kyle Dubas wouldn't take to help Edmonton sign Zach Hyman. Meanwhile Toronto gets their defenceman before July 1, sets their cap situation very early and will likely get this contract spread out over the maximum term of eight years. The new contract term limits of six years or seven for the existing team come into effect in September. As that RAPM chart shows, Raddysh is an offensively gifted defenceman in terms of creating offence and there are signs he has some legitimate skill as a shooter and setup man. Not always the case with offensive defenders. Now we all know what the Leafs big problem has been. Zone exits. Not necessarily in-zone defending or even getting the puck, they can do that with the people they have, but then they can't get anywhere with it for more than a few seconds. This is the fulcrum upon which their horrible season teetered, not as often mention, Craig Berube's dump and chase ideas. That article up there from the Athletic quotes the All Three Zones tracking project and it says: > And he wasn’t a passenger either; according to [tracking data from Corey Sznajder](https://www.allthreezones.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), Raddysh was elite at breaking the puck out and facilitating offense in-zone. The NHL provides player tracking data to all teams, and the GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs is more than a little familiar with what tracking data of one sort or another can tell you. Don't get fooled by his points, this will be the draw for Toronto with Raddysh. Dom Luszczyszyn makes a very interesting comparison to Brandon Montour, calling him a one-year wonder. Which is not a universally held opinion. It is if you look at his points where he had an amazing year in Florida and then hasn't put up those numbers since, but HockeyViz thinks he's a stud. Evolving Hockey doesn't. It thinks he's declined along with his points. This is the true nature of the risk, not just predicting what a player will do in the future, but in accurately identifying what they're contributing right now. Particularly for defenders. All signs point to Raddysh being better than most of the Maple Leafs defenders at being that fulcrum upon which their fortunes can turn up. If once he's helped get the puck out of the zone, he can do fun things offensively, that's actually just the bonus. No one player is the answer to everything the Leafs need. Auston Matthews isn't the one person who can make the team win games, no matter what he's paid. Raddysh is just (yes I'm doing it) part of the salad that makes up the team. UPDATE: a correction of a minor sort. The only way this deal could be 8 years is if it was done before June 30. > Sources say that Darren Raddysh's eight-year deal with the [#leafs](https://x.com/hashtag/leafs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) carries a $8.5M AAV. > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [June 19, 2026](https://x.com/reporterchris/status/2067949856891564292?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Raddysh 8 year $8.5M Cap Hit Deal: > > Year 1 $1M Base & $10M Signing Bonus > Year 2 5M & 6M SB > Year 3 4.5M & 6M SB > Year 4 4.25M & 4M SB > Year 5 3.45M & 4M SB > Year 6/7/8 3.3M & 3.3M SB > > No Move throughout, 16 team No Trade Years 7/8 > > Rep'd by Craig Oster [@TheHockeyAgency](https://x.com/TheHockeyAgency?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)… > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [June 19, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2068092950031331818?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) James Mirtle the sources on the clauses. ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Alan Shaikhlislamov URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-alan-shaikhlislamov/ Last updated: 2026-06-19T12:00:04.000Z Random observation I made while writing all these profiles... I unintentionally wound up picking players to profile that predominantly have either a late or early birthday. Of the 21 players I am writing full profiles on, 13 are born in either the 3.5 months from Sept 16 to Dec 31, 2007 (McKenna, Stenberg, Reid, and Hoen) or were born in the 3.5 months from June 1 to Sept 15, 2008 (Malhotra, Gustafsson, Preston, Cali, Andersson, Shaikhlislamov, Gundmundsson, Murnieks and Ryabkykin). Not really relevant to anything. I just once again didn't want to bullshit out a profound sounding intro. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Left-shot winger - **League(s)**: MHL - **Height**: 6'1" - **Weight**: 187 lbs - **Birthdate**: Sep 04, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Corey Pronman: 111th - Will Scouch: Honourable mention - Elite Prospects: 52nd - Scott Wheeler: 83rd - McKeen's Hockey: Honourable mention - Upside Hockey: Not ranked - NHL Central Scouting: 25th (European skaters) Shaikhlislamov's season was very up and down. He started off on fire – he scored a goal in five straight games to open the year, and had 6 goals and 9 points in his first 7 games. That earned him a call up to the KHL team, and he actually got into one game with real minutes. He played 11:22, but had no points and was a -3\. He had another 2 points in his first game back and seemed like he was on a huge upwards trajectory, with potential to follow in Alexander Zharovsky's footsteps (relevant name for Toronto fans given recent trade rumours) in playing more for the Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the KHL late in the year. Unfortunately for Shaikhlislamov, in his third game following that KHL game he was the victim of a blatant charging/boarding penalty and missed 22 games from October 13th to January 5th. When he returned, it took him a while to get back into the groove he found early in the season. He had one point (an assist) in the first six games, averaged half his usual shots per game rate for the rest of the season, and was a minus player in all six of those games (combined -9). I normally don't pay much attention to plus-minus, especially in solo games or a cherry picked period of games, but I did find that noteworthy when he had a season total of +15 and he only had three other games all season when he was a minus player. But right after that six game period, it all seemed to come back and stayed back for the rest of the year. Shaikhlislamov's goals, points, shots and ice time all went up. After that rough stretch, he had a 10 game point streak where he had 9 goals and 11 assists. His ice time went up, his shot rate went up, and he was a combined +22\. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/Shaik-3.png) Shaikhlislamov's Statistical Breakdown You can get a good idea for Shaikhlislamov's season in his month by month breakdown. He started out hot, his shortened October and post-injury return in January were slower, but then his February and March were more in line with how he started, except with even higher shot and point rates. His ice time increased, he got bumped up from the second line at even strength and the top powerplay unit to the top line and top powerplay unit. By the time the playoffs rolled around, he started averaging 3 minutes more of ice time per game than his average in the regular season. Taking Shaikhlislamov's season as a whole, including that middle period where he was struggling, his goal and point per game rate would be second in the league for U18 players. And a reminder, he is one of the younger players in the league with a September 4th birthday. He also had one of the highest shot rates, and for top line forwards one of the highest hits per game rates as well – which I am only mentioning to tease the strengths and weaknesses section. ## THE GOOD: NHL-LEVEL SHOT, OFF PUCK OFFENSE, PHYSICAL PLAY, NET-FRONT SKILL There are two main elements of Shaikhlislamov's game that I consider to be his biggest strengths: his shot and his off-puck play energy. I've seen more than a couple of scouts call Shaikhlislamov's shot already NHL-level, both his wrist shot and his slap shot/one timer. With both types of shot his release is quick, he can put a ton of velocity on it, and he is accurate. He is able to beat goalies cleanly from distance with open looks, albeit in Russia's junior league. He will fire his wrist shot while he's skating at speed, he can use a curl and drag release for more deception and power, or just snap a quick shot to catch goalies off guard as they move square to his position. What adds to Shaikhlislamov's shot is his goal scoring instincts. He reminds me of another Leafs prospect in Russia, Alexander Plesovskikh, for his timing and off-puck routes to open areas of the ice. He has that uncanny knack for arriving in the right place at the right time to get a pass or pounce on a rebound in front of the net for a tap in goal. This is one of the reasons why Shaikhlislamov's shot rate got so high, as he got a lot better at getting his shots off in dangerous areas like that. I saw one scout mention that he's a great pass recipient and while it seems like a weird thing to say, I agree with it. There are players who are better at creating offensive chances, and others who are better at finishing them. Shaikhlislamov is definitely the latter. The other part of Shaikhlislamov's off-puck strength is his motor and power forward-like tools. He's just a bit above average in size, listed as 6'1" and 187 lbs, but he plays even bigger than that. He acts like a wrecking ball on the ice, absolutely leveling dudes along the boards and in open ice, initiating contact in huge collisions and is usually the only guy left standing... or at least being the first guy back to his feet. He is good at protecting the puck when he has it, but this physical, power forward style of play is something he shows a lot more on the forecheck, parking himself in dangerous areas in front of the net, and battling in front for tips, rebounds, back door tap ins, jam plays, all that good stuff. 0:00 /2:39 1× Alan Shaikhlislamov (#11 in green/white) - Goal Highlights Some other elements to Shaikhlislamov's game that I think are strengths but have more conflicting opinions is his playmaking and his skating. On the playmaking side, I do agree that he isn't exactly a consistently high-level and dynamic puck handler or passer. But I like what one scout said, which is that he has a high level of "practical execution". The way he described it is while he doesn't have blinding fast hands or elite control of the puck where it's on a string for him, he is very good at letting the puck do the work. He doesn't over handle it, he doesn't try to deke the defender out of his pants all the time and lose it as a result. He excels in his puck handling when he is playing a heavy, power style that involves puck protection and bullying defenders to clear space for himself. But Shaikhlislamov definitely has flashes of some absurd hands and skill. Look at the first goal in the highlight clip above. Right off a faceoff, he gets a pass in the slot and – I'm still not sure if he did this on purpose or not – he chips the puck up in the air between two defenders and in front of the goalie, then as those defenders and the goalie raise their sticks and gloves to get the puck themselves, he knocks it down out of the air first to get past the goalie who is pushing out to get the puck, then knocks it in the empty net. It reminded me of [Abbey Murphy's highlight reel assist in the NCAA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL0MjQtlt20&pp=ygUTYWJiZXkgbXVycGh5IGFzc2lzdA%3D%3D&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) where she did something similar for an assist. The same "practical execution" is how I'd describe Shaikhlislamov's passing. He doesn't necessarily try high-level playmaking to slip passes through narrow passing lanes, or firing cross ice passes at every attempt. The passes he makes are direct and purposeful, and they do the job. He's at his best when he's along the boards during a cycle, winning battles to come away with the puck and making simple but quick and hard passes to the slot or the point. His playmaking is about helping keep possessions alive, keep the puck moving, facilitating the offense with his off puck play, and waiting for his chance to finish a play with his shot and net front scoring. The one thing I'll say that I noticed more than a few times is Shaikhlislamov being clever with using the threat of his shot to create a dangerous pass. He had around 5 assists this season just from firing a hard looking shot, but it was really just wide to a teammate for a simple tap in or deflection that bypassed the goalie's pads. He tried it more than just those times too, and honestly it's a smart trick when goalies and defenders sell out to get in front of your shot, but you use it as a playmaking trick to freeze them and pass it instead. You can see a few of them in these highlights of his assists: 0:00 /2:35 1× Alan Shaikhlislamov (#11 in green/white) - Playmaking Highlights The final strength I'll talk about is Shaikhlislamov's skating. It's not elite in any specific way, but like his passing he is what I would say is a very good practical power skater. He has some shiftiness and good edges, with natural quickness and explosiveness from his strong athleticism. He doesn't always look pretty, and he can certainly look wild at times, but he is above all else very strong on his feet and has a relentless motor at times. As of right now, the strength of his mobility overall is more as a straight-line skater, keeping in line with the power-forward profile. While there are areas for improvement in his skating, which I'll get to below, I do think that his overall mobility right now projects as above average. ## THE FLAWS: SHOT SELECTION, INCONSISTENT SKILL, SEPARATION SPEED Actually, I feel like I already touched on most of the flaws Shaikhlislamov needs to work on, but it's worth elaborating on them a bit more. I think the biggest area for Shaikhlislamov to work on is his decision making with the puck. Like I said above, he's at his best when he's playing that heavy, power-forward style that supports the offense to keep it moving while hunting around the home plate area of the ice for a chance to use his shot and scoring ability to finish a scoring chance. While Shaikhlislamov does show occasional flashes of higher level skill in terms of his shooting, puck handling and passing, there are times when he tries to do that kind of thing too much and gets away from that 'practical execution' style that works very well. His shot selection in particular can get wild, and he'll try shooting it from anywhere and everywhere. He's so young, and he already showed a lot of improvement in this area over the season that I'm not extremely concerned about it, but it's that kind of "junior hockey" mindset that I hope he learns to get rid of, especially if and when he gets more time at the pro level. Other than that, there's the aforementioned limitations Shaikhlislamov has as a puck handler and a play driver. The mechanics in his puck handling, in part caused by his skating mechanics, makes him too stiff and not flexible and responsive enough to pull off some of the dekes that he tries. Fixing those would help, but similar to his shot selection, what will help him most is improving his overall decision making as far as when he can or should try things like that and when he should stick to the practical execution thing. The same kind of issue exists with his passing, but I don't think it's as bad with that. He works best without the puck as a physical supporting winger to create space and draw defenders to himself. Honestly, all of Shaikhlislamov's flaws can be summarized by saying he needs to improve his mechanics so he can be more successful at the things he tries, but also refine his decision making so he makes wiser choices for when to try and be more dynamic and when to be more simple but efficient. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT From watching Shaikhlislamov's games this season, as far as how much better he looked in specific ways at the end compared to the start of the season, what stands out the most to me is his commitment and effectiveness in playing without the puck. Defensively, he showed a major improvement in his effort and his habits. He started scanning the ice more, he skated better (his skating did also just get better overall) on the backcheck, he was positioning himself better and more proactively, little things like that. Then there was the evolution of Shaikhlislamov's power game. That element of "practical execution" really took off later in the year from his commitment and confidence in playing like a wrecking ball. He simplified his puck handling and playmaking, and there was much greater consistency in his motor and work ethic in winning inside body positioning in puck battles, initiating contact on his terms to establish and maintain leverage, take hits to make plays, and so on. Weirdly, he also got better at disengaging from the play to escape the defense's notice and time his route to soft areas in coverage for scoring chances. His skating mechanics looked to get cleaner, and his mobility overall certainly looked better to me by the end of the season. All of this gives me the impression that Shaikhlislamov would make for an excellent long term project. He already has a solid foundation of skills that, if built upon further with NHL level development coaches, would make him a viable bottom six forward who can support the play, be physical, be reliable defensively, and score some goals. In one of the few times I saw a comparable for a prospect that I think could actually be pretty accurate if he develops along that path, I saw someone draw a line to Blake Coleman. Wouldn't that be nice to find in the third or fourth round? ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Friday's FTB: Marlies need another shot at the Cup URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-marlies-need-another-shot/ Last updated: 2026-06-19T10:00:13.000Z The Wolves struck first last night, with a goal 28 seconds in, but then the Marlies took over outshooting the Wolves 21-5 in the first. The duelling free agent centre prospects struck back, first Jacob Quillan and then Luke Haymes. > OHH MYYYY Q!!! > > Jacob Quillan scores a beauty on the power-play to make it 1-1! | [@cocacola\_ca](https://x.com/cocacola%5Fca?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/pB8L9RiKcb](https://t.co/pB8L9RiKcb?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 18, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2067752836025257984?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > WHAT TIME IS IT? HAYMER TIME! 🔨 > > Luke Haymes scores to give us the 2-1 lead! | [@cocacola\_ca](https://x.com/cocacola%5Fca?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/2RVtngZ0CV](https://t.co/2RVtngZ0CV?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 18, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2067753698952958195?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) After one it was 2-1\. Ryan Tverberg made it 3-1, busting the attempt by the Wolves to come back in the second. > WATCH OUT… RHYNO COMING THROUGH!!! 🦏 > > Ryan Tverberg scores to give us the 3-1 lead! | [@cocacola\_ca](https://x.com/cocacola%5Fca?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/a8NJDm7ISQ](https://t.co/a8NJDm7ISQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 19, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2067770999907443157?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Wolves got one back, and again it's Jusso Valimaki creating the play. He is alleged to be on his way to the SHL, but he is so, so close to being an NHL defender. The Wolves then got two back, this time their other notable player Justin Robidas, who has seven goals in the playoffs. Overtime did not go the Marlies way, although Alex Nylander had a decent chance to finish it, the Wolves live to fight another day. > Toronto was just THIS close to winning the [#CalderCup](https://x.com/hashtag/CalderCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). [@InsideAHLHockey](https://x.com/InsideAHLHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/sRhBAXiA4e](https://t.co/sRhBAXiA4e?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Tony Androckitis\* (@TonyAndrock) [June 19, 2026](https://x.com/TonyAndrock/status/2067787900503179646?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Viktor Neuchev wins it in OT for [@Chicago\_Wolves](https://x.com/Chicago%5FWolves?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), forcing Game 5 of the [#CalderCup](https://x.com/hashtag/CalderCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finals tomorrow night in Toronto. [@InsideAHLHockey](https://x.com/InsideAHLHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/uzk8iN86Vp](https://t.co/uzk8iN86Vp?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Tony Androckitis\* (@TonyAndrock) [June 19, 2026](https://x.com/TonyAndrock/status/2067788486187315451?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Tonight's game is at 7 pm. --- Several PWHL teams signed their own players yesterday, Toronto did not. Today at noon the open signing period begins where all teams can sign free agents whose rights aren't held by someone else or their own expiring players. --- Canadians drop the gloves after... no wait. Wrong sport, sorry. > Tensions are high after the final whistle between Qatar and Canada.[#FIFAWorldCup](https://x.com/hashtag/FIFAWorldCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/qo7ewJ0qJx](https://t.co/qo7ewJ0qJx?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [June 19, 2026](https://x.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2067760715390156824?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Okay, now that I've made the obvious joke, I'll atone for the soccer fans with this gorgeous photo: > Jacob Shaffelburg. 🇨🇦 > > Instant impact for [@CANMNT\_Official](https://x.com/CANMNT%5FOfficial?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 💪 [pic.twitter.com/WdgxHelDPJ](https://t.co/WdgxHelDPJ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Major League Soccer (@MLS) [June 18, 2026](https://x.com/MLS/status/2067756577554063695?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is the kind of trade we're getting when we want thrills and chills: > 🔁 > > The Sharks have acquired Andre Gasseau and the 120th pick from the Bruins. > > — San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) [June 18, 2026](https://x.com/SanJoseSharks/status/2067638642089324824?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Sigh. What could have been. > The Washington Capitals have signed head coach Spencer Carbery to a multi-year contract extension.[#ALLCAPS](https://x.com/hashtag/ALLCAPS?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Washington Capitals (@Capitals) [June 18, 2026](https://x.com/Capitals/status/2067615785636499484?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) More potential trades: > Multiple teams exploring a trade with the Buffalo Sabres involving Dman, Bo Byram. Byram has 1 yr left on his contract before becoming an unrestricted Free Agent. Agent, Darren Ferris has some history with marching players to the open market. Motivation for trade consideration. > > — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) [June 18, 2026](https://x.com/DarrenDreger/status/2067611103090139253?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Other things I saw on podcasts (Seravalli) Jordan Kyrou yes, Robert Thomas no on potential Blues move. And more of the same (Dreger with Ferraro) on the Leafs demanding all the things for Matt Knies. > NHL: > “The League has completed its review of Mike Babcock’s tenure in [#CBJ](https://x.com/hashtag/CBJ?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), and of certain alleged conduct associated therewith. Our investigation has concluded that, even in a light least favorable to Babcock, there is no current basis to restrict his employment in the League.” > > — Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) [June 18, 2026](https://x.com/Aportzline/status/2067646290087772300?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And... > NHLPA statement on NHL decision regarding Mike Babcock: [pic.twitter.com/JNwBq71cCb](https://t.co/JNwBq71cCb?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) [June 18, 2026](https://x.com/Aportzline/status/2067661760660660463?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The expectation is the formal announcement of his hiring will be early next week. And finally in further media literacy discussion... > 👀 Per sources, I’m told [@AnaheimDucks](https://x.com/AnaheimDucks?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Captain D Gudas is gaining interest in the marketplace. If him & Ducks can’t get a deal done, [@FlaPanthers](https://x.com/FlaPanthers?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [@MapleLeafs](https://x.com/MapleLeafs?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) are among potential fits.He’s physical, experienced, > playoff tested, on a 2-3Yr term between 3.5M-4M+AAV [#HockeyX](https://x.com/hashtag/HockeyX?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/llbpdidQNa](https://t.co/llbpdidQNa?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) [June 19, 2026](https://x.com/KevinWeekes/status/2067764322315440336?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) A ha ha ha ha. Piss off with that cheap Leafs mention. ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Adam Valentini URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-adam-valentini/ Last updated: 2026-06-18T12:00:24.000Z At this point, I'm talking about prospects potentially available in the fourth round. Yesterday I talked about Wiggo Sörensson who is a brilliant skater and very skilled, but on the smallish side physically which raises concerns about his projection. Today, I'm going to talk about another forward with some skill but on the smaller side. Aside from that very superficial comparison, Adam Valentini couldn't be more different as a player, but no less interesting. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Left-shot winger - **League(s)**: NCAA - **Height**: 5'10" - **Weight**: 184 lbs - **Birthdate**: Apr 11, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Corey Pronman: Not ranked - Will Scouch: 35th - Elite Prospects: 51st - Scott Wheeler: 46th - McKeen's Hockey: Honourable mention - Upside Hockey: 78th - NHL Central Scouting: 46th (North American skaters) Valentini has had an interesting journey as a prospect the past two years. He was a high draft pick in the OHL, taken 13th overall by Brantford back in 2024\. However, this was right before the change to the NCAA-CHL eligibility rules, and he was committed to go the college route with Michigan. That's why he played his D-1 season in the USHL on the Chicago Steel. He finished tied for second in the league for U17 players in points, a good chunk behind Tynan Lawrence who will be a top 15 pick in this year's draft. That same year, he was part of the World U17 Hockey Challenge and tied for the tournament lead in points with 4 goals and 9 points in 5 games. This year, Valentini started the summer playing for Canada and wearing an "A" at the Hlinka Gretzky tournament. Canada didn't have a great tournament as a whole, but he finished tied for third on the team with 5 points in 5 games. After that, with the whole college eligibility issue sorted out, his original plan was to play this season with Kitchener in the OHL. They were going to be a top contending team, and they did in fact wind up winning the OHL and Memorial Cup championships. However, right before the season started a roster spot opened up on Michigan, and Valentini pulled out of the OHL to play in college a year early. That wound up making a lot of people mad at him, not just those in Kitchener but apparently the 'betrayal' rubbed a lot of general hockey folk the wrong way. He came into the season with some first round hype, and while I'm not going to say that's the only reason why his rankings dropped I do think it's a small one. What helped rehabilitate his image was Valentini's play with Michigan, even if he didn't have eye-popping points. Playing mostly a bottom six role on a deep Michigan team, he had the most points in the NCAA for U18 players with 27 in 40 games. More importantly than that is how he looked on the ice. [There's a nice profile on him from The Athletic](https://archive.is/XzzGL?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from his coaches in Michigan that's worth a read. This season, Valentini proved to be a very versatile depth forward for Michigan. He played all three forward positions at times in the bottom six. He played an average of 14:33 per game for the year, getting the occasional bump in time as he was occasionally used on both the top penalty killing and powerplay units. Despite being one of only five U18 players in college this season, he earned his coaches' trust through the season because he played well doing the little things. Something his coaches called out in that article that I linked above, is how they came to rely on him during late game moments because he was someone they trusted to play hard and play smart. He skated hard on the back check, could kill penalties, and the coaches sang his praises for a big shot block during their playoff tournament run. ## THE GOOD: MOTOR, PHYSICAL SKILLS, OFF-PUCK IMPACT, TWO-WAY IMPACT, PASSING So let's expand on all those things Valentini does well that led to his coaches trusting him so much, despite being on the smaller side and the youngest player on their team. The thing that gets called out the most by scouts and Valentini's current and former coaches, is his motor and work ethic. He gets described as a dog a lot because he is relentless on puck pursuits, in puck battles along the boards, and has that kind of hustle that coaches, teammates, and fans all love to see. His skating mechanics are reportedly not great, but to steal that expression I used earlier, his output does not seem to show much limitation in his ability to be or get where he needs to on the ice. Valentini is also fearless in taking or even initiating contact. He will lay guys out even if he isn't the tallest guy, he's strong, smart, and understands leverage and timing. He may be on the smaller side but he doesn't play like it. He isn't chasing hits or getting into a physical battle he can't win – like I said, he uses low stances to gain leverage, times his contact or initiates first when he is planted and strong on his feet, making it harder for bigger players to knock him down or push him off balance. He forechecks hard and can be a menace for defensemen, with him using contact smartly to disrupt their retrievals and make their life difficult rather than trying to crush a dude. He plays a power forward-style game in a 5'10" body. Valentini will battle in front of the net and win, and he'll fight through contact by keeping his feet moving. In fact, some scouts praise his play in front of/around the net. He will establish a position at the top of the crease to set screens, he'll roll off defensemen trying to hit or shove him and time it well to create more chaos or a chance for deflections, and can generate a good amount of offensive chances because he's a dog on a bone in terms of getting to loose pucks off rebounds. General point being, his offensive game is not perimeter based. I think he may be allergic to the white ice outside of the home plate area, if I'm honest. Then there's Valentini's defense. His off puck play in general is very high level – I touched on his backchecking, forechecking, board battles and net front game that includes a lot of what he does to help his team without the puck. But that extends also to the defensive side. He has a mature level of defensive play beyond his age, and beyond his size. He is alert, anticipates play well to know where he should be in terms of his positioning and blocking passing lanes, he's a good shot blocker if you like that kind of thing, and he has an annoyingly good stick to strip opponents or knock the puck loose to create a turnover. Being relied upon at all in late in high leverage situations during tightly contested games, considering his age and size, is a genuinely good mark in his favour. And that's not just because of Valentini's off-puck game, though that helps a lot. He may not be an elite-level guy in terms of pure skill, but he's efficient and reliable with the puck. He does not turn it over very much at all, and he is a highly effective player in close quarters in handling the puck, and coming out of puck battles to make quick, short-range passes and give-and-go exchanges off the wall to create time and space for his team to set something up offensively while he crashes the net. ## THE FLAWS: SKATING MECHANICS, SHOT, PHYSICAL PROJECTION There are two noteworthy issues I see with Valentini's game that he will need to work on (aside from his size which I won't bother diving into) – his skating mechanics and getting more out of his offensive skill. I mentioned above that despite his mechanical issues, Valentini is able to get around the ice as well as he needs to. His forechecking and backchecking is effective because he's not slow. However, his specific mechanical issues (upright stance, choppy strides, lack of ankle flexion, too much heel kick) are noted issues that affect his acceleration, his top speed and 'separation gear', and his agility in terms of being able to skate laterally with quick cuts. Watching him skate is definitely not the prettiest. It makes him look wild as he chases down a dump in or get back on defense pursuing a puck carrier. The reason why I view this as an issue is because, despite Valentini 'playing the right way', he has a steeper uphill climb for his kind of play style as a smaller player. He can make it work in college, but the AHL and especially the NHL is a much bigger question. Smaller players who aren't also elite or at least very good skaters are few and far between, especially when considering them for a bottom six role. So to improve his chances of being able to have that same kind of positive impact at the pro level, any little bit he can improve his skating by will increase his chances more and more. It will help him on offense, defense, and on transitions. The other thing I mentioned was getting more out of Valentini's offensive skill. He has good hands in close and is a very good short-area playmaker, which helps him get the puck off the boards when he wins board battles and move the puck to an open teammate. He has good hand-eye coordination for hunting for deflections in front of the net. He has a sneaky-quick and accurate wrist shot that works well when he's often close to the net already. However, Valentini is not a dynamic playmaker with the puck. His puck handling is not dynamic either, or at least he doesn't try to do much complicated in this area because of the role he was tasked with. His shot doesn't have a lot of power or velocity to it, which is a smaller concern relative to everything else but it would help him be a more dangerous scorer in college and beyond if he could improve that. And his skating isn't necessarily that dynamic either, in terms of how he uses it offensively. He's more of a straight-line bull, which limits his ability to have a good impact on transitions and to beat defenders when he is carrying the puck. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT As usual, I like noting the things that a player improved on during the season, and by how much they improved overall. I don't tend to like guys who stagnated. Valentini is someone who improved a lot in certain areas, mainly in the ways that are now his strengths, as I described above. His defense especially was something he committed to early in the year and improved through the whole season. Valentini got a lot better over the season in starting to use more skill into his close-area battles. He was much more able to handle pressure from defenders once he had the puck, and he went from being able to make skilled plays *through* contact instead of just hanging on. He was able to make subtle little puck handling moves to maintain possessions with defensemen all over him. This is when he started to be even more reliable in late games because he significantly cut down on his turnover rate. The other area Valentini improved was on the powerplay, where he could use more of his skill game. In this area he got a lot more efficient as well. He cut down on bad passes or turnovers, he stopped holding onto the puck for too long waiting for a perfect shooting or passing lane. He started using more give and go exchanges and making his puck touches quick to keep it moving and the defense having to readjust their positions accordingly. So now is the question of how good can Valentini actually be, when projecting him into the future? I love the way he plays the game, especially without the puck. He's someone who does all the little things that coaches love at a pretty high level, and he has some skill to go with it. He doesn't quit, he always works hard, he's versatile and will play whatever position in whatever role you want him to. He has the playstyle to work as a bottom six guy, but the question is does he have the tools to make it work in the NHL? Can his size, skating, skill, and his willingness to play with a physical edge hold up at the highest level? Like with Wiggo Sörensson yesterday, I may not be comfortable making that bet before the third round for Valentini. Depending on who else is available, I'd consider taking him as high as the third round. I'd be very comfortable making that bet in the fourth if he's still available then. I make that bet and I have him constantly talking with my developmental/skills coaches to improve in all those important areas to maximize his play on the ice as much as possible, because I think there is legitimate potential there. ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Thursday FTB: Coach hiring day is over, onto more trades URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursday-ftb-coach-hiring-day-is-over-onto-more-trades/ Last updated: 2026-06-18T10:00:06.000Z Marlies on tap tonight at 7 PM. [Maple Leafs Name Jim Hiller 41st Head Coach In Franchise History | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that Jim Hiller has been hired as the hockey club’s head coach. “Jim is an experienced coach with a strong understanding of what it takes to win in today’s NHL,” said General Manager John Chayka. “He has worked with successful teams throughout his career,![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-7c65c61b-e5d1-4f16-8acd-ab0f9f8875aa.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ybqlhjtuug3qviajuzi7-4baf954b-13e2-4c03-b58d-d8194f37fc4d.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-name-jim-hiller-41st-head-coach-in-franchise-history?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that Jim Hiller has been hired as the hockey club's head coach. > “Jim is an experienced coach with a strong understanding of what it takes to win in today's NHL,” said General Manager John Chayka. “He has worked with successful teams throughout his career, connects well with players and brings a clear approach behind the bench. We believe he's the right person to lead our team and help us reach our goals.” > “I’m incredibly excited for the opportunity to return to Toronto and lead the Maple Leafs,” said Hiller. “This is a special organization with great players, passionate fans and high expectations. I’m looking forward to getting to work with our players and staff and doing everything we can to help this team reach its full potential.” Most interesting part to me in the above was how he very gently put the pressure on the players by saying his philosophy of coaching is guiding the spirit of the team and how it strengthens and grows. But when he says the players have the greatest impact on that, he's telling them they have to perform. He's very clear about his role, but there is an unstated challenge from him, that others have to rise to the occasion. [Initial thoughts on the Maple Leafs hiring Jim Hiller as head coachAfter the shocking hire of Jim Hiller as the next head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Justin Bourne shares his initial thoughts on the decision.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/hiller_jim1280-16742718-2d1b-4f01-91a1-e9d6b437d773.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/initial-thoughts-on-the-maple-leafs-hiring-jim-hiller-as-head-coach/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Vegas Golden Knights Name Ryan Craig as Team’s Head Coach | Vegas Golden KnightsCraig becomes the fifth head coach in Vegas’ history![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-8143cea0-f2df-46d9-9fe8-a06f2accdaee.png)Vegas Golden Knights logoVegas Golden Knights![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/obzhg6czpfddcmtzszay-c204f682-7040-4efa-9684-aae7d0c2b878.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/news/vegas-golden-knights-name-ryan-craig-as-team-s-head-coach?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Craig, 44, spent the past three seasons serving as head coach of the organization’s affiliate in the American Hockey League, the Henderson Silver Knights. With Craig at the helm, Henderson saw their win total increase following each season with Craig behind the bench, earning 28 (2023-24), 29 (2024-25), and 39 (2025-26) victories. The Silver Knights finished the 2025-26 regular season with a record of 39-21-12 and 90 points, establishing franchise records in the team’s six years spent in Henderson. This spring, Craig and the Silver Knights advanced to the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs before falling to the Colorado Eagles. > Prior to his tenure as head coach in Henderson, Craig served as an assistant coach with the Golden Knights for six seasons, from 2017 to 2023\. The native of Abbotsford, British Columbia lifted the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023, his final season as an assistant coach. Craig helped the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in five of the six seasons he was with Vegas. > Kelly McCrimmon tells media at his season ending [@GoldenKnights](https://x.com/GoldenKnights?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) availability that he has already granted a team permission to speak with Bruce Cassidy and he will deal with it on a case by case basis going forward. > > — gary lawless (@garylawless) [June 17, 2026](https://x.com/garylawless/status/2067295683040952411?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) John Chayka would not say when asked directly if the Leafs had talked to Cassidy. > Vincent Trocheck switches agents with Rangers star on trade block [https://t.co/bCNouPCqHm](https://t.co/bCNouPCqHm?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/WADt2XldUc](https://t.co/WADt2XldUc?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — New York Post (@nypost) [June 17, 2026](https://x.com/nypost/status/2067294782573940777?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > On the PuckPedia Perri Pick Value Calculator, the difference in pick value between the #20 and #27 pick is a mid-2nd Round Pick[https://t.co/Gr3gZQ9syY](https://t.co/Gr3gZQ9syY?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/hpOZxG5CuO](https://t.co/hpOZxG5CuO?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [June 17, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2067342897360588879?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Dreger updates Rielly, Knies trade watch, Toronto’s interest in Raddysh and if Hellebuyck could be availableTSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger provides updates on the Toronto Maple Leafs very busy off-season, where things stand on Connor Hellebuyck and Vincent Trocheck’s agent switch.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-fe678dd5-05e8-4a9c-9066-2a5583147d6c.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/MTOD4F4CE5DRNGJC623ZULCQ6Q-779e05ce-ea4f-45ad-b6cd-9b8997bfa836.png)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/dreger-updates-rielly-knies-trade-watch-torontos-interest-in-raddysh-and-if-hellebuyck-could-be-available/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > “But again, there’s a belief that the Leafs are at least willing to trade Matthew Knies. The conversations are ongoing with multiple teams with considerable interest in Knies. So we’ll have to see how that develops.” > And I think all of this \[the idea of a Morgan Rielly trade and also that teams are showing interest in Jake McCabe\], Gino, was kind of designed with a focus on unrestricted free agency. What if Tampa Bay’s Darren Raddysh hits the open open market. I’m told that the Maple Leafs absolutely covet Raddysh and they’re trying to create the cap space to make sure that they’re a big-time player again if he gets to July 1. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's vegetables, but if this Raddysh business is legit, then I'll retract my feelings that the Woll deal really wasn't about cap space. There's a lot of negative feeling about that idea, not least because there's a lot of negative reaction to literally any player the Leafs might be interested in. Particularly defencemen where some outrageous claims get made. I can't help but think of the article I posted in comments on the Hiller hiring post about Hiller's video analysis company, and the example of profound disagreement over a defenceman. My quick reaction to the Raddysh idea is... I have no idea, how about some information instead of a take? I'll start with HockeyViz's summary graphic in case you can't look this up yourself: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/history-raddyda96.png) That's a bit all over the place isn't it? Raddysh is 30, and obviously didn't break into the NHL when young. That and the up and down results all on one team that's been pretty consistent over that period and which doesn't need Raddysh to be the top guy is, well, interesting. He's got an odd combo of results via HV's model. He is okay defensively (and recall here, we're talking about him coming in because Rielly is going out, and Rielly is very not okay defensively). His offensive creation is substantial for a defender, and he has a little touch of personal shooting skill. The big one for me? The SG Ice Won and Ice Lost numbers. This is a measure of how much he impacts the direction of the play both with and without the puck, and he's a big positive in both. That means he can transition, hold the puck, get the puck, keep the puck, pass the puck to a guy who won't lose it, all in some combination of effectiveness that leads to more wins. *On the Lightning.* The Leafs need those skills, though, and claims he's just insulated by the team are not valid. All claims with the word "just" in them are invalid. They just are. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-17-151847.png) Oh, no, we wouldn't want that... I'm starting to covet my neighbour's vegetables. Contract? Tenth highest AAV on Evolving Hockey's prediction model. Behind, notably, Rasmus Andersson and John Carlson. $8 million AAV on a big scary seven-year deal. And that's what it would be too, because in the NHL right now, no one, and I mean absolutely not one team, cares about year six and seven. Or four and five, even. And finally, I listened to Kyper and Bourne talk about trading Knies, a topic they do not agree on, and I'm with Kypreos here. If the take is really substantial, the Leafs should do it. Set for that segment. Knies is the only player the Leafs can move for a very, very big return, an impact return, and not actually be rebuilding. Which side of this you're on might depend on how much you value the power in a power forward. Or how much you believe in the points that Knies gets. The take has to be from someone who really, really buys in on Knies value. I think the Rielly trade is near 100% and this idea is not, but it's not zero either. And that better be it! Too much news happened in one day. It's not it!!! [\- TSNTSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun joins TSN’s Montreal 690 to discuss multiple teams having conversations about Matthew Knies, where John Tortorella goes from here, and The Maple Leafs hiring Jim Hiller as their new head coach.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-d2789c58-3039-45f4-b3c3-7ca3d26107ee.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F06-17-2026-2Ft_a6c8e9b7b0184d29b0e1468aa12a002d_name_2026_6_17_1d176da0_2e7e_459b_8c49_4eb91d15ce6a_jpg_1920x1080-9189f484-93b8-46e9-b584-ddc4d4f873b2.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/video/2026/06/17/montreal-690-lebrun-thinks-leafs-will-be-very-aggressive-in-the-trade-market/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Basically he says Knies has been mentioned in a dozen conversations, and Chayka is trying to gauge the market. But the bottom line is he thinks the Leafs are looking to be very aggressive in the trade market. And he says the same things as Kypreos about the idea of moving Knies for a big haul. LeBrun does mention that "the analytics" might not look so good with Knies. This is the same story: not a done deal, not a certainty, but don't write it off because you don't like the messenger. Reminder: cite the source, and some social media repeat of what they totally think someone said is not a source. It's what's wrong with social media. ### Toronto Sceptres Draft Results URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/toronto-sceptres-draft-results/ Last updated: 2026-06-18T02:36:11.000Z The Toronto Sceptres used their six draft picks last night in the draft where KK Harvey went first overall to no one's surprise. The full draft list is here: [2026 PWHL Draft2026 PWHL DRAFT ORDER OF SELECTIONRound | PickTeamPlayerPositionPrevious Team (League)Nationality1 | 1Vancouver GoldeneyesCaroline![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-55142086-c98f-47b7-85a7-3ea8719dee1b.png)Professional Women's Hockey League![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/PWHL_Logo_Logotype_Ultra_Violet_cgbt5r-a8dbb66f-0198-4e63-80e7-0142ddab005d)](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/draft?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is nothing like the NHL draft, because teams are drafting pro-ready players and they are drafting for need most of the time. Toronto's picks: ### Kirsten Simms She is a huge points forward with some creativity, passing and scoring ability. She is exactly who Toronto needs. Simms is 22 later this summer, and is from Plymouth Michigan. She has completed four years of outstanding hockey at the University of Wisconsin, and has been a thorn in Canadian sides as a member of Team USA. [Kirsten Simms 2026 Draft ProfileKristen Simms capped off a decorated collegiate career with another standout campaign in 2025-26, winning her third NCAA title to continue a trajectory that established her as one of the NCAA’s most dangerous playmakers and scorers.A forward with a nos…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1796b658-d4a4-4976-b634-e961a7346892.png)Professional Women's Hockey League![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/kirsten_simms_draft_profile_header-2e304840-47bb-4c68-a4a1-4f23909636af)](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2026/june/10/kirsten-simms-2026-draft-profile?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > simmsy checking in 🫡 [pic.twitter.com/5rAzwuGiuP](https://t.co/5rAzwuGiuP?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Sceptres (@PWHL\_Toronto) [June 17, 2026](https://x.com/PWHL%5FToronto/status/2067371504736862651?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Jamie Nelson Nelson is 24 and from Andover Minnesota who used to play at Minnesota State, and moved this year to the University of Minnesota where he point totals grew. She is a forward, described as a depth addition and a two-way forward. This feels like the standard Sceptres forward pick, someone who is not exciting and likely won't score all that much but plays a solid game. [How Jamie Nelson Prepared For The PWHL Draft Following Career Season At MinnesotaAfter a career-high 42-point season with the Gophers, Jamie Nelson is ready for the professional jump. By betting on herself and seeking a final-year challenge, the forward has positioned herself as a key name to watch for the 2026 PWHL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/thehockeynews.com-2Ffavicon-e63f6178-afe3-4e4c-a7e2-310caee94bce.png)The Hockey NewsChris Sinclair![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/0a12dfdd-5f86-438a-a0b2-005183c00ea4-9e09d975-dfc9-4b4c-bd2b-d1a9157b9e5f.jpeg)](https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/how-jamie-nelson-prepared-for-the-pwhl-draft-following-career-season-at-minnesota?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Brooke Disher Disher is just 21, and is a left-shooting defender. She is from BC and has played for Boston University and Ohio State. She will likely play in the bottom four on the Sceptres. She played for Canada at the U18, and was team captain, but has never played at the top level. [Brooke Disher Next Defender In Line From Ohio State’s PWHL FactoryOhio State has become a factory for PWHL defenders, and they’ll send more to the league next season including Fort St. John, British Columbia’s Brooke Disher.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/thehockeynews.com-2Ffavicon-5f985bdf-6c74-40c6-b287-ff2f189de4b0.png)The Hockey NewsIan Kennedy![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/4ceab24c-7afc-43a6-bd04-b2c3d504cc17-661dd46d-8d62-482b-8b9d-0a06e8da1edb.jpeg)](https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/brooke-disher-next-defener-in-line-from-ohio-state-s-pwhl-factory?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Jane Kuehl Kuehl is 22, and from Edina Minnesota. She is a forward, and did four years at Princeton. She only decided recently to try to extend her playing career in the PWHL after her best college year for points in her fourth season. [Princeton’s Jane Kuehl Is Taking Nothing For Granted As She Enters The PWHL DraftJane Kuehl is entering the 2026 PWHL Draft with hopes of following the path of other recent Princeton grads to the professional ranks.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/thehockeynews.com-2Ffavicon-7308f60f-4bc8-4fea-b58f-f9c5e17cd9d5.png)The Hockey NewsFrances Klemm![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/5929bd7a-1bcf-4e02-9ca0-f8acd352a2f4-891027e7-24ad-46a8-83b5-c4900d18f8cb.webp)](https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/princetons-jane-kuehl-is-taking-nothing-for-granted-as-she-enters-the-pwhl-draft?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Emerson O'Leary O'Leary is 22, a forward and was a teammate of Jane Kuehl's at Princeton. She is from Southborough, Mass. She has no Team USA experience, but did attend their National Festival at least once. She does not score goals much, but has some decent assist numbers, and appears to have played a role at Princeton a step below Kuehl. ### Alyssa Regalado Regalado is 22, and is from Mississauga. She is a left-shooting defender who has played four years at Cornell. She played on Canada's U18 team, but has no other national team experience. [Princeton’s Jane Kuehl Is Taking Nothing For Granted As She Enters The PWHL DraftJane Kuehl is entering the 2026 PWHL Draft with hopes of following the path of other recent Princeton grads to the professional ranks.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/thehockeynews.com-2Ffavicon-de54742f-3c46-443a-a19a-7621e393a856.png)The Hockey NewsFrances Klemm![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/5929bd7a-1bcf-4e02-9ca0-f8acd352a2f4-2d087649-251f-4492-a879-0d7ee4615dcc.webp)](https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/princetons-jane-kuehl-is-taking-nothing-for-granted-as-she-enters-the-pwhl-draft?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's the list for this year's draft. No guarantee these players will suit up for the Sceptres, other than Simms, who is a lock, so there is still a lot of work to do to fill out the roster. ### PWHL Draft Watch URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/pwhl-draft-watch/ Last updated: 2026-06-17T20:00:21.000Z The PWHL draft is today, starting at 5 PM. You can watch on TSN2 for the first two rounds, and then the coverage moves to TSN+. The entire draft is also available on the PWHL Youtube channel: The full draft order is available here, and you can also track the draft via this page: [2026 PWHL Draft2026 PWHL DRAFT ORDER OF SELECTIONRound | PickTeamPlayerPositionPrevious Team (League)Nationality1 | 1Vancouver Goldeneyes1 | 2Seattle Torrent1 | 3PWHL Las Vegas (via Detroit)1 | 4PWHL San Jose1 | 5PWHL Las Vegas1 | 6PWHL Hamilton1 | 7New York Sirens1…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-680c9d64-c950-4aa2-9674-311cdfa85715.png)Professional Women's Hockey League![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/PWHL_Logo_Logotype_Ultra_Violet_cgbt5r-71bcfc1b-9919-4968-9488-1578dfc1df11)](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/draft?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The draft order, which remains through all six rounds is Vancouver, Seattle, Detroit, San Jose, Las Vegas, Hamilton, New York, Toronto, Minnesota, Boston, Ottawa, Montréal. In the first round Las Vegas has Detroit's pick. In the second round, Vancouver and Vegas have swapped picks, while Detroit has Boston's pick. The third round Detroit pick is now in the hands of Boston. In the fourth round, Vegas also has Vancouver's pick. These were all part of expansion teams signing players and then trading them pack for picks. Or put another way, teams paid to protect players with draft picks. Barring any trades, Toronto picks: - eighth - 20th - 32nd - 44th - 56th - 68th The full draft runs through 72 picks. There are 236 players eligible for this year's draft. ### Report: Leafs hire Jim Hiller as new head coach URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/report-leafs-to-hire-jim-hiller-as-new-head-coach/ Last updated: 2026-06-17T13:41:14.000Z > Jim Hiller has been named the 41st Head Coach in franchise history! > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [June 17, 2026](https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2067230869790539965?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs are going with a very familiar face, and someone from the Babcock era of the Leafs. That era, we should remember, was one of high octane offence and some defensive struggles nothing like the epic problems of the last two years. Hiller left the Leafs before Mike Babcock was fired and went to the New York Islanders where he was an assistant coach under Barry Trotz for three years. When Trotz left, Hiller moved on to an assistant job with the LA Kings under Todd McLellan. When McLellan was fired in the spring of 2024, he became head coach and lasted until the spring of this year where he was fired in favour of his assistant D.J. Smith, who used to be one of Babcock's assistants. The insular coaching circle in the NHL in action. ### History Hiller is 57, and is from BC. He played as a winger in the NCAA for Northern Michigan and had a very limited NHL pot of coffee over a few years, first with the Kings who drafted him. He ended his playing career with several years in the DEL He began coaching immediately after retiring from playing hockey, taking an assistant coach job in the WHL. His first job in the NHL was with the Red Wings under Babcock in 2014, and Babcock immediately hired him for the Leafs when he took that job the next year. ### Coaching Style [ESPN covered Hiller as a coach two years ago. ](https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/%5F/id/40205984/kings-change-defense-first-philosophy?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) At this time the Kings were a team capable of making the playoffs, as they did this year, something we paid attention to as it impacted a draft pick the Leafs received for Scott Laughton. But the Kings were also a depleted team, short on talent and struggling at times to succeed. That was one of the reasons Hiller was fired in favour of Smith, who has now been replaced by Peter Laviolette. > General manager Rob Blake introduced Hiller as the Kings' permanent head coach Thursday, retaining the former Kings assistant who took over for the fired Todd McLellan in February and led Los Angeles to its third consecutive third-place finish in the Pacific Division and third straight early postseason ouster. > "Where Jim always seemed to come to the top was in the aspect that we've had time together," Blake said. "We've seen him work ... \[and we're\] very comfortable, very confident in Jim's approach to challenges. His presence in front of the group is very important to us. The way he can command the room and drive home the point that we make, the direction we want to go together, confident he can drive that home." > The GM and his first-time head coach remain committed to the style they've embraced with their 1-3-1 neutral zone trap. The system has made the Kings a nightmare to face, but L.A.'s players sometimes chafe at the regimented strategy – and even Hiller acknowledges it hinders the Kings' offensive production. > "We've started the process of looking at everything about our game," Hiller said. "We are a top defensive team in the National Hockey League. Have been for some years now. The identity of the L.A. Kings is a checking team that's difficult to play against. We feel we have to find some areas where we can create more offense, but not at the expense of what our identity is, and what we've taken some time to create." > Only two teams allowed fewer goals than the Kings (210) during the regular season, but Los Angeles was squarely in the middle of the NHL pack on offensive production despite a roster with expensive top-end talent. That description is diametrically opposed to what the Maple Leafs did when he was an assistant. There are many reports that Hiller's rapport with players is very good. From the [LA Kings Insider](https://lakingsinsider.com/2024/10/08/path-to-the-throne-jim-hiller/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) as Hiller's first season was taking shape: > What ingredients led LA Kings management to push their chips into the middle of the table this offseason and say, ‘Jim Hiller is our guy’? > Dan Price has some of those answers. In fact he is anxious to share them. > When Price calls to talk about his good friend and mentor, he is wearing his skates and getting ready to take the ice for a Chicago Wolves practice in suburban Chicago where he has a new gig as an assistant coach for the American Hockey League team. \[He still is with the Wolves and was behind the bench last night against the Marlies.\] > “I can say this, Jim has been and continues to be one of the great mentors in my life both professionally on the hockey side but also just as a person as well,” said Price, who began his major junior hockey coaching career with Hiller in Chilliwack almost 20 years ago. “He just has a real genuine and sincere empathy towards people he interacts with and he has the great ability to balance, like as any great coach and great leader does, that great ability to balance how and when to push people around him to get the most out of them and also how to support them so they always know that it’s coming from a place of the fact that he cares about people and wants the best for them.” > Later, Price sends a detailed note adding context to his thoughts on Hiller including a long reference to Good Will Hunting. > Andrew Brewer worked as an assistant coach with Hiller in Detroit and Toronto. He is getting ready to ride out Hurricane Helene in Tampa when he answers the phone to talk about Hiller. > No worries – He and his family are high and dry and he, like Price, was anxious to talk about Hiller and why the time he’s spent with him was meaningful, not to mention why Brewer thinks he’s going to be a good fit with the LA Kings. > “He’s kind of the perfect coach for the era,” Brewer said. > He pointed to the close relationships Hiller built with high skill players like Pavel Datsyuk in Detroit and Auston Matthews in Toronto. He is comfortable with synthesizing data and assessing the analytic side of the game and has a keen understanding of the many nuances of the on-ice game. > “He’s such a well-rounded human being,” Brewer said. “It’s not ever one-dimensional. You never know what the conversation may include. He’s a unique blend of skill that a lot of times you don’t see.” ### Maple Leafs on the Cusp of a Busy Summer URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-on-the-cusp-of-a-busy-summer/ Last updated: 2026-06-17T13:00:45.000Z The Maple Leafs want to remodel the team over the next few weeks. Picking someone with the first overall pick in the draft is the easy part. All the rest is difficult. ### NHL Roster and Cap Hit The players under contract and likely to play in the NHL: 1. Auston Matthews - $13.250,000 2. Willian Nylander - 11,500,000 3. Matthew Knies - 7,750,000 4. John Tavares - 4,389,280 5. Dakota Joshua - 3,250,000 6. Steven Lorentz - 1,350,000 7. Easton Cowan - 900,000 8. Morgan Rielly - 7,500,000 9. Jake McCabe - 4,513,102 10. Chris Tanev - 4,500,000 11. Oliver Ekman-Larsson - 3,500,000 12. Brandon Carlo - 3,485,000 13. Anthony Stolarz - 3,750,000 I've made some guesses here about injury status. Chris Tanev will likely be ready, and Max Domi will likely be on LTIR. That's seven forwards, six defenders and one goalie. A structure that is leading many to think the Leafs won't look to acquire a defender in trade, but I don't think that assumption is valid. They will look for defence as well as filling out the bottom of their forward corps and attempting to improve the top. With the trade yesterday the goalie picture seems clear, but Samuel Ersson is not currently under contract. They may do some of that filling out of the depth forwards from AHL players under contract but no one who played at the end of last season really made an iron-clad case for an NHL job, although most of them are under contract for less than $1 million. The Leafs were, after all, extremely bad with those interesting young players in big roles. They'll need a vivid performance in training camp to make an impression on the new coach. The total cap hit of that group above is under $70 million leaving $34 million plus in cap space and $3.75 million in LTIR pool. That seems like a lot, but it disappears very quickly. ### Contract Space The Leafs have a lot of vacant contract space, with only 31 SPCs that will count for sure next season. That number goes to 32 if Ben Danford plays in the NHL or AHL as expected. And now there's at least some question about Tinus Luc Koblar coming over, so 33 is a possible number as well. Regardless, they have room to sign at least 17 more contracts not counting any young junior players they sign who are staying in Europe or the CHL. ### RFAs As discussed with respect to arbitration, the Leafs had two meaningful RFAs they can sign in Nick Robertson and Matias Maccelli. They also have 10 players at the AHL level, or in Europe as unsigned RFAs and two newly acquired RFAs with arbitration rights. Samuel Ersson and Emil Andrae both need new contracts, and we should expect that process will get under way, perhaps involving arbitration. There is a lot of talk about the Leafs not issuing a Qualifying Offer to Ersson, but as of now, that's speculative. Ersson's QO would be $1.6 million and Andrae's is $874,125\. Evolving Hockey predicts two years for Andrae at under $1.5 million and $2.7 million for Ersson on a two-year deal. (Note their predictions are based on similar players in the past, not predictions based on a perception of value.) The older arbitration cases are discussed here: [June 15 is when the NHL kicks into offseason modeOr thereabouts![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-c87f1d0f-1f6d-4375-9f1f-673799d601ce.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1657560783859-1eec8de461f2-16dac262-9a63-4e0b-a1af-e28e2e596bd8)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/june-15-is-when-the-nhl-kicks-into-offseason-mode/) The AHL players and Europeans are: 1. Jacob Quillan 2. Henry Thrun 3. William Villeneuve 4. Ryan Tverberg 5. Braeden Kressler 6. John Prokop 7. Topi Niemelä 8. Roni Hirvonen 9. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev 10. Vyacheslav Peksa ### UFAs There are a few UFAs in the system who could be signed before July 1\. 1. Calle Järnkrok wants to stay in the NHL, but it seems unlikely that will be with the Leafs. 2. Troy Stecher seems like a very capable third-pairing defender but Andrae may have ended his hopes of a contract. 3. Travis Boyd has been injured and missed a lot of AHL time, but he is not an NHL recall option anymore. 4. Vinni Lettieri, star of the AHL playoffs, is almost certainly going to Europe. 5. Matt Benning will not generate any interest from the Leafs, but he has played a meaningful role in the playoffs for the Marlies. ### Changes There are going to be *a lot* of new members of the team this season without even considering the potential trading away of more players. It looks like a trade to move Morgan Rielly is something the team will try to do, but the idea of revisiting the Matthew Knies deal with Montréal is a lot murkier. There is some reporting after the Joe Woll trade that the Leafs are definitely offering Knies, but no details have been reported and nothing may come of it. Some of the other options to trade away players amount to selling low for little gain. Brandon Carlo or Dakota Joshua are not at their peak value, although, if you account for games missed, Joshua has some points and other results that are better than most would think. The Leafs need centres. You know, someone like Nic Roy or Scott Laughton. They need a top six winger or two, or even better: a centre that can push John Tavares to the wing and extend his value even deeper into his bargain contract. They need some puck skills on defence (oh, hi, Emil Andrae) and if they succeed in moving Morgan Rielly, they need to fill his skates with someone better in some capacity or why do the deal. They need someone better even if they don't move him, new guy notwithstanding. ### Grand Schemes With this must white space on the page, it's tempting to doodle in grandiose idea. Trade all the goalies and sign Connor Hellebuyck! Give up all the forward talent for one young defensive star! That seems extremely unlikely. They have to make some more trades, though. There is no way to better what Treliving did last year if all they do is sign UFAs. One way or another, a lot of new faces will be on the ice in September. ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Wiggo Sörensson URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-wiggo-sorensson/ Last updated: 2026-06-17T12:00:53.000Z Okay this header photo I have to actually explain, because it's stupid and convoluted but also I think very smart and I'm so proud of myself for it. Also because I can use it and not have to think of an introduction which I always hate writing. I see Wiggo, I think Viggo Mortensen, who played Aragorn in Lord of the Rings. Aragorn's nickname/alias was Strider, which brings me to water striders which are bugs that zip along the surface of water in a way that reminds me a lot of Cathy's infamous ZLW archetype. Except Wiggo is a center, so he's even better than that! [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Left-shot center/winger - **League(s)**: \[Deep breath\] U18 Division 1, U20 Division 1, Division 2, U18 Nationell, U20 Nationell... all various Swedish leagues and levels. - **Height**: 5'11" - **Weight**: 181 lbs - **Birthdate**: Apr 15, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Corey Pronman: Not ranked - Will Scouch: 25th - Elite Prospects: Not ranked - Scott Wheeler: Not ranked - McKeen's Hockey: 78th - Upside Hockey: Not ranked - NHL Central Scouting: 84th (European skaters) The very best of the best prospects coming out of Sweden will be the ones that play most if not all of their draft season in the country's top pro leagues, the SHL and Allsvenskan. That's guys like Ivar Stenberg, Leo Carlsson, the Sedins, and so on. Most of the guys in next tier of very good but not elite Swedish prospects may get a taste of the SHL, but don't play a major role and maybe only dress for some of the games. Most of them will spend the bulk of the season in Sweden's top U20 junior league. That would be guys like Tinus Luc Koblar or Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Then there are the lower tier guys who probably never make the NHL, and they're drafted after playing mostly in Sweden's U18 junior league. And then there's weirdos like Wiggo Sörensson. Instead of following one of those usual paths and working his way up the ranks in these various leagues and levels, which by all accounts he had offers to do, Sörensson instead stayed home. The past two seasons he played for Boro Vetlanda in the fourth-division professional men’s league in Sweden. I didn't even know they ***had*** four divisions until this year. I don't know the full reasons, but I do know his father was on the coaching staff for this team, so that might have something to do with it. After playing for them last year as a 16 year old in a men's league, even if it's a 4th division men's league, Sörensson was second on the team with 48 points in 36 games. Just for funsies, he also played some games for the U20 junior team for Boro Vetlanda and had 25 goals and 46 points in 18 games. And then just for even ***more*** funsies, he played for their U18 team to help them avoid relegation and had 14 goals and 23 points in 6 games. Hilarious stuff. This season, Sörensson had a truly absurd season and I'm not talking about his points. I'm talking about how many different leagues he played in and how many championships he helped win. He mostly played with the men's pro squad, but would go down to join the U20 junior team whenever there were lulls in the men's team schedule that lined up with the junior team's games. In 13 games he had 32 goals and 56 points. Then in those men's league games, he led the team in points with 20 goals and 38 points in 29 games. He then led the team again in the playoffs with 4 goals and 10 points in 8 games to win his first championship of the season. His team got promoted to the third division of Sweden's pro leagues, the HockeyEttan. Then Sörensson was loaned to Växjö's U18 junior league, where he had 3 points in his lone regular season game, and finished third in playoff scoring for them with 5 goals and 9 points in 6 games – which actually lead the team in points per game. He helped them win the championship for that league. Somewhere in between this, he also played in one regular season game for Växjö's U20 junior team where he had a goal, and one regular season game for Boro Vetlanda's U18 junior team in the lower divisions. His play was enough to start earning invitations to Sweden's international games, first with smaller exhibitions through the season but then culminating with an invite to their World U18 roster where his 4 goals tied for the team lead and his 6 points was good for 4th. He was playing as a top six center, getting all situations minutes and playing as little as 14:27 (his first game) or around 19+ minutes later in the tournament. > Wiggo Sorensson, 6-0 Sweden. [pic.twitter.com/HcofgCpVSa](https://t.co/HcofgCpVSa?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) [April 22, 2026](https://x.com/SEllisHockey/status/2046921959200415798?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) So to count it all up, this season Sörensson played for five different teams in Sweden's various junior and pro leagues. He led his team in points or point per game pace in just about all of them. He helped two of them win a championship. And to top it all off, he won a gold medal for Sweden at the top U18 international tournament of the year for his sixth team and third championship of the season. So the problem with all that, is it's almost impossible to contextualize Sörensson's season. What does it even mean when he was racking up absurd points while playing against competition he was obviously too good for? He was playing in leagues no prospect worth his salt would ever play for, even guys I've seen barely get drafted in the 7th round! How am I supposed to judge his play when he only played a handful of games in Sweden's top junior league, and on the international stage with Team Sweden for one major tournament? Well that's where #watchingthegames is supposed to fill the gap. ## THE GOOD: ELITE SKATING, RELENTLESS PACE, STRONG PUCK HANDLER, INSIDE-DRIVEN OFFENSE, TWO-WAY POTENTIAL So to be clear, I'll only be talking about the games of Sörensson's that I've seen... which is a couple of his playoff games in Sweden's top U18 level (which is still a level below the top league league period, which is the U20 league), and all of his games at the World U18s. With the puck on his stick, Sörensson has a good amount of skill. I don't know if I'd call him elite in this area, he can freeze defenders and goalies with fakes, he hides his intentions to pass very well to make it a last second surprise for the defense. He isn't necessarily a "can dangle in a phone booth" kind of guy, but he isn't far behind that level. He can make plays at speed most of the time, but there are some consistency issues when he's trying things at his all-out speed. He is well balanced with his skill, in terms of his puck handling, playmaking, and finishing skills. His wrist shot is dangerous, and he has the skill and footwork to be able to shoot it from dangerous areas. That said, Sörensson's best strength is his elite skating. He has truly explosive first steps, his mechanics are smooth with no hitches or awkwardness, his edges and agility make him highly elusive, and his top speed is among the best in this class. I didn't pick a water strider as the header image just for the weird connection to Aragorn. He will attack the center of the ice with his speed and/or his horizontal agility. He'll cut hard to the net once he's gained a step on the defense, or put on the brakes if they back off him too much because of his speed and take the center ice that's given to him. > Nils Bartholdsson scored 59 seconds into the game to make it 2-0 Sweden. > > Two shots, two goals. Not ideal for Denmark. [#U18MensWorlds](https://x.com/hashtag/U18MensWorlds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/CWH630jp8Y](https://t.co/CWH630jp8Y?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) [April 27, 2026](https://x.com/SEllisHockey/status/2048709344569549188?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) What makes Sörensson's skating even better, to me, is how he uses it. He has a relentless motor and works hard every shift I saw of him. One of my biggest pet peeves with guys who have speed is when they don't use it unless they're chasing an offensive chance. It drove me crazy about Ovchinnikov, and to a lesser extent Kapanen when he was here in Toronto – it's why I don't value "speed" on its own very much anymore. Sörensson at least doesn't have that problem so far, from what I can tell. He is an aggressive forechecker with his skating, and he will haul ass back hard when he has to back check. He will win battles in close with bigger, older opponents more often than just breaking even, by moving his feet and getting low/wide to create better leverage and balance. That's why Sörensson has some projection as a two-way forward. While he plays center now, I don't think he'll stick there unless he has a bit of a growth spurt and follows in Nylander's footsteps in becoming a Greek God in terms of his muscle. He has good awareness for his surroundings and flashes a high level of defensive anticipation. With his explosive and quick skating he can quickly jump into passing lanes to intercept or at least deflect it away from danger. He can also be a hound on pursuing puck carriers, not letting them escape and using his stick to harass them into turning it over or at least not having the time and space to make an easy play. And with his speed and supportive positioning for his defense, he sometimes acts as another defenseman and gets back to dump ins first to retrieve them and kickstart their transitions. These skills also make him a valuable penalty killer, at least so far against similar-aged junior competition at the Worlds. With his speed he could turn into an interesting power-killer threat. ## THE FLAWS: STRENGTH, PUCK CONTROL AT TOP SPEED, QUESTIONS ON STRUCTURE So there are three main issues I can see with Sörensson, which are also the usual flaws I've seen mentioned by scouts. First and most obviously, he's simply on the smaller side and physically is not that strong – 5'11" and 181 lbs is only a bit below average and there are plenty of NHLers in that size range who have had impactful careers, but it will be a problem for him as he plays at higher levels against better competition than a fourth tier division. It's the main reason why I don't see him sticking long term at center, and there's only so much speed, skating and skill can do. At the same time, his skill is not really elite. He is not anywhere near Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg or even Tynan Lawrence or Wyatt Cullen. He has decent hands, but he has consistency problems trying to handle the puck and make moves when he's at his top speed. He can bobble pass receptions when he's going all out too. His passing and playmaking is pretty good, but also not something I would consider him to be among the best in this draft. The one skill he has that is at that kind of level is his skating. His type of player is just someone that typically has to have good enough offense to be a top six forward, and if he can't manage that then with the limitations from his projected size and strength it's hard to give him good odds to be an NHLer. That's why he isn't ranked as even a borderline first rounder. The final issue is more of an element of the unknown with him. His development path the last two years is just a true anomaly. No one's done it before, I don't know that for 100% sure but I'd put good odds on it being true. But the issue is actually more around questioning how well he can play within a good structure for a whole season? He was so good playing against fourth tier juniors and pros that I'm sure he didn't need to play in a structure, he could just skate around everyone and exert his will everywhere at any time. But he won't be that level of dominant now that he's getting to the top junior and pro leagues in Sweden. Hell, even playing for Sweden at the World U18s, it's a short tournament with some structure but there's a lot of free-wheeling going on too, and it wasn't exactly a super strong year for the usual top contenders – Team USA and Canada were meh, as usual these days there was no Russia, Finland was good but lacked high end talent, ditto Czechia compared to past years. NHL teams don't like uncertainty, and there's no getting around that there just isn't a lot of tape or data to compare Sörensson in adequate levels of competition with his peers. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT Take all of those weaknesses I said about Sörensson and throw them away. They're true but useless to me, because after watching him even just those few games I love Sörensson. He's the kind of player I used to really love that I cooled on because they rarely seemed to pan out (the ZLW to bring back Cathy's phrase), your Ovchinnikovs if you will. But he has other elements that those kinds of players always need to make them more effective and projectable. He works hard, he uses his speed to put pressure on the other team with and without the puck, he shows some real potential utility as a two-way guy even if he winds up as a winger, and that makes me think that even if he can't be a clear top six guy, he could still have utility as a bottom six energy line guy if he develops in the right way. So call it a nostalgia trip for me, but I love Sörensson. I also think that because of those uncertainties, he's more likely to be available come the third, fourth, hell maybe even the fifth round. That's where you can feel safer on making the bet on him with his skills and strengths, and give faith to your development coaches to work some magic in his physique and skill refinement. ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Wednesday's FTB: The end of the Joe Woll era URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-the-end-of-the-joe-woll-era/ Last updated: 2026-06-17T11:53:40.000Z It is weird to imagine the Maple Leafs without Joe Woll. He was drafted 10 years ago with the 62nd pick, and now the Leafs have another third-rounder to use in a little over a week. In between there was a lot of AHL, some piano, and some utterly glorious NHL play. He seems like such a good guy, and the Flyers are lucky to have him. You be good to him, Flyers fans! Onward to the future, though, that's what this time of year is all about. Last night Easton Cowan scored the only goal in Game 3 of the Calder Cup final. The Marlies now lead three games to none. Game 4 is on Thursday night and Game 5 is on Friday night if necessary, both in Toronto. > You know what to say...YEEEEE HAWWWWW 🤠 > > Easton Cowan sneaks one home to give us the 1-0 lead! | [@cocacola\_ca](https://x.com/cocacola%5Fca?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/I9YYYAusfz](https://t.co/I9YYYAusfz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 17, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2067037578172178569?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Some post buzzer action, so very AHL: > After an Easton Cowan goal and a 24-save shutout from Artur Akhtyamov, the Toronto Marlies are one win away from winning the Calder Cup 👏 [pic.twitter.com/8Zrntofql4](https://t.co/8Zrntofql4?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [June 17, 2026](https://x.com/Sportsnet/status/2067063954220663254?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) --- Yesterday an interview with Tinus Luc Koblar was published. [Svarar om framtiden – efter NHL-kontraktet“Det kommer inte bli något AHL”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-cf11bfed-2fb1-411d-a5eb-4b4d26fd9b7a.ico)HockeysverigeRonnie Rönnkvist![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/18543caa66fc-tinus-luc-koblar-topp-f3d02cf1-8d34-4949-b415-c0a9210c1885.jpg)](https://hockeysverige.se/nyheter/tinus-luc-koblar-svar-framtiden-rogle-toronto-maple-leafs-nhl-kontrakt-aftqN0Y9PVwm/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Some of the Google translated content of interest, and note that the - denotes quoted statements: > The \[NHL\] contract means that the 18-year-old, who was actually born in Bled, Slovenia, could have the chance to play in the NHL as early as this fall. > – Of course it's extremely fun to get the chance to join an NHL team. It would have been a lot of fun, but now it's about having a good summer and training to increase my chances of playing there next season. > – Now I'm going to go to Toronto's development camp during the summer. Then I think it will be "main" camp in September. > **What expectations do you have for the camps?** > – My expectations are really just that I will do as well as possible. During the "main" camp I will meet players who have played in the NHL for a long time. The NHL is a tough league so it will of course be tough, but to fight for a spot there will be extremely fun. > **Looking ahead, what has Toronto said about your next season considering that you are also ready to play with Rögle?** > – It is still unclear. If it is not Toronto, it will be Rögle, but there will be no AHL this season anyway, concludes Tinus Luc Koblar. In Leafs news, the coaching hire is nigh. > "We're in the final phases." 👀 > > John Chayka says the Maple Leafs are nearing a decision on their next head coach. [pic.twitter.com/1qBzKcAtvZ](https://t.co/1qBzKcAtvZ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [June 16, 2026](https://x.com/Sportsnet/status/2066947299796787612?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And a reminder that no one actually knows who all the final interviews were with, but no, for those who keep asking, Bruce Cassidy is not one of them. [Western Michigan’s Pat Ferschweiler among candidates to be next Maple Leafs coachAs the Toronto Maple Leafs get into the final phase of their head coaching search, Western Michigan’s Pat Ferschweiler is among the candidates.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caElliotte Friedman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-16-51232985-1d75-4871-8e9f-635eeeea1913.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/western-michigans-pat-ferschweiler-among-candidates-to-be-next-leafs-coach/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Yesterday, I was told teams are doing their due diligence on Woll and Knies. The fact the Woll trade materialized so quickly is a bit of a surprise to some. Philadelphia emerged as best option for Woll in the last few days. [https://t.co/miUkiEHpoJ](https://t.co/miUkiEHpoJ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) [June 16, 2026](https://x.com/DarrenDreger/status/2066917254193615187?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) So Pierre LeBrun and Jonas Siegel both talked about a potential Morgan Rielly trade and discussed some details they have been told about the process. That doesn't actually conflict with this carefully worded statement from Chris Johnston that sounds to me like it came straight from Rielly's agent: > Sources say Morgan Rielly hasn't green-lighted a trade by waiving his NMC at this point in time. Any reports to the contrary are false. > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [June 16, 2026](https://x.com/reporterchris/status/2066971463723163927?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) TSN originally posted that tweet as part of a link to their article that said Rielly would be on the Leafs for the foreseeable future, something I questioned in the original version of this post. They've seemingly deleted that. [Why Maple Leafs traded Joseph Woll for Emil AndraeJohn Chayka isn’t waiting around to start shaking things up. The new GM dealt Joseph Woll for Emil Andrae as the roster begins to take shape under a new vision for success. Luke Fox breaks down the deal.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/woll-3f774cf4-dfc0-4279-8435-ac72ce0b27b1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/why-maple-leafs-traded-joseph-woll-for-emil-andrae/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) --- Yesterday, the PWHL Phase four first period of existing team signings ended with the Sceptres not adding any players. Late in the day was the PWHL awards ceremony where no Sceptres won playing-based awards or were even up for any. Emma Woods won an award: > The Intact Impact Award recognizes players who made a meaningful impact through their leadership, support of others, and overall positive influence on team culture. Nominations are evaluated based on excellence, leadership, and integrity. Intact Insurance donates $5,000 on behalf of each of the four winners to a Canadian charity of their choice. The draft is today, and as we learned yesterday, the Sceptres draft eighth. That action starts at 5 pm. Tomorrow there is another signing period, so perhaps by then the Sceptres will look very different. --- An actual trade that sorts the Colorado cap situation. > TRADE 🔄 > > We've acquired forward Ross Colton and goaltender Isak Posch from Colorado. > > Full details » [https://t.co/9U7V18fkzd](https://t.co/9U7V18fkzd?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/x0Hpf59rbF](https://t.co/x0Hpf59rbF?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) [June 16, 2026](https://x.com/PredsNHL/status/2066988084453949716?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [John Tortorella not returning to Golden Knights after playoff runThe team announced on Tuesday that the veteran head coach will not be returning after leading them to a Stanley Cup Final appearance this season.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/torts-1-f894815c-10c3-4850-a707-82d153dc4e27.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/john-tortorella-not-returning-to-golden-knights-after-playoff-run/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Ducks’ Carlson heading to free agency, eyeing return to EastVeteran defenceman John Carlson and his agent have informed Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek that he will not be re-signing with the club, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-f8e2e70d-0bad-455e-9842-b4ed312ce3f2.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/KKBJHCMZOZHXBJVKZ24A3LMMPQ-5e33dc00-d040-4528-aa3a-322e55768fef.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/carlson-wont-return-to-ducks-prefers-to-play-in-eastern-conference/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that's enough for this heavy, heavy news day – rather unexpectedly. It's still over a week to the draft! Or a few hours, depending which draft you mean. ### Maple Leafs trade Joe Woll, Simon Benoit to the Flyers URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-trade-joe-woll-simon-benoit-to-the-flyers/ Last updated: 2026-06-16T17:28:49.000Z > BREAKING: We have acquired goaltender Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit from Toronto in exchange for goaltender Samuel Ersson, defenseman Emil Andrae and a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. > > — Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) [June 16, 2026](https://x.com/NHLFlyers/status/2066910058668245319?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Samuel Ersson Samuel Ersson turns 27 this year, and is from Sweden. He is listed at 6'3" tall. He has four seasons in the AHL with the Flyers, who drafted him in the fifth round in 2018\. He has two full seasons (by today's standards for goalies) in the NHL. He was one of the goalies for Sweden in the Four Nations event, but played in only one game, and he was left off the Olympic team, as they had better options. By Moneypuck's model this season, he allowed 97 goals on 80 expected and was near the bottom of the list for goalies with at least 25 games played. And if you think that's the final word on him, you've never looked at goalie results, but his prior season was in the same neighbourhood. Joe Woll, for comparison, and this will be the comparison, has been above average most of his NHL career, but not by much, and until this past season where he was not meaningfully better than Ersson. ### Emil Andrae Emil Andrae is also from Sweden, is a left-shooting defender listed at 5/9" and 194 lbs. He is 24 and was a second-round pick of the Flyers in 2020. Splitting his time between the AHL and NHL since leaving Sweden in 2023, he's had limited use in the NHL, but did appear in the playoffs for them this year. HockeyViz likes his defense, and also has him as a positive at offense creation (something to take less seriously with defenders). However, that is in limited minutes. Evolving hockey also likes his results. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-16-120748.png) All his NHL time together here. At a guess, and I will make no claim to having noticed him much, he is a puck mover who can do some transition work. His scouting report from pre-draft is interesting: > Andrae plays with a high work-rate when the puck is close and does whatever he can once he has committed to winning a puck-battle. Andrae walks the line well to open shooting lanes from the point, using his edges and body in an evasive way. He's got excellent vision from the point and can make great plays to set up his teammates with high-danger chances. [\-EliteProspects 2020 NHL Draft Guide](https://www.eliteprospects.com/2020draftguide?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) He's not your in-zone defender, but the comparison here between him and Simon Benoit comes out massively and Andrae's favour. I don't think we should expect him to play a big role, but my personal take is that the removal of Benoit is addition by subtraction. ### Cap Hits Ersson is an RFA with arbitration rights with no current contract. He was at $1.45 million per year for two years. Woll has two more years at $3.7 million. The net effect here will be determined when Ersson signs his new deal. Andrae is also an RFA with arbitration rights and no current deal. He is coming off his ELC. Benoit is at $1.35 million for one more season. Both of these arbitration cases will be based mostly on usage by the Flyers in roles they may not have had on a deeper team. It's an interesting trade for John Chayka to make where if he gets these two on good value deals, he has some basic players with potential. ### Conclusion I'm not sure what I think. The choice has been made on the excess of goalies, and that seems to be more about Dennis Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov than about Ersson. He has the NHL experience the other two lack but AA has the waivers exemption. The Leafs now have another third-round pick. ### John Chayka's Comments > Re: Ersson, I asked GM John Chayka if the [#Leafs](https://x.com/hashtag/Leafs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) intend to qualify him (He's an RFA). Says he and Curtis McElhinney will discuss their plans in the coming weeks. > > — David Alter (@davidalter) [June 16, 2026](https://x.com/davidalter/status/2066934310205108296?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Maple Leafs GM John Chayka on the Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit trade to Philadelphia: > > “It allowed us to create some flexibility. It allows us to be in a better spot as we think about our offseason plan.” > > — Anna Dua (@AnnaNoelleDua) [June 16, 2026](https://x.com/AnnaNoelleDua/status/2066935221455343705?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Giorgos Pantelas URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-giorgos-pantelas/ Last updated: 2026-06-16T12:00:05.000Z Remember all the things I've said about what I like in a defenseman, and what I consider to be valuable 'defensive' skills? That's very relevant to today's profile. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Right-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'3" - **Weight**: 211 lbs - **Birthdate**: Apr 24, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Corey Pronman: 82nd - Will Scouch: Not ranked - Elite Prospects: 32nd - Scott Wheeler: 63rd - McKeen's Hockey: 57th - Upside Hockey: 48th - NHL Central Scouting: 46th (North American skaters) Pantelas was a first round pick by Brandon in the WHL back in 2023, originally born in Quebec but raised in Victoria, BC. In that draft year, the league he played in had other defensemen who are now ranked in the first round, others who are ranked lower but are known for their offensive production. In that season, across two leagues, he had 57 points in 61 games in the CSSHL which was second for defensemen behind only Keaton Verhoeff, and in the other U15 AAA league he finished with 38 points in 28 games which was also 2nd behind Daxon Rudolph but ahead of Verhoeff, Ryan Lin, Carson Carels, Ben MacBeath and Brek Liske. The next season, playing in an U18 AAA league with all those same top defense prospects, Pantelas' production dropped to 11th among his age group with just 16 points in 30 games. But the next season, he played the full year for Brandon in the WHL as a 16 year old rookie. He played in 61 games and had 10 points, but his biggest impact was already on defense and on transitions. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-9.png) This season, Pantelas started the year as their top pair, right-shot defenseman and didn't relinquish that spot for the whole year. He was a high leverage, all situations leader for a mid-tier team this year. He was their go-to defenseman when they were holding a lead or playing a tight game late, and he was their top penalty killer. He was also one of the main powerplay defensemen used, but I can't really tell if he was ever the PP1 or PP2 guy aside from the fact that he had the second most powerplay points on the team for defensemen. Pantelas finished this season with 37 points in 68 games – 12 of those game on the powerplay. Among that same group of U18 defensemen who also played the full season in the WHL, that result was tied for 8th best and right behind the guys who finished 5th-6th. Funnily enough, four of the defensemen who finished ahead of him are a year younger and not eligible until next year. So looking at only his age group, he was in the second tier of point producing defensemen in the WHL this year. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/image-20.png) Pantelas' dot is the one at the upper right corner of the text box. Aside from his play in the WHL, Pantelas has also had a bit of experience with Team Canada on the international stage. He played in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge for one of Canada's two teams, where he had 1 point in 5 games. This year, he played for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky but was used mostly as the 7th defenseman. So he didn't have a big role or a lot of ice time. Though, Canada's right side was packed with talent – Keaton Verhoeff who will go top 10 in this draft, maybe top 5; Ryan Lin, who is a lock to be a first rounder and could go top 15; and Landon DuPont who is the latest exceptional status player and not eligible until next year's draft but is an absurd talent already. So it's understandable that Pantelas played behind those three. He doesn't have the same talent as them, even if he has that "reliable defensive defenseman" label attached to him that Canada usually likes. There is a good reason why Pantelas is considered to be a second/third rounder and not a guaranteed first round guy like the others. But since I'm talking about the Leafs potentially taking him in that range, let's get into why I think that's a good idea. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/image-21.png) ## THE GOOD: ELITE RUSH DEFENSE, PHYSICAL PLAY, MOTOR, PROACTIVE DEFENSE By far the biggest strength to Pantelas' game is his defense – and again, I am counting zone exits as a defensive skill. His coaches reportedly loved him for his smart, proactive defense – even when his mechanics got wild, his 'hockey IQ' was so good he didn't need to have precise and smooth mechanics to shut things down. The proactive part refers to his ability to anticipate play, and move ahead of time to close off passing opportunities or jump into the lanes to intercept them. Pantelas is widely considered one of the best defenders against the rush. He keeps a tight gap, matches the speed and angle of the puck carrier as he skates backwards, denies them the middle and herds them to the boards to cut off their space and make it easier for him to knock the puck loose with his stick. He has one of those never ending motors and is highly competitive, and he doesn't often lose puck battles. With Pantelas' size and reach, he is described by some scouts as having one of the best sticks in this draft, using sweep checks, poke checks, stick lifts, getting his stick in passing lanes to break it up, anything and everything like that. That isn't to say he isn't also physical, because he is. He's decently tall and already a good weight at 214 lbs, and he plays a heavy, suffocating physical defense along the boards and is capable of boxing out and/or shoving away forwards in front of the net. The potential Pantelas has a two-way defenseman comes from his ability to move the puck up the ice and to act as a capable playmaker. On retrievals, he has good mobility with above average acceleration, four-way mobility, and edgework that makes him agile and elusive on his skates. His skating isn't elite, but it is good enough as of now and he has time to improve with physical maturity and practice with skating coaches. He is quick to get to the dump ins first, establishes his body positioning to protect the puck, absorbs the first hit with his size and strength on his feet, and then seals off the forechecker from being able to get at the puck. Is play in the offensive zone is similar to Pantelas' skating. It's above average, good enough for the level he plays at now for him to be used on the powerplay, have a decent number of points and good tracking data for his playmaking. His passing rates and accuracy are both solid, he has a good brain to activate into the play more than occasionally but less than frequently. His background shows he has had offensive potential to be not quite elite, but a tier or two below that. I have a thought that he could have stagnated in his offensive development because he was committed to focusing on his defense – something he admits in a video I'll link below. I can't say if there's this big untapped potential for him to still realize, but I do think he has more potential as a puck moving play maker than other guys who are more pure defensive specialists. ## THE FLAWS: PUCK HANDLING, CARRYING THE PUCK, NO SHOT When it comes to Pantelas' flaws, I'd say he has one issue that is borderline "glaring" and then a bunch of smaller things that he just needs to work on improving, but are not significant problems that will hold him back. The big one is Pantelas' puck handling. He's very raw in this area, and it is particularly problematic when he's dealing with pressure. It's also something that degrades more than most when he's out on an extended shift and playing tired. Some of it is his mechanics, scouts point to his stiff posture and how he uses his hands on his stick that makes it harder for him to handle the puck out in front of himself – he is easier to take the puck away from, or prone to losing the handle on his own. Some of that is also due to problems with Pantelas' skating. His mechanics tend to get messy when he's carrying the puck, and it's the same issue – he looks stiff, his balance is off, and he looks at the puck in front of him too much. He just needs a lot of time to practice handling the puck in general so he gets more loose and comfortable doing it, and then doing it at speed until he can replicate that with mobility. Otherwise, I think like most prospects it would be good for him to improve his explosiveness with his first two steps. It's pretty good now, but any defender I think could always use better acceleration and quickness to deal with changes of speed, pivots, and getting to loose pucks/dump ins faster and then pull away from forecheckers. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT Over the season, there were some noteworthy areas that Pantelas improved by a lot. Most importantly was how his mobility improved. At the start of the year scouts were referring to his skating as something that was actively hindering him and his potential. By the end of the year, he looked much smoother, quicker, more explosive, and even dynamic at times in his speed and agility. It took his defense to another level, as he could handle just about any speedy puck carrier trying to get by him on the rush. The other ways he improved that I care about was Pantelas' ability to retrieve the puck on dump ins and break it out of his end safely. He was better at shoulder checking and scanning the ice, and he could deal with pressure from forechecking ***much*** better. A lot of that was from his skating, but it also had to do with an improved hockey sense as he learned how to problem solve in the moment. Scouts were calling him ridiculous in transition for his instincts, head fakes and slip passes through narrow lanes to kick start the offensive counter-rush. I view Pantelas as a similar type of defenseman as Ta'amu, who I profiled yesterday. The difference in their games has more to do with stylistic differences – Ta'amu is much better at using his strength in his defense, and I think he's a better puck mover already. Pantelas is a bit more cerebral and stick-based in his defense, but I think the slight difference in their skating (now and projected) makes me like Ta'amu more. But hey, I wouldn't be unhappy with either. ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Tuesday's FTB: PWHL draft order revealed URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-pwhl-draft-order-marlies/ Last updated: 2026-06-16T10:00:06.000Z The Marlies are on the ice at the Coliseum tonight at 7 pm. This game is on Sportsnet 360, NHL network and Flo Hockey. Some NHL teams got in the signing action yesterday, including the Leafs: [Maple Leafs sign Tinus Luc KoblarHe is now a Maple Leaf!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-193c3890-f5dd-43f5-8e97-536ed5d6d4de.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1780833563127-3b789fce9dce-2559d90d-8433-4830-a00d-c28cfee37a03.jpeg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-tinus-luc-koblar/) Check the comments in the above for some opinion from Sweden on where he will play next season. [Sens sign forward Bakke Olsen to one-year, entry-level contractThe Ottawa Senators have signed forward Eskild Bakke Olsen to a one-year, entry-level contract, it was announced Monday evening.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-40744806-10fd-4338-b48d-216712352fee.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/GKOWPHZUCVGGXMJIRF3ZIO5GAI-a5954e36-0665-46ce-a832-b5f0afa5a224.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/sens-sign-forward-bakke-olsen-to-one-year-entry-level-contract/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > The [#LGRW](https://x.com/hashtag/LGRW?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) signed undrafted F Theo Rochette to a 1 year ELC > > $1.025M Cap hit/AAV > > $922.5K NHL > $102.5K Signing Bonus > $85K Minors > > Rep'd by Olivier Fortier [@the\_team\_hockey](https://x.com/the%5Fteam%5Fhockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/yea7LQ6TyT](https://t.co/yea7LQ6TyT?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [June 15, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2066550251150794974?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > The [#Isles](https://x.com/hashtag/Isles?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) re-signed RHD Ethan Bear to a one-year, two-way deal for 2026-27. > > Bear, 28, had 4G-23A in 40GP with AHL-Bridgeport this past season. [@InsideAHLHockey](https://x.com/InsideAHLHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#AHLFreeAgency26](https://x.com/hashtag/AHLFreeAgency26?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Tony Androckitis\* (@TonyAndrock) [June 15, 2026](https://x.com/TonyAndrock/status/2066550701312889262?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) A recent 32 Thoughts covered the situation where Chicago was told by the NHL they cannot give Ilya Mikheyev permission to talk to other teams ahead of July 1\. This is not allowed. So instead, sources say this is what he's after. > Per sources, soon to be UFA F Mikheyev > is highly coveted by teams looking to improve their penalty kill and speed, chips in offensively. Seen as a comp to Sherwood, likely garners a mid term contract at 5M+ range. [#HockeyX](https://x.com/hashtag/HockeyX?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/s3QgCyMUGG](https://t.co/s3QgCyMUGG?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) [June 15, 2026](https://x.com/KevinWeekes/status/2066552754965737616?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Presumably sources will then say via someone else what teams want a winger for about $5 million. The PWHL has finished the all expansions teams to 10 players phases, and they begin a signing period for existing teams that brackets the draft which is tomorrow. The draft order was revealed yesterday: > For reference, the expansion teams selected 7th and 8th at last year’s draft. > > The order remains the same for all six rounds, so not a snake draft. > > — Karissa Donkin (@kdonk) [June 15, 2026](https://x.com/kdonk/status/2066627232408244669?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Expansion rosters are taking shape 👀 > > Each expansion team has secured their first ten players in team history, each adding five across Phases 3 and 4 of the Expansion Player Distribution Process. > > 📰 [https://t.co/m3kY0W9I2I](https://t.co/m3kY0W9I2I?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/5muQMt75ul](https://t.co/5muQMt75ul?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) [June 16, 2026](https://x.com/thepwhlofficial/status/2066676482605301963?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Three change-of-scenery NHL trade candidatesThis NHL off-season could feature some fireworks — and three formerly highly touted players may be on the move. Adam Vingan breaks down a trio of change-of-scenery candidates.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caAdam Vingan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Mason-McTavish-46817bb8-3124-461b-9bad-139a0350e40d.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/three-change-of-scenery-nhl-trade-candidates/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that's where things stand this morning. Have a great day, and remember it's rumour season, don't fall for fakes. ### Maple Leafs sign Tinus Luc Koblar URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-tinus-luc-koblar/ Last updated: 2026-06-16T00:10:55.000Z Last year's surprise draft hit (at least an infield double, if not a homerun) is now under contract. [Maple Leafs Sign Forward Tinus Luc Koblar to Three-Year Entry-Level Contract | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed forward Tinus Luc Koblar to a three-year entry-level contract. Koblar, 18, recorded 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 47 games with Leksands IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) during the 2025-26 season. Internationally, Koblar represented Norway![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-43668811-9119-4e78-b78d-7e0b1486f5c1.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/wvo8oebmjvfbmeagksdk-80e5daa8-0e06-42d7-9cad-3c950c8a9455.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-forward-tinus-luc-koblar-to-three-year-entry-level-contract?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Koblar, 18, recorded 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 47 games with Leksands IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) during the 2025-26 season. > Internationally, Koblar represented Norway at both the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship (Division I, Group A), where he registered 10 points (five goals, five assists) in five games, and the 2026 IIHF World Championship, where he recorded nine points (six goals, three assists) in 10 games. > A native of Kranj, Slovenia, Koblar was selected by Toronto in the second round (64th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft. Leksand was relegated to Allsvenskan this year, and TLK was signed by Rögle in the SHL for what is believed to be a one-year deal. This is what we thought about him last fall: [Maple Leafs Prospect Report: Tinus Luc Koblar’s Pro DebutKoblar has suited up for Leksands’ pro league team much earlier than we had guessed, and with a much bigger role too. So let’s talk about how he’s looked.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-4e2389de-7632-44e4-88e7-cd354cb45023.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1507679799987-c73779587ccf-ec8f7bdb-f513-48f3-95d9-f85a82b0965f)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-prospect-report-tinus-luc-koblars-pro-debut/) The reality turned out to be more than any of us hoped for. And the fantastic performance in the World Championships netting him a bronze medal was the cap on a great year. And he's not even 19 yet! > The [#LeafsForever](https://x.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) sign '25 #64 Tinus Luc Koblar to 3 year ELC > > $1.0283M Cap Hit > $1.075M AAV > > Yr 1: 850K NHL, 102.5K Signing Bonus, 72.5K GP Bonus, 85K Minors > Yr 2: 900K/107.5K/67.5K/85K > Yr 3: 1.0125M/112.5K/85K > > Rep'd by Kurt Overhardt [@the\_team\_hockey](https://x.com/the%5Fteam%5Fhockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/BjdEIAZz57](https://t.co/BjdEIAZz57?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [June 16, 2026](https://x.com/PuckPedia/status/2066672352566415653?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Alofa Tunoa (Noa) Ta'amu URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-noa-taamu/ Last updated: 2026-06-15T16:38:51.000Z I'm going to split this introduction into two separate thoughts that converge on today's player. First: a lot of my favourite prospects that I wind up profiling for the draft are "glitter guys" – which for those who don't know, is a reference to a player who keeps catching my attention while I'm watching a game for someone else. In Ta'amu's case, he was teammates with Miroslav Holinka on the Edmonton Oil Kings. Boy has he caught my attention a lot this year, in all the right ways. Second: I've talked many times before about what I value the most in a defenseman. In order of importance, it's basically: defend your blueline and in your own end well, get the puck back, be able to get the puck out with control, drive transitions through the neutral zone, help facilitate offense in the offensive zone, produce points. Boy does that describe Ta'amu a great deal. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 220 lbs - **Birthdate**: May 28, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Corey Pronman: Not ranked - Will Scouch: 73rd - Elite Prospects: Not ranked - Scott Wheeler: Not ranked - McKeen's Hockey: Not ranked - Upside Hockey: Not ranked - NHL Central Scouting: 109th (North American skaters) Ta'amu has a fascinating background. His dad, Ed, was a native Hawaiian and Samoan, while his mother was Canadian. His dad was an offensive lineman measuring a massive 6'1" and 380 lbs, and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL in 2002\. Unfortunately, his dad suffered a serious knee injury right after the draft, and never played in a single NFL game after. But he did play some years in the Arena Football League. Noa definitely inherited some of that build, being 6'2" and already well over 200 lbs. But he also inherited his dad's athleticism to go with that size. In fact, his dad apparently always thought he'd also go into football, but he gave it a try for one year in high school then noped away from the sport. Noa did, however, get strongly into hockey thanks to his maternal grandfather and his dad was traveling for his arena football career. Once his dad's playing career was over, his parents moved to Edmonton to follow Noa's junior hockey career. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/image-13.png) Noa's mother and father I have to share [a couple of delightful quotes involving Noa and his dad](https://www.nhl.com/news/color-of-hockey-alofa-tunoa-ta-amu-preparing-for-nhl-draft-in-whl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), because they remind me of the dynamic my dad and I have had at times. > Ta’amu said his son becoming a hockey player allows him to keep bragging rights as the best football player in the family. He recalled that Noa once returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown as a lineman in his lone season of high school football. > “I’m, like, ‘There’s no way my kid’s better than me in hockey and football,’” he said. > Noa said he laughs when his father boasts about shutting him out when he donned goalie gear for a parent vs. player squirt game in San Diego. > “Well, he kind of takes up the whole net,” he said. “It was kind of hard to score on him when I was young and I could barely lift the puck.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/image-14.png) Ed Ta'amu, Noa's father Anyways, back to Noa's hockey career. As a kid growing up in San Diego, he played in the Los Angeles Jr. Kings program for a few years before he was drafted 3rd overall in the WHL's American Prospects Draft in 2023\. He played one season in Okanagan in the WHL's feeder league, before making the full time jump to Edmonton's regular lineup last year. Though he only played in 43 games for his rookie season, he had 6 points playing a depth role. His tracking data from that year is above average defensive impacts and... not good at anything else. This year, Ta'amu played in 62 games for a very strong Edmonton Oil Kings squad. He had only 12 points in 62 games for them in the regular season, then one goal in the 7 playoff games they played. But his impact on the offense wasn't from producing points, it was from doing the kinds of things I love seeing a defenseman be good at. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-8.png) As far as Ta'amu's usage, he was used as a workhorse at times from that second pair. He was used to help close out games when they had the lead because of his defense and ability to move the puck well to get it out of his own end safely. He did get occasional powerplay time, but not a lot. It was mostly an experiment at times, maybe to see what he could do for next season – Edmonton was deep on defense this year, especially after the trade deadline when they loaded up, so they had Carter Sotheran, Ethan MacKenzie and Blake Fiddler being ahead of Ta'amu on that depth chart, and two of them will be leaving the WHL after this season. On the penalty kill, Ta'amu was king. His bulk made him impossible to move by opposing forwards in front of the net, and he had no such problems shoving forwards out of the way of shooting lanes so his goalie could see better. It wasn't solely because of him, but Edmonton did have the fourth best penalty kill percentage as a team this year and he was their top penalty killer. Aside from that, Ta'amu got a small taste of the international stage when he was named to Team USA's roster for the Hlinka Gretzky tournament and helped them win the gold medal. His ice time per game rose in every single game, from 12:29 in his first game against Slovakia to 18:30 in the gold medal game against Sweden. The coaches raved about the improvements he made just over the five games of the tournament, and they seemed only too happy to reward his play with more ice time. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/image-16.png) ## THE GOOD: PHYSICAL MONSTER, DEFENSE, BREAKOUTS, PUCK MOVEMENT, TWO-WAY POTENTIAL So Ta'amu is a very strong (in the literal and metaphorical sense) defensive defenseman in all the ways that people traditionally associate with that archetype. That's what he's known most for, and I'll get to the specifics later. For now, I want to dig in on the other areas that are maybe less traditionally considered to be "defensive" skills, but by now you should know I don't paint completely within the lines for that kind of thing. As I hopefully can show in the tracking data from both Mitch Brown at Elite Prospects, and from Will Scouch, Ta'amu is one of the best defensemen in this draft class in their data sets for driving transitions – especially when exiting the defensive zone. He scans the ice well, and has good vision and anticipation to make a plan ahead of time for what he needs to do to retrieve dump ins and loose pucks, shed any forecheckers, and get it out of his end with control. Ta'amu's methods aren't the flashiest, but he has a good bag of tricks to use. He'll lure in pressure and invite contact, maybe even initiate it himself with a reverse hit. He's so strong and bulky already that there's no one in junior who can physically push him around. The reason he does that is to create more space for himself, so he can fire off a high volume of short or medium range passes with a high percentage of success. He doesn't typically deke or skate his way out of pressure to drive zone exits, but he doesn't need to. Even though his point production was low, I also think there's potential in his offense game. Again, not necessarily in his ability to generate points directly, but to help facilitate and support the offense. He likes to activate in to join the offense, but he's not wild and crazy with it. He is not someone you'll be annoyed by when he keeps overthinking his possessions and offensive opportunities. He will make the quick and simple play, which can still be highly effective. He may not ever be a dynamic playmaker or a powerplay QB, but he has a decent shot to generate tips and rebounds, and puck movement that is quick and decisive to get the puck to the forwards who are better equipped to do the damage. 0:00 /2:44 1× Noa Ta'amu (#5 in white/red/blue) - Highlights Now let's talk about the elephant in the room, which is actually just Ta'amu himself. This kid is just huge. As of writing this I haven't seen an official update on his dimensions but I've seen some recent scouting reports say he's somewhere between 230 and 240 lbs now. The crazy thing is he doesn't necessarily look that big. He certainly looks legitimately 6'2" but it's not like he looks super bulky, to me at least. He's just ***dense*** I guess. Ta'amu's power and strength are legit. He can shove players around with relative ease, and I don't think that will change once he gets to pro hockey because he has plenty of time to fully mature and grow into his natural body with NHL-level workouts. He is a tank or a freight train on skates, and almost impossible to deal with along the boards or in front of the net. It's a real advantage for him. Power on its own doesn't equal good defense, but it does create a very good tool when used in the hands of a capable defenseman. Ta'amu is one of the best defenders, both against the rush and in his own end. He has quick lateral edges and solid footwork to maintain a narrow gap, and with his size, power and reach he forces turnovers or dump ins. In his own zone, all those tools I mentioned like his skating, size, reach, scanning and anticipation make him an elite play killer. ## THE FLAWS: PUCK HANDLING, FOOT SPEED & AGILITY, INCONSISTENCY Ta'amu does have some weaknesses that he will need to work on, and I'll mention them in order from most concerning to least. First, Ta'amu's foot speed and agility can be slow and clunky at times. Working with skating and fitness coaches should help smooth some of this out, and give him better fast-twitch and explosive movements with better mechanics. While his overall mobility is already above average, his ability to play elite level defense at higher levels is contingent on him being able to keep pace with play at those levels. And for that, he'll need to work on this. The second area of concern is Ta'amu's occasional tendency to become too passive. He'll get caught coasting, watching the puck without reacting in anticipation of what could be happening next, and drifting out of positions. It's not a frequent thing, and his defensive results with this cropping up now and then is still elite, but that's another area where he won't be able to afford these kinds of lapses when he gets to pro hockey. The final areas are very minor in comparison. They're more about offensive skills like Ta'amu's puck handling, especially in close quarters, being weak. Or his offensive playmaking, actually his overall offensive game now that I think about it, being too simple and predictable. I touched on why I don't really care about this already, but it is something that would help him in other areas if he could improve it after the draft. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT The important thing for me is that Ta'amu already has a solid foundation being as good as he already is at the things I value the most in defensemen. He's at an elite level in junior with some smaller flaws that need fixing so he can maintain that level as he advances to the professional level. The physical tools that Ta'amu has are no joke, but what I like is that he doesn't just play like a goon. In fact, there were some complaints earlier in the season that he wasn't playing as physical as these people wanted. He does play with an edge, like throwing hits, but he doesn't chase it. He plays smarter than that. If he hits, it's for a purpose... not for it's own sake. That's when his game really took off for the later stages of the season. The other thing Ta'amu improved on was making his focus more consistent, so those little lapses I mentioned all but disappeared. His hockey sense also seemed to improve by a healthy amount, and his ability to read the play and make quick decisions became very valuable. I'm actually surprised that I haven't seen very much hype for Ta'amu, given the improvements he made. He may not be 6'4" but he's not exactly short, and as I said he's a physical behemoth in a densely wrapped package. I've only seen one other scout rank him at all (Scouch), and NHL Central Scouting barely ranked him enough to make me think he'd be drafted at all. There may be one or two teams out there who like him enough to make him a "surprise" pick in the middle rounds. Personally, I'd consider him with Toronto's third rounder which is very close to their second rounder. He'd be a project I'd bet on. ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Monday's FTB: Marlies take a 2-0 lead URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-marlies-win/ Last updated: 2026-06-15T10:00:29.000Z The Marlies played game two of their series on Sunday afternoon, and it was a very AHL affair – lots of goals and an exchange of dominating offensive zone play with no one the better team for long. The Wolves went first and got a very expected goal very early after a lot of heavy pressure. And then... well, they didn't keep it up. > HERE WE BO! 😤😤😤 > > Bo Groulx sneaks it short side off the rush to tie the game I [@cocacola\_ca](https://x.com/cocacola%5Fca?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/pm9C90E7gw](https://t.co/pm9C90E7gw?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 14, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2066258763267379619?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > HOW SWEDE IT IS!! 👑 > > Alex Nylander gets a penalty shot and makes no mistake [pic.twitter.com/TeBtZ0K7Nk](https://t.co/TeBtZ0K7Nk?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 14, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2066271072488427694?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This was a gift from Santa, the very serious referee who has totally memorized the rule book. And it would never be a penalty shot in the NHL: > The Chicago broadcast is going IN on the officiating after Alex Nylander was awarded a penalty shot & scored to tie Game 2 of the [#CalderCup](https://x.com/hashtag/CalderCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finals. 🫢[@InsideAHLHockey](https://x.com/InsideAHLHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/FhNH0a8gaL](https://t.co/FhNH0a8gaL?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Tony Androckitis\* (@TonyAndrock) [June 14, 2026](https://x.com/TonyAndrock/status/2066271543974334622?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I enjoy immensely the takes that the ref was right, both morally and spiritually as well as by the letter of the rule book, and the commentary is all just a bunch of homers. Which, yes actually, it's meant to be. But no way that gets you a penalty shot 99 times out of 100\. Or ever in the NHL. Chicago kept coming back and Toronto kept scoring. > Logan Shaw is Captain Clutch🎥[@TorontoMarlies](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#CHIvsTOR](https://x.com/hashtag/CHIvsTOR?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#CalderCup](https://x.com/hashtag/CalderCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > 📺: [https://t.co/xslzIvekI0](https://t.co/xslzIvekI0?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/8CZCfQB2ni](https://t.co/8CZCfQB2ni?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — American Hockey League (@TheAHL) [June 14, 2026](https://x.com/TheAHL/status/2066283977623687502?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > ALLONS-YYYYYY BO! 💥💥💥 > > Bo Groulx has his second to put us back in front I [@cocacola\_ca](https://x.com/cocacola%5Fca?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/hIwVTOhNap](https://t.co/hIwVTOhNap?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 14, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2066290620117774389?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Unfortunately Jusso Valimaki got his second goal, and this game went to OT where Cayden Primeau couldn't keep his skate on the post and the Marlies won it. > LOGAN SHAW STUFFS ONE ACROSS THE GOAL LINE IN OT🚨🤌[@Toronto\_Marlies](https://x.com/Toronto%5FMarlies?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#CHIvsTOR](https://x.com/hashtag/CHIvsTOR?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#CalderCup](https://x.com/hashtag/CalderCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/xj3bCkmlIg](https://t.co/xj3bCkmlIg?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — American Hockey League (@TheAHL) [June 15, 2026](https://x.com/TheAHL/status/2066313075389571565?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This game finished at 32 SOG each, and frankly it was hard to say who was better during the game. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-14-211739.png) I don't know what that goal icon is doing up in the stands. But that's a pretty clear quality of shooting advantage to the Marlies. Game 3 is tomorrow night in Toronto. --- In that other game yesterday: > Bunch of jerks [pic.twitter.com/ySnsMzJznN](https://t.co/ySnsMzJznN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) [June 15, 2026](https://x.com/TheFourthPeriod/status/2066356313991647298?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > THE PERFECT STORM > THE PERFECT CUP LIFT > > 🏆🏆🏆 [pic.twitter.com/74diygTGOG](https://t.co/74diygTGOG?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [June 15, 2026](https://x.com/Sportsnet/status/2066359636865831392?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Jordan Staal (Conn Smythe winner) passed the Cup to Frederik Andersen to no, not Sebastian Aho, he said no, give it to Taylor Hall first. Prior to Game 6 (per Natural Stat Trick's model) this series was 16.6 to 17.4 Expected Goals For, Carolina over Vegas in all-situations. So tied. The goals were 21-18\. Which means, nobody in net has been above average. Not until last night. > The Hurricanes claiming Brandon Bussi off waivers from the Panthers at the start of this season might make up at least some for the Panthers claiming Gustav Forsling off waivers from the Hurricanes in 2021. > > — Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) [June 15, 2026](https://x.com/TomGulittiNHL/status/2066342611573748066?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Brandon Bussi parked the bus across the goal line and let nothing in. I have to say, I felt for Freddie, and we'll find out in time what was up with him, but he brought Carolina to the brink, made it easier for them to get there, and then couldn't play the final games. > BRANDON BUSSI SHUTS THE DOOR AGAIN! > > 📺: ABC, [@Sportsnet](https://x.com/Sportsnet?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), & [@TVASports](https://x.com/TVASports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/D6GvIRWRFB](https://t.co/D6GvIRWRFB?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL (@NHL) [June 15, 2026](https://x.com/NHL/status/2066353240791523493?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Carolina has their Cup. Vegas has their ruthlessness to keep them warm at night. And now the offseason has begun. --- The PWHL is continuing with Phase, um, seriously I forget. It's expansion teams signing players to get to 10 total signings, though. There were a few yesterday, they have until 3 pm today to have everyone get to 10, and if not, some kind of draft happens. [Devils gauging interest in goaltender Jacob MarkstromThe New Jersey Devils are in the early stages of shopping one of their goaltenders.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/New-Jersey-Devils-goaltender-Jacob-Markstrom-23d13a85-a557-4f0a-9a11-4bb095fb8f69.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/devils-gauging-interest-in-goaltender-jacob-markstrom/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Joe Pavelski’s son drafted by OHL’s Rangers amid Maple Leafs interestJoe Pavelski may have a reason to come to Ontario, whether or not he gets the Toronto Maple Leafs head coaching job.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Pavelski-1-dea83327-61b8-4177-9952-a17e56bcac57.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/ohl/article/joe-pavelskis-son-drafted-by-ohls-rangers-amid-maple-leafs-interest/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The real story there is that there is a larger interest in US-born players in the OHL. The rearrangement of where people play is not just one-way to the NCAA. And that's all for now. Eleven days to the draft, and today's draft profile is a fun one! ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Rudolfs Berzkalns URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-rudolfs-berzkalns/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T12:00:55.000Z What if Tinus Luc Koblar, but Latvian? I'm tired. This is all the introduction you get. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Left-shot centre - **League(s)**: USHL - **Height**: 6'4" - **Weight**: 204 lbs - **Birthdate**: Mar 3, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Corey Pronman: 71st - Will Scouch: 59th - Elite Prospects: 59th - Scott Wheeler: Honourable mention - McKeen's Hockey: Not ranked - Upside Hockey: 88th - NHL Central Scouting: 30th (North American skaters) Berzkalns is a big but lanky center from Latvia who has been playing in America for the past few years. He's been playing through various AAA levels with Bishop Kearney until he had his rookie season in the USHL last year with Muskegon. He played a more limited depth role in the bottom six and didn't play at all during their playoff run that culminated in winning the championship. This year, Berzkalns started as mostly a middle-six center on a team that still had a lot of top talent. However, eventually some of that top talent moved on in the middle of the season. The move that affected Berzkalns the most was when Tynan Lawrence, another top prospect in this year's draft, was given an opportunity to join Boston University in the NCAA early. That opened a spot for Berzkalns to get bumped up to a regular top six spot. By the time the playoffs came around, he was their fixture as the 2C and given high leverage deployment in all situations. He finished this season with 13 goals and 25 points in 48 regular season games, then added 4 goals and 10 points in 16 playoff games as they lost in the final game of the USHL championship finals. His games played took hits both from him leaving to play for Latvia at the World Juniors as a younger 17 year old, and when he had two injuries in quick succession – a concussion and a fractured hand. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-7.png) When his team really needed it, Berzkalns stepped up in a bigger role. There was a stretch where Lawrence was gone and other guys were hurt, and Berzkalns was the guy the coaches leaned on for around 20 minutes per game for several games in a row. He became the coaches' favourite, like a comfort blanket they wanted to use whenever things got tight. He'd grind out shifts late in games, he played a ton in third periods whether they needed to hold a lead or come back from a deficit. Scouts have said he has such good conditioning that he became an advantage to use with his size and stamina while the other team got worn down by his heavy style of play. Berzkalns was also heavily featured on both their top special teams units. On the powerplay, he mostly played on the half wall, usually to try and set up his one timer but he could also fire some good cross ice passes. On the penalty kill, he was relied on a lot to win important faceoffs, and use his reach and size to take up space in dangerous passing lanes. Like his countryman and future teammate at Boston College in the NCAA, Olivers Murnieks, Berzkalns has also played in the World Juniors for Latvia the past two years as a 16 and then 17 year old. He only had one goal in all those games, but it was a big tying goal against Canada this past winter that sent it to overtime. His role for Latvia was usually as their third/fourth line center that was used mostly in a shut down role, though as a team playing a tight "shut down" defensive structure was the core part of their system. ## THE GOOD: ELITE DEFENSE, PHYSICAL DOMINANCE, SKATING(ISH), SHOT Like Murnieks, Berzkalns' biggest strengths as a player comes down to his utility as a heavy, physical defensive center. He has an elite attention to details without the puck, and is considered to have a very mature game. He supports the defense down low, rotates with them when needed to maintain tight coverage, adjusts his positioning to take up space in potential passing lanes, and with his size and reach he can clog a lot of the middle of the ice. He scans the ice a lot to stay aware of where everyone else is positioned. He is a high level supporting forward on rush defenses, and has been one of the top penalty killing forwards in the USHL this season. When Berzkalns is playing without the puck outside of the defensive zone, his heaviness and physical dominance continues. He is a beast along the boards, and able to protect the puck when he does have possession on the cycle. He throws some heavy and punishing hits along the boards and in open ice, and his ability to win battles on the boards or in front of the net is similarly dominant in junior. He has a good sense of positioning and timing when it comes to arriving into open space low in the slot, fighting for loose pucks, and so on. Particularly in the playoffs, scouts were raving about his power-forward game with a very high activity rate and an improved motor, helping him a lot with more intense forechecking and even more punishing hits. When it comes to Berzkalns' skills, it's a mixed bag but I think with more standouts than Murnieks. I think he's a faster and more explosive skater in a straight line, and better able to drive to the net with it. Multiple scouts I've read also think he's an excellent skater overall with the usual caveat of "for his size" added at the end. He has good crossovers to generate speed through the neutral zone, and he can look like an unstoppable train when he's at his top speed given his size. I also think Berzkalns is a better puck handler, especially in terms of skating with it and able to drive transitions with his feet. By the end of the season and into the playoffs, a lot of scouting reports noted he seemed to greatly improve his puck skills. More specifically, he was showing more dynamic playmaking with an ability to create space from defenders and manipulate them into giving him a better passing lane. I would also say that Berzkalns is a better finisher than Murnieks, both because he has a much better shot and because of having good hands around the net in tight spaces. His wrist shot has some good velocity and accuracy to it, and you can see in his highlights below, a good amount of his goals come from him executing some lovely looking snipes or one-timer bombs. Another area he's scored some goals, or helped set up goals, is parking himself around the net and fighting for loose pucks to put home rebounds, or pull it out of a scrum to pass back to the point to get better control for additional shots or passes past the piles of defenders. 0:00 /2:47 1× Rudolfs Berzkalns (#17 in white/black) - Highlightsrein ## THE FLAWS: CONSISTENT PLAY DRIVING, PUCK HANDLING, ACCELERATION The issues with Berzkalns game is that he's still very raw. He has some flashes and isolated elements of skill, but being able to consistently put it all together didn't really exist until the end of the season and the playoffs. He isn't a natural play driver right now, and while he showed a lot of improvement moving the puck with his feet later in the year, he still relies more on his wingers to drive transitions more often. I'd like to see him improve in this area, because some of his highlights show the flashes of potential in terms of weaving, speeding, and/or dangling through the neutral zone on his own, but he'll need to improve in all those areas so he can still be effective there at higher levels. The other element of inconsistency is with Berzkalns' passing and playmaking. His accuracy can get wild at times, and while he will try to do something more flashy or manipulative to create better passing chances, his success rate on them was all over the place for most of the season. He can be especially wild when he faces more aggressive pressure and only has time to react rather than think and plan his next move. Other than that, a few of Berzkalns' other specific skills suffer from consistency issues that honestly may just come from unrefined mechanics. He needs a lot more practice to refine his puck handling, especially handling the puck while at speed and when trying to handle it along the boards when retrieving a dump in or receiving a rimmed dump in around the boards as a forechecker. His shot mechanics can also get wild at times when he forgets some of the fundamental mechanics to ensure consistent power and accuracy. And lastly is his skating, which is good right now but could be better in terms of creating more power and acceleration in his first 1-2 steps. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT Honestly, I didn't think this until recently when I saw another scout say this, but Berzkalns' current state in terms of his strengths, weaknesses, and where he's at in terms of his raw skills and tools and the potential that it all hints at brings to mind a certain big Norwegian center that Toronto drafted last season. Not that he's very comparable in his style or general profile, it's more in terms of how it feels when you watch him and you can see how close he is to taking a big leap in his development. It feels like he just needs time, experience and practice to develop and refine his game so he can start putting it all together on a consistent basis. Because, like with Koblar, you can see the areas Berzkalns has already improved over this year and just how good he looked by the end of the regular season and into the playoffs. His puck handling already got better, especially when handling the puck at speed and in close quarters with other bodies. His engagement level and motor became consistent and was a major strength for him, especially on their playoff run. He stopped stumbling as much as he moved or engaged physically and had much better balance and strength on his feet. He was able to play at a much better and more consistently high pace while retaining his effectiveness and skills. It may take more than just a year, but with a commitment to the NCAA on a top program like Boston College, that could be the perfect opportunity for Berzkalns to get all of the right development that he needs. He'd be close to Toronto so he could remain in close contact with the Leafs' development coaches to touch base and give him notes on things to work on. They can especially help him in terms of refining his mechanics and improve those consistency issues – something they've done well at in the past with other prospects like Knies, Nansi, Chadwick, and Villeneuve. Honestly with what I already wrote about another guy that reminded me of Koblar, Adam Andersson, I'm imagining the Leafs drafting both him and Berzkalns and creating an absolutely nightmare bottom six checking line with the three of them together. A guy can dream... ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Olivers Murnieks URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-olivers-murnieks/ Last updated: 2026-06-13T12:00:40.000Z [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Left-shot centre - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 6'1" - **Weight**: 198 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jul 31, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Corey Pronman: Not ranked - Will Scouch: Not ranked - Elite Prospects: Not ranked - Scott Wheeler: Honourable Mention - McKeen's Hockey: Not ranked - Upside Hockey: Not ranked - NHL Central Scouting: 98th (North American skaters) I've been watching Murnieks since last season. He was a glitter guy that I noticed both when he was playing in the USHL for Sioux City, and when he played for Latvia at the World Juniors as one of their top players despite being 16 years old. He was on that Latvian team that had the infamous upset over Team Canada in the shootout. Even then, at that age, he was their top line center and played just under 19 minutes. He wound up having 4 points in 5 games for Latvia in that tournament, which is a very strong performance for someone so young at such a high level. Murnieks even made Latvia's roster for the World Championships! He's one of the very draft eligible players playing this year, alongside more known top picks like Ivar Stenberg, Viggo Björck, or countryman Alberts Smits. Murnieks hasn't played nearly as much as those guys, but just being included is noteworthy. This year, Murnieks moved from the USHL to the QMJHL. He was taken as an import player (6th overall in the CHL import draft) by Saint John while he waited for Boston College to be ready for him in the NCAA. He only played in 31 games for them, partly due to a shoulder injury that caused him to miss a big section of the first half of the season and again later in March, and partly because he was again playing in a lot of international tournaments for Latvia. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-6.png) In the QMJHL, you may look at Murnieks' 20 points in 31 games and be disappointed. But pure point production was never the important part of his game, plus it's something that seems to come out more for him in big moments if that's something you believe is repeatable. He was a lock in the Saint John top six and was heavily used defensively. He did get a good amount of powerplay time, usually playing in the high slot as a bumper role thanks to his strength as a quck-read passer. This was true both in Quebec and on Latvia. He was also the top penalty killer on any team he played for. If his team needed to hold a lead late, needed to win an important faceoff, or needed to keep the other team's top line in check, Murnieks is who the coach sent over the boards most often. On the international stage, his role and usage was along the same lines but amplified. Latvia plays a good, structured game but they lack the horses to keep up with most of the traditional powerhouses, so when they have a guy that's good enough to be an NHL draft pick they will be relied upon heavily in their role and ice time. For example, he played at the World Juniors again this year, and again had 4 points in 5 games. Despite having a below average age again, he was below he was Latvia's top center, used in all situations heavily, and averaged around 19-20 minutes. Murnieks also played at the World U18s this past April-May. He had 6 points in 7 games, which was tied for the team lead. It was also tied for 8th most in the tournament. He played 20+ minutes in every game but one, an 8-1 win where he still played 19:36\. He had 2 assists in their upset win over Team USA where he played 23:41\. He was a workhorse that they rode hard, and he helped get them to the semi finals and bronze medal game which they narrowly lost 1-0 to Slovakia. ## THE GOOD: ELITE DEFENSIVE CENTER, RELENTLESS WORK ETHIC, OFF-PUCK SUPPORT, PLAYMAKING POTENTIAL The reason why I like Murnieks is that, even aside from the big strengths he offers as a defensive center, I see some utility beyond that as someone who helps push play in the right direction. He has an impact offensively by driving more time with offensive possessions, because he can defensively shut the other team down and limit time spent in his own zone. That requires some skill aside from what is traditionally thought of as purely 'defensive' skills when you don't have the puck. For example, I've talked about how I increasingly value a defenseman's ability to skate or pass the puck out of his own end with control as a 'defensive' skill. That holds true for forwards too, especially defensive-minded ones. Murnieks may not be a flashy or dynamic playmaker, but he is a capable passer with flashes of high-end passing abilities and instincts. He can thread passes cross-ice through traffic, make softer one-touch or saucer passes (mostly seen on the powerplay), and has even broken out a behind the back pass on occasion to get it around a defender who sells out to the front he's facing. When it comes to offensive skills, he's definitely strongest as a passer or playmaker. When Murniek's doesn't have the puck, he is both a very smart and smartly physical off-puck supporting player for his team's offense. He has good timing with his routes where he times his arrivals to certain areas of the ice precisely. He can recognize soft spots in coverage and settle into them to receive a pass with more space. He knows how to dip out of the play above it then sneak back into it in behind defenses that lost him in their coverage for a back door pass or to tap in a rebound. Murnieks is also a menace in close quarters. 6'1" is just on the high end of average, but he's already just under 200 lbs and is like a tank on his feet. He can make himself immovable in front of the net, fighting for deflections and rebounds. He can be overpowering along the boards in battles during the cycle to do the harsher dirty work for his more skilled wingers. He is built to be a reliable bottom six center, especially if the team that drafts him is able to work with him and unlock more of his offensive skills – not to improve his point production, but to help him be a more direct, positive impact on the offense his line can create. > BC commit Olivers Murnieks had a great performance today at the [#U18MensWorlds](https://twitter.com/hashtag/U18MensWorlds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), posting one goal and two assists. > > Plenty of great moments today including this strong forecheck... [pic.twitter.com/sE98wrrSh4](https://t.co/sE98wrrSh4?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Anthony Smith (@anthony\_smith80) [April 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/anthony%5Fsmith80/status/2048521411501998495?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Then there's all the great stuff Murnieks does as a hard-working defensive center. He is praised by most scouts as one of the best two-way, 200-foot, defensive specialist or whatever else you want to call it forwards in this draft. He has played a mature style of game beyond his years, at least since he was 16 that I can say but probably before that too. His tracking data shows elite rates at breaking up passes and breakouts, cutting off passing lanes, poking pucks away, blocking shots, supporting his defensemen, staying in the right position and not losing his man or leaving a dangerous area of the ice unguarded. What helps Murnieks achieve all that is his relentless work ethic. He does not stop working hard when he's on the ice. He will not shy away from the tough areas on the ice, and in junior is absolutely overwhelming physically – on the forecheck, the backcheck, on battles along the boards, when securing inside positioning in front of the net (his own and the other team's). He's not a guy who throws big hits, he's just physically suffocating. ## THE FLAWS: SLUGGISH MOBILITY, PUCK HANDLING, SHOT, PLAY DRIVING The biggest flaw Murnieks has that worries me most is around his mobility. His skating is not something I personally thought was a major issue. He is no Noah Chadwick or William Villeneuve in that regard, but that isn't to say he doesn't have things that he would need to improve. His speed is pretty good, but he lacks the explosiveness or acceleration that he will need beyond junior. Murnieks is also not the most nimble or agile, which would help him a lot when carrying the puck and create better chances for his playmaking to shine. According to some scouts who actually know about skating mechanics (I sure don't), he doesn't get a lot of flexion in his lower body and tends to hunch over as he skates. That does affect not only his ability to generate power for his acceleration but also can affect his balance and strength on his feet. So that's definitely something he needs to improve. The rest is all variations of "man I wish X offensive skill was better". As a puck handler he's rigid and lacks creativity. He gets through defenses by passing through it rather than carrying it through it. This does affect his ability to be more efficient in driving transitions, and for him it specifically shows up in his inability to create zone entries at an effective level. So his playmaking is typically simple and low-risk, deferring to his linemates to carry the load in that regard. The same kind of thing is said about Murnieks' shooting. He flashes a good wrist shot and one-timer, but his shot selection isn't the best. He works best as a passer and then cleanup guy in front who looks for back door passes, deflections, rebounds, things like that. His inability to get good shots outside of in close, despite having a decent shot, is mostly because of his lack of puck handling. Again, if that's something he can improve to at least an average level, he can be a more impactful bottom six depth center than just a pure defensive specialist like a Kampf. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT So the reason why I like the idea of taking a chance on Murnieks (outside of the second round, mind you) is because his defensive value is already so good that anything else he can improve to round out the rest of the game is gravy. As long as the skating doesn't remain a problem and he can improve in those areas as he develops, he seems a reasonably safe bet to get to the NHL in a depth role and PK specialist. There are reasons to think Murnieks can improve in those areas. He showed a lot of improvement by the end of this season at protecting the puck. Instead of passing it off as soon as he could to a teammate, he started showing he could pull the puck to his backhand and use his body to keep defenders at bay. He started showing a bit of deception and creativity too, just to manipulate defenders a little bit so he had a better pass to make. The way Murnieks' offense improved the most was mainly on the tactical side, rather than in pure skill. He made better decisions with the puck, his ability to process play as it unfolded in front of him improved not just defensively but also when the puck was on his stick. That's where his strengths with his support, off-puck offense came from. He has a bit of a Knies-like gravitational pull to him when he doesn't have the puck, in that he uses the imposing physical pressure to draw more defenders to him when they're worried he can just have free reign in front of the net. Another area of his tactical adjustments that helped his offensive game is in what he started to do when he was in front of the net. He wasn't just parking himself in front then turning the key and pulling the parking brake. He would read the play better and was quick to leave the net-front area to soft areas of coverage for a quick pass reception with an instant catch-and-release with very good timing. He'd also be quick to pounce on loose pucks and chase rebounds that went into the corners so he could get on them first and continue their possession. So with the foundation built around his ability to play a smart, physically imposing and highly efficient 200-foot game, the question is if you believe that Murnieks can develop enough of an offensive game to go from being a Kampf (or not even that) to being more like an Adam Lowry, JT Compher, Phillip Danault, Nick Bjugstad... someone in that third line center range. > Magnuss Avotins took a feed from Olivers Murnieks and it's 1-0 Latvia. [#U18MensWorlds](https://twitter.com/hashtag/U18MensWorlds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/fPUpTl6gxc](https://t.co/fPUpTl6gxc?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) [April 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/SEllisHockey/status/2048438045091701015?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Weekend FTB: Marlies open the final with a win URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ftb-3/ Last updated: 2026-06-13T10:00:25.000Z > The 2026 [#CalderCup](https://x.com/hashtag/CalderCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finals will air on [@Sportsnet](https://x.com/Sportsnet?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) for cable television subscribers in Canada and on [@NHL](https://x.com/NHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Network in the United States, in addition to worldwide streaming on AHLTV on [@FloHockey](https://x.com/FloHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and audio on [@SiriusXMNHL](https://x.com/SiriusXMNHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Network Radio. [pic.twitter.com/Ypw5bLMtHA](https://t.co/Ypw5bLMtHA?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — AHL Communications (@AHLPR) [June 12, 2026](https://x.com/AHLPR/status/2065448925532704893?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies opened their final against the Wolves with Ben Danford's first goal as a graduate of junior hockey: [Acceptable Treliving (@brigstew.bsky.social)BEN DANFORD FIRST PROFESSIONAL GOAL IS A BEAUTIFUL SNIPE TO TIE IT UP![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-e0f54cd0-6d29-4a77-a7c7-c7487e871766.png)Bluesky SocialAcceptable Treliving![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/thumbnail-12afe015-0b1e-41d4-9e19-fbaa27bb7970.jpg)](https://bsky.app/profile/brigstew.bsky.social/post/3mo4zsniedc24?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) You have to click through to see it, but you should just do that. > Cédric Paré with a beautiful feed from Ryan Tverberg🤌[@TorontoMarlies](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#CHIvsTOR](https://x.com/hashtag/CHIvsTOR?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#CalderCup](https://x.com/hashtag/CalderCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > 📺: [https://t.co/xslzIvekI0](https://t.co/xslzIvekI0?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/leZ7DdZvtb](https://t.co/leZ7DdZvtb?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — American Hockey League (@TheAHL) [June 13, 2026](https://x.com/TheAHL/status/2065613775428874465?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) All tied up in the third, Vinni Lettieri, the absolute MVP of the Marlies playoffs with a beauty: > ANDIAMO VINNI!!!! > > Vinni Lettieri goes end to end to give us the 3-2 lead! | [@cocacola\_ca](https://x.com/cocacola%5Fca?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/xCnvmUbJwV](https://t.co/xCnvmUbJwV?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 13, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2065623670194569323?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Lettieri added an ENG to seal the win. Next game is Sunday at 4 pm ET. --- The PWHL completed their Phase, er, I think it's 12 now. And the Sceptres protected two new players, plus the automatic protection for the just-signed Kali Flanagan. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/HKpbcoIXcAAyohH-1-.jpg) [PWHL COMPLETES PHASE 3 OF 2026 EXPANSION PLAYER DISTRIBUTION PROCESS WITH PROTECTIONS AND SIGNINGSNEW YORK AND TORONTO (June 12, 2026) — The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has completed Phase 3 of the Expansion Player Distribution Process with today’s signing deadline of 3 p.m. ET and protection list deadline of 5 p.m. ET. During Phase 3…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-9bcc96f3-a4eb-4e5f-9cd3-ba3d0a1be2a8.png)Professional Women's Hockey League![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/EN_Phase_3_Press_Release-WEB-1200x800-9ba59691-233e-41ef-9dc9-a2aae1bd8ac9)](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2026/june/12/pwhl-completes-phase-3-of-2026-expansion-player-distribution-process-with-protections-and-signings?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The next phase starts on Sunday at noon and is two days of expansion team signings. Prepare to lose more players! And speaking of Sunday, Game 6 of the SCF is that night at 8 pm. [Sakic backs Avalanche coach Bednar, plans to run it back again with core led by MacKinnonThe Colorado Avalanche president of hockey operations plans to run it back next season behind a group that includes Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and captain Gabriel Landeskog.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-19ac9cd8-1f44-4148-a942-6c1733339b2d.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/LUM2XJ2ZHNGP7PBVEAUUQH2QQU-3fe987a4-746a-46bd-bb68-b492395f9a94.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/sakic-backs-avalanche-coach-bednar-plans-to-run-it-back-again-with-core-led-by-mackinnon/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Kraken hire ex-Canucks exec Patrik Allvin as assistant GM![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/canucks-allvin-ec44cfdc-5930-413e-b02c-edcd5554be88.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/kraken-hire-ex-canucks-exec-patrik-allvin-as-assistant-gm/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Friday Four: Which players could be buyout candidates?The buyout window after the Stanley Cup Final offers teams a chance to increase roster flexibility — but at a notable cost. Sportsnet’s Michael Amato examines four buyout candidates.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caMichael Amato![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Gally-e446af05-ab60-43fd-b9c8-676eb8cd35b8.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/friday-four-which-players-could-be-buyout-candidates/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Have a great weekend, everyone. ### June 15 is when the NHL kicks into offseason mode URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/june-15-is-when-the-nhl-kicks-into-offseason-mode/ Last updated: 2026-06-12T13:00:19.000Z June 15 is the date set in the CBA for the first buyout window and for the first arbitration election period and so it marks the start of offseason. Of course, the Stanley Cup Final gets in the way of this, and that series will go as late as June 14 for sure, and possibly to June 17, so the date is qualified with "or 48 hours after the SCF". Sometime between the 16th and the 19th will mark the official start of offseason. ### Buyouts The first buyout window, the main buyout period of offseason, runs to June 30\. Buyouts are becoming more rare as most teams realize that just keeping the player or burying some of the cap hit in the AHL is better than loading up with dead cap space. There is no one on the Leafs who is even remotely likely to be bought out (and with Max Domi injured seriously I don't have to entertain those frankly absurd schemes to buy out his contract). The only interest the Leafs will have is in players who might become UFA after a buyout. As an example of who can be expected to be available, everyone is very upfront that Brendan Gallagher has played his last game in Montréal. He has one year remaining at $6.5 million. He's obviously and publicly onboard with being traded, and the initial talk is that Vancouver is the natural landing spot, but no one has actually asked Ryan Johnson what he thinks about that. If the Canadiens can't trade him, they could buy him out making him UFA on July 1\. You don't get star players out of buyouts, you get players who were overpaid at the end of term contracts, but who might have something to offer on a cheaper deal. The arbitration deadline is one the Leafs will be focused on. ### Arbitration The first arbitration election period is for teams and the deadline to file is 5 pm on June 15 (or 48 hours after the final game). Team elected arbitration is fairly rare, and electing it in the first window is a sign to the player that the team wants to play hardball on any contract. The player has to have a salary of $2,484,079 for the team to be allowed to elect arbitration in the first window. The player would get to pick the term, if applicable, if it goes all the way to arbitration. The second arbitration election deadline for players is July 5, and for teams, they get another 24 hour window after that to elect arbitration. However, Qualifying Offers are due on June 29 at noon, so that can make arbitration rights moot after that point if the team does not issue a QO – the player automatically becomes a UFA on July 1\. That might be the more likely scenario for Leafs players than arbitration. The Leafs have three forwards who played in the NHL this past season who have arbitration rights: 1. Nick Robertson 2. Matias Maccelli 3. Jacob Quillan They also have some AHL-level players who would not elect arbitration because they would have no case to get more than the mandated amount. They could just accept their QO should they get them. The same is true of Quillan, so the decisions to be made are about the first two. Maccelli has a very high salary heading into this offseason of $4.25 million, creating a QO of $4.11 million. There is no way the Leafs would elect arbitration because they would have to accept an award at least at 85% of that salary figure and it could be higher. There seems very little likelihood the Leafs would issue him a QO either, so it seems like his path to re-signing is to negotiate a reasonable deal. Something under the 85% figure or $3.8 million or so for a few years might be reasonable as the rising cap is making that figure the norm for a peripheral middle-six player. Nick Robertson is another story. With a QO of $1.825 million and 16 goals in 78 games played, he has an arbitration case if he wants to take that route. On the other hand, he turns 25 this fall and would likely want some security of term somewhere. This feels like a situation where a trade is almost inevitable, but haven't we said that before? He would be much more likely to be movable now than at any time in the past, and his trade requests have always had an air about them of high hopes on his part that aren't reasonable. I don't think the Leafs are going to want to pay him what he'd accept on a medium-term deal, nor do I think they should. But we're flying blind right now guessing the direction the team will take. In terms of other QOs, they're all AHLers right now, so the choice to issue QOs or not will be one of prospect management. There are three legacy RFAs who moved to Europe in Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, Topi Niemelä and Roni Hirvonen. And aside from reports a month ago that Der-Arguchintsev wants to return to North America, there is really no reason to hang onto these players, but nothing is lost if a QO is issued to maintain rights. At the draft, John Chayka said he had made no decisions on QOs, but we'll hear about those in time. ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Jonas Lagerberg Hoen URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-jonas-lagerberg-hoen/ Last updated: 2026-06-13T00:34:04.000Z Every draft year, there's always at least one player who has some hype at the start of the season but suffers a significant injury and winds up missing most of the year after. It's always hard to write about those players because their draft hype slowly erodes no matter how good they looked and were thought to be before that, and because you just don't get to see them make the improvements and adjustments over what is arguably the most important age for a hockey prospect. And if the injury was so significant, it's hard not to question if that will be a long-term concern or limiting factor in the future that hampers their development. Thankfully, today I am starting the first profile for players to consider with Toronto's third round pick. It's a lot more logical to take swings on these kinds of players when you've already picked twice in higher rounds where you care a lot more about having certainty you're getting the right pick. So let's talk about who Jonas Lagerberg Hoen is and why he could be a steal despite only playing in 11 games this season, and none since mid-October. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Right-shot winger - **League(s)**: U20 Nationell / SHL - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 185 lbs - **Birthdate**: Oct 24, 2007 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Corey Pronman: Not ranked - Will Scouch: 44th - Elite Prospects: Honourable mention - Scott Wheeler: Honourable mention - McKeen's Hockey: Not ranked - Upside Hockey: 53rd - NHL Central Scouting: 19th (European skaters) The knee injury that ended Hoen's season so early is especially concerning for him because he is on the older side of this year's draft, his October 24th 2007 birthday puts him barely a month past being eligible last year. But there's a reason why he had some hype going into this season and through those first 11 games. Hoen is another Leksands kid I saw a good deal last year and this one, at the start anyway. As a 17 year old, he finished in a tie for fourth in the league for all players with 27 goals in 38 games. On a per game basis, he finished only behind a 20 year old in his final year of eligibility for junior in Sweden, and some guy named Ivar Stenberg you may have heard about. The thing is, those 27 goals were great and all, but he also had a grand total of three assists. Three. Single digits. That's one of the more absurd unbalanced goal vs assist ratios I can remember seeing in any league or age. Despite that, Hoen's 30 points were enough to rank 6th on a very deep Leksands team that won the regular season title. He also finished in a tie for third in playoff points with 2 goals and 3 assists in 7 games, ahead of perhaps the greatest prospect of all time Tinus Luc Koblar who is only three months younger. Hoen also played for Sweden at the Hlinka Gretzky in the late summer of 2024, but had zero points in 5 games playing a mostly depth role. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-42.png) From: [https://www.patreon.com/c/prospect\_tracking\_data/](https://www.patreon.com/c/prospect%5Ftracking%5Fdata/posts?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This season, Hoen started the season returning to Leksands junior team and, quite simply, dominated. He had 9 goals and 16 points in just 9 games. He also got called up twice to the SHL team, but only got onto the ice for one of them and played for 3:00 of ice time. Still, for a pro team struggling for offense and willing to give opportunities to the kids who were good enough, like Koblar, Hoen seemed poised to get a larger shot there in time if he continued his torrid play in junior... until the injury that is. It's not a lot to go off of, but if you take Hoen's production rate in those nine junior games, he had the second highest point per game rate in the league behind only teammate August Lissel who is 17 months older and played almost as many games in Sweden's pro leagues. Among players in this year's draft class, Hoen was a tier or two ahead of everyone else and even still ahead of the top 2007 born players already drafted in 2025 like Mikkel Eriksen, Viktor Klingsell, Michal Svrcek, Max Westergard, and Theo Stockselius. Now is the time where I tell you how, while the points are great and all, they aren't the main reason why I'm interested in him as a prospect despite being older and missing like 95% of his draft year due to a significant knee injury. ## THE GOOD: NHL-LEVEL SHOT, DYNAMIC RUSH ABILITIES, HIGH DANGER CREATOR, POWER FORWARD POTENTIAL The first and biggest standout skill Hoen has is his shot and ability to score goals, which you'd expect given his stats. His wrist shot is hard, heavy, and has a quick release. He can wire it on the fly at full speed, or off a stand-still catch and quick release when he receives a pass. He also has a bomb of a one timer that he uses mostly on the powerplay on his off-hand side. Scouts already rate his shot as NHL-level, which I can't argue with. Hoen's offensive skills outside of his shot are still good, but not at that elite level. He's got a good set of hands, a bag of dekes he can pull out in open ice, and a strong ability to protect the puck from defenders even through contact. He is a very fast skater in a straight line and uses that, plus his handles, to be a highly effective transition driver so far in Sweden's junior league. Then there's Hoen's playmaking and passing. There's more disagreement here from scouts as far as how good his playmaking is, both now and projecting into the future. Some think he can be an elite distributor that drives a high rate of successful passes into the slot, an efficient pass rate, good vision, and the smarts to use give and go's and other uses of passing to break defenses down. But aside from Hoen's offense skills, I'm just as impressed by his brain and what he's willing to do with and without the puck. Despite having a good shot he doesn't rely on it to score goals by just firing it off from the perimeter where it could beat goalies at a good enough rate... in junior. He has an attitude of attacking the middle of the ice and shooting from dangerous areas. When he has the puck, he will try and drive it to the net or at least the slot. He has a physical frame and good skating to make it happen, plus his puck handling is pretty good too. Without the puck, Hoen has a good engine and work ethic. His tracking data showed he had a very high rate (especially for a winger) of breaking up the cycle in his own end by using his size and physical edge to shut down the puck carriers on the boards. He was used as one of Leksands main penalty killers on the junior team for a reason. Even outside of defending the cycle, his willingness to take and give a hit gives him a lot of intrigue as a bit of a power forward. He'll throw reverse hits to initiate contact on his terms to knock defenders off balance, and he'll chase down puck carriers on the backcheck and level them with a surprise hit. He'll use the same approach chasing down dump ins on the forecheck, looking to cause havoc and force turnovers. He is a menace in puck battles everywhere on the ice. Watching Hoen play, I see the potential for a very complete player who has the skills and ability to do a lot of things well and no major weakness. With a couple of standout skills that are near- or actually-elite, he could top out as a middle six, supporting power winger. A poor man's Matthew Knies, maybe somewhere around a Bobby McMann. ## THE FLAWS: JUNIOR HABITS, PUCK MANAGEMENT, SKATING MECHANICS, THAT INJURY THOUGH... This is where it's really hard to assess Hoen. There's no getting around that he suffered a knee injury so severe that he hasn't played since October. Outside of the fact that it could affect his play and development in the long term, if it affects his mobility and power base from his legs, but the time he missed is significant not just because of how long it was. With most prospects in their draft year, you see weaknesses but you can also see them improve on them through the season. The ones that are really interesting are the ones who, by the end of the season, have shown those flaws are not significant problems for them anymore. They worked on the issues and either turned them into strengths, or at least got them to a place where they're neutral and not bad. But Hoen never had the chance to show that. So, with that said... Outside of his shot, Hoen's weaknesses come down to how much of those strengths I mentioned were flashes rather than the norm for him as he played. The biggest problem he showed in the early part of the season that was his entire season was the consistency vs the flashes. At times, he definitely had some junior habits. Most guys who have never played above junior do, but Hoen didn't have the benefit of playing a full season with more call ups to the SHL where his coaches could help develop those habits out of him. While he ***could*** be intensely focused and locked in on defense, the backcheck, the forecheck, and driving to the dangerous areas for his shot, he at times would also be coasting, just reaching with his stick, losing his man in coverage, and trying to one-man-army everything on offense. The other issue is the question around how much his offensive skills, beyond his shot, would project well to the NHL – especially since he's an older prospect in this draft. If his off puck play, power forward tendencies and two-way impacts remain inconsistent enough to not be viable, those offensive skills will have to be enough to make him a viable NHLer. But if they are not enough either, you're looking at shaky foundation for a prospect. I mentioned how there was conflicting opinions on his playmaking in particular among scouts, and the debate there is exactly that question at its core with some additional questions on his skating mechanics potentially limiting the projection of his mobility. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT As is my wont, now I'll explain why those flaws are not that bad to me and/or why I don't care about them, and why I would love for Toronto to draft him anyway. First, I think those 'flashes' are more real. His consistency issues are very much in line for the vast majority of prospects in their draft years outside of the very cream of the crop. Everyone has consistency issues with some parts of their game, but for me what I'm interested in is the fact that Hoen shows those high level flashes for ***everything***. He's not someone who flashes a couple of interesting skills and then has consistent flaws in others. He shows promise with his puck handling, passing/playmaking, transitions, power forward game, forechecking, backchecking, in zone defense, work ethic... you name it. And since Hoen is an older prospect, I can at least compare the improvements he made in the short period he played this season with where he was late last season. His playmaking and passing got a lot better, as evidenced by the fact he more than doubled his assist totals despite playing in only 9 games. He was much more willing and able to use his teammates by passing them the puck and then doing the good off-puck things that both help them have more time and space and also give them the chance to pass it back to him when he's in a dangerous area for shooting it. The other noteworthy improvement is how he used his skating and speed changed. While last year he was definitely more prone to the junior habit of just trying to out-speed defenses as being a go-to strategy off the rush, this year he made much smarter and more mature decisions. He'd vary his speed – race hard at defenders to make them back up, only to slow down and create a bigger gap between him and the nearest defneseman. He'd use cutbacks, delays, give and goes, and wait for the late trailers to get closer and get open rather than trying to beat every defender himself. Hoen's defensive and physical game is what I think improved the most from what I saw of him last season with Koblar and Johansson's group. He made much better defensive reads, worked a lot harder to create turnovers, and a much better and more consistent willingness to just crush a dude and play with that physical edge. Him being able to make those a consistently above average part of his game would give him a lot of versatility as a prospect and potential NHL player, especially as a supporting/depth player in the bottom six if his offensive skills don't pan out as well as you'd hope. So while there is definitely risk in his game because of his injury and the amount of time Hoen missed as a result, there's so much promise in his game in so many different areas that I think you can make that swing on him. He's almost guaranteed to be available in the second round and could also potentially fall even into the third or fourth rounds. It will depend on how much risk a team wants to take with him, but the more picks a team already makes the more willing they'll be to take that risk on him. So with Toronto's third round pick, that's very close to their late second round pick...? For next year, Hoen signed a one year contract extension with Leksands this past April. Leksands was relegated from the SHL to the Allsvenskan after this past season, but that may actually wind up being better for his development. Now he can get that pro experience in a slightly easier league first, and the team may be more likely to give him that opportunity with more significant playing time. ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Friday's FTB: Two weeks to the draft URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-two-weeks-to-the-draft/ Last updated: 2026-06-12T15:15:03.000Z The strange goings on in the Carolina net have impacted the AHL final, which starts tonight in Chicago. With Frederik Andersen out of sight (but apparently still skating?) the Hurricanes recalled Amir Miftakhov from the Wolves last night to be their third goalie. Hockey is a small town, and Miftakhov is a former teammate of the Marlies' Artur Akhtyamov at Ak Bars Kazan. Miftakhov hasn't been the Wolves main playoff goalie, though, that's Cayden Primeau. You remember him, the goalie the Leafs claimed on waivers when they didn't want to force Dennis Hildeby into the NHL early in the season. Primeau was then, and is now, a very good AHL goalie. He's appeared in 14 of the Wolves playoff games, and is going to be Akhtyamov's main opponent. Some information on the goalie usage here: [Scout’s Analysis: Looking at Artur Akhtyamov ahead of Calder Cup FinalsAs the Toronto Marlies get set for the AHL’s Calder Cup Finals, goalie Artur Akhtyamov has had a great playoff run that puts him on the NHL team’s radar. Jason Bukala writes about Akhtyamov’s game and how crowded the Leafs’ goalie picture now is.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJason Bukala![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-15-6c03dcec-c60f-49ef-8fb6-5517b6bc3511.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/ahl/article/scouts-analysis-looking-at-artur-akhtyamov-ahead-of-calder-cup-final/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Marlies @ Wolves tonight at 8 pm. AHL playoffs are on Flo Hockey. See if you can find the Vegas or Carolina players here: > Final voting totals for the 2025-26 Hart Trophy: [pic.twitter.com/7OKcoq2qeA](https://t.co/7OKcoq2qeA?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [June 11, 2026](https://x.com/reporterchris/status/2065217046153974081?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Pavelski confirms he’s interviewing for Leafs jobRetired NHL hockey star Joe Pavelski confirmed to reporters on Thursday that he is interviewing for the Toronto Maple Leafs head coaching job.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-3977f4be-17a0-4a93-8932-0287002cb287.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/RAYV45BBJJD57AU7DXAIER7USY-8de7560e-1744-4278-a877-5900795231e5.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/pavelski-confirms-hes-interviewing-for-leafs-job/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > NEWS: Darren Dreger on OverDrive said Dallas Eakins is among the final candidates for the Maple Leafs’ head coaching position [#LeafsForever](https://x.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 👀 > > — OverDrive (@OverDrive1050) [June 11, 2026](https://x.com/OverDrive1050/status/2065195570608627998?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Sources: Darnell Nurse asks for trade, agrees it’s time to move from OilersAccording to multiple sources, Darnell Nurse has requested a trade out of Edmonton and agrees it’s time for a fresh start.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caElliotte Friedman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Nurse-87b355b0-df06-401d-b46d-4ce5b4fa5d24.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/sources-darnell-nurse-asks-for-trade-agrees-its-time-to-move-from-oilers/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Okay, now some Darnell Nurse talk. - The Oilers are not going to retain salary. - They aren't going to have to pay someone to take Nurse. - The Oilers won't actually be unable to trade him because no one will want him. - There is no one on offer on defence right now that comes close to Nurse's value. - Darnell Nurse would be the best defenceman on the Maple Leafs if they traded for him. (Unless Chris Tanev is suddenly himself that is.) - He's likely not the greatest fit for a team who would then trade their PP1 guy because his power play value is minimal. - Yes he's "overpaid" but he didn't force Edmonton to give him that contract. He doesn't need to be punished for it. And he's not solely responsible for their results. - They don't give out the cup for cap space efficiency. Someone is going to realize that, just like the Panthers did with Seth Jones. - Waiting for the perfect player and the perfect price gets you the last 10 years of Leafs results. - Any one of these draft prospect defenders that are touted so highly would be considered a great success if they had a career like Nurse's. - The remaining term on his deal is as risky as Seth Jones' is and Florida didn't balk. In NHL news, the Hurricanes blew away Vegas like a pile of feathers. I'm not sure it mattered who they had in net, well, not until the final few minutes anyway. Carolina leads three games to two, and Game six is on Sunday. UPDATE: > The 2026 [#CalderCup](https://x.com/hashtag/CalderCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finals will air on [@Sportsnet](https://x.com/Sportsnet?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) for cable television subscribers in Canada and on [@NHL](https://x.com/NHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Network in the United States, in addition to worldwide streaming on AHLTV on [@FloHockey](https://x.com/FloHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and audio on [@SiriusXMNHL](https://x.com/SiriusXMNHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Network Radio. [pic.twitter.com/Ypw5bLMtHA](https://t.co/Ypw5bLMtHA?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — AHL Communications (@AHLPR) [June 12, 2026](https://x.com/AHLPR/status/2065448925532704893?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Now we have it confirmed. This is broadcast television only, so not the Sportsnet app on your smart TV or online. You must have the channels mentioned via cable or satellite. The only streaming option on any device is FLO Hockey. ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Måns Gudmundsson URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-too-much-mans-gudmundsson/ Last updated: 2026-06-11T12:00:39.000Z I promise I didn't choose to write a profile about Gudmundsson just to make a Too Much Måns joke. But I won't deny it was a minor factor. I also promise I didn't set out to profile all these Swedish players. Gudmundsson is the third of six full profiles I'll be writing, and then there will be seven more Swedes mentioned in the list of mini-profiles in the final week before the draft. What can I say? They produced more interesting prospects this year compared to other countries. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Right-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: U20 Nationell - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 186 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jun 9, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Corey Pronman: Not ranked - Will Scouch: Not ranked - Elite Prospects: 69th - Scott Wheeler: Honourable mention - McKeen's Hockey: 69th - Upside Hockey: 65th - NHL Central Scouting: 18th (European skaters) Gudmundsson, born just two days before fellow Swedish defenseman I've profiled Malte Gustafsson, is kind of a lesser version of him. He's not quite as big (one inch smaller and a kind of lanky 190 lbs), he doesn't have the same defensive chops, he's not as elite of a skater, and his two-way potential leans more towards offensive as his bigger strength compared to Gustafsson. But where Gustafsson played more games in the SHL this year, Gudmundsson played almost entirely in Sweden's top junior league. He played in 35 games there this season, and finished with the second most points by defensemen for his age group with 25 points – 24 of those were assists. He added 5 points in 7 playoff games, and played in a smattering of games in the U18 junior league with absurd production (11 points) across 7 regular season and playoff games. Through most of the season in Sweden's junior league, Gudmundsson was a heavy-minutes, all situations top pairing defensemen for Färjestad. In fact, he had the second highest ice time among all skaters on the team. He quarterbacked their top powerplay unit all year, and was good at it too. He was also a top penalty killer for the team. > That's a good pull. Mans Gudmundsson was a solid impact this season. Great on defense and should have turned more chances into goals. The pucks will fall soon. > > Great player. [@SammyT\_51](https://twitter.com/SammyT%5F51?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) has argued his value as a first-rounder for much of the year. [https://t.co/BoLQn2NeSD](https://t.co/BoLQn2NeSD?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/rqP9NVh1jL](https://t.co/rqP9NVh1jL?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Foley (@NHLFoley) [May 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHLFoley/status/2050046883163201603?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Gudmundsson did get into some international games for Sweden, but not as many. He didn't get invited to the Hlinka Gretzky tournament the summer before the regular season, but did play at the WJAC and had two points in 5 games. He played 20+ minutes in three of the seven games he played, including twice in the three elimination games and a tournament high 21:18 in the gold medal game. He was the second or third most played on the team behind Gustafsson and was often used as his partner on the top pair at even strength. He had four points in those seven games, which tied for second on the team for defensemen. In 9 other international games he played for Sweden, he had 2 goals and 3 assists. His powerplay usage was the 1B unit, or second unit depending on who you ask. He was also one of their main penalty killers. Honestly, this is veering into the scouting section more than his stats and context, but Gudmundsson's special teams utility is something that is very valuable about him. He may not ever be an elite powerplay quarterback, but he's good enough at it that with some improvements I can see him being an adequate secondary option there. And his potential as a penalty killer with his size, reach and defensive instincts is even greater. ## THE GOOD: PHYSICAL DEFENSE, BREAKOUT PASSING, SPECIAL TEAMS VERSATILITY While Gudmundsson's powerplay and offense abilities are what will probably get more attention, it's his defensive potential I'm most interested in. His defensive style is to be disciplined with his positioning, playing with a physical edge where he looks to check the opponent's body first but avoiding taking penalties. He has the frame to be imposing defensively, and has the instinct to pin his guy on the boards and smother their movement – again, without taking many penalties, so he's smart at toeing that line. Gudmundsson's transition defense also looks very strong, with good skating that allows him to maintain an aggressively narrow gap and kill transitions early. And if I count his ability to drive transitions out of his own zone (which I do), you can add that as arguably his best defensive skill. He can hit stretch passes for longer range outlets, he will use clever give and go's starting in his own zone to escape pressure but get the puck back to carry it out with speed. He has good vision and decent puck handling and elusive skating to escape pressure from forecheckers. As far his offensive skills go, Gudmundsson plays a smart, calm and efficient game. He doesn't have a lot of flash or elite dynamic abilities, but you can count on him to be reliable with the puck and turn it over at a lower rate than others. He picks his spots smartly when it comes to taking risks, like jumping into the play as an extra forwards or pinching in from the blueline. He has enough elusiveness and tricks (fakes, look-offs, spins, etc) to shed defenders along the blueline so he can pass the puck back to the forwards who are open deeper in the zone and prolong the possession. And if you're not a fan of defensemen who shoot too much and have a magnetic attraction to shin pads, then good news! Gudmundsson is not like that. Between every game he played this year, domestically or internationally, playoff or regular season, at whatever league/age group, he had a grand total of 5 goals in 70 total games. A goal scorer he is not, but a puck mover he is. He may not be an elite playmaker, but he can help facilitate the offense at the very least. ## THE FLAWS: INCONSISTENCY, SKATING MECHANICS, PUCK HANDLING When it comes to Gudmundsson's flaws, there are two groups I could put them in. First is the issue of his various tools and skills maybe not being good enough to project him to the NHL as reliably as you'd like, and then there's a mix of smaller more nitpicky things. From the first group, Gudmundsson lacks more high-end puck handling skills. He looks stiff and it's rare to see a flash of him being able to pull of a more complex looking deke – especially in tight spaces. He may be smart enough to know this limitation and has other ways to mitigate this as a problem, but that's something that can be more easily exposed at higher levels. Somewhere between that group and the more nitpicky one is some questions I've seen scouts raise about Gudmundsson's skating mechanics. When in stride, his posture tends to be more rigid and overly tall/upright. That helps with things like vision, but on the bad side it restricts the length and power of his strides. It can also cause balance issues when he has to suddenly pivot or stop and start in a change of direction. While Gudmundsson is generally reliable with the puck and doesn't turn it over much relative to most of his peers, that tends to crumble when he deals with faster and more aggressive forechecks. That's true for most defensemen, including a lot even in the NHL, but it's something where he definitely looks like a junior in those situations still. He'll need to work on staying calm and practicing what he can do so it becomes instinct for him. On the defensive side, the only complaint I've seen when watching Gudmundsson that I've seen scouts mention is that he can be too dogged in pursuing puck carriers, and wind up wildly out of position as a result. I have definitely seen him do it but it's not a common thing in the games I've caught. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT The reasons why I still buy into Gudmundsson's potential lies in the areas of improvement he had over this season, and by how much he improved overall – especially on defense, which I care more about. While Gudmundsson started the year more passive in everything he did (offense and defense), he defensively became much more aggressive in throwing hits, shoving forwards away from the crease and just being a mean prick to his opponents. At the World U18s he threw some big hits that broadcasts would say shifted momentum, but I would say were just pretty sick. Gudmundsson may be a bit thin and lanky, but he has the frame and the willingness to play a hard defensive style that NHL teams like. With time in the gym and with nutrition and strength coaches, he's more likely to fill out and add the extra strength and weight he'd need for the professional level. This is something I want to call out because you'd think it wouldn't be that hard for a player to "learn" how to just play with more of a physical edge and meanness, but from what I've seen it might be one of the more rare things that a player can dramatically change about themselves. Gudmundsson also got a lot better defending the rush. His backwards mobility and gap control improved pretty significantly from what I could tell, and there's a reason why he went from not being part of Sweden's roster for the Hlinka last summer to being on their top pair at the World U18s this spring. His stick work, footwork, mobility and aggression made me bump him up from profiling him for the third or even fourth round to the second. The final and arguably the most important improvement Gudmundsson made this year was his breakouts and puck movement. His accuracy and reliability got so much better by the end of the season. He looked much more calm, less prone to panic and turnovers, and had much greater confidence to hold the puck a bit longer or make a more complicated play to elude forecheckers so he has more time and space to make that first pass out of the zone. The level of pure skill may be a question mark, but he has the tools and the foundation after all these improvements to make me think very highly of him for any other defenseman in the range of the late second round – in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if his play at the World U18s leads him to being taken before Toronto would even have the chance to pick him. If he doesn't, he'd be one of the few names I'm mentally juggling at the top of my "do want" list for this range. > ALL TIED UP! > > Wiggo Sörensson makes it a 3-3 game early in the 3rd period![#U18MensWorlds](https://twitter.com/hashtag/U18MensWorlds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/dQhiIefdo2](https://t.co/dQhiIefdo2?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [May 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2050289990119125198?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Gudmundsson with the stretch pass to spring Sorensson's rush goal ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Thursday's FTB: More NHL hockey URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-more-nhl-hockey/ Last updated: 2026-06-11T10:00:38.000Z The SCF is on tonight at 8 pm with the Hurricanes hosting Game 5. The Marlies don't actually start up their final until tomorrow. In news: [Bourne: Why Gavin McKenna is right pick for Maple Leafs at No. 1As we approach the NHL Draft, the sentiment around who the Maple Leafs should take No. 1 overall has settled on one guy: Gavin McKenna. Justin Bourne explains all the reasons why he believes McKenna is the right pick for Toronto.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/mckenna-c5c55112-ff41-4c1e-a7fe-25f51c70a338.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/bourne-why-gavin-mckenna-is-right-pick-for-maple-leafs-at-no-1/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [NHL investigating Mike Babcock after NHLPA request![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CP167515359-81024ce2-e168-4f72-b7c8-2399eb4a07ca.png)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhl-investigating-mike-babcock-after-nhlpa-request/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [‘Still a gap’ between pending UFA Alex Tuch and Sabres![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/tuch-e0cd59bb-1902-4d66-babd-7b36121d3a18.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/18987/article/still-a-gap-between-pending-ufa-alex-tuch-and-sabres/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Kings’ hiring of Laviolette signals shift toward more offensively minded hockeyIn hiring Peter Laviolette as their new head coach, the Los Angeles Kings signaled a break from the too often defensive-focused hockey that won them two Stanley Cup titles in three seasons in 2012 and 2014 but hasn’t yielded a postseason series victory since.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-16749d7e-7e66-4d47-9aba-7c7cb7df6680.ico)TSNThe Associated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Z3GK42PU4FH4PAWO2ZBAURHB2Q-7dc25916-4afc-483c-9d06-eea14e2221a8.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/kings-hiring-of-laviolette-signals-shift-toward-more-offensively-minded-hockey/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Rheaume ready for new challenge as general manager of PWHL Detroit | NHL.comTrailblazer as only woman to play NHL preseason game will lead build of expansion franchise![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-b3511d41-3748-4f65-8560-b36b35df28da.png)NHL logoAnna Kulesa![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/pljv7itk5gvlny88xrrp-57cfa0b2-13c7-4f02-8469-0c863aefa945.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/manon-rheaume-ready-for-new-challenge-as-general-manager-of-pwhl-detroit?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [PASCAL RHÉAUME NAMED HEAD COACH OF TORONTO SCEPTRESThe Toronto Sceptres have named Pascal Rhéaume as the team’s Head Coach ahead of the 2026-27 Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season. Rhéaume was most recently an assistant coach with the Bridgeport Islanders, the American Hockey League (AHL)…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-38a1a800-c2b5-4fce-8e8d-667cbdd5c582.png)Professional Women's Hockey League![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/TOR_PRheaume_HC_10.6-150df6c7-dfd0-4bdc-b987-15cbb5be2407.26)](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/teams/toronto-sceptres/news/2026/june/10/pascal-rh-aume-named-head-coach-of-toronto-sceptres?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com#main-content) In PWHL expansion news, Vancouver has signed Izzy Daniel and Jenn Gardiner, and in a bit of a shocker, Las Vegas has snagged Nicole Hensley. Seattle signed Julia Gosling and the Fleet re-signed Susanna Tapani. > OHL and QMJHL to see some interleague action next season with an eight-game schedule featuring OHL vs. QMJHL. Think it would be cool to see down the road some more cross-league and cross-border games as this landscape continues to shift. > > — Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) [June 10, 2026](https://x.com/chrismpeters/status/2064760046827815017?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### [Overheard at the NHL scouting combine: Draft, prospects, trade buzz](https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/%5F/id/49011258/nhl-2026-draft-scouting-combine-top-prospects-players-testing-interviews-trades?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Key takeaway here: that weirdo Kyle Dubas just make them break down game tape. And finally, if you care about this weird saga of what happens to the double promised Leafs pick for next year... > Per a league source, the NHL has informed the Flyers that while they own the Maple Leafs' 2027 first round pick (Laughton trade), the Leafs still have the option to transfer it to Boston if it's in the top 10\. In that event, the Flyers would receive Toronto's 2028 first rounder. > > — Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) [June 10, 2026](https://x.com/KKurzNHL/status/2064808167398158467?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) We're back at the original interpretation of the conditional clauses in the trades. That's it for today, have a great day. ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Alexander Bilecki URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-alexander-bilecki/ Last updated: 2026-06-10T12:00:37.000Z Hidden gems can often be found on the best teams that are so stacked with talent, especially older talent, that their younger prospects don't have as big of a role and don't have as much chance to shine. Then, after they're drafted and suddenly those older stars have moved on from junior, suddenly that guy buried on the depth chart has a top role and people are shocked when he emerges as a star. To me, that's the case with Alexander Bilecki. When Kitchener didn't have their full roster, either from injuries or players being away from the OHL for things like NHL training camps or international tournaments like the World Juniors, he was who Kitchener turned to in order to fill those shoes, and every time he got the chance he stepped up and did not look out of place on the OHL champions. He's been one of my favourite prospects I've followed all season, and I like him so much I am writing his profile in one of the spots for Toronto's second round pick even though he's either not ranked at all or mostly in the third round. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: OHL - **Height**: 6'1" - **Weight**: 181 lbs - **Birthdate**: May 9th, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Corey Pronman: 76th - Will Scouch: Not ranked - Elite Prospects: 47th - Scott Wheeler: Not ranked - McKeen's Hockey: 39th - Upside Hockey: 80th - NHL Central Scouting: 49th (North American skaters) Bilecki is a local guy from Mississauga. He played AAA there before being drafted by Kitchener in the 2nd round of the OHL draft in 2024\. He was a 6'0" and skinny (152 lbs) kid who had a pretty good but unspectacular offensive profile, with 24 points in 33 games in the GTHL. That was good for 8th in the league for defensemen, notably behind future teammate Jacob Xu who led the league with 39 points in 37 games. After that season and being drafted, Bilecki immediately joined the Rangers as a rookie for the 2024/25 season. Kitchener was relatively young but becoming a powerhouse – they had the second best record in the OHL but lost in the playoffs to the more dominant London Knights you may have heard of. Bilecki had a good season as a 16-year-old rookie, putting up 14 points in 45 games but only getting into three playoff games. His tracking stats showed him as a decent offensive and transition driver, with poor defense. Not unusual for 16 year old defensemen with his profile. This year, the Rangers were one of the favourites to win the OHL to start the season and they did wind up winning the championship. Bilecki started buried down their depth chart. Kitchener had Cameron Reid, a first round draft pick of Nashville's last summer who also played on Canada's top pair at the World Juniors. In fact, after making various trades, Kitchener had four drafted prospects on their blueline in Reid, Andonovski, Woolley and MacNiel. They also had other promising young defensemen like the aforementioned Jacob Xu, or undrafted but established veterans in Jakub Chromiak, Carson Campbell (one of their assistant captains), and Maxim Dirracolo. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-5.png) As the season carried on but before all those trades, whenever they had opportunities for their depth defenders to play in a bigger role – injuries, NHL training camps, international tournaments like the WJC – it was Bilecki who was getting that increased usage. And it was Bilecki among all their superfluous veterans and promising prospects who Kitchener decided to keep for their OHL playoff/Memorial Cup run. Xu and Chromiak were both traded away to make room for Wooley and Bilecki. Their departures gave Bilecki more opportunity, even if he was started on the "third" pair in some games, his total ice time and usage were bumped up. Bilecki rewarded their faith. When he was needed to play heavier minutes, he got bumped to the all situations leader and had some games playing over 30 minutes per game. His biggest offensive games came in these moments, otherwise he was on the 2nd powerplay more often as the year went on behind Reid's top unit. Bilecki finished this season second on the team in points for defensemen with 29 in 66 games. Eight of those points were on the powerplay. Bilecki's game went to another level down the stretch and into the playoffs, even if his ice time was relatively reduced as Kitchener was fully deploying their healthy defensive core. That said, in the 12-15 minutes he was typically getting, his point production increased from 0.44 per game in the regular season to 0.61 (11 points in 18 games) per game in the playoffs, good for third on the team's defense. As of writing this, Kitchener has won the OHL championship but the Memorial Cup hasn't started yet. So by the time this comes out, we'll see how his game looked on the biggest stage in Canadian junior hockey against the best of the best from the other two leagues. ## THE GOOD: ELITE TRANSITIONS & PUCK MOVEMENT, HIGH-END MOBILITY, TWO-WAY POTENTIAL I've mentioned in the past that I value a defenseman's skills from his own zone outward. I want them to be able to defend well, and in that statement I include the ability to move the puck out of their own zone effectively. No turning it over when dealing with forechecking pressure, no blindly flipping it in the air hoping it clears the blueline but just gives possession right back so you're still stuck in your own end. I want outlet passes that hit your man, the ability to shake off forecheckers to buy yourself and your teammates time and space to initiate an effective counter attack. Bilecki is an elite transition driver in the OHL this year. In fact, I'd argue he is only behind Chase Reid in terms of being an effective transition driver in the entire CHL for this year's defense prospects – and maybe the second best in this entire draft class. It starts when he retrieves a dump in or gets the puck back in his own zone. He remains calm in the face of heavy forechecking pressure, and has good awareness and vision to know or quickly find teammates who are or will be open for a breakout pass. When taking an action with the puck, Bilecki is poised, calm, smart, and has a solid set of tools when handling the puck to avoid turning it over. He is a very good passer where he can make the easy and obvious play, but he can also create rush chances out of nowhere by springing a teammate who you didn't even realize was open for a breakaway or odd man rush. His transition game as a result is highly efficient but also capable of generating dangerous rush chances with his playmaking. Aside from just passing the puck, Bilecki is also a wizard handling it. He's not necessarily an elite dangler, but he's so shifty in his movements that he doesn't need to be. I'm not an expert but I'd bet that Bilecki's mobility is already at an NHL level. He's smooth and explosive, fast and agile, everything you'd want a good skater to be. I wouldn't necessarily say he's an elite skater right now, but I think he could become one with time and development. More than just how mobile Bilecki is, it's how he uses it that's so valuable to me. He has a great brain for understanding how he can weaponize his skating. When he makes a good play, he doesn't just stand and watch the play unfold. He'll immediately take off into open space to present an option for the pass to come back, often catching defenders off guard as a result. If they do notice him creeping He can be a bit of a roamer in the offensive zone, but he chooses his spots well. He also loves to activate on a rush, making the outlet pass then getting on his horse and becoming one of the leading players on his team to take a pass in the offensive zone or as a late trailer. He has the speed to make that happen. Once he's in the offensive zone with the puck, Bilecki has the brain and skill to have a positive impact on the offense. He's not a guy who just has a bomb he uses from the point – though he does have a good shot, his shot rate isn't that high for the usual offensive defenseman in junior. If and when he does shoot, it's because the defense gave him room to walk in and fire it from a more dangerous range. Or he's jumped in from the point for a pass into the slot or at the back door. He uses his skating to dance along the blueline looking for passing or shooting lanes, or to evade a forward and skate into the more dangerous parts of the ice. I do think he could be a high level powerplay quarterback, and will have the chance once Cameron Reid moves on from Junior, or one of them is traded. You can see from his tracking data that he is an exceptional playmaker in setting up his teammates, but his shot rate is just okay. Honestly, that's the kind of offensive defenseman I like. He has a good enough shot and shoots enough, only from dangerous locations mind you, to be able to capitalize when defenses and goalies sell out on his passing. Then there's Bilecki's defense. As of right now, he rates out as an average to above average defender in junior. But I think he has the potential to be above average even in the NHL. He has the tools, for him it's about finding better consistency. He has the skating to stay with just about any zippy winger, he has the size/potential size to deal with the vast majority of power forwards, and he has good instincts and anticipation. When defending transitions, skating helps him manage an aggressive gap to force a dump in or turnover, and to seal the forward on the boards if they try to go wide on him. He has a good stick to poke or sweep away the puck when they try to dangle past him, and he has good anticipation to jump into passing lanes to create a turnover. His positioning in his own end, when he's on his game, helps keep the other team away from the middle of the ice to the perimeter, where again he will try and stop a puck carrier by erasing him on the boards. 0:00 /1:19 1× Alexander Bilecki (#89) - Defense Highlights ## THE FLAWS: INCONSISTENT DEFENSE, HIGH-RISK OFFENSE, STRENGTH The biggest concerns about Bilecki are mostly around his defensive projection and whether his offense is too 'high-risk' to project well to professional hockey. Defensively, the problem is consistency. The most glaring flaw in Bilecki’s defensive profile is tendency to become too passive and just watching the puck when he's not the active defender, instead of checking to see where everyone is around him in his area of the ice. Those lapses in focus leaves him and his linemates vulnerable to those late trailers, back door activations, the forward he was battling in front of the net slipping higher in the slot for an open shot, things like that. At times his defense can look very mixed from shift to shift. He can execute a perfectly cromulent defensive stop one shift, then overcommit and wind up off-balance and out of position the next. That's why there is a lot of disagreement between different scouts regarding Bilecki’s actual defensive value now and projecting into the future. One scout could point to his heavy usage as a penalty killer on the OHL's top team and another rave about his puck retrievals, net-front box-outs and mature defensive floor. On the other hand, others will point to those lapses in focus as a (admittedly, legitimate) reason to question his projection. Not every prospect who has such issues is able to improve on it, and remain inconsistent for their whole careers. The other, smaller issue that affects his defense is his physical strength. He has the frame that projects well with a 6'2" height, but while being 180 lbs isn't skinny per se, he also isn't strong enough yet. His physical engagement has inconsistent results as of right now, in junior, especially when trying to defend the cycle along the boards. I do expect that, with time in general and specific time in the gym working with NHL strength and conditioning coaches and nutritionists, he'll put on that muscle and get into the shape expected from professional hockey players. But I've also learned there's no guarantee with that either (cough Niemela cough). ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT So, despite listing out those flaws which would normally be something that's concerning, I want to note just how much Bilecki improved through this season – and in those specific areas as well. His defensive consistency got much better, especially by the time the playoffs came around. His offensive decision making tightened up as well, and he played much more responsibly while still looking for his spots to make a more creative push. Even looking at his scouting reports, at the start of the season in September, Bilecki was heavily criticized for playing a low-paced game. His skating was okay, not great. He didn't have a lot of intensity or physical elements to his game. All the concerns and flaws I mentioned originate from this earlier period in the season. Over the course of the season, he changed his approach and improved his decision making and play style to a pretty dramatic degree. He was playing with more pace and urgency, and he was giving up on plays or looking out of focus far less often. In his transitions, offensive impact, and defensive consistency he looked a lot more refined and efficient, and he was rewarded by Kitchener as much as their deep lineup allowed. So if I evaluate Bilecki as a prospect with how he looked down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs, I see his value right now ***and*** his projection in the future as being worthy of a second round pick. Especially a second round pick that's a borderline third round pick. He's only behind Malte Gustafsson as far as defense prospects that I really love in this draft. ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Wednesday's FTB: Hurricanes tied it up URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-hurricanes-tied-it-up/ Last updated: 2026-06-10T11:36:46.000Z Another chapter is the ongoing Mike Babcock attempted hiring: [NHLPA asks league to move forward with investigation into Babcock allegationsThe National Hockey League Players’ Association has asked the league to move forward with an investigation into the allegations Mike Babcock invaded players privacy during his time in Columbus, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-0a42d83e-03da-4e35-9e56-d281db8d6c9f.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/AKJGPOK3N5DPJLDXLWEX3CGGBM-5ec7f3b0-de95-42c5-84dd-d109ce9a41a8.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/nhlpa-asks-league-to-move-forward-with-investigation-into-babcock-allegations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Last night Carolina tied up their series: Which means the SCF will last at least until Game Six on Sunday. [‘In my own world’: Jordan Staal has been best player in Stanley Cup FinalThe most impactful player of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final is also its oldest.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Jordan-Staal-f2907392-d391-4e63-9216-263d813893f8.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/in-my-own-world-jordan-staal-has-been-best-player-in-stanley-cup-final/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > He added he’s not making any immediate decisions on his Game 5 starter [https://t.co/iAfpfoVz7p](https://t.co/iAfpfoVz7p?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [June 10, 2026](https://x.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2064553723406512511?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Brandon Bussi's parents' reaction to the Carolina empty-net goal 🥲 [pic.twitter.com/P3TnyTE0Gu](https://t.co/P3TnyTE0Gu?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [June 10, 2026](https://x.com/Sportsnet/status/2064541685204345045?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) If anyone said why Gavin McKenna was not at the game last night, I didn't hear about it. [Malhotra, 2026 NHL Draft prospects thrilled to attend Stanley Cup Final | NHL.comTop hopefuls on hand for Game 4, meet players from Hurricanes, Golden Knights![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-687f32d9-ffdb-46ec-8a6c-f52ddaca6109.png)NHL logoMike Zeisberger![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/vythbvisgzdayzpxr0uh-e554535a-5596-4896-a5fd-2e7eb4668d57.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/top-2026-draft-prospects-thrilled-to-attend-final?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Adam Andersson URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-adam-andersson/ Last updated: 2026-06-09T12:01:05.000Z Last year, I spent a lot of the season following Tinus Luc Koblar as I checked in on his teammate on Leksands' U20 junior team, Victor Johansson. I loved his combination of size, skating, and skill that hadn't quite come together yet to result in high-levels of points for the level. But I could see the tools and the potential, and Toronto wound up surprising even me by not just drafting him, but taking him in the late second round. This year, while checking in on Koblar and Johansson in the pre-season and the first couple of games, there was this guy who kept catching my attention. To steal a term I learned from Will Scouch, he was what I call a "glitter guy" because while watching another player he kept sparkling and drawing my eye to him. So I have been watching and following this guy closely since the ***pre-season*** which for Sweden's junior league starts in early September. That player was Adam Andersson, and boy has watching him this season given me a big case of déjà vu from following Koblar last year. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Left-shot centre - **League(s)**: U20 Nationell - **Height**: 6'4" - **Weight**: 215 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jul 2, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Corey Pronman: 72nd - Will Scouch: 27th - Elite Prospects: 62nd - Scott Wheeler: Honourable mention - McKeen's Hockey: 48th - Upside Hockey: 66th - NHL Central Scouting: 20th (European skaters) Let's get the other superficial similarities Andersson has with Koblar out of the way. He's also big, in fact he's a bit bigger (6'4" vs 6'3", and 214 lbs vs 198 lbs). He was also born in July making him on the younger side for his draft class. He also plays center. That's where the similarities end, or any that's left are stretches. Andersson is Swedish born, and has come up with Leksands the past two years. Last year, he was on their U18 team as a 16 year old. In the first phase of the season, the J18 Region, he tied for the team lead in points with 9 goals and 29 points in 21 games. In the other phase, the J18 Nationell, he had only 8 points in 16 games. He had 2 goals in 6 playoff games to end the season, and also got into 7 games at the U20 level to play a bit with Koblar and Johansson. This year, Andersson did have some games back with the U18 team during lulls in the U20 season, playing a total of 6 games and had 9 points. For the most part, he played at the U20 level, mostly as a middle six center, and had 17 points in 30 games. He got into 8 playoff games with no points. If that doesn't seem that high, I'll put a reminder out that Koblar actually had a lower point per game pace than that while playing a similar middle six center role. This was also the first year that Andersson ever got to play internationally for Sweden, but boy did he make up for lost time. First, he played at the Hlinka Gretzky and had 4 points in 5 games, helping Sweden get to the finals where they lost to Team USA. He played in mostly a bottom six checking role with a heavier defensive usage. Andersson then played for Sweden again at the WJAC for U19 teams (though Sweden always only brings U18 players). He was praised as one of their best players, putting up 6 points in 5 games while losing to Team USA in the finals again. He was used as what I can only call their top tier depth, playing a defensive and physical role at even strength but also getting some good powerplay time as the net front guy. Third time lucky, Andersson was part of Sweden's gold medal winning roster at the World U18s and had 4 points in 7 games playing mostly as their fourth line center at even strength. He was getting matched up against other teams' top lines and relied on to shut them down, something he did well. In fact, the bigger the game the more they relied on him for it. His three highest ice times came in the three elimination games, first against Canada (15:06 in a 4-2 win, had an assist), then in the semis against Czechia (17:07 in 4-3 overtime win), and in the gold medal win against Slovakia (16:34 in 4-2 win, had a goal). Outside of those, he played in 10 additional games for Sweden in various exhibitions and mini-tournaments, and had 7 points in those games. So in total, Andersson had 20 points in 27 games for Sweden this season. So the impression you should be getting about Andersson is that he's been used as a checking line center, but has shown the ability to produce offensively while shutting things down defensively. ## THE GOOD: PRO-READY ABILITIES & PHYSICAL TOOLS, OFF-PUCK SUPPORT The biggest strength Andersson has is that he simply plays a pro-ready game. I have no doubt that he could follow in Koblar's footsteps and wind up getting a surprising amount of games at the pro level next year because of it. He has the size, strength and physical tools to do it already and on both sides of the puck. Offensively, Andersson uses his size and frame to protect the puck from defenders, and can also use the boards where needed to shield it. He excels on the cycle and doing the dirty work along the boards, behind the net, in front of the net, etc. Despite being so tall, he knows to keep a wide base in those areas so it's a lot harder to knock him off balance. Without the puck, Andersson can park himself in front of the net and very few players can move him. He sets smart screens on the goalies, has a good sense of timing and movement to pounce on loose pucks off rebounds or deflections, and how to position himself to take quick passes into the slot or to slip to the side of the net for a back door pass. He is very strong as an off-puck supporter and facilitator on offense. He routinely moves to make himself available to his teammates, and occupies the center-lane on breakouts to give a good outlet. Andersson acts as a connector to offensive sequences, acting as a needed link in a sequence of passes, like give and go plays, and with his size helps to to push the play in the desired direction even through heavy pressure. He supports the offense a lot in these ways even when he doesn't have the puck, and even if he isn't the one getting the points on the goals that come. On the defensive side of things, we're getting to Andersson's bread and butter. He has very high level awareness, intelligence and positioning in his own end. He plays a structurally sound game when it comes to executing his team's system in the defensive zone – something that was far easier to appreciate on the international stage than in Sweden's junior league. He pays attention to the details that will make him the BFF of every coach he plays for. He supports the defensemen low in the zone, and will step in to lift sticks, shut puck carriers down by pinning them on the boards, and so on. Throughout his defensive game (and offensive actually), Andersson plays with a relentless motor and a high level work ethic. You will not see him take off shifts, and maybe it's just his style of play but he often looks pretty intense. He works hard in a physical manner, he forechecks aggressively and backchecks just as hard. This is the other reason why coaches will always love him. ## THE FLAWS: LIMITED OFFENSIVE SKILL AND PROJECTED CEILING When it comes to Andersson's weaknesses, you can basically point to any kind of offensive skill you can think of and include that. Not that he's truly awful or devoid of skill in that area, but none of it is at a high or dynamic level. He doesn't have a lot of dangles he can use to break down defenses to beat guys off the rush or just in open ice. He'll get by defenders by passing it off and skating to the dangerous area, by protecting the puck and overwhelming defenders physically. Andersson also doesn't have a great shot, and as I just mentioned he doesn't have the hands to really create his own shots. The shots he gets are from going to the net and hunting for rebounds, deflections, and passes to tap in. It's not that there isn't any value in that, but it means that his offensive game, as of right now, projects to be pretty limited relative to other prospects you may want to take in the second or third rounds. Even the one offensive area I would say is his 'best', which is passing the puck, is also pretty limited. So we're looking at a guy who has a ton of utility as a depth center, but whose strengths right now rely a lot on his physical advantages. That's something where the gap he can exploit over his peers will only get more and more narrow as he plays in better leagues where there will be more guys who are as big as he is. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT So, why do I still really like the idea of taking Andersson in the same area of the draft as Koblar was taken last year? There's a combination of reasons. Part of it is because this draft doesn't seem as deep or as strong as most years, and the other forwards who seem to be more realistic as possibilities to be available in the late second round have just as many doubts and flaws. Andersson may seem as a 'safe' pick, but I'm saying I would pick him with the gamble being that some parts of his offensive game can be developed and improved enough to make him more versatile as a big power-center. In fact, like with Koblar in his draft year I saw Andersson make a lot of improvements through this season alone. His confidence handling the puck rose by a lot. He wasn't handling it like a live grenade, and the decisions he was making with it were more decisive and effective without being as rushed or prone to turning it over. Again, even if he wasn't flashy, he doesn't need to be to use things like a give and go where he gets it off the boards to a teammate then powers his way to the front of the net and taking some defenders with him. Come this spring, most scouts also recognized his ability to positively impact his team's offense improved by leaps and bounds compared to the fall. The other thing that improved a lot was Andersson's skating. He wasn't a bad skater to start the year, and though I saw some scouts question his mechanics a bit there was never a question that he was able to get around at an above average level. I recall one scout said something like "his mechanics don't matter as much when his output is as good as it is". He can still make some improvements here, mainly his explosiveness – which if you remember all my other profiles is something I mention for most prospects. He's not likely to be considered an elite skater, but being above average with his size is more than a good enough combination to have. Even with his offensive skills seeming relatively limited, Andersson is just so damn effective I don't think it matters. He can drive transitions at a high level because his skating is quite good and his handling or passing is good enough. He can help his team offensively by being so good defensively his line doesn't have to spend as much time in their own end, but can push it into the offensive zone instead. Like... watching all the highlights in the videos I'm sharing, does he seem like he's completely without skill? He's not a bum with the puck, he's just not as good as others ranked in this range, when those others are equally or ***more*** weak at the things Andersson is really good at. If you work with Andersson a lot with Toronto's development coaches, I think there's more to get out of those parts of his game. Better decision making, a few more tools and tricks he can use in various situations to not be a turnover risk, maybe improving his shot especially for a guy who will have most of his shots coming from dangerous areas close to the net, things like that. Honestly, I will also admit that one of the reasons why I like the idea of drafting Andersson is imagining both him and Koblar on the same line utterly terrorizing teams with their size, speed, and physical play. Stick an all skill winger with the two of them who would be more than able to cover for them defensively and that could be a fun and responsible third line. ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Tuesday's FTB: Marlies know their foe URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-marlies-chicago-colorado-one-of-those/ Last updated: 2026-06-09T10:00:12.000Z There was a flood of news yesterday as the NHL was off for an extra day. They are back at it tonight in Vegas at 8 pm ET. This game will feature six of the draft-eligible prospects in attendance. Last night the Chicago Wolves and the Colorado Eagles played game 7 to determine the Western Conference winner and foe of the Marlies. The final starts on the road, with the Marlies hosting their first home game on June 16\. As is often the case, the AHL final will finish after the Stanley Cup is awarded. And no, I did not stay up for the end of a game that started at 9 pm. So the Marlies know their foe, but I don't. In coaching news: [\- TSNTSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger joins Ryan Rishaug to discuss the Oilers’ interest in potentially hiring Mike Babcock as head coach and why it’s not a simple process.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-8faf241b-4252-42fc-8fc6-acbd7e8a84b1.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F06-08-2026-2Ft_49e161ce9f42431e996e8285498e1b7f_name_2026_6_8_839c6acb_fe39_4053_8dfe_76efbb49331a_jpg_1920x1080-489e7f66-226c-4a27-9850-23b95dc86340.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/video/2026/06/08/dreger-details-oilers-interest-in-mike-babcock-and-why-its-a-complicated-process/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Things to know about this story from various reports: the NHLPA was heavily involved in Babcock's exit from Columbus. They won't comment publicly now. The Edmonton players are already in the loop on this. Dreger is reporting that any investigation would be done by the NHL, but there is no clarity on if that will happen. I remain skeptical that this would go this far without the NHL at least cautiously on board. Mike Babcock firmly claimed to be happily retired just a few weeks ago. Dreger is also reporting that the Oilers did an extensive interview with Craig Berube and have not "followed up" so the assumption is they decided that was not going to work. [Kings hire Laviolette as head coachPeter Laviolette has been hired as the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings, according to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-dc5d1852-9630-4031-a99f-6a9c2a9a264b.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/KLWHCJ4MHCQPEKP2YIL5DMT57Q-f924fdde-d01c-4125-bf20-7b2aa87826a7.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/kings-hire-laviolette-as-head-coach/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [NHL Rumour Roundup: Larkin’s trade request shakes up centre marketJust when it seemed like the off-season centre market would be bleak, Dylan Larkin’s trade request from the Red Wings provided a major shakeup. Sportsnet’s Emily Sadler looks at the possible effects and more in her latest Rumour Roundup.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caEmily Sadler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/dylan-larkin-f57d63e6-f8ef-45d3-b20b-5b793ae7a8e8.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhl-rumour-roundup-larkins-trade-request-shakes-up-centre-market/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Maple Leafs are doing their interviews this week for the coaching position, per several reports. An unknown number of finalists is to be interviewed and sometime soon they might hire one of them. In PWHL Expansion-a-palooza news, I think all teams have added their five players for this stage. Toronto has lost Jesse Compher and Daryl Watts. I think we now wait until tomorrow when Phase 3 opens. That's a signing period which lasts for two days where expansion teams can sign pending free agents. They have to sign three each. This is (wow, who could have predicted this) very complicated, and involves a new protection list and the ability of existing teams to sign their unsigned players, which makes them automagically on the protected list, a list that isn't due until two days into the signing period because it will include players they've signed. So I guess they're protected from future signings? I haven't read the Phase 4 rules because this is all too much, frankly, so que sera, sera. You know what the problem is? Women's hockey players all do 4-5 years of college, often in the Ivy League. The entire sport is rife with lawyers and MBAs and other evil people who think up complicated stuff for fun. Meanwhile the NHL just uses guys who did grade 12 by correspondence while playing 60 games in the OHL to do all their tough jobs. I don't what this is, but it has dogs: > Seth Jarvis and his buddies know who they're rooting for in the Stanley Pup 🐶 > > Watch the Stanley Pup on SN360 or stream on Sportsnet+ 📺 [pic.twitter.com/H8GOCw1szZ](https://t.co/H8GOCw1szZ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [June 9, 2026](https://x.com/Sportsnet/status/2064138784124334265?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that's Tuesday started for you. ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Jaxon Cover URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-jaxon-cover/ Last updated: 2026-06-08T12:00:19.000Z It's funny how I find coincidental similarities between some of the various prospects I chose to profile that I didn't know (or notice) until after I chose them. On Saturday I wrote about Ryder Cali and I talked about how he didn't even play in the OHL until this season, but he was the top offensive producer in the GOJHL in his D-1 season for his age group. Well wouldn't you know, Jaxon Cover also didn't play in the OHL until this year (not counting three games last season). He was in the Canadian high school system at St. Andrew's College instead of the GOJHL. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Left-shot winger - **League(s)**: OHL - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 183 lbs - **Birthdate**: Feb 13, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: 29th - Corey Pronman: Not ranked - Will Scouch: 34th - Elite Prospects: 24th - Scott Wheeler: 49th - McKeen's Hockey: 29th - Upside Hockey: 52nd - NHL Central Scouting: 29th (North American skaters) Cover has a fascinating background. He was born in Miami, Florida to parents who met at the University of Michigan, but they moved to the Cayman Islands shortly after his birth. He didn't play competitive ice hockey until he was 14 years old, but he had been playing roller hockey since he was only three. He was considered a top player for his age group, even playing in a professional division of the North American Roller Hockey Championships. Cover moved to Canada when he was 12 years old so he could attend St. Andrew's College, but he didn't actually start playing ice hockey for them for another two years. At the time, he mentioned he was baffled by the rules because in roller hockey there was no 'icing' or even offsides. So he had to adjust to the different rules and play style from what he was used to. After playing for St. Andrew's College for two years, Cover was drafted to the OHL in the fourth round by the London Knights. He wouldn't really play for them (outside of three games last year) until this year, both because he was still young but mostly because London was busy being the OHL powerhouse going to three straight OHL finals, winning the final two of them with their remarkable core that anyone following Easton Cowan in those years will remember. So last season, in his final year for St. Andrew's, Cover had 40 points in 55 games, which was the most on his team for players his age and 11th in the league. St Andrew's also played in the Prep Hockey Conference tournament, among other North American high school powerhouses like Shattuck St Mary's, and had the 5th most points for U17 players. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-4.png) This past season, Cover played his first full year in the OHL. He joined the London Knights, coming off their second straight OHL championship and a Memorial Cup championship with their deep core featuring the likes of Cowan, Dickinson, Bonk and Barkey. It's not a major surprise that a 16 year old Cover couldn't crack that lineup, especially on a London organization that is well known for bringing their prospects along slower than most. So on the now young and rebuilding London team, Cover was second in points with 52 in 67 games. He would have been further down, but London wound up trading away most of their older players still remaining from the previous season. Cover actually started the year more in the bottom six and didn't get much time on special teams. He played very well, which you can see from his tracking data above that has been consistent all season, and was slowly gaining more of a role for the first half of the season. Once the OHL trade deadline passed and London off-loaded those veterans who were occupying spots in their top six, Cover got the bump up to the top line for the rest of the season with their remaining veterans. He also finally got regular powerplay time, but still only finished with 13 powerplay points on the season. He was also increasingly used in a defensive role, including the penalty kill. He got good reviews for having an active stick in disrupting passes. Perhaps to return to where his parents met, Cover has an NCAA commitment to Penn State for the 2027/28 season. He will wind up being a bit of a project to smooth out the kinks of his game that come from not being as experienced in ice hockey as others, so honestly I view that only as a good thing. ## THE GOOD: ELITE SKATING, PLAYMAKING, TRANSITION DRIVER, MOTOR, SKILL AT PACE The foundation for Cover's strengths as a prospect is his skating. His speed is borderline elite, and he is quite agile as well. Most importantly he is able to use his skill while he is playing at a high pace. That combination is pretty rare from what I've seen. It's what makes McDavid so special, and while Cover is obviously nowhere near as skilled it is still a valuable ability to have. Cover shows this combination the most on transitions. He has the explosiveness and speed to make defenders respect his ability to evade their initial attempts to check him and then blow past them with his speed, so they tend to stay further back to avoid giving up a breakaway. But Cover is smart, and knows how to change speeds to shift down and give himself bigger pockets of space to work with. He is a one man transition machine, one that defenses in junior can't cope with. Cover's first OHL goal below is a good example of this in action – slowing down to get the defender flat-footed, then use his explosive acceleration to blow by them and get a partial breakaway. And this happened from the blueline to the net, there wasn't a lot of room to create that chance like that. As for his skill, Cover is a very capable playmaker thanks to solid vision and an awareness of space. That skating, changes of speed, as well as his puck handling helps him manipulate defenders, buy time, and create passing lanes for his teammates. He can handle the puck well in close but shines most when he's at speed and has a defender right in front of him. layering delays, head fakes, and body deceptions to open up tightly guarded passing seams. He is a creative problem solver both handling the puck and passing the puck. He can pull off difficult cross-seam passes by saucering them over stick blades or between defenders' feet. Other than those skills, the other significant characteristic of Cover's game is his energy and motor. He is very competitive, and he is a battler. He is definitely proactive and aggressive rather than being passive and letting the game come to him. He is relentless on pursuits, the forecheck and the backcheck. He works hard to force turnovers and cause panic through constant pressure. He will willingly take a hit to make a play, and will often initiate contact so it's easier to absorb while maintaining possession. ## THE FLAWS: STRENGTH, BALANCE, DEFENSIVE CONSISTENCY, RISKY DECISION MAKING I'll be honest, Cover is more of a 'jack of all trades' kind of guy who doesn't have any glaring weakness even if he also doesn't have an elite, standout strength. However, the three main things I've seen scouts call out is his strength in physical play, his defensive consistency, and his aggression coming with some questionable decision making. For the strength issue, it's not that Cover is too small or skinny and doesn't have muscle. I've seen some scouts say as much but the dude is 6'1" feet and 185 lbs... yeah he could and likely will get bigger as he physically matures but the dude isn't small or weak by any means. The issue is more that he isn't as strong on his feet yet. Some of this may be his relative inexperience in competitive ice hockey, but despite not at all being small for junior he can still have difficulty winning board battles or physical collisions at times. I'm not an expert, but I think the issue is more about his balance, lower body strength, and his mechanics being too upright in these situations instead of having a wider and lower base to be sturdier. Then there's Cover's defensive consistency and his decision making being risky, which honestly is also a consistency issue. Without the puck, he skates and works hard but his aggression can cause the bad kind of chaos when it goes too far. He needs to refine his decision making so he knows when to pick his spots better, when staying back and in control is the better decision. This is something that was a bigger problem earlier in the season, and it's easier to see come up in his scouting reports from those games at the start of the year. Cover's issue with riskier plays with the puck is of a similar nature. He has a good amount of skill, but right now he operates mostly on instinct. At times he'll try and dangle too much or force a rush through multiple defenders, which creates turnovers. He's high risk, high reward... but that works a lot better in junior than it does at the pro level. Again, some of this can be a common issue for junior players – anyone else remember the growing pains Cowan had two years ago? – that can be resolved with time, experience and wisdom, but there's no guarantee it fully goes away. There are plenty of players in the past who never grow out of this kind of play when they get to pro hockey. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT The good news is that both London and top college programs in the NCAA, like Penn State has become, are good teams with good coaches and systems to help teach players to play within that system than to just go out and play purely on their instinct. Cowan may have had similar problems, but he worked on it a lot in his last year in the OHL. The other good news is that Cover has already made a lot of improvements over this one season alone. Those callouts for his physical and defensive issues all but disappeared by the end of the season, when he was playing a top line role and leading the team in offense while being focused on by the other team's best defenders. He looked much more mature in his habits by the end of the season, and was making better decisions more consistently even when under pressure. Especially on the defensive side, he became a high level 200-foot player in the OHL. There's some good interviews with Cover and London's coaches about how he worked hard to improve on playing within the structural details of the team. Even when he wasn't producing points, he was doing more of the right things more often. He was using diligent defensive tracking so he could anticipate a play that he could proactively interrupt. He developed better habits scanning the ice, shoulder-checking, and keeping on eye on opposing defensemen in case they activated into the play for high danger chances in the slot. This is also when he started being used more on penalty kills. Along with his already existing strengths, it's really Cover's improvements he made to his play over this season that have me so high on him. He seems like he could turn into a valuable supporting player in the top six who can pitch in and have positive impacts on transitions, on defense, and at generating offense through his playmaking. If he keeps developing his penalty kill, he could become a good power-killer who can use his skating and skill in open ice to be an offensive threat against only one defender and the fourth forward. ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Monday FTB: The Toronto Marlies are finals bound! URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/monday-ftb-the-toronto-marlies-are-finals-bound/ Last updated: 2026-06-08T10:51:50.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! The Toronto Marlies defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last night to win their second Eastern Conference Championship, third conference title overall, and will head to the finals to face either the Colorado Eagles or the Chicago Wolves for the chance at a second Calder Cup title. > same [@TorontoMarlies](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/HPqNH49Oan](https://t.co/HPqNH49Oan?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [June 8, 2026](https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2063793291909284261?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Alexander Nylander scored the series winning goal, Ben Danford has been impressing plenty of people, and goalie Artur Akhtyamov has been a star for the team the entire playoffs. > Ben Danford +1 on the OT winner and heading to the Calder Cup Finals. Make that 3 straight seasons he’s in the league finals. > > 2024: Gens > 2025: Gens > 2026: Marlies [https://t.co/XXQHr9RBv0](https://t.co/XXQHr9RBv0?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Generals Live (@GeneralsUpdates) [June 8, 2026](https://x.com/GeneralsUpdates/status/2063793799592104287?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) With a series completed in six games, the Marlies weren't forced to spend another night in Scranton, instead they came home early for an extra days rest before finding out if they'll have to head to Illinois to play the Chicago Wolves, or to the Rockies to take on the Colorado Eagles. The Wolves and Eagles will play game seven tonight to find out the Western Conference Champion. PWHL expansion moves continue and Hamilton is making most of the big news bringing in names like Brianne Jenner, Alina Müller, and Emily Clark. Not all teams have made their five signings however. Las Vegas has only signed two players, and San Jose and Detroit have four. [What Does Each PWHL Expansion Team Have, And What Do They Still NeedTwo days of signings are complete in the PWHL’s expansion to Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas and San Jose. Through two days, 14 of the 20 players who will move in Phase 2 have been signed. Here’s who each expansion team has, and what they still need.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon_y24_48x48-a7bfd38e-4ced-47a9-a4a2-970ecc9406be.svg)Yahoo Sports CanadaIan Kennedy![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/7b564dcc40438bb71fdd0151211a7dc1-4b4d17a1-b8c7-4b52-a41b-c514967a1534)](https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/does-pwhl-expansion-team-still-111135497.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) What this means is an actual expansion draft will come if they don't fill all their slots. Clearly Hamilton is the most desirable of these new teams. What's next can be explained best by Professor Puck. In Leafs land, coaching decisions are still being made with plenty of names out there, but some aren't out there anymore. > Elliotte says there was a time Saturday morning when he thought the Leafs were going to hire Laviolette. Now it appears there’s a decent chance he ends up in LA (I’m guessing he’s possibly out). > > Elliotte says Leafs going to 3-5 candidates this week. [pic.twitter.com/SM056auOFC](https://t.co/SM056auOFC?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Willyston Riellander (@nylanderthews) [June 7, 2026](https://x.com/nylanderthews/status/2063764111997997509?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And other names are a little surprising. [Maple Leafs plan to interview Joe Pavelski for head coach vacancyAn unexpected name surfaces in Toronto’s coaching search — Joe Pavelski. According to multiple sources, the Future Hall-of-Famer is on the Maple Leafs’ radar as the team begins the next phase of its interview process, with one describing him as a “Martin St. Louis-style candidate.”![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caElliotte Friedman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/paveski-099be348-1fc6-4953-a602-10787c215419.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-plan-to-interview-joe-pavelski-for-head-coach-vacancy/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Pulling a former player head coach out of the teen leagues has worked okay for Montreal, so why not the Leafs? Coaches with lots of experience didn't get us a cup. With Dylan Larkin making waves, and bringing intrigue to the NHL draft where we'll be waiting all night to hear those magical words "We have a trade to announce", the discussion around trade requests and no move clauses comes up. Should a trade request nullify the clause? Has Larkin given a list of teams? Are the Red Wings left to just make calls not knowing if Larkin will agree? [Dylan Larkin’s trade request points out a major NHL flawThe Red Wings are supposed to do something, but how will that work?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon_y24_48x48-899b8794-5b2d-44be-bc38-dfa37e20d5a5.svg)Yahoo Sports CanadaBilly Heyen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/d436c28dc1ec2348ff90b5a8db1eccdf-f2d009fb-702c-443a-a8cf-fb6698ea830a)](https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/dylan-larkins-trade-request-points-145700772.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Wonderful news for draft watchers and rumour lovers like myself. Enjoy your day everyone! ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Mathis Preston URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-mathis-preston/ Last updated: 2026-06-07T12:00:12.000Z One of the big fallers in this year's draft is Mathis Preston. He came into this season definitely in the top 10, maybe even the top 5\. There are some scouts I know who were talking about him potentially competing for the first overall pick – and this is my reminder that McKenna was never a consensus first overall for pretty much any period this year. There are reasons why he's slowly been slipping further down, and now outside the first round. But there are also reasons why he could make for a good swing in the late second round if he continues to fall on draft day. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Right-shot winger - **League(s)**: WHL - **Height**: 5'11" - **Weight**: 176 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jul 5, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: 31st - Corey Pronman: 27th - Will Scouch: 16th - Elite Prospects: 38th - Scott Wheeler: 58th - McKeen's Hockey: 61st - Upside Hockey: 38th - NHL Central Scouting: 24th (North American skaters) Back in 2023, Preston was drafted third overall to the WHL by Spokane. He was a key piece in their push for the WHL championship last year as a 16 year old, putting up 23 goals and 45 points in 54 games and then 9 goals and 16 points in 20 playoff games. He was dominant for Canada on the international stage, with 4 goals and 7 points at the Hlinka Gretzky and then 2 goals and 6 points in 5 games at the World U18s. Where things went wrong for Preston this year was back in the WHL. Spokane had gone all in the previous season, and their top stars mostly aged out of junior or turned pro early and left them very little in the way of impact players. Preston was supposed to be their star to keep them relevant, but things didn't go that way. In 36 games for Spokane, he had 14 goals and 32 points in 36 games. Which is still pretty good for a prospect in their draft year, but 'pretty good' isn't what you're supposed to say about a guy pushing for top 5 pick status. When Spokane decided to pull the plug and commit to a rebuild, they traded Preston to Vancouver. After only two games, Preston had a knee injury from a dirty knee on knee collision and missed two months from January into March. When he returned, he did wind up on a good stretch and finished with 12 points in 10 games and getting points in 9 of those 10 games. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-3.png) There are a couple of reasons why Preston's rankings fell outside of just the lack of elite level scoring. You can see in his tracking data that it hints at a guy who has a lot of offensive skill, but everything just looks pretty good to meh. So a guy whose offensive game is supposed to be the foundational reason for him being such a high draft pick led to just pretty good point production in a junior league with very high scoring rates, and tracking data that also just looked pretty good. So unless the scouting reports were giving him rave reviews and explaining why his points or tracking data don't matter, it's not very difficult to see why his rankings slipped. Now, I'm going to do something I don't think I've ever done with these profiles. I'm going to start the scouting report section with his flaws and then go into his strengths, rather than the other way around. I'm also going to keep the flaws more focused on what the scouting reports say than what I saw, even if I agree with them to any extent. ## THE FLAWS: TUNNEL VISIONING, PERIMETER RISK, DEFENSE, CONSISTENCY I can summarize all of the criticisms for Preston according to his biggest critics in one simple way — he is viewed as a very "junior" player. Remember all those times when talking about prospects like Easton Cowan, when scouts or even us here will say something like "he has junior habits he needs to unlearn, and his game needs to mature to get ready for the pros"? Preston is said to exemplify that. First, his effort can be inconsistent. He can have stretches where he seems to just coast, and his focus or engagement level in the play drops off. He won't support his defensemen, he fails to cover his man, he doesn't chase a puck carrier near him or hunt for loose pucks. Without the puck, he doesn't have great structural habits in his own zone, but lingers on the perimeter hoping for a loose puck so he can start a rush. Second, when he has the puck he can try and force plays. Trying to beat every defender with speed, trying to make a pass through several defenders in a blocked passing lane, trying to dangle too much, things like that. On the other hand, he can also get bottled on the perimeter instead of using his skill and speed to get to the middle of the ice for more dangerous chances, and then he'll force a shot from distance or a sharp angle that doesn't have good odds for beating the goalie. Finally, there's the usual things for skilled forwards who don't have above average size: he can be knocked off pucks relatively easily, and his skill can get shut down by heavy, physical checking. This is why he can get forced to be a perimeter player at times. It also means he's not much help defensively since he can be shrugged off more easily along the boards. A reminder, this is what some of the negative scouting reports on him say. It's not necessarily what is universally agreed upon by scouts or myself. ## THE GOOD: ELITE SKATING AND PACE, NHL-LEVEL SHOT, HIGH-LEVEL PLAYMAKING So, now to the good things that scouts say about Preston. Once again, this will be entirely what scouts say regardless of if I agree with it to any extent. I'll get to my own thoughts in the conclusion. In short, Preston has all around elite-levels of skill. First, Preston has elite skating and speed and plays at a very high pace that would absolutely work in the NHL. Linear speed by itself isn't that important to me, but it's nice to have. More importantly, he uses his speed to get to loose pucks first, rush defensemen on dump ins to force turnovers, back defenders up on transition attempts, all those good things. He also has some tenacity to his game, using reverse hits when he gets to the loose puck first, taking hits to make plays, driving to the net with serious intent, and so on. Preston also already has an NHL-level shot, with a ridiculously quick, powerful and accurate catch and release. He has a wicked one timer that he can blast on powerplays especially. He can launch his wrist shot in stride with his ridiculous speed. He changes the angles of his shot to add some deception to the release that makes it easier for him to beat goalies even when they're set and square to him. Third, Preston has some of the niftiest of mittens when it comes to handling the puck. He has a deep toolbox for beating defenses like stop-on-a-dime cutbacks, changes of speed, or leaving the puck out in front to bait defenders into reaching for the puck only to pull it back and skate through them and make it look easy. Fourth, Preston is an elite playmaker. He has excellent vision and shows a deft touch for slinging passes through east-west passing lanes to create high danger chances for his linemates. He uses that speed and handling skill to create passing lanes out of nothing. He is also equally capable of making strong and accurate passes on his backhand in addition to his forehand. Lastly, Preston at his best has the offensive tools to take over games. Even if he didn't have a lot of points that you would expect from an elite offensive forward, he also played for two offensively challenged teams who didn't make the playoffs. On Vancouver, his point production factored into almost half of the team's total goals in the 10 games he played for them – 44% to be specific according to Mr Scouch. That's a ridiculous rate in a small sample, and it would beat every other player in any league in this draft. But again, small sample. It's more a sign that he wasn't working with much help. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT So that is what the negative and positive scouting reports have to say about Preston. You'll notice that some of those things conflict with each other, especially when it comes to things like his physical tenacity being legit vs not really there at all, willingness and ability to drive to the centre of the ice vs being purely a perimeter guy, and coasting vs using his speed to cause turnovers. So what I saw from him this year and what I think is that there are elements of truth to both. Preston has undeniable skill in just about every way a guy can have offensive skill. But those flaws do make appearances from time to time, and they mostly have to do with his habits – especially without the puck. However, one thing I'll say is that a lot of those negative scouting reports came earlier in the season, and a lot more of the positive ones came later in the season. That's because Preston undeniably made a lot of improvements over the season, including but not limited to: - **Learning to vary his pace**: he started using changes of speed, cutbacks, delays, and things like that instead of just trying to get by defenders purely with north-south speed. - **Not trying to be a one man army on transitions**: he started connecting with his teammates on transitions a lot more, especially once he was traded to Vancouver. He started to use teammates for give and go exchanges a lot more, as one example. - **Pushing play to the middle of the ice**: his late season scouting reports, including his play at the World U18s, saw positive call outs for his ability to lower his center of gravity along the boards to absorb contact, using that tenacity and good hands to gain control of the puck, then use his handling and skating to get it off the boards and drive to the middle of the ice. - **Consistency of effort**: The first few months is where all of those negative scouting reports came calling out his effort and tendency to 'float'. Starting when the calendar switched to 2026, that went away. He was tenacious pursuing puck carriers, with few able to escape his speed. I saw one scout say the biggest hit he saw all year was one Preston threw late in a game, and how Preston becomes a little physical terror at times. In my personal opinion, what I saw in the games of his I watched this year, while there is merit to a lot of those flaws that some scouts called attention to, I think the severity of them was exaggerated. Or at least I wasn't watching the right games to see it as bad or as often as they made it seem. Honestly, watching him in junior I had the thought that if you put a flowing blond wig on him he'd remind me a lot of the early years of a certain enigmatic Maple Leaf winger from Sweden that had a lot of those same things said about him when he was a prospect, but who still had that overwhelmingly exciting offensive skill. Honestly, a lot of the same good and bad things about him are also said about McKenna. But McKenna's flaws aren't as bad and he has better skill. My conclusion about him is basically that I don't think he's as good as his biggest fans in the scouting community think he is, nor is he as bad as his biggest doubters are. But I also hope that most NHL teams don't believe in him, enough to make him fall even more than just outside the first round. While Preston carries some risk with him, if you trust in that level of skill and in the improvements he made in the little things parts of his game around effort and physical play and making it work in the rougher areas of the ice, you could land an incredible talent late in the second round. Especially for the Leafs, who could really use more skill in their lineup. That's also why I don't think he will fall that far, but when I see Preston ranked in the 40's by guys like Pronman, who is one of the scouts most closely aligned with what NHL teams think, I can't help but feel a little hopeful... ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Ryder Cali URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-ryder-cali/ Last updated: 2026-06-07T12:19:21.000Z I swear I didn't do this on purpose, but I noticed after putting my list together that there's like a 75/25 split in the player's birthdays. 75% of them (rough guess) are relatively young for the draft, born in June to September. The other 25% are late 2007 birthdays from September to December. Completely accidental. Anyways, Ryder Cali is another one. He's not only one of the very youngest players in the draft, but I've liked his game all year and he's one of if not THE favourite prospect to me. Between an early season injury that kept him out for two months from late October to late December, and low points on a low offense team, he didn't have a lot of hype for so much of this season. But now it seems almost certain he'll be a late first round/early second round pick which is well outside of Toronto's range and I'm mad. But I refuse to not write about him because maybe he does still go in the late second round or Toronto winds up with a late first/early second pick. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Left-shot centre - **League(s)**: OHL - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 219 lbs - **Birthdate**: Sep 6, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Corey Pronman: 42nd - Will Scouch: 49th - Elite Prospects: 32nd - Scott Wheeler: 37th - McKeen's Hockey: 31st - Upside Hockey: 45th - NHL Central Scouting: 25th (North American skaters) Cali is a local(ish) Ontario boy from Penetanguishene, just north of Barrie. His September 6th birthday puts him only 10 days from not being eligible until next year's draft. Last season, he was playing in the GOJHL, his 54 points in 51 games was 40th in the league – but first among 16 year olds, and by a margin of 14 points. That looks great, but it's worth noting that most good 16 year olds spend their season mostly if not entirely in the OHL, where Cali only got a 5 game stint. That makes this year the first full season that Cali spent in the OHL on a rebuilding North Bay team. Their best producer was a 19 year old who was drafted in the third round by Anaheim back in 2024, and he had 59 points in 65 games. Cali finished 6th on the team in total points with 36 in 47, but he also missed two months due to an injury near the start of the season. On a per-game basis, he finished 4th. Honestly I think if he didn't miss so much time and then have a re-adjustment period when he returned, he would have increased that rate by a healthy amount. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-2.png) Cali really came on late. His points per game in the first 24 games of the season was 0.67, and it jumped to 0.87 in the final 23 games. His shot rate also increased from 2.21 to 2.80\. This was in large part because he was playing better and getting more ice time in a bigger role. To start the season he was a middle six winger, by the end of the season he was a second line center taking 12 faceoffs per game and winning 54% of them. He was used in all situations, but not necessarily on the top unit for either the powerplay or penalty kill except at some times towards the end of the year. Cali's season ended on a very strong note not just in terms of his production. He helped North Bay pull off a minor upset in the playoffs, beating the favoured Peterborough team in six games. They did get swept by the much better Brantford team, but that just meant Cali was then available to join Team Canada at the World U18s. He was used as a fourth line winger in each game, playing 12-15 minutes per game and had one assist in the five games he played. ## THE GOOD: PHYSICALITY ON AND OFF-PUCK, TWO-WAY IMPACT, OFFENSIVE POTENTIAL What stood out in Cali's game from the very start of this season was his physicality and how he used it to support his linemates both offensively and defensively. He's 6'2" and already over 200 lbs, and he definitely plays a power-forward style in a pro-ready way. He has the little-things-king feel to him when I watch him play – he is already very good at knowing how to establish position to win puck battles, and will use reverse hits to knock defenders down and give himself more time and space. He can be a terror to defenders in front of the net as they jostle for position, and even scarier on the forecheck as he bears down on the defensemen who know he's going to lay a heavy hit on them. Despite being one of the youngest players in this draft, Cali plays a very mature game both physically but also mentally. He shows very good anticipation on defense to be a disruptor and harasser, which comes from his frequent scanning of the ice and attention to detail. Which brings me to the next great thing about Cali: his never ending motor and work ethic. He is a high energy guy through every shift and every game, no matter what the score or situation. He is a dog on a bone chasing down pucks and puck carriers, and has a natural affinity for being effective on the cycle. The physicality and work ethic make it easy to project him to becoming an energy line guy in the bottom six of an NHL team. However, Cali also shows promise in specific offensive ways that make me see a potential high value utility/supporting forward as well. Something in the Hyman or Knies mold, but probably not as high a level overall, barring a Knies-like leap in his development. He works hard in the high traffic areas down low, on the boards, and in front of the net. He also causes turnovers on the forecheck and while the other team is trying to break out of their own end. When he or a teammate has the puck, Cali is going to the net and I think shows some good projection for those net-front skills (deflections, rebounds, backdoor passes, etc). He shows a good sense for timing his routes to get to an open area around the net at the right time to accept a pass for a quick shot, and he has a good shot to be able to capitalize on his high danger chances like that. Cali is also a very good skater. I wouldn't say elite, but he has a smooth and fluid stride, and enough explosiveness and speed to let his power game play up in junior. Beyond the basic north-south speed, his agility and lateral mobility help give him some elusiveness to weave through the neutral zone and get inside positioning on defenders. His skating, combined with his puck-protection skills, makes him a valuable contributor who can transition the puck either by making a clean short pass or by carrying it through the neutral zone himself. ## THE FLAWS: INCONSISTENT PLAYMAKING, SKILL PROJECTION A lot of the flaws Cali has have little to do with needing more physical growth, and more to do with him being a longer term project in terms of developing the level and consistency of his skill. He doesn't have a lot of flash or dynamic elements to his offense, which by itself is not a bad thing in my books. But even Knies or Hyman or any other top six-capable support winger has at least a certain kind of dynamic skill. Without it, their and Cali's upside would be limited to being more of a pure bottom six energy guy. Multiple scouts I've read noted that he can be risk-averse with the puck, getting it off his stick almost as quickly as he can by making shorter, simpler passes instead of being able to break defenses down and create more high danger scoring chances. Some game reports also note his puck handling as being awkward and inconsistent when dealing with tighter checking. He can protect the puck, but doesn't have the skill (yet) to consistently create time and space for himself with dekes, feints, or skill plays like that. He does show some soft hands at times, like in front of the net, but isn't at a consistently high level when it comes to things like getting the puck off the boards and driving to the middle of the ice with it. One thing I will say about Cali's skill is that, in my opinion, he was showing more high-level flashes of skill down the stretch. He's so young, was recovering from a not insignificant injury, and also adjusting to his first full season in the OHL. Even then, he's at a point even when he looked at his best where he wasn't quite able to execute his skill plays consistent enough to become a high level point producer. This inconsistency raises questions for his projection, if all he'll ever be is those occasional flashes but lacking the ability to consistently execute and needing to rely mostly on simple, bottom-six level plays. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT The reason why I like Cali so much as a prospect is because he already has such a good foundation to build off of. You can call that foundation "safe", where he has the requisite tools and skills to easily become a bottom six checking line center or winger, kills penalties but never really has a lot of offense. But I'm excited about the flashes that increased in frequency and flashiness down the stretch, as he made multiple adjustments and was rewarded with bigger opportunities. Cali showed a lot more confidence in that time. He would be more willing to drive with the puck, he could act as a one man transition driver carrying the puck, he pulled off higher end playmaking for his teammates, and was starting to create more and higher danger scoring chances to actually drive the offense instead of just supporting it. If by some miracle Cali is available when Toronto has a pick and they do take him, he would make for a great project for their development team. We've seen Toronto take guys who already showed growth in their draft year and finished their seasons strong, and they take huge leaps in their development after. Knies, Minten, Cowan, and heck even Nansi this year to a lesser extent were all guys who looked like they had the brain and the tools, and just needed to start putting it all together. And then in their draft+1 season, wouldn't you know it started looking put together? Here's an example where it all came together for Cali and he had a lovely highlight reel goal late in the regular season in March: ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Weekend FTB: The Combine Ends URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-combine/ Last updated: 2026-06-08T10:52:34.000Z Very sad news yesterday. The man who brought Mats Sundin to the Leafs has died at age 90. > [pic.twitter.com/3Bc5X5JGJS](https://t.co/3Bc5X5JGJS?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [June 5, 2026](https://x.com/MapleLeafs/status/2062972684296691765?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Fletcher was also one of the first NHL execs to invite rank and file employees on the team charter for road playoff games; maintenance workers, office clerks, etc. > “He was very egalitarian,” a staffer said. “After that, people around the Gardens would go through a wall for him.” > > — Lance Hornby 🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@sunhornby) [June 5, 2026](https://x.com/sunhornby/status/2063009391536656826?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [‘Idea guy’ Cliff Fletcher led teams with creativity, boldnessAs an NHL GM, Cliff Fletcher became known for bold trades. In doing so he enjoyed a ton of success and made the league a more interesting place.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caRyan Dixon![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Big_Read_Flames_Fletcher_Full_Width-fe94ce98-9bc6-4a01-9a89-ae95ed57d436.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/idea-guy-cliff-fletcher-led-teams-with-creativity-boldness/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) At the Combine, John Chayka and Mark Leach both met with the media: Parsing out what they had to say amounts to a lot of positive things about Gavin McKenna and endless repeats of the idea the the scouting staff is aligned with new management. There is also some details on the scope of the coaching search (vast) and the shocking news that they might do some things in terms of trades and free agent signings. [McKenna, top prospects on final countdown to NHL Draft | NHL.comPenn State forward says it would be ‘an honor’ to be selected No. 1 by Maple Leafs on June 26![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-7258d595-42d2-4e06-beb9-cb454ecd78b5.png)NHL logoMike G. Morreale![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/pmx0t43mifrbeol9yfwm-13c9da08-eb18-4283-8f01-c3b12e7118bd.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/nhl-draft/gavin-mckenna-top-prospects-on-final-countdown-to-nhl-draft?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) PWHL expansion continues over the weekend with the [Daryl Watts signing in Detroit](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/teams/detroit/news/2026/june/05/daryl-watts-becomes-first-member-of-pwhl-detroit-with-expansion-foundational-offer?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) now official. In relatives of Leafs employees news, Mark's nephew moves from an assistant job with the Bruins to head coach in the AHL. > OFFICIAL: Jay Leach has been named the ninth Head Coach in Hartford Wolf Pack history. [pic.twitter.com/IKaWVgScOU](https://t.co/IKaWVgScOU?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) [June 5, 2026](https://x.com/HWPHockey/status/2062971224171368635?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Welcome to Smashville, Rob! 👋 > > We've hired Rob Blake as the Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. > > Full details » [https://t.co/KemLeOR7fg](https://t.co/KemLeOR7fg?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/1pWu4PzQt9](https://t.co/1pWu4PzQt9?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) [June 5, 2026](https://x.com/PredsNHL/status/2062957654884933677?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) A proposed change to how the NCAA would start counting eligibility years has been changed: [NCAA to change eligibility rules for age, helping hockey![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/augustine-2-0e8abf4f-65d5-4022-ad9f-6ece2ff01740.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/ncaa-to-change-eligibility-rules-for-age-helping-hockey/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies have taken the lead in their series three games to two: [Easton Cowan propels Marlies to win, playoff series lead over Penguins![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/easton-cowan-5165aa0e-433d-4cb8-9a96-79c18c47ea1c.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/easton-cowan-propels-marlies-to-win-playoff-series-lead-over-penguins/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > EASTON COWAN DANCES TO THE NET🕺[@TorontoMarlies](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#WBSvsTOR](https://x.com/hashtag/WBSvsTOR?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#CalderCup](https://x.com/hashtag/CalderCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/SEIwfiubW3](https://t.co/SEIwfiubW3?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — American Hockey League (@TheAHL) [June 6, 2026](https://x.com/TheAHL/status/2063072306973335601?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And finally as a final word from the Combine, this is pretty damn good. [NHL Scouting Combine less about data, more about humanityFrom the cynic’s perspective, the NHL Scouting Combine can look like a pointless, or even a bit of a weird exercise. But not so fast, writes Justin Bourne.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-44-5125e7be-f353-42d7-9f82-417c7cb537d9.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhl-scouting-combine-less-about-data-more-about-humanity/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This has an unusual, and I'd say very valuable, perspective on those draft pick graphs we've all seen. > So, if all the kids past the first round are in a cluster of “maybe?” and it’s unpredictable, shouldn’t you value the type of kids you admire, who you want your team to include if they do hit? Or who at least contribute positively to the org’s culture while they try? Soon we'll be consumed with prospect evaluation around here, and it pays to remember that evaluating how good a player plays hockey is not evaluating them as a person. You don't have to lie about their future chances – to yourself or to anyone else – to respect the people trying. And you don't have to assume that realistic views of their prospects for the future are disrespect to them as people. But for a team drafting players? It's not an outrage if they pick someone with a pick past about 15 based on vibes or personality or where they're from or which scout really likes them. They aren't assets. They are people. Which is one reason why you'll hear Leafs brass already telling you clearly how highly they think of Gavin McKenna. Saturday is Mitch Marner back in action in the SCF. The next Marlies game is Sunday with an early 6 pm start. That's all for now. ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Malte Gustafsson URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-malte-gustafsson/ Last updated: 2026-06-05T12:00:21.000Z Chase Reid may be considered the top defense prospect in the draft, but there are a lot of others in the top 10 who are considered – at least by some scouts, and probably some NHL teams – to be close, if not better. I wouldn't be surprised if as many as seven of the top ten picks this year wind up being defensemen: Chase Reid, Carson Carels, Keaton Verhoeff, Albert Smits, Daxon Rudolph, with lower odds on Ryan Lin or Xavier Villeneuve... and my personal favourite, Malte Gustafsson. In fact, I think there's a chance that he could wind up being the best overall defenseman of the lot, and yet most rankings I've seen have him at the bottom of that group. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Left-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: U20 Nationell / SHL - **Height**: 6'4" - **Weight**: 201 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jun 11, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: 16th - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: 15th - Corey Pronman: 20th - Will Scouch: 8th - Elite Prospects: 12th - Scott Wheeler: 14th - McKeen's Hockey: 9th - Upside Hockey: 16th - NHL Central Scouting: 7th (European skaters) Gustafsson has many things going for him over someone like Reid – he's even bigger at 6'4" and 201 lbs, and he's half a year younger with a June birthday. He started the year in Sweden's junior league, but played more games in the SHL by the end of the season. He was part of HV71, who wound up playing in the relegation round in BOTH the U20 junior league, and in the SHL... just to give an idea of the strength of the teams he was playing for. In junior, Gustafsson played in 19 games and had 12 points. That per game rate put him in the top 10 of defensemen at the level, but a tier or two below the true offensive defensemen. He did quarterback the top powerplay when he was in junior, and was second on the team's defense group in points despite only playing 19 games there and not turning 18 until this June. In the SHL, he was teammates with former Leaf legends Axel Rindell and Andreas Borgman. In Gustafsson's 27 games there, he had three points and averaged 11:02 of ice time. His games played were by far and away the most by any defenseman his age – no other U18 defender played in more than six games, and no one but him had even one point. He played more than any U19 defensemen too, and was among the leaders for the U20s. > hv71 vs. leksands if — shl playouts > > some defense, some offense in overtime from [#nhldraft2026](https://twitter.com/hashtag/nhldraft2026?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) prospect malte gustafsson [pic.twitter.com/zHFc9rGXFL](https://t.co/zHFc9rGXFL?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — cier ୨୧ (@coppeliantics) [March 24, 2026](https://twitter.com/coppeliantics/status/2036555199167303951?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) However, Gustafsson played a lot for Sweden's international U18 team. In fact, he was used as their top defenseman in two major tournaments (Hlinka Gretzky and World U18s). At the Hlinka, he was an assistant captain and had 6 points in 5 games which was second in the tournament for defenseman behind teammate Axel Elofsson. He quarterbacked their second powerplay unit, behind Elofsson on the top unit, and also killed penalties. The only game he didn't play 20+ minutes was their first against Germany, where they won 10-0\. In the gold medal final against Team USA, he played just under 25 minutes. At the World U18s that just finished, Gustafsson was again an assistant captain, this time got top powerplay time, and had 5 points in 6 games which was tied for second in the tournament for defensemen. The final three games of the tournament, all elimination games against Canada, Czechia and Slovakia, Gustafsson played 28:10, 29:05 and 26:39 to help win the gold medal. He was named to the all-star team as one of the two best defensemen of the tournament along with the guy named the top defender: Adam Goljer (also a good pick, just saying). Aside from those two major tournaments, Gustafsson played a combined 16 games in various others for Sweden and had 12 points. That was the second most for Sweden in those tournaments, behind only the aforementioned Elofsson. ## THE GOOD: SIZE, MOBILITY, DEFENSE, TWO-WAY POTENTIAL So the reason why I love Gustafsson is all about his tools and his potential. Of all the other defensemen ranked at the top of the first round, he is tied for the most height with Verhoeff. He is the only one with professional hockey experience already. He's born within 1-2 weeks of the other youngest of that bunch (Verhoeff and Carels). He is arguably only behind Reid for overall mobility. He arguably has the best defense along with Smits or Carels. He's further away for his offensive skills as of right now, but his potential I'd put up there with Carels and only behind Reid and Rudolph. Put that all together, and you have a guy who has the potential to be an elite all-around defenseman. Let's start with the mobility. Gustafsson is very mobile, able to maneuvers with surprising ease and coordination given how big he looks on the ice. Unlike other big/tall defenders who struggle with clunky movements, he there's no awkwardness to his skating. He can pivot quickly without stumbling, he has smooth edges and can generate a good amount of power, and he has quickness and agility to deke past forecheckers. His skating helps him transition seamlessly from defensive stops to leading the rush, making him a very valuable defender on both sides of the puck. On offense and on the powerplay, he shows a very strong ability to deke past the high forward defending him and carry it deeper into the zone for a more dangerous shot. He is also a good, not necessarily elite passer – he's great at being effective and efficient, but is not yet at an elite level for being a more dynamic playmaker that can create dangerous passes himself. You can see some examples of his mobility on offense and defense here: > 17-year-old Swedish defender Malte Gustafsson was recently promoted to the SHL, and he's looking very impressive playing at that level > > He's one of the best skaters in the 2026 draft, he's a highly effective 1-on-1 defender, and he even has some offensive pop > > Some clips (#78): [pic.twitter.com/xbwMvP4wh4](https://t.co/xbwMvP4wh4?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Derek Neumeier (@Derek\_N\_NHL) [January 24, 2026](https://twitter.com/Derek%5FN%5FNHL/status/2015174951310123284?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Gustafsson's biggest strength right now is on defense, and it projects to be potentially elite as well. I've described the specific things I value in a defenseman who can actually defend, and he has it all. His skating and reach help him defend the blueline to disrupt rushes, he can snuff out opposition on the cycle, and when he gets the puck in his own end on a dump in or after taking it back he has the agility and playmaking to get it out safely. Gustafsson is an intense battler who takes pride in the grimy details of defending his own zone. He is great with his positioning and at boxing out opponents on the boards and in front of the net. His net-front presence is a standout trait, as he bulldozes opponents to clear the crease for his goalie. While he isn't the most bruising or physical defenseman in this draft in terms of laying crushing htis all the time, he is very physical in a more intelligent way. He is more suffocating than bruising. He may use his stick to deflect passes or poke the puck away, but he will follow that with a good hit. A lot of scouts I've read think of him as arguably the best overall play-stoppers in the draft. There are plenty of big defensemen in this raft who are strong defensively and play a shutdown, physical style. What separates Gustafsson from them is that he is also very cerebral, with good awareness and anticipation. He scans the ice a lot, constantly shoulder-checking during breakouts and retrievals to see where pressure is coming from and where the outlets are for skating or passing it out. That combined with his mobility helps him maintain excellent positioning at all times, even if he needs to recover quickly when he's suddenly out of position. On the defensive side – and remember I count retrievals and zone exits as a defensive skill – he has a maturity to his game where it just makes sense that he's one of the few young defensemen to play so much in the SHL. While he may not be a flashy highlight-reel player, Gustafsson is viewed as a foundational two-way piece who consistently drives positive on-ice results. He is highly effective at "breaking plays and creating exits in the same touch," often repairing his team's mistakes through smart positioning and simple, high-percentage distribution. Coaches clearly trust his reliability, as evidenced by his ability to log massive minutes—upwards of 30 in some international games—while maintaining a quiet, error-prone style that insulates his teammates. ## THE FLAWS: CONSISTENCY, PUCK MANAGEMENT, OFFENSIVE CEILING The issues with Gustafsson's game is more about his current level in specific areas than with being concerned about his projection. His offense, for example, doesn't have the same elite dynamic qualities of Reid or Rudolph. It's not because he's a bad puck handler or passer, but he's too inconsistent with it as of right now to consider him at the top level. But seeing how relatively young he is, how he played more in the SHL where he was playing a more limited and simplified game, I think his projection in those areas is very promising. Despite having great overall mobility, I've seen some scouts calling out some issues with his skating mechanics. Specifically, he apparently has a tendency to skate with a high center of gravity, which can make him easier to knock off balance in a physical battle. It can also force him to reach with his stick rather than using his body, which shifts his weight forward and limits his mobility in one-on-one battles in open space. The only other thing that I saw more consistently called out with his game is his tendency to be too aggressive and creating the bad kind of chaos for his team. He can over-commit at times to chase a hit or pinch in the offensive zone when he really shouldn't, taking himself out of position. Even if his skating helps him get back on defense quickly, it's something to his decision making that he'll need to improve on. Thankfully, it's something I think that is more common in younger defensemen and relatively easier to improve on just as they get older, wiser, and more experienced. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT The most important thing from all of the strengths and weaknesses is how much Gustafsson looked like he improved over this season. His puck handling and passing in particular made some big strides as he adjusted to the SHL, but his defensive consistency came a long way too. When it comes to the concerns of his offensive level, I'm not worried at all. He may not wind up as good as a Chase Reid to be one of the top offensive defensemen in the league, but I think he'll be someone who can positively contribute to his team's offense – both by turning the puck from defense to offense at an above average level, and by being good at passing the puck and walking the blueline in the offensive zone. Additionally, while Gustafsson may not turn out to be a top PP1 quarterback in the NHL, I think he can manage it just fine on the PP2\. For Sweden, in the Hlinka and World U18s, close to half of his point production came on the powerplay. Yeah, he didn't have a lot of powerplay production in the SHL... he was a 17 year old getting no powerplay time. I also think that the biggest improvements he made this season was with his playmaking, whether it's on breakouts and transitions or creating chances in the offensive zone, the points maybe didn't come but he was doing the right things and executing them successfully more often down the stretch. So if we were to assign values to each skill a defenseman can have, and it's weighted the way I value defense (from defense out), then assign a number out of 10 for how good all the top defense prospects are for each skill, there's a good chance that Gustafsson winds up either at the very top or damn close to it. The fact that Gustafsson is usually ranked behind them (but the World U18s may change that) would make him a great option to trade down for. ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Friday's FTB: Rumours abound URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-rumours-abound/ Last updated: 2026-06-05T10:00:20.000Z Yesterday David Pagnotta went on a podcast, and then in the way of things, multiple people repeated bits of what he said and it got passed around as new information. It sort of is. There was a lot of talk about this at the trade deadline, but it involves a trade that never happened for Matt Knies to the Canadiens. In the past, no one has confirmed that this was more than a discussion. Pagnotta says it was a done deal the Brad Treliving couldn't get filed in time. [Trade talk getting louder, Knies almost a Hab — The Fourth PeriodThe Montreal Canadiens & Toronto Maple Leafs almost completed a trade involving Matthew Knies, reports David Pagnotta.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-4835f5c7-fae6-414b-a531-ee35411694dc.ico)The Fourth PeriodRumours![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/header_knies-45ceaa60-2ea6-47d5-8e5c-970bd943ea44.jpg)](https://www.thefourthperiod.com/pagnotta/trade-talk-getting-louder-knies-almost-a-hab?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Read the details for yourself. He wisely wrote it up for his own website, rather than letting everyone else rip it for free off the podcast. In that article he also says that the Leafs did interview Dallas Eakins, who we all saw scouting a Marlies game. He also asserts that the Oilers offered Darnell Nurse to the Leafs at the deadline, and the wording there is interesting because it leaves unsaid what the response was. My personal rule is that if the trade didn't happen, it didn't happen. But it is clear the Leafs at that time were open to trading Knies. Would they be now? Who knows. Depends, as always, on the return. [Sources: Dylan Larkin requests trade from DetroitElliotte Friedman reports that centre Dylan Larkin, after 11 years with the Detroit Red Wings and just one playoff appearance, has requested a trade from the team.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caElliotte Friedman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Dylan-Larkin-b1f78483-aaf4-4dfc-8eed-00f672e33562.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/sources-dylan-larkin-requests-trade-from-detroit/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is sourced reporting, but no details are available on where this stands since no one directly involved will talk about it. No, actually, the Leafs can't trade for Larkin because they don't have the picks for it. Important size comparison for those who care so much about this: > Top ranked International skater 🤝 top ranked North American skater > > Ivar Stenberg and Gavin McKenna met up at the [#NHLDraft](https://x.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Combine! [pic.twitter.com/0qKzH89X2f](https://t.co/0qKzH89X2f?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL (@NHL) [June 4, 2026](https://x.com/NHL/status/2062521779147489526?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Leach talks No. 1 pick, planning for Draft with Maple Leafs on ‘NHL Draft Class’ podcast | NHL.comDirector of amateur scouting discusses Toronto having top choice for 1st time since 2016![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-6a86c96d-bc28-4ee2-a6ca-a8ce14956b9b.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/oiwocxeqqrkcbjmnvjjy-083967c5-ecc4-4e28-89eb-9c48bc48b185.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/nhl-draft/mark-leach-talks-number-1-pick-draft-planning-with-toronto-maple-leafs-nhl-draft-class-podcast?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [McKenna reveals Leafs GM Chayka visited his home in WhitehorseAs the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to weigh their options with the No. 1 pick in this month’s draft, top prospect Gavin McKenna revealed general manager John Chayka visited him in his hometown in the Yukon.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-b9122fba-5e0b-44b6-882b-c05fe3f36077.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/JBSHTBPTTZHM5AGHMD2CEUYXOY-fd7f52fb-a3b3-483a-adff-1502edb8327f.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/mckenna-reveals-leafs-gm-chayka-visited-his-home-in-whitehorse/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Analyzing Morgan Rielly’s play: Can he bounce back in a new system?Morgan Rielly’s points and underlying numbers have been in decline for a couple seasons and now he finds himself as an off-season trade candidate. But could he bounce back in a system different than former coach Craig Berube’s? Adam Vingan takes a look at Rielly’s impact.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caAdam Vingan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CP175928588-2-ee774fa2-2e9f-4c5c-bd6d-4be4a9e4d3cb.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/analyzing-morgan-riellys-play-can-he-bounce-back-in-a-new-system/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And in actual NHL news, Vegas seemed like the proverbial wagon until Carolina tied it up... > No lead is safe: Why the Golden Knights are the best third-period team in hockey > > On [@TheAthletic](https://x.com/TheAthletic?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ⤵️[https://t.co/gu3WEsXrzg](https://t.co/gu3WEsXrzg?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger\_) [June 4, 2026](https://x.com/JesseGranger%5F/status/2062548382984311232?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ...in the third period (beware the weirdness in small runs of games, lest you think the cloud really is a bunny) The game ended in OT on a power-play goal (really in OT even) and Carolina evens the series. Time to rewrite all the narratives. In Marlies news, they are back at it tonight tied at two-all, as are Colorado and Chicago in the western final. ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Chase Reid URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-chase-reid/ Last updated: 2026-06-04T12:01:00.000Z Remember how I said a good sized group of scouts were opining that this year's draft had a top tier of 3-4 players instead of just one (McKenna) or two (Stenberg)? Malhotra was the third forward, but the other player and a guy who has gotten talked about a lot as potentially being taken second overall by San Jose, is defenseman Chase Reid. He was included in that same pair with Malhotra that Pronman said had a combined 20% chance of going first overall. There's no reason to take those made up odds as gospel, just note the general fact that some teams he's spoken with have been considering Reid at first overall. [In Scott Wheeler's first mock draft](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7259219/2026/05/07/nhl-mock-draft-2026-first-round-mckenna-maple-leafs/?source=emp%5Fshared%5Farticle&unlocked%5Farticle%5Fcode=1.glA.BkVI.RYit3Gre%5FD3f) after the lottery he had Chase Reid going to the Sharks at second overall. In various podcasts with multiple scouts, one thing they all emphasize is that while most fans are pretty clear that obviously McKenna is first overall and then Stenberg and then... etc; the top four in that top tier is much, much closer than the general public realizes. So if Malhotra has emerged late as the top pure center of the draft, Reid seems to have solidified himself as the top defenseman. I've seen some scouts even say that he has the best chance to be a clear number one defenseman. Let's talk about why. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Right-shot defenseman - **League(s)**: OHL - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 187 lbs - **Birthdate**: Dec 30, 2007 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: 10th - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: 6th - Corey Pronman: 1st - Will Scouch: 9th - Elite Prospects: 3rd - Scott Wheeler: 3rd - McKeen's Hockey: 3rd - Upside Hockey: 5th - NHL Central Scouting: 2nd (North American skaters) The most interesting ranking in that list is from Corey Pronman. With Bob McKenzie retired, he is probably the guy I would trust the most to make a ranking that most closely represented what NHL teams are thinking. So the fact that he has him ranked first overall should be an indication to you that Reid has real hype – from some scouts, and probably some NHL teams, more hype than even McKenna or Stenberg. Like Malhotra, Reid was on a more typical path to the NCAA. He's an American who played in AAA leagues until he was old enough to make a short debut in the USHL for 10 games in his draft-2 season. Then, last year, he split time between the NAHL and joined the OHL after the new rules for maintaining eligibility for the NCAA were official. In 39 games for his D-1 season, Reid had 40 points in 39 games, making him already a high impact defenseman offensively. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/Reid.png) Chase Reid's tracking data from 2024/25 on the left, and from 2025/26 on the right Similar to Malhotra, Reid made huge improvements over this season, in every way possible. His already great offense became truly elite. His transition impact went from okay to elite. Even his defense, which was by far his biggest weakness, became elite for the level. His point totals didn't slow down a bit towards the end of the year as he missed a chunk of games due to injury, but he still put up 18 goals and 48 points in 45 games. As I like to say, I really don't care much about points by defensemen... I'm more interested in seeing what he can do to help impact the offense outside of points, which we'll get to in the next section. He was the Soo Greyhounds' top defenseman, used in all situation, usually in the mid to high 20's per game. Also like Malhotra, Reid's ascent to top prospect consideration only really happened this year. He was never recruited to top programs in the US junior system or by Team USA for any international tournaments. This year, the first international roster he ever made was for the World Juniors despite his relative youth. And when America's top offensive defense prospect, Cole Hutson, missed time due to an injury, it was Chase Reid who they turned to for his even strength and powerplay role. In all five games, he played 19+ minutes, and finished with 4 points in 5 games. He didn't look the most solid or dominant, but he looked like he belonged as a 1-2 year younger defenseman. He also played on Team CHL in the Prospect Challenge tournament against the top prospects playing in America (not necessarily all American-born). ## THE GOOD: ELITE MOBILITY, TRANSITIONS, OFFENSIVE IMPACTS, RUSH DEFENSE, NUMBER ONE DEFENSEMAN POTENTIAL When talking about Reid's biggest strengths, I have to start with his skating. He has an argument for being the best overall skater in this draft, in terms of his speed, edgework, four-way mobility, explosiveness, whatever else you can think of. It is the core of his game, on transitions, in the neutral zone, on defense, and driving offense in the offensive zone. Reid's ability to drive transitions is already elite, potentially the best of any other defense prospect in this draft. It starts by his ability to get to pucks dumped in behind him first thanks to his speed, then use his edges and elusiveness to escape forecheckers, carry it out safely, weave through the neutral zone, enter the offensive zone, and then use his edges and lateral mobility to walk the blueline and attack deep into the zone where he has space to move into. When he faces pressure on retrievals, he manages it with a lot of calmness and poise. He uses feints, fakes and misdirection to buy enough time and space, and if he has space he can speed away or if not he can fire a no-look feed pass to an open teammate. He's so efficient with his retrievals and passes that he has one of the lowest turnover rates in any tracking data I've seen. It also forms the foundation for Reid's offensive game. His speed allows him to be aggressive in jumping into rushes, or to activate from the point and act like another forward. In junior he's so good at it that he will jump off the point to capitalize on a rebound, let alone a pass. He'll also pinch in deep with his explosiveness to close on an opponent trying to break it out, causing turnovers and prolonging his team's possession. Even if the puck does get by him, his skating helps him get back on defense. His offense isn't just about his skating, however. He has elite vision, playmaking and a very good set of hands when handling the puck. His vision allows him to lead the rush and pull multiple defenders toward him before slipping accurate passes to open teammates open in dangerous scoring areas. The intelligence of his playmaking is already considered by some to be NHL-level. He can see plays developing and then knows what he can do to turn potential scoring chances into actual scoring chances. The other strength in Reid's offense is his shot, which is also potentially elite... for a defenseman. If you've been one of those people who have been lamenting Toronto's lack of a "big point shot" from their defensemen, on the powerplay or in general, then Reid is your boy. Beyond just the power and accuracy of the shot, he uses it smartly and not just to score. I swear he also sometimes shoots with no intention to score, but to create a specific kind of rebound he wants to turn into a scoring chance for his teammates in front of the net. He can use a heavy, down-on-one-knee one-timers as well as quick and accurate wrist shots through traffic, and he knows how to time it with screens forming in front of the net. He also seems to shoot specifically for a teammate to go for a deflection, or create indirect passes to his teammate. That heavy shot, plus his ability to walk the blueline and create lanes through feints, makes him a legitimate offensive threat from the blueline. Defensively, Reid's skating is also the foundation for his positive impact. It shows in his ability to defend transitions – his speed and mobility help him maintain an aggressive gap and close on puck carriers quickly and effectively, making it hard to beat him wide with a deke or with speed. He is excellent at angling rushes, keeping his backwards momentum perfectly timed with the attacker's acceleration to force them into low-danger areas. He'll either force them to dump it in past him, or use his stick to knock it away to stall their entry attempt, and more rarely throw a hit to stop them dead. Beyond Reid's skating, at 6'2" he has above average reach and a physical frame that honestly looks bigger than that at times. He'll use the reach and frame to deflect, deter, and snuff out opponent possessions. This gives him an arguably unique level to act as a containment defender at even high paces from elite skating forwards. He uses his agility to plug holes and close off lanes before the opposition can establish a cycle. One of the more polarizing parts of his game is his physical play. I've seen some say when they watch him, he wasn't great when defending in close quarter scrums and can be too soft in allowing opposing puck carriers to get by or through him without him using his size and skating to erase them on the boards. On the other hand, I've seen other scouts praise his physical play to initiate contact on retrievals, bury forwards in the corner on the cycle, and rub off puck carriers trying to go wide around him on zone entries. From what I've seen, I think he's just inconsistent with it because I have seen him play physical, maybe just not as much as you'd want at times. I've also seen more scouts say that his physical play was much improved by the end of the season. ## THE FLAWS: CONSISTENCY, STRENGTH, DEFENSIVE PROJECTION Honestly, I'd say there is nothing to nitpick with Reid's game outside of his defense. I mean I could find some things to point out with maybe his shooting or breakouts, but I would be reeeeeeaaaaaaaally nitpicking to the point I don't want to even bother. I've seen some scouts debate whether his offensive game is actually dynamic or if it's just highly efficient, but neither would be a weakness to me. Reid's defensive consistency and his strength in physical play are the main areas of concern that make scouts question how well his defensive ability can be projected to the NHL. Because it's at a very good if not elite level right now in junior, but that's a much different game. Next year, he's committed to join a top program in Michigan State in the NCAA, where he'll be exposed to older, bigger competition with much more pro-like coaching and systems. The biggest area of concern would be his defense on sustained possessions in his own end. He can have occasional lapses in his focus and lose his man, or he'll do the opposite and hyper-focus on the puck and leaves a backdoor passing lane open. In junior, his defense is more cerebral – he anticipates how the play may develop, times his stick to deflect a puck, poke it away, lift a stick, etc. There's nothing inherently bad with that, just ask Nick Lidstrom, but having more diversity in his tools to defend help project him to the NHL as a defender more easily. The issue is more around the uncertainty of how well his current style and level of overall defense projects to the NHL. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT So, back to the question I posed in the introduction – why would Chase Reid be considered the top defenseman, the defenseman with the best chance to be a bona fide star/number one defenseman on a good team, and potentially even good enough to be a first overall pick? It's because of how much potential he has. So much of his offensive and transition game is already at an elite level, maybe even NHL-level. He has incredible skating and mobility. His defensive game as a whole has parts that are questionable, but he already looks to be a high level defender against the rush. The consistency issues he has defending in his own end and to take advantage of his physical size and strength more can be resolved with good coaching and development, and literal physical growth. He has NHL-size at 6'2" with a chance to still grow, especially in adding more muscle to his frame. I've seen more than a few scouts say that if his defense doesn't transfer well or he doesn't improve in various ways, he'd turn out as a Morgan Rielly kind of glass cannon defenseman. Which, while that may not be the most ideal outcome you want if you're going to take him so high in the draft, that's a pretty nice floor to have! If you tell me that at worst you get a Morgan Rielly, but at best you get that level of offense with better defense than Mo? That's a damn enticing player to pick at number one. I keep coming back to this... while I think McKenna has the best chance of being the biggest hit in this draft, becoming another Kucherov kind of winger who can lead the NHL in points multiple years, I also think that of the 2-4 players in the conversation to be first overall at any odds, he has the biggest question marks and flaws. His season this year was not smooth sailing, there were plenty of doubters by the time the World Juniors came and ended. In fact, I think a lot if not most of the mid-season rankings that came out around that time bumped him out of that first overall spot. Put a gun to my head and make me choose that first overall pick, I squeeze my eyes shut and go with McKenna. It's not a clear and easy choice for me, and maybe that's because he's a style of player I am more wary of. Maybe I'd feel more confident of him if he was at least a good center that could stick there. I can just see why some people are so high on Reid they'd take him second or even first overall. But what I would say, clear and easy, is that if Toronto does wind up trading down from first overall to somewhere else in the top 5, I'd be doing so with Reid on the top of my target list for who you hope to get with Malhotra next. He's the one defenseman I look at and I can understand why someone would want to take him first overall. He may not play in the NHL next year where McKenna and Stenberg probably will, but in the long term if he hits his ideal outcome he could become the most impactful player at a premium position that Toronto has desperately wanted for my entire lifetime. If you want a good look at a round table of some of the top public scouts debating about these topics, it's pretty insightful to the kinds of discussions going on among that group who have conversations with NHL teams. ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Thursday's FTB: The Penguins even up the series with the Marlies URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thurdays-ftb-the-penguins-tie-the-series/ Last updated: 2026-06-04T11:06:18.000Z The game started out well for the Marlies, and quite hilariously with this first goal. > A GOAL'S A GOAL! > > Bo Groulx scores shorthanded to give us the 1-0 lead! [pic.twitter.com/rIOvNtoHUO](https://t.co/rIOvNtoHUO?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 3, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2062313186724810795?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) They were up 2-0 at the end of the first period, but couldn't get anything through in the second, however the Penguins did, scoring on Artie Akhtyamov three times. Luke Hayme got the game tied up in the third period. > WHAT TIME IS IT? HAYMER TIMEEEEE! 🔨 > > Luke Haymes scores on the power-play to tie the game at 3! [pic.twitter.com/DaJQ9XBz3t](https://t.co/DaJQ9XBz3t?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [June 4, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2062347874155757757?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) But with three minutes left it all went wrong. > RUTGER MCGROARTY GWG [pic.twitter.com/AB5NjFlTCm](https://t.co/AB5NjFlTCm?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) [June 4, 2026](https://x.com/WBSPenguins/status/2062353241296322675?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Cowan took responsibility for the turnover after the game. Though the reality is they had a 2-0 lead in the first period and let the Penguins score four times, so that's not all on him being put in a position for that to even happen in the first place. The next game is on Friday at 7:00 p.m. at the Coliseum and then the rest of the series will play out in Scranton with game #6 on Sunday and then game #7 on Tuesday, if needed. Meanwhile in the NHL, the Jack Adams award was handed out yesterday and Jon Cooper won it by a hair over Lindy Ruff. This is actually the first time Cooper has won the award. [Jon Cooper wins Jack Adams AwardThe Lightning may not have won the Cup, but Coop finally gets his trophy.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/cropped-rawChargeLogoOpt-6d3ea290-823d-464a-a82c-810d18fc9b04.png)Raw ChargeJustin G.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/USATSI_28138601-fd411ec8-33fa-4abd-b68a-d59d496a8e38.jpg)](https://www.rawcharge.com/jon-cooper-wins-jack-adams-award-nhl-awards-2025-26/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) If you want to see the full voting table it's here. Three first place votes for Rick Tocchet, eh? > Razor thin Jack Adams vote between Cooper and Ruff. Wow. [pic.twitter.com/G5o9WfA6rV](https://t.co/G5o9WfA6rV?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) [June 3, 2026](https://x.com/wyshynski/status/2062304247283093613?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Speaking of coaches. [Friedman: Canucks have interest in ex-Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell

Following the appointment of Manny Malhotra as the new head coach of the Vancouver Canucks, the hiring spree continues.   Malhotra’s departure from the Abbotsford Canucks means the AHL team will need a new bench boss. In the NHL, Malhotra will also need to fill out his coaching team. On Wednesday’s edition of Sportsnet’s 32…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-5a9c8104-0621-4877-8057-b4179ce63ab4.png)Canucks ArmyDylan Nazareth![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-85766bfa-1ff7-45c4-abb2-c0fa99353966)](https://canucksarmy.com/news/friedman-vancouver-canucks-interest-ex-seattle-kraken-assistant-coach-jessica-campbell?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Stanley Cup Final continues tonight with the Golden Knights against the Hurricanes at 8:00 p.m.. Happy Friday Junior! ### Vincent Trocheck - the non UFA option for the Leafs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/vincent-trocheck-the-non-ufa-option-for-the-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-06-03T14:54:34.000Z Back in mid-May, Darren Dreger mentioned on the radio that the Leafs were interested in Vincent Trocheck, centre for the New York Rangers. The New York Post's Molly Walker repeats that today: > The latest on [#NYR](https://x.com/hashtag/NYR?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Vincent Trocheck⬇️[https://t.co/dQFww8SQqY](https://t.co/dQFww8SQqY?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) via [@nypost](https://x.com/nypost?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/CH2ydjwgVR](https://t.co/CH2ydjwgVR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) [June 3, 2026](https://x.com/MollieeWalkerr/status/2062147470574985424?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) She speculates about a trade price, mentioning that the Rangers aren't shopping Trocheck, but consider him valuable and will want a big return particularly because of his low cap hit. This is standard team talk at this time of the year. She suggests they will want a first-round pick and the Leafs only have one viable pick of that sort to trade and that's the Colorado first in 2027 they got for Nic Roy. The Rangers absolutely will want that pick, which is not in reality worth a meaningful amount more than the second-rounder they got for Scott Laughton (unless something really unusual happens in Colorado next year), but that is the traditional starting price for a player like Trocheck. Her speculation about players who might be requested includes Nick Robertson and Ben Danford as the Leafs top prospect. Which is exactly what everyone should expect to start hearing this summer. That first, Danford and Robertson are obvious "trade capital" of which the Leafs have very little. Why Trocheck? Well, the same reason there are reports that the Canadiens are interested in him. He's not too, too old, he's a legitimate centre, not just a guy who can take faceoffs and he's got a name and a reputation as both a good player and a good pro. But the real reason is that the list of UFA centres is very short, and most of them are older than Trocheck. ### The Player Who is he? He is American, will be 33 this summer, and is a very tiny amount bigger than Gavin McKenna. His reputation is very different though. He's a tough guy a beast, it's right in his name. He checks! He is under contract for three more years at $5.625 million, which is a bargain in the rising cap world. He also has a 10-team no-trade list which means not only would he have to be willing to move to Canada\* he'd need to be willing specifically to play in Toronto. At least the real estate prices wouldn't scare him off. \*I know there are people who assert that there is nothing to the idea that American players don't want to play in Canada, and the justification for this assertion is that there are some who do. I think you're wrong in the general sense, and so clearly does this American sportswriter who mentions this specifically in her piece. Yes it is a thing. More so now than in the past. This is the first article of the season about someone the Leafs might trade for, so now is as good a time as any to tell you that if you want to know his points, I'll put in the EP table, but I won't talk about them. I don't care about points. So aside from his bargain price, and his status, is he any good? Well... that's complicated. Models that isolate impact, like the Career Summary and SG model on HockeyViz or the RAPM charts on Evolving Hockey are not just on-ice measures. Sometimes when I talk about these numbers or post a chart, people respond by saying, "oh that's all just his teammate, etc. etc." Well no, no it isn't. Removing the teammate effect is the main purpose of these models. There are two main areas where the model cannot overcome the limitations of available information. One is when two players play almost exclusively with each other, and not just players who go on to be co-GMs of the Canucks. Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on the Leafs were one such problem pair. The other is something I believe is about how we as consumers of this information think about the very idea of impact. Let's take a literal metaphor here and imagine you are the blacksmith in the pioneer village and you have your big hammer and your anvil and you pound down on a bar of lead. Splat. Now try copper. Splat-ish. Now try steel. Bong! And no splat. (Sorry for the technical metal-working language there.) This is how I view impact. So if you roll up and play on the Carolina Hurricanes you have the ability to impact offence because the entire team spends more time in the offensive zone than any other team. If you are a centre on the Rangers these days, well... no you really don't. They are hard to have an impact on. I think this shows up a great deal in defensive measures for forwards. Something I care about almost as little as I do points. What I do care about with any forward is offence creation. That is, doing the things that lead to situations where goals can be scored. Getting the puck, transitioning, keeping it, getting it back if you have to, making passes, shooting, and on and on. The higher up the lineup they play the more necessary it is a forward has a positive impact on offence creation. How much opportunity for impact was there by any member of the Maple Leafs this past season? If I look at the RAPM Expected Goals For per 60 (xGF/60) at even strength these are the forwards above zero (so a positive impact): 1. Auston Matthews: 0.182 (career since 2016 of 0.316) 2. William Nylander: 0.103 (0.196) 3. John Tavares: 0.072 (0.181) 4. Matias MacCelli: 0.036 5. Dakota Joshua: 0.02 6. Easton Cowan: 0.012 So if we are going to understand that some of what even John Tavares experienced this season was the inability to have impact because of things he did not control, then I think we have to do the same for Trocheck. Even-Strength xG% for Toronto and the Rangers was 46% and 49%. The Rangers only player with elite xGF/60 RAPM values was Adam Fox. The best forward was J.T. Miller at 0.161\. Trocheck has the worst number of any big-minute forward. And if you really, really think defending is important in a centre, be advised his xGA/60 is worse. He sucked. On a team that was bad with a very poor roster. Trocheck's career since 2016 value is 0.073, and his xGA/60 over that period is 0.024 (or just a little into the bad). He is, when you get him off the very poor rangers team, and give him some malleable teammates to impact, a good, but not excellent middle-six centre. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/history-trochvi93.png) Which is what that says too. A lot of people will look at a chart like that with a big dip and decide he's hit the ageing curve cliff! He's over the hill, and sliding down the other side. But what's him and what's the team? The expectation out there is that John Tavares is losing it. You saw that one game that one time, and he's not up to it, and even that article up there thinks that about him with no real foundation given for it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/history-tavarjo90.png) I mean, yeah, he ain't what he used to be, but that's because what he used to be was a top-ranked 1C. And if you looked at that graph last year you might have spun a tale about him being over the hill and on the way down. That's a classic case of assuming the tomorrow will be just like today only more so. So I'm supposed to tell you definitively yes or no, Vincent Trocheck is a good guy to spend a pick I don't care about and players I do to acquire. I think this is my answer: no one knows the future. He's capable of playing as well as Tavares did in 24-25\. He's not capable of playing better than Tavares did this past year. He can damn near beat him in faceoff percentage, though, and few can. He's capable of better things than he would be on the Rangers as they rebuild. It's a risk. He's better than Nic Roy or Scott Laughton. He's better than any UFA option. And that's the real calculus here. Not is he the player you want, but is the pick Roy turned into than turned into this guy improving the team. Yeah, it would be. The sticking point is what else it would cost. And maybe I broke my own rule and named the piggies with Ben Danford. Is he going to join the Leafs in the next two years and make an impact of any sort? Maybe yes, maybe no. I'm not surprised the Leafs are interested. They need who Trocheck was two years ago. Maybe he can be that again. ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Caleb Malhotra URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-caleb-malhotra/ Last updated: 2026-06-03T12:00:56.000Z I'm going to share something that will probably be a bit controversial. I have seen and heard from more than a few scouts that rather than McKenna being the clear first overall pick, or even him and Stenberg being neck and neck in that top tier, that this year's draft there is actually more of a tier of three or even four top players. That doesn't necessarily mean that any of the four players included in that top tier could or should go first overall, it more means that they are close together in terms of projected value. Which brings me to Malhotra, who seems to be the big late riser in this year's draft – although, really, he's been rising all year from relative obscurity (I think being a former NHLer's son is the biggest reason why anyone knew of him before this season) to a top-5 player in the draft this year. In fact, [in a Corey Pronman article](https://t.co/GrY94dbwG6?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) that he made just before the lottery that gave odds to who would be taken first overall, this was the breakdown: - McKenna - 50% - Stenberg - 20% - Malhotra and tomorrow's player - combined 20% - Combination of three other top ranked defensemen - combined 10% Honestly, once the Leafs won the lottery I spent an absurd amount of time waffling back and forth on who to include in the five options I wanted to present – not necessarily as options to take first overall, but you never know if a trade down could come. It was a dead heat between Malhotra and Tynan Lawrence, another top center prospect, but I went with Malhotra because he has much more helium thanks to his dominant playoff run. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Left-shot center - **League(s)**: OHL - **Height**: 6'2" - **Weight**: 183 lbs - **Birthdate**: Jun 2, 2008 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: Not ranked - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: 8th - Corey Pronman: 10th - Will Scouch: 15th - Elite Prospects: 5th - Scott Wheeler: 4th - McKeen's Hockey: 4th - Upside Hockey: 12th - NHL Central Scouting: 6th (North American skaters) Malhotra was drafted 8th overall by Kingston back in 2024, and wound up on Brantford after they acquired his rights for a bunch of draft picks later that same year. Last year, he actually played in the BCHL for the Chilliwack Chiefs. He had committed to the NCAA path, and it wasn't clear at the start of the season if or when the rumoured CHL-NCAA deal would be finalized. He may have been able to jump to the CHL partway through last season like some others did, but he stayed in the BCHL for that season. There, he had 26 points in 44 regular season games, which was 3rd in the league for U17 players. Then he had a very strong playoff run with 17 points in 21 game, which was tied for 8th overall and was first BY FAR for U17 players. The second best U17 player had... 2 points. This year, with the NCAA eligibility cleared up, Malhotra joined Brantford in the OHL for his first season. They were one of the early season favourites to win the OHL because of how stacked they were: - Jake O'Brien was their top center and he was the 8th overall pick by Seattle - Adam Jiricek was in his second season with Brantford and was a 16th overall pick by St. Louis - Adam Benak was a 4th round pick by Minnesota - Owen Protz was a 4th round pick by Montreal - Parker Holmes was a 4th round pick by Chicago - Edison Engle was a 6th round pick by Winnipeg - Ryerson Leenders is their top goalie and was a 7th round pick by Buffalo In addition, Brantford absolutely loaded up by trading for high value OHL veterans for their playoff run. They got Ben Danford, Jett Luchanko and Marek Vanacker who were all first round picks, as well as Charlie Paquette who was a 7th round pick and Zachary Sandhu who was undrafted by a 20 year old and Danford's pairing partner from Oshawa. And in the midst of that, Caleb Malhotra joined as a young 17 year old who had never played for any of the major junior leagues in North America. He was their second line center all year, unless Jake O'Brien was out of the lineup for some reason. He finished this season with 84 points in 67 games which was second best on the top offensive team in the OHL, behind only O'Brien. His result was tied for 11th best in the OHL for all ages, and was second place among U18 players. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image-1.png) Then the playoffs came, and Malhotra took his game to another level. Despite being eliminated in the semi-finals, as of now he is tied for second in the OHL playoffs with 13 goals and 26 points in 15 games. That led his team, ahead of even O'Brien. His 13 goals are tied for the second most. And once again, if you only look at U18 players he has 11 goals and 15 points more than second place. So if you're one of those who believe some players have an innate ability to 'rise to the occasion' and play even better in the playoffs because of a clutch gene or just playing a style that works better in the tighter and tougher style, Malhotra has shown signs of having it. Funnily enough, unlike what you might expect for a guy who's considered to be a top prospect in this year's draft, Malhotra has no international experience. None. Not a single game, not in any exhibition or minor tournament. He didn't play at the Hlinka, not in any of the U17 tournaments where Canada even has TWO teams, not at the World U18s (though that was because Brantford was still in the playoffs). The only thing he got into this year was being the Captain of the Team CHL challenge against the best of USA's prospects on the NTDP and in the USHL. He was considered one of the CHL's best players and had 2 points in 3 games, which was actually tied for second on the team. ## THE GOOD: ELITE DEFENSE, TRANSITIONS, PHYSICALITY, OFFENSIVE FLASHES, CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT By the time the draft comes around, I'm very certain that the general opinion on who the best center is will have coalesced around Malhotra. He is clearly a pure, natural, grass-fed and non-GMO center and I have no doubts he can stick there. He has the size (6'2"), he has the play style, and he has the skills and instincts to become a high-end two-way center. You can see it hinted at in his tracking data – there isn't really anything he's not good at to some degree and you could argue he's very good to elite at everything. When it comes to his defense, Malhotra is considered one of the most disruptive defensive forces in the 2026 draft class. He provides relentless pressure on the backcheck and forecheck, with a good stick for stealing pucks and using his skating and size to snuff out breakouts by the opposition. He has great awareness for where everyone's located and anticipating how plays may develop, and where to position himself to help his team the most. He puts himself into passing lanes, uses his stick to pick off or deflect a pass, or even just discourage the puck carrier from even trying to make the pass. He can be relied upon to kill penalties, defend late leads, and get matched up against the other team's top lines to shut them down. Additionally, Malhotra plays a physically heavy game that projects very well to the NHL. With the puck, he will proactively initiate checks and use reverse-hits to create more space for himself – he'll do the same thing when racing to dump ins in either zone to seal off the opponent and protect the puck along the boards. He already shows his physical dominance in outmuscling defensemen in front of the net in the offensive zone, or other forwards in the defensive zone. By using his body as a shield, he ensures that even when he isn't moving at top speed, he remains nearly impossible to get the puck off him or fight through him when he's defending. When the puck is on his stick, Malhotra is very strong if not elite at driving transitions. He is highly effective at receiving passes in motion, then using feints, weight shifts, and changing his pace in either direction to freeze defenders and create lanes to pass or carry it into the offensive zone with control. He has very good puck handling skills, and I think this improved a good amount through the season, especially when he's in heavy traffic areas with little room to move. He has the ability to baits defenders into reaching for the puck with a poke check only to dangle through their "triangles" (between their foot and stick) or pull the puck into his hip to protect it. When it comes to regular offensive skill, Malhotra's biggest strength is definitely as a high-end playmaker. He has borderline elite vision and creativity as a passer. He can pull off no-look passes, slip a pass between the legs, and flick cross-ice saucer passes through defensive layers. He also has great hockey sense for timing his passes, and timing his off puck positioning. As a goal scorer, he has a good shot but he mostly works at finding soft spots in coverage and trying to sneak in as a backdoor option. He has a heavy shot that honestly could be a bigger weapon for him, but it took him most of the year to use it more. If you separate his season into two halves of the regular season and then the playoffs as a third group, his shots per game rate went from 1.76 in the first half, 2.42 in the second half, and 3.67 in the playoffs. His shooting percentage finished at 21.54% combined for the regular season and playoffs, a good indication that he has a good shot and/or shoots from good locations. ## THE FLAWS: EXPLOSIVE SKATING, PUCK HANDLING, OFFENSIVE DECISION MAKING While I said Malhotra seems to be good if not very good at everything, that doesn't mean there aren't areas for improvement that could make him even better. If I were to list those from areas of most to least important, I'll start with his skating. The biggest issue here is that he doesn't have a quick first step, and working on improving that explosiveness will help him all over the ice and on both sides of the puck. He's more of a smooth glider as a skater than showing off speed and power. His size, reach and physicality help him overcome any issues from that in junior, but he'll want to improve that to make his transition to the NHL a lot easier. The second issue is getting more consistent with Malhotra's decision making. This is something that most prospects, even the elite ones, deal with considering their youth. It takes more time, repetition, practice and experience to learn what to do and what not to do in a given situation. In junior, he has confidence that he can sometimes hang onto the puck with an additional dangle or just outmuscle the defender to protect the puck, and that won't fly in the NHL. He can also try to get too cute or find a highlight reel play instead of making the simple and effective one at times. I've seen some scouts criticize Malhotra for trying to be too fancy, and while I agree that's something he should work on, I don't mind guys doing that at his age when playing in junior. Trying things is good practice to learn what you can do and to improve your execution. That said, it can also show areas where he can improve for the future. For example, some scouts have pointed out mechanical issues in his puck control that could be smoothed out, which would help him succeed more often as he plays at higher levels. He will occasionally handle the puck too far away from his body, leaving it vulnerable to being stolen or knocked away. His reception of passes at high-speed can also be inconsistent, where he will bobble the puck and kill his momentum of a rush. At this point though, we're getting nitpicky. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT While Malhotra doesn't necessarily have the long-standing star power of a McKenna or a Stenberg, he's become an elite star in his own right. He went from not even being considered a first rounder at the start of the year, to becoming arguably the top center in this draft and a likely top 5 pick. He has an argument to being the most improved player this year, and he showed his improvements constantly throughout the season. There has often been late risers who get taken very early in the draft, like a Beckett Sennecke a couple of years ago, and Malhotra seems like another one. In addition to those improvements, Malhotra also has a much younger birthday than both McKenna and Stenberg. He is six months younger than McKenna, and nine months younger than Stenberg. I ask myself... if Malhotra has improved this much through this season, if he improves more over the next 6-9 months how much closer in projected value could he become to those two? He will very likely not jump right into the NHL like the other two might, but he will be playing in the NCAA next year on one of the top programs to help get him ready for pro hockey and real systems that don't really exist for most junior teams. So when I said earlier that Malhotra put his name in that 'top tier' for the draft along with McKenna and Stenberg (and the next player to be profiled tomorrow), I was both relaying what seems to be a not insignificant number of scouts are thinking and is something I kind of agree with. I think he's probably the fourth and last player in that tier, but his positional value helps a lot. I've liked him all season and while I don't think he's someone you should take at first overall, he is absolutely someone I would think about taking if they traded down. ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Wednesday FTB: International All-Stars URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesday-ftb-international-all-stars/ Last updated: 2026-06-03T11:33:28.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! The NHL is always trying to keep interest in the all Star game. It began as the NHL All Stars vs the Stanley Cup Champions. Then West vs East was fine for a while, then we had North America vs the World. All your usual five on five hockey games. When interest lagged, they mixed it up and had a draft. When players feelings got hurt, we went three on three among the divisions. Then they added more goofy games that looked good on tv and showed off the host city. Now, the NHL is building off the success if it's World Showcase tournament from last year, and bringing back that international flavour with a five team three on three tournament for the All Star format next season on Long Island. [NHL welcomes Russians — not Russia — into new international all-star gameWhile the NHL did not unveil Russia as one of its five teams set to compete in a brand-new twist on its 3-on-3 showcase at the 2027 All-Star Game, Russian athletes have been given the green light to join the league’s “Rest of the World” squad.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/bettman-50ec6f43-414b-42d2-9162-80e79eef0dae.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhl-welcomes-russians-not-russia-into-new-international-all-star-game/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Canada, USA, Sweden, Finland, and Other, will take to the ice after the new Skills Competition that is now restricted to the 25 and under crowd. While we all know that this is a reward for marketing partners and local fans, a new spin on the format could boost ratings, or at least give us something new to complain about. The Vegas Golden Knights took game one of the Stanley Cup Final 5-4 last night. Despite a quick start from the Hurricanes, they couldn't hang on and dropped a close one. Manny Malhotra has been named the new head coach of the Vancouver Canucks. [Canucks: How Manny Malhotra may be a boon to analytics staffManny Malhotra has seen what an empowered staff team can do, and he’s led the way himself.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/icon-vp-328dea3b-2e89-4f45-ad00-a55352b0f279.png)The ProvincePatrick Johnston![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/0603-col-manny-1-71c1980d-5156-41fc-8a4c-d1ae572a42f5.jpg)](https://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/canucks-manny-malhotra-staff?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The former Maple Leafs assistant coach is a former Canuck and played with his new bosses, the Sedins during his time there. The Marlies dropped game three of the AHL ECF but have the chance to take game four tonight at 7pm at the CCC. [John Gruden on the officiating in the Marlies’ Game 3 loss to WBS: “They’re trying to protect the goalies, and they should... They said they would start taking one, but it just seems like it’s one of our guys, not one of theirs”Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discusses his team’s 5-3 loss to the WBS Penguins in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final. The Marlies now lead the series 2-1, with Game 4 set for Wednesday in Toronto. On the deciding factors in the result: I thought we did a lot of good things. We \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500-0e6e2ae2-1078-4ef2-b1cc-258a63870ae3.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/gruden-john-marlies-72faea43-3eca-467b-bad6-96befbd5842b.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/06/02/john-gruden-on-the-officiating-in-the-marlies-game-3-loss-to-wb-s/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The PWHL teams are preparing for free agency and the expansion draft. One thing lots of fans were sure about was Sarah Burse being brought to Hamilton as a hometown expansion player, but she just re-signed with the Vancouver Goldeneyes. [Goldeneyes re-sign Sarah Nurse on two-year dealSarah Nurse is running it back on the West Coast.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/nurse_sarah1280-76e95e0e-3b6f-4f6d-94d5-b06f957b41c8.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/pwhl/article/goldeneyes-re-sign-sarah-nurse-on-two-year-deal/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, the Montreal Victoire contributed their championship tour with a stop at the Prime Ministers office. [Montreal Victoire players visit Mark Carney, present him with jerseyCarney calls the Walter Cup champions “an inspiration.”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/android-chrome-512x512-1-5df24490-225b-4602-8ca3-bf98df1deeac.png)Montreal GazetteMontreal Gazette![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/h6a8102_303482378-4bf867e4-895a-49d7-b907-d75e2331186b.jpg)](https://montrealgazette.com/sports/pwhl-montreal/montreal-victoire-players-visit-mark-carney-present-him-with-jersey/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Enjoy your day everyone! ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Ivar Stenberg URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-ivar-stenberg/ Last updated: 2026-06-02T13:27:57.000Z It's funny the similarities that McKenna and Stenberg have, considering how different they are. They're both 6'0" and left shot wingers with late 2007 birthdays who have been considered top prospects for years already. Beyond that, however, the reasons why they're so good comes from different places. If Toronto were to take Stenberg over McKenna, or trade down to get him later, it would likely be because the team wants to go in a different direction from the high octane skill that McKenna represents. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Left-shot winger - **League(s)**: SHL - **Height**: 6'0" - **Weight**: 181 lbs - **Birthdate**: Sep 30, 2007 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: 3rd - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: 1st - Corey Pronman: 4th - Will Scouch: 1st - Elite Prospects: 2nd - Scott Wheeler: 2nd - McKeen's Hockey: 2nd - Upside Hockey: 3rd - NHL Central Scouting: 1st (European skaters) Stenberg has been on the minds of scouts for a while now because, like McKenna, he's been putting up silly numbers while also playing up several age groups. When McKenna was putting up way better than a point per game as a rookie in the WHL as a 16 year old, Stenberg was doing the same in Sweden's junior leagues. As a draft-1 player, he dominated Sweden's U20 junior league with 26 goals and 53 points in just 27 games, then moved to the SHL and didn't look back. Again, this is in his D-1 season, he played in 25 regular season games and had 3 points, then played 12 playoff games and had 6 points. He was getting legitimate minutes too, close to 11 minutes per game on average. 'This year, Stenberg played nowhere but the SHL and had a combined 39 points in 49 regular season and playoff games. He had the third best scoring season in SHL history for players in their draft year, behind only Daniel and Henrik Sedin – and even then, only by 9 and 1 point respectively, while playing in 7 fewer games. While Stenberg shoots left and has mostly been used on that side, he can play either wing. This year, he averaged a bit under 16 minutes per game playing mostly in the top six. He got regular powerplay time, and was used in important defensive situations. He didn't seem to get much time on the penalty kill in the SHL, but has often in international tournaments. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/image.png) From: [https://www.patreon.com/c/prospect\_tracking\_data/posts](https://www.patreon.com/c/prospect%5Ftracking%5Fdata/posts?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Playing at the Hlinka U18 tournament last season as a 16 year old, he dominated with 10 points in 5 games. Later the same year he played at the World Junior A Championship, an U19 tournament, as a fresh 17 year old and one upped himself with 11 points in 5 games to lead the whole tournament. He not only played for Sweden this year at the World Juniors, but also led them with 10 points in 7 games and helped them win the gold medal. He then played at the World U18s later that year against younger peers and had 8 goals and 13 points in 7 games. One last bit to keep in mind is his age, because you're likely going to hear that and I like to put it into proper context. With a September 30th birthday, he is only a few weeks older than being eligible for LAST year's draft. That makes him one of the oldest players in this draft. However, McKenna also has a late 2007 birthday, though in December so he's a bit younger. But it's important to consider how far along his development path is, and compare his statistical performances as someone who is almost a year older in terms of draft timelines. For example, Koblar was drafted by Toronto last year and also played mostly in the SHL this year, but he's actually only two months younger than Stenberg. But Stenberg played an even bigger role than Koblar did, and his production was far ahead. Even if he was eligible for last year's draft, he likely would have been in contention for the first overall pick with Misa and Schaefer. ## THE GOOD: ELITE IQ, VISION, PUCK HANDLING, MOTOR, PUCK PROTECTION, PRO-READY STYLE Digging into what makes Stenberg so good is where he starts to differ a lot from McKenna. Stenberg’s biggest strength is his intelligence as a player. He has an incredible situational awareness of his surrounding and is constantly scanning to see where everyone is, where they're going, and then anticipating what might happen. So even though he isn't the fastest skater, he goes where he predicts he will need to be. He sees passing lanes and defensive vulnerabilities before they fully materialize. Seeing how things can develop helps him use pauses and delays so he can outwait defenders for a teammate to get to an open position for a cross-ice feed. In this sense, he has a pro-ready brain that makes him so dependable in game-deciding situations. He rarely makes the same mistake twice and learns how to be better next time, and just consistently makes good decisions. Next is his puck handling, where Stenberg showcases deception and manipulation. He is able to shift a defender's positioning and momentum rather than just performing fancy dangles, so while he doesn't have the same lightning quick or flashy handles of McKenna, in some ways he's more practical and effective. What helps his hands is actually his feet. He has great edgework and body positioning to get opponents to move how he wants, so he can then attack them in a way that's easiest for him to get through or around them. Even under heavy pressure, he keeps the puck close to his feet or tucked away in his hip pocket, using slick side-step dekes and cross-body moves to evade sticks and protect the puck. This is why he's so good at driving transitions, as he can do all of this playing at his highest pace. Now we get into the biggest differences from McKenna. Stenberg is well known for having an elite and non-stop motor that he uses in all situations, making him a potential two-way and true 200-foot player. On the forecheck, he uses his stick and takes intelligent angles to trap defenders trying to retrieve and outlet the puck create turnovers. He will often be the last forward out on ice on his shifts so he can hound opponents after a dump in, potentially giving the fresh forwards possession in the offensive zone before he changes. And on the backcheck, he will skate hard to catch his man and trail them deep into the defensive zone. He is not one of those all-skill players who lacks in the details that coaches love. He's been playing top pro hockey for two years now, in part because he already had pro-ready details that coaches love, and because he got even better at them over time and earned bigger roles. He will fight and win board battles, blocking shots, and more. Despite not being the largest forward on the ice, Stenberg has incredible lower body strength. That gives him a sturdy base and a lower center of gravity that bigger defensemen find difficult to knock off balance or dominate physically. He is a great winger on the cycle, where he can roll off checks and protect the puck one-handed. He can absorb massive hits along the boards to make a play and still keep possession of the puck. This ability to maintain possession in tight, high-traffic areas is what allows his high-end skill to shine against more physically mature professional players. Finally, Stenberg has developed a dangerous shot that defenders are forced to respect. He will make a sharp cut toward the middle of the ice, using the defender as a screen to snap a quick-release wrister far-side. This is something you'll often see NHL stars do as well. He also has a solid one-timer, often dropping to one knee to increase his shooting angle and power to score even from distance. Because he can pass through layers just as easily as he can rip a puck through traffic, making him a dual-threat offensively with the puck. Defenders can't sell out to defend his shot or his passing, because he can do both at a high level. ## THE FLAWS: TOP SPEED, CONSISTENT PASSING, TOP-LEVEL ELITE SKILL Unlike McKenna, while Stenberg does have some flaws he can work on, there are none that are as worrisome. The thing I'd want to fix the most is his explosiveness and his high end speed. He's already above average in those areas, but it would help his game transitioning to the NHL a lot. He just isn't as speedy as other top prospects like McKenna. If there's a worry, it's that he would struggle to create separation from elite, mobile defenders on the rush. While his speed generated from crossovers in the neutral zone is effective for transitions, adding extra power and top speed will help him create and maintain separation so he has even more space to work with. A smaller issue that is preventing me from saying that Stenberg is already an elite two-way forward is that, after the backcheck when he's in the defensive zone for an opponent's sustained possession, he can be too passive. He will sometimes float and wait for an opportunity to pick off a pass rather than using his motor to chase down and harass the puck carrier and force a turnover. When he moves, he's dangerous without the puck, but that passivity can cause him to be flat footed when he could have otherwise prevented a play from developing for the other team. I would still project him to be a solid if not elite two-way winger, however. He's too hard a worker and a bulldog in every other area for me to think he won't improve on this. Otherwise, the only thing I can nitpick is that – like many 17/18 year old prospects, even the elite ones – Stenberg can be overconfident in his skill at times. He can try to make too many moves, try for far too ambitious passes, and create turnovers instead of making simpler and less flashy plays that are more effective. Again, this is something all teenage prospects learn to some extent, and he's not so bad at it now that it makes him a major liability. If it was, he wouldn't have spent so many games in the SHL with so much ice time. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT So, I've looked at the strengths, weaknesses, stats and context for both McKenna and Stenberg. More than a few people have asked me what ***I*** would do if I were the Leafs – would I pick one or the other at first overall? My short answer is that I honestly don't know. Personally, I like the kind of player Stenberg is more than I like the kind of player McKenna is. But I can also logically say that McKenna has the chance to become a much more impactful player. So let me talk myself through this here in a stream of consciousness. McKenna is the obvious choice, but he is not the safe choice. He has more skill but bigger flaws. He's a much higher risk with a much higher reward. Stenberg is safer because he's so solid all-around in his game, while still being skilled. He's just not as skilled as McKenna. That's what I meant at the start when I said that choosing one or the other for the Leafs is choosing a direction they want to take as a team. If their priority is to fix their offense, they should go McKenna. In a lot of ways, it will re-establish the dynamic the team had in their core four when their offense was among the best in the league. But I'm genuinely curious if the Leafs will want that or not. After all, didn't that dynamic fail to get them to the second round only twice under that core, and not past the second round at all? Weren't they wanting to lean into building a team that can win "playoff hockey" more? We may roll our eyes at those talking points, but that's a clear direction the Leafs as an organization – from above even Treliving and Berube – wanted to take. Technically, that trend started even when Dubas was still here. What Pelley said he wanted the organization to do, including the executives he was going to hire that turned into Chayka and Sundin, was create a smarter organization. One that didn't ignore analytics, but used them as tools in their decision making. Not to make decisions purely by spreadsheets or AI, but use them to gain insights for how to make the team better. So does McKenna or Stenberg make the Leafs better? Again, I honestly don't know. I think McKenna will not be as good in the NHL right away, because he has more to work on – including physically. Stenberg is more used to pro hockey, he's already made adjustments that make him more pro-ready. The other thing that may be a factor in their decision making is what player they think will help convince Matthews to stick around more than the other. To that hypothetical, I would think McKenna is the answer. He fills the Marner role (offensively) that Matthews seemed to like. While Stenberg would be more like Zach Hyman... except the peak Zach Hyman that ran shotgun with McDavid in Edmonton who was scoring 30-50 goals and 80ish points in back-to-back years. Honestly, this uncertainty is the main reason why I wasn't jumping out of my seat excited when I saw the Leafs won the lottery. It made their decision a lot more complicated than if it was 5th overall. What makes it complicated is that the Leafs could really use ***both*** players. They need more offensive skill, especially if it helps Matthews become more dangerous offensively. But they also need more guys like Stenberg who are good in those little things at a high level. They also need to improve their blueline at both their defensive and puck moving ability, and find a high end center who can help move Tavares to the wing. Neither Stenberg nor McKenna solve any of that. This is why the boldest but maybe the most correct choice would actually be to trade down. I don't know if any of the teams below them but still in (or close to) the top 5 would seriously consider making a trade with Toronto for the first overall pick that would give them extra value in those other areas. Would Vancouver want to trade up so Toronto can take Stenberg (if San Jose goes with Reid like has already been rumoured) or Malhotra and then a higher end defensemen either with another pick they get, or get a young high end prospect already in the NHL like Willander or Buium? Would Chicago trade us the 4th overall pick along with the 34th and/or 37th overall picks, plus one of their young high end defensemen like Korchinski or Rinzel? Could Toronto make a much bigger package with Knies and get other pieces, since Chicago has been rumoured to really want Knies for like three years now? If that kind of trade is there, that would honestly probably be the choice I would personally make. It would have to be a good enough offer, which is why I don't think it will happen. One of those teams would have to REALLY think that the guy they want (likely McKenna) will be much better than I think. ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Tuesday's FTB: SCF begins URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-scf-begins/ Last updated: 2026-06-02T10:00:46.000Z Two new tests have been added to the Combine as detailed here: [McKenna to meet with at least 8 teams at NHL Scouting Combine | NHL.comCover gets chance to showcase conditioning before draft; Cullen trying to follow in father’s footsteps![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)NHL logoMike G. Morreale![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/intxs8urzxarb4dfolad-b0a7f4c424bbe1837d00c4a4c388807118c5d4ce9fc9dac287124de18957f726.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/nhl-draft/gavin-mckenna-to-meet-with-at-least-eight-teams-at-nhl-scouting-combine?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There was a trade yesterday, and while this one was time sensitive due to draft rights, teams will stop waiting for the Cup to be awarded as we have multiple off days with no hockey over the next two weeks. [Lightning acquire rights to Mem Cup champion Pridham from Blackhawks for draft pickThe Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired the rights to forward Jack Pridham from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ROEVUOOWVNDLJI7PRCZ5TBZ724-4648a2751e6bb335119335b8cf7c6016d7cf1864b144eed9dcab5ad170c822d8.JPG)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/lightning-acquire-rights-to-f-pridham-from-blackhawks-for-draft-pick/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [How Hurricanes brotherhood is helping Andersen process Lemieux’s deathFrederik Andersen is mourning the loss of his friend and mentor Claude Lemieux. The brotherhood the Hurricanes have formed is helping him process his grief.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Carolina-Hurricanes-goaltender-Frederik-Andersen-5e6037d82f3d8ca4177cc18bbd2650175c1630add75246b98ca8f226d4778baa.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/how-hurricanes-brotherhood-is-helping-andersen-process-lemieuxs-death/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Yesterday was June 1, [and that's the day where various forms of draft rights expire](https://puckpedia.com/news/expired-nhl-draft-rights-final-list-players-re-entering-draft-or-officially-ufa?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). In order to hold onto players whose rights are about to disappear, a team has to make a bona fide offer or sign them to an SPC depending on circumstances. Nathan Mayes, drafted by the Leafs in 2024, will re-enter the draft, and he will become a free agent if he goes undrafted. He is no longer a Leafs prospect. [2024 Draft: Leafs select Nathan Mayes with pick 225It’s literally the final pick in the whole draft. You can all tune out now.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)PPP LeafsSpecies![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1634796470639-55ff52e7a3b3-caa2481e7fddd08fc13c11be7299e4a7e443b7b06461a43a02f5119f3a2b5ccb.jpeg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2024-nhl-draft-toronto-maple-leafs-select/) Mayes is a good, physical defender in the WHL, but shows no signs of becoming a viable NHL prospect. Not a surprise the Leafs did not offer him an ELC. Matthew Hlacar, drafted last year, did not receive a bona fide offer to extend his rights. He will also re-enter the draft. [With Pick #217, the Leafs drafted Matthew HlacarWith their final pick in the 2025 draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs took a swing on Matthew Hlacar from the Kitchener Rangers.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1633476995653-be8f71e377a6-35af8c053ea8221b4ff88eee4e4987080c8cf4f1451ffcbc0502846b02cfc902.jpeg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-draft/) Read the comments on the above and you'll find us all mystified as to why he was ever drafted. As a 19-year-old he failed to do anything at the development camp or rookie tournament to justify even being drafted. No one should be surprised that the new management declined to keep him on. The PWHL expansion process begins today, and, well, it's extremely complicated. This video does not actually answer all the questions a person might have: > Class is officially in session 📚 > > Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas and San Jose are entering the league, and now the roster-building process begins! Here's a quick breakdown of what you need to know about the 6-phase Expansion Player Distribution Process ahead of Phase One opening… [pic.twitter.com/06fVEHWbe9](https://t.co/06fVEHWbe9?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) [June 1, 2026](https://x.com/thepwhlofficial/status/2061576524264792445?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is a six-phase process and each team posted identical infographics that also don't answer all questions. This is the start of the Sceptres version: > Everything you need to know about the Expansion Player Distribution Process: A thread 🧵 > > ℹ️ [https://t.co/vXVMCSgjtt](https://t.co/vXVMCSgjtt?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > Phases 1 and 2 ⤵️ [pic.twitter.com/QZYbRqs3LI](https://t.co/QZYbRqs3LI?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Sceptres (@PWHL\_Toronto) [June 1, 2026](https://x.com/PWHL%5FToronto/status/2061535722830500219?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) But if you're very keen, the link above in that tweet takes you to the PWHL site where you can find the 14-page rules in PDF form and the list of all player statuses. Key thing not decided is the draft order. The Gold Plan winner, Vancouver, will draft first, other than that it is yet to be announced. The draft is June 17\. I get this is complicated, but I've just decided to throw my hands up and wait for the results, and I don't think very many people will do differently. Meanwhile, last night... > Brian Burke and Dallas Eakins taking in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Toronto tonight. [@InsideAHLHockey](https://x.com/InsideAHLHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/MiE4JZzELJ](https://t.co/MiE4JZzELJ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Tony Androckitis\* (@TonyAndrock) [June 2, 2026](https://x.com/TonyAndrock/status/2061608676687740995?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Dallas Eakins is currently running a team in the DEL, a league that frequently scouts the AHL looking for veterans who would like a European tour as they get pushed out of the AHL by the veteran rules. But don't let that stop you from making up stories about interviews. In the game, the Marlies entered the third period tied at two-all, but the Penguins surged ahead with two goals. The trouble here, obviously, is that the Marlies were not getting outshot like they usually are. Final score was 5-3 for WBS, so Toronto leads the series 2-1\. The next game is tomorrow night. That's all for now. The Ivar Stenberg profile is today, and who knows, the Leafs may hire someone else's brother today. ### 2026 NHL Draft Profile: Gavin McKenna URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-gavin-mckenna/ Last updated: 2026-06-01T16:51:57.000Z I'm not going to lie, when I saw that the Leafs won the lottery I was not jumping up and down excited. I laughed, because it was hilarious, but I think I honestly would have been happier if they just kept their 5th overall pick. It's not that I think the players who they could draft there are better than whoever they decide on at 1st overall, it's mainly because I had some hangups about both McKenna and Stenberg and I liked the idea of being able to allow the four teams ahead of the Leafs to make the decision for them by who they leave available. So before I get into this article, I am going to say one thing right away. I think McKenna is inarguably the most skilled offensive player in this draft, and is very likely to turn out being the best player as we look back at this several years from now. He is an elite, elite player. I don't think he'll turn into any kind of generational star like McDavid or even Celebrini, but probably more comparable to how Bedard's career has gone so far. A very good star, but probably not ever in the discussions for best player in the league. To explain why I think all of this, I have to be critical of McKenna. It might seem like I'm describing him as a bad player, but that will not be true. I just think that the gap between him and Stenberg, or even him and the guys who will be taken in the rest of the top 5, is not as wide as it usually is in most drafts for the first overall players taken. None of that means I don't like him or think he's bad. Okay? Okay. [Subscribe](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/signup/) ## THE BASICS: STATS AND CONTEXT - **Position**: Left-shot winger - **League(s)**: USHL / NCAA - **Height**: 6'0" - **Weight**: 170 lbs - **Birthdate**: Dec 20, 2007 Here are his draft rankings, as of writing this: - TSN NHL Scout Poll: 1st - Cam Robinson NHL Scout Poll: 2nd - Corey Pronman: 2nd - Will Scouch: 2nd - Elite Prospects: 1st - Scott Wheeler: 1st - McKeen's Hockey: 1st - Upside Hockey: 1st - NHL Central Scouting: 1st (North American skaters) McKenna has been the forecasted first overall pick for the 2026 NHL draft for the past three years. He was in consideration to be given exceptional status to play in the WHL early, but was surprisingly not granted it. He played his first games in the WHL as a 15 year old and had 18 points in 16 games. In his first full season he had 97 points in 61 games as a 16 year old. He followed that with 129 points in 56 games last year, and then 38 points in 17 games as they won the WHL playoffs and lost in the Memorial Cup finals. By comparison, in his comparable D-1 season Mitch Marner had 59 points in 64 games. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/McKenna2.png) This season, McKenna was the headline star who made the jump to the NCAA under the new rules and committed to Penn State where he put up 51 points in 35 games. In five of those games, McKenna played over 20 minutes, and he had six games where he played more than 25 minutes in a single game. That was good for 5th in the entire NCAA, which is tops for freshmen and almost double the next closest player (Valentini with 27 points). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/06/McKenna1.png) For reference, here are some of the top prospects drafted out of the NCAA the past few years: - James Hagens (7th OA) - 47 points in 37 games. - Macklin Celebrini (1st OA) - 64 points in 38 games. - Adam Fantilli (3rd OA) - 65 points in 36 games. - Will Smith (4th OA) - 71 points in 41 games. - Matty Beniers (2nd OA) - 24 points in 24 games. - Kent Johnson (5th OA) - 27 points in 26 games. You can see a range of the types of players they've turned into, and how effective they've been transitioning to the NHL. Only two of them (Celebrini and Fantilli) immediately joined the NHL after being drafted. For McKenna, leading into the World Juniors is the peak period when people were more seriously questioning if he was actually the best and top ranked prospect in this year's draft, while Stenberg was winning gold with Sweden at the World Juniors and looking great playing against pros in the SHL. But this stretch to finish the NCAA season is when McKenna locked that spot back up. He turned into an utter demon as a dominant offensive force after the World Juniors: - Pre-World Juniors – 4 goals, 18 points, 3.7 shots per game in 16 games. - Post-World Juniors – 11 goals, 33 points, 4.9 shots per game in 19 games. On the international side of things, McKenna played in his first major tournament for Canada at the end of the 2023/24 season when he led Canada at the World U18s championship with 10 goals and 20 points in just 7 games as a 15 year old. Next season, only a few months after that actually, he played at the Hlinka Gretzky and wore an "A" and had 6 points in 5 games. Later that same season he was at the World Juniors for the first time, but had only 1 point (a goal) in 5 games as a 16 year old. This past season, he made the World Juniors roster again and had 14 points in just 7 games. Suffice to say, McKenna has been a top prospect for years by now. Aside from all of his on-ice stuff, he's had an interesting journey off the ice to get where he is as a member of the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin First Nation in the Yukon. Rather than write a lot of words on it, I'll share this nice video: ## THE GOOD: ELITE PLAYMAKING, PROCESSING, PUCK HANDLING, SKATING, TRANSITIONS This section can almost be made very short because there's not much point writing so many words to describe how incredible he is at the things he's best at. The thing that gets lauded the most about him is his elite, elite, elite (get ready for me to say this word a lot) ability to process the game in front of him at a ridiculously fast speed. I've said before that being able to play at a high pace isn't just about being able to skate fast, it's just as much about how quickly you can process things and make quick decisions. McKenna is the perfect example of this, because he's elite at ***both***. It allows him to identify lanes to attack with his skating or passing and execute high-difficulty plays that only real top prospects can complete with consistency. It helps him a lot as a playmaker, where his elite vision allows him to make a perfect pass for high-danger scoring chances. What also helps McKenna's playmaking is his ability to handle the puck at an elite level. In tight quarters, he has lightning-quick hands and can control the puck like a wizard to elude defenders, manipulate their reactions, and create space and time for himself. He baits defenders into reaching for the puck with a poke or sweep check before immediately accelerating wide past them, or toe-dragging it past them and into the middle of the ice. That level of deceptive skill, combined with his elite skating and edges work, made him a nightmare to defend in one-on-one scenarios in junior and in college. Without the puck, McKenna is still an elite threat. That processing he has and his intelligence in general helps him have an instinctive feel for where he should be on the ice, find soft areas in coverage where he can get open in dangerous spots. He times his movements and routes to sneak in behind defenders the moment their backs are turned so he's ready to accept a pass for a great scoring chance. His ability to recognize when his teammates are running out of space and time and where he can position himself to offer an outlet to relieve the pressure and continue the possession is something that surpasses a lot of NHL players, honestly. Lastly, there's McKenna's ability as an elite transition driver. That processing, skating, puck handling and playmaking makes him a nightmare for defenders in open ice to try and contain him or force a dump in. He attacks with speed, changes his pace, uses fakes and look-offs to keep defenders on their heels because they're afraid of being burned, and then he has the luxury of taking what they give him. If they give him space, he uses it to skate further. If they try and step up on him, he can pass or dangle it past them. His transition execution is highly efficient as a result of all of this. ## THE FLAWS: PHYSICALITY, STRENGTH, PERIMETER, JUNIOR-MINDED Now, let's talk about the flaws, because there are flaws. And not "oh we're just going to nitpick about about how a top elite player only has a 99th percentile shot and not a 100th percentile shot" flaws. Not career sinking flaws either, mind you, just things that did legitimately concern more than a few scouts this season. The first and most obvious is that McKenna has a real lack of physical strength, and has a real tendency to avoid getting hit. That can make him shy away from board battles or the front of the net – not all the time, but often enough that it's been noted. When he is in the thick of an in-close scrum, he'll engage passively with his stick rather than using his body to seal off opponents and give them an easy way out if they control the puck. This lack of strength caps his ability to create and turn defensive wins into offensive transitions. Until McKenna builds more muscle and weight, and gains a greater mental willingness necessary to withstand heavy contact, he will remain reliant on others to do the heavy lifting in the corners and be more of a perimeter player. In the NHL that could ruin his ability to be a scoring threat despite having a good shot, since most of them will be coming from further away from being a high danger scoring chance against the best goalies in the world. At its worst this season, he would hunt for space along the outside of the offensive zone, waiting for a lane to open up rather than driving the middle to force the issue himself. He has the skating and puck handling to get to the middle of the ice, it's a question of whether he can do it at a consistent level in the NHL. It's also the one thing that would make me think it's still better for him to return for one more year of NCAA before coming to the NHL, so he has that time to add more muscle and work on driving to those dangerous areas. This is why a lot of scouts have referred to him as having a "junior mindset" during play this season. Things like flying the zone early to cheat for offense, being flat footed and falling behind on defensive transitions, trying to rely solely on his skill to beat defenses on his own, things like that. It will drive some coaches crazy until he fixes it. Now, the one thing I will say is that a lot of those same scouts will all agree that he was a lot better with this kind of thing after the World Juniors, when he returned to the NCAA on a mission with greater motivation and commitment to taking his game to another level. It still wasn't all perfect, but it ***was*** a definite improvement. ## OVERALL ASSESSMENT Okay, one note I want to make is that we need to make "Whitehorse Wizard" a nickname that sticks because that's awesome. So the big debate around McKenna all season has been that tension between his obvious skill and the concern about his lack of pro habits and how that could hurt his projection. For all that elite processing, play making, skill, transitions, and all that great stuff, there was a question of whether or not it would still be elite once he got to the NHL, considering those flaws I mentioned. And if you're worried about that, would you really want to take him first overall? Wouldn't you want more of a sure thing? Well, there's two issues with that. First, that's just the nature of the top of this year's draft. He may have his flaws, but so does Stenberg or anyone else you may have seen talk about being a potential first overall prospect in their place. Second, McKenna really d*id* work hard and showed an improved level of defensive engagement, commitment to not being such a perimeter player, etc. He has transitioned from a player who occasionally cheated for offense like he still carried an infection from junior hockey, to one who actively gets back hard on the backcheck and use his procession and hands to be disruptive. Do I still have some concerns? Yes, I do. But I do still think he is by far the most purely skilled player in the draft this year, and will likely be considered the overall best player after a few years. But since a lot of this is going to come down to people debating between McKenna and Stenberg, I'll share this video that someone else posted in a recent FTB that makes for an interesting discussion: ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ### Monday FTB: Weekend of champions URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/monday-ftb-weekend-of-champions/ Last updated: 2026-06-01T11:19:51.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! We're entering the month of June, and that means hockey is winding down on the ice. The World Championship has been settled and the best hockey country ever is Finland. Okay But the more impressive news is Norway taking the bronze medal over Canada! [World Championships Recap Day 15: Flames’ Määttä Wins Gold at 2026 IIHF World Championship

Olli Määttä now has a gold medal on his resume. Sunday was the final day of the 2026 IIHF World Championship, with two Calgary Flames defencemen in action. In the bronze medal game, Team Canada took on Team Norway. The second game saw Määttä and Team Finland take on Team Switzerland, the hosts of the…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-5d13077bfae1e24aead3586f02984d32b39b699b45c33f0962449451c12445d3.png)Flames NationRyley Delaney![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-c84ffde72185840ad0f11cfaef9481a8cf5e0c464a9122c99f6d6fe8c19343f6)](https://flamesnation.ca/news/flames-maatta-gold-2026-iihf-world-championship?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [WORLDS: Nurse & Canada rally late but fall in overtime to Norway in bronze-medal game | Edmonton OilersDarnell Nurse & Canada can’t finish off their late heroics against Norway to win a medal on Sunday in a 3-2 defeat in the bronze-medal game of the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Edmonton Oilers logoJamie Umbach![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/feumopflxefmapyky9yj-5e8fe32be7f1be7b5bc048c429b6d685137631e8c446054c895c95c014ed8a35.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/oilers/news/worlds-nurse-canada-rally-late-but-fall-in-overtime-to-norway-in-bronze-medal-game?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) You love to see an underdog get the medal. Even if it wasn't gold, this win was probably the real championship. In our hearts. Way out west, in Kelowna, the Kitchener Rangers won the Memorial Cup, beating the Everett Silvertips 6-2. [Kitchener overpowers Everett in Memorial Cup Final to cap off undefeated runSam O’Reilly had a four-point performance, including three assists, to lead the Kitchener Rangers to a 6-2 win over the Everett Silvertips in the Memorial Cup championship on Sunday.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/54ITPBR3KZH4NC6B7O62D57YBY-5fd5e8ab2246bb586e610f48e086d078a38a256f8e3f5defedeb9b311cf28ec8.JPG)](https://www.tsn.ca/chl/article/kitchener-overpowers-everett-in-memorial-cup-final-to-cap-off-undefeated-run/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Onto the pros and the Stanley Cup Final between the Caroline Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights starts tomorrow night. [MSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-855f6b5eea22a22f5f4abcceeed4b8969efb3a99443036eb5eb64f5f46c8fd8e.ico)](https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/nhl/golden-knights-hurricanes-2026-stanley-cup-final-by-the-numbers/ar-AA24xlQP?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Both teams are looking for cup number two, but no matter who wins the real champions are Norway. Good for them! The final, most important trophy still to be won is the Calder Cup, because the Toronto Marlies are working their way towards a third banner. [WBS Penguins down, 0-2, as series shifts to TorontoEight times in the storied history of the American Hockey League Calder Cup playoffs a team won a best-of-7 series after losing the first two games on home ice. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins will try to make it nine. They face an 0-2…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-9deb629637088856fe61dc868bf40a7d21ed942e4117659f3d6c3408f59b906b.ico)Scranton Times-TribuneScott Walsh![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CVC-L-PENS-0530-12-0c68a9244a528f7ca1d85a67c91b3a1329d236d0723b05ee4c5707a07b688f80.jpg)](https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/2026/06/01/wbs-penguins-down-0-2-as-series-shifts-to-toronto/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies are currently up 2-0 over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and game three is tonight at the CCC at 7PM. The Maple Leafs are always in the news and with a GM building a team front office there are plenty of rumours. [Report: David Carle Declines Formal Interview For Maple Leafs Head Coaching PositionDespite a wave of weekend speculation tying him to the vacant Original Six role, the University of Denver mastermind has repotedly chosen to stay the course in the collegiate ranks.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Yahoo Sports CanadaDavid Alter![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/50520d53dbb00a543b67efab87b0e516-eab4f386e338861b3f60616aa89594b1f66ddc8807b00332d802235cc8315714)](https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/report-david-carle-declines-formal-221934397.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Maple Leafs interested in Judd Brackett as an AGMThe Wild’s Director of Amateur Scouting is reportedly leaving for a position at another team.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1635350736475-c8cef4b21906-9db7396f4f894138855bdcfe82cedbe94e6bbefa02014c89d1dfc759996dede5)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-interested-in-judd-brackett-as-an-agm/) Finally, the Montreal Victoire held their Walter Cup celebrations and it was massive. [Montreal provides an unforgettable Walter Cup celebrationWhen the red double-decker bus taking the Montreal Victoire from the Verdun Auditorium turned on Ste-Catherine street, Victoire goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens was at the front of the bus…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/habs-eyes-on-the-prize-logo-8fd6a8b6daf6b056096623fac52df2ab631df34c648f60b5c218c5d19c3691db.png)Habs Eyes on the PrizeJared Book![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Victoire_Parade_May30-115-c90b2b5720c0dcab66039b7eb31f5107cd2d5f9638aa21270ff6346cc3e859a6.jpeg)](https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/montreal-victoire-walter-cup-champions-parade-celebrations-pwhl-poulin-desbiens/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Enjoy your day everyone! ### Maple Leafs appoint Judd Brackett as an AGM, Freddie Hamilton as Chief of Staff URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-interested-in-judd-brackett-as-an-agm/ Last updated: 2026-06-01T13:01:26.000Z [Maple Leafs add Judd Brackett and Freddie Hamilton to Hockey Operations Department | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs have announced today that the hockey club has appointed Judd Brackett as Assistant General Manager, Player Evaluation, and Freddie Hamilton as Chief of Staff. Brackett will oversee player evaluation across both amateur and professional scouting. Brackett, 49, spent five seasons with the Minnesota Wild as Director![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-df2f143bf548481b492eafda413a798a17c8ddd9900f3155c85e14bca9ac0b83.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/nswlphxjwibg3i9rj7z3-1359deec4acda87fdd81621ad29092b1bf2b5bf710a1bc1c57beaa253426ac04.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-add-judd-brackett-and-freddie-hamilton-to-hockey-operations-department?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced today that the hockey club has appointed Judd Brackett as Assistant General Manager, Player Evaluation, and Freddie Hamilton as Chief of Staff. > Brackett will oversee player evaluation across both amateur and professional scouting. > As Chief of Staff, Hamilton will support strategic planning and cross-functional initiatives across the hockey operations department while working closely with the club’s leadership group. The 34-year-old was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the fifth round (129th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. He played 75 NHL regular-season games with San Jose, Colorado, Calgary, and Arizona. Following his retirement, Hamilton earned his MBA from Yale University before gaining experience in private equity with Bolt Ventures. > “We are excited to add Freddie to our hockey operations department,” said Chayka. “Throughout his playing career, Freddie distinguished himself through his character, professionalism, and work ethic. Since retiring, he has built an impressive career in business and finance, gaining valuable experience across investing, strategy and organizational leadership. His diverse background and collaborative approach will make him a valuable addition to our group as we execute key strategic initiatives and strengthen alignment across our hockey operations department.” Freddie Hamilton actually finished his professional career in Arizona when Chayka was GM. He is from Toronto, and played OHL hockey with the IceDogs. He attended Brock University part time while in the OHL. Hamilton is from an athletic family, both parents were Canadian Olympians. His brother has something to do with sports too. --- Earlier today Sportsnet reported that the Leafs have permission to interview Judd Brackett, the Minnesota Wild's Director of Amateur Scouting who is said to be leaving for a new job. > Hearing director of amateur scouting Judd Brackett is leaving the [#mnwild](https://x.com/hashtag/mnwild?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) for an elevated position for another team. Brackett ran the Wild’s last 5 drafts and is on an expiring contract > > — Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) [May 31, 2026](https://x.com/RussoHockey/status/2061092951690768521?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It appears other teams also may have interviewed him, so this is not (yet) a done deal. Brackett is 49, originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and began his professional career as a US scout for the Gatineau Olympiques after playing college hockey. He was a goalie, and did a degree in sociology while at Connecticut College. He was a scout for the Canucks, eventually becoming their Director of Amateur Scouting for many years before moving to the same position with the Wild. For the last three years he has also been acting as a scout for the USA WJC team. While with the Canucks, he also ran the Indiana Ice of the USHL. Two very different views of Brackett: ### [The Wild's secret weapon won't play a minute this season](https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/%5F/id/44672525/minnesota-wild-roster-draft-trades-free-agency-playoffs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) From ESPN last spring, and the fan view from the same time period: [Are Bill Guerin and Judd Brackett On the Same Page?For five years, the Minnesota Wild have trusted their director of amateur scouting, Judd Brackett, to stockpile young talent. However, anyone who follows the team closely has to wonder if general manager Bill Guerin believes in any of Brackett’s picks. The Wild will flip prospects who Brackett an…![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Kalisha TurnipseedKalisha Turnipseed![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/USATSI_24613931_168390100_lowres.jpg.03c05937bf26a9a0994c3b873e65988d-9a2450c7b18be6424bb561b9935eba691cc651d78cc9dd0549158192a8effacf.jpg)](https://hockeywilderness.com/news-rumors/minnesota-wild/are-bill-guerin-and-judd-brackett-on-the-same-page-r30756/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Auston Matthews is zooming towards another season with the Leafs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/auston-matthews-zooming-towards-another-season-with-the-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-05-30T12:00:55.000Z Recently, Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts podcast discussed the Leafs talking to Auston Matthews via Zoom. This led to a rather outlandish response from the TSN show Overdrive. > "It's embarrassing. A Zoom call is completely ridiculous." 👀 > > Hayes, O-Dog and Noodles on Auston Matthews' reported Zoom conversation with Mats Sundin and John Chayka.[#LeafsForever](https://x.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/uMROKUEvad](https://t.co/uMROKUEvad?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — OverDrive (@OverDrive1050) [May 26, 2026](https://x.com/OverDrive1050/status/2059403527928135990?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) TSN now stands for Toronto Should Not ... do whatever it is they just did. The Leafs share some responsibility for this situation, but TSN is choosing their own editorial... hmmm... slant, I think I'll call it, so it's mostly on them. Yes, the Leafs did flex a little after the response to the hiring of John Chayka and Sportsnet did produce some soft as bunny fur interviews with the new GM, but the sad thing is, I think that flex was aimed at the Athletic (I'm not capitalizing the, that's too precious) but TSN got mad online about it. Anyhow, while the chatter on this incredibly important topic of "should they have had a Zoom call" went on. And while analysis, like that above, that allows as how May and June for a team with the first overall pick and a lot of player acquisition decisions to make is kinda busy, still says they shoulda, coulda just gone to Phoenix (you can name your suburbs, that doesn't make them not part of Phoenix) and stared Auston Matthews down and got his pledge of fealty. If they had, it would have been Toronto Should Not have gone there, they should have made him come pay obeisance to the throne on Bay Street. All of that is smoke machines and laser light shows. Clear the smoke away, and I've discovered something odd. You're all much more optimistic about this situation than I am. When does that happen? Back to Friedman: The meeting was "positive," [per Friedman](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-front-office-has-positive-meeting-with-captain-auston-matthews/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): > "I checked with as many people as I could, and I was told that, right now, things are in a good place. There's still more decisions that have to be made here, but for the first lengthy meeting they had, I was told there was nothing that raised any alarms or raised any concerns, and right now things are in a good place between Matthews and the organization," Friedman said. > "He has indicated that he wants to win in Toronto and I believe that is the message that he has reiterated and that is what the organization is going with," Friedman said. > "It's not like they're asking for Matthews' approval or anything like that, or he's making the decisions or anything like that, but I think it was the first time they could really have a conversation about what they're thinking and what their plan is and what their vision is and how they're going to do it," Friedman said. I think this got distilled down, and as happens, the purification removed all the nuance. I listened to this, and it sounded cautious. Not cautiously optimistic, just cautious in that it recognizes the scope of the unknowns here. Not by Friedman himself so much as by Matthews, by the Leafs, by everyone. Look, they don't even have a coach, and the bulk of the missing bodies are at forward. Matthews is familiar with the game of hockey and how it's played, and he knows what this team needs. And no, for the sake of just using your cerebral cortex for more than a hatstand, that does not mean he wants Mitch back, and he misses him, an oh woe, he just needs a duplicate and all will be well. It's a titch more complex than that. The empty roster, the large amount of cap space and a new set of ideas opens up opportunities, but not every risk will pay out, and not every choice will be the right one. There is a very large opportunity to fail here as well as succeed. I think the guy that has shot the puck over 4,000 times without getting a goal out of it understands this process, both in the sense that you have to keep shooting and that you're likely going to miss. ### The Leafs Need to Keep Shooting There is one reason to sell off players and lose on purpose. One only. It's to get picks in the top five. The sell off and accumulation of assets means nothing. You might get a prospect, you might get first-round picks that will get you players outside of the elite category, and if you get enough of them you get a very small chance that you get someone meaningful, but that chance is so small, it can't ever be the driving force of the decision to "rip it all down". It's the sideshow. The value of these imaginary assets from a big selloff is magnified in everyone's mind because they exist as potential only. What can you get with that first-round pick the Leafs got for Nic Roy? Do you think the Avs will be bad next year, just not top-10 bad because it's a protected pick, or is the likely value of that pick no different from a second-rounder and just something to use to trade for a guy who plays 3C. Which the Leafs don't have because they traded Nic Roy. I said it before the deadline, and I'm saying it now, a sell-off was as useful as selling the living room furniture to get enough money to buy a new TV that everyone can watch while sitting on the floor. It did not generate new wealth in the "trade capital" sense. Draft and develop is the thing you do with multiple top five and top 10 picks, not a mystical process that turns any group of prospects into future impact players. Look, I like Fraser Minten a huge amount, but I'm not kidding myself that he's some great lost star player who will win the Conn Smythe. The Leafs don't have their picks for two years. There is no point to a rebuild and anyone advocating for some grand conspiracy where the stars align to convince John Chayka to give up and start selling, well, I am going to suspect that's emotionally motivated. So what of Matthews? What if he doesn't want to keep shooting if he thinks there's no chance of ever scoring. When the Leafs have their next first-rounder and his contract has expired, he might well be expecting them to just call it a nice try and then actually do the hard rebuild when it can bear fruit. This is not an unreasonable view and is a fairly likely outcome given the facts we have before us now. The same facts he has, or his agent if he contracts out his cognition. ### But the New Guy! Yeah, so about that. Have you watched Team Canada at Worlds? Porter Martone plays 10 minutes a game and he has a goal and four assists in the preliminary round. He's doing well, but that's not an impact player who gets to play with Crosby. Martone is one of three players drafted last summer who played meaningful games in the NHL. His were all in the playoffs, but the other two were in the regular season. Ben Kindel was drafted 11th overall by the Penguins, and surprisingly played 77 regular season games. By Evolving Hockey's GAR model, he's the 16th most valuable skater on the team. His Goals Above Replacement was 2.5\. I'm sure they love him, and he PKs well and has some gently positive offensive value, but he could have been in the AHL this season and their game outcomes would be unchanged. Matthew Schaefer is, of course, the other drafted player who played a full season. He was the unanimous Calder Trophy winner and his GAR? It was 14.4 and second on his team. That tantalizing idea, that a player you draft high can come in and be a big impact player out of the gate colours this conversation so deeply that it's hard to get out from under the fantasy that tanking (or accidentally getting the first overall) will by default give you that. Auston Matthews was a mere 11.5 in his first season, well down the list of valuable players. The new guy, whoever he is, cannot be counted on to exceed Matthews' own first season of play. And Auston Matthews is going to know that. In a month, the new guy will have a name, the team might have a coach, and the Leafs will have made some other moves as they approach free agency, where there is very little to get excited about. They are constrained by the possible, no matter how smart they are at acting within it. So whatever Matthews says now might not be how he feels in a month or come September. Or as next season progresses. All this positivity "right now" can dry up and blow away come January if the team is terrible. ### The Clock Hasn't Stopped Ticking The difficulty for the Leafs right now in trying to plan beyond the next month is that they know they will not have security that Matthews will even play out his current contract far less sign a new one. They can't have that security this summer, nor this fall, and not at the deadline next spring. This conversation is not going away, and yet, go back again to the beginning. The Leafs have to keep shooting. They only thing they can do is carry on like the Matthews situation does not exist, that they know they have two years where a rebuild is useless, and their player moves have to reflect that reality. And if that sounds like the lead up to Mitch Marner part two, well it should. This is the crux of the problem. Not what Matthews feels towards the team, the city of Toronto, you personally, the crest on the front of the jersey or who he plays with. It's not about him. It's about how the Leafs can't just coast until he walks away. Sure, they might get a 3C out of the deal if they do, but maybe that's how we got where we are today, and not wanting to repeat that is why this massive paradigm change has happened in the Leafs front office. Preventing the Nic Roy consolation being all the team ever sees out of their big 2015 tank requires one key ingredient – Auston Matthews. ### The Leafs Need Matthews This Season The Leafs need Matthews to be on board enough that he starts this season with the team, and they need him bought in enough that he plays a hell of a lot less like he did last year. He's just had his knee ripped up, he's not going to fully train this summer, he is coming off two straight years of results that are not elite player level in all ways and are the worst of his career. No one is giving the Leafs a big haul to take a risk on Matthews sight unseen right now. If Chayka thinks the probability is high that Matthews will not re-sign, and will want to leave, he needs to put him in a position to look enticing to other teams. Even if he thinks the probability is low, he needs to do that. Handily, that's true of everyone else on the team as well. Selling low when you're mad that guy didn't carry the team is not how a cold-hearted guy with a business degree is supposed to act. He's supposed to make whoever he's trying to trade look good. This would also be my prescription for finding value in Max Domi if the earlier news of his post-surgery issue had not been announced. The Leafs have to consider Matthews a temporary contract employee with an option to make it permanent if everyone decides it's worth it. No matter what he says now, on Zoom or in person, or while riding a unicycle down Yonge Street dressed as Carlton the Bear, his status is going to stay as "it's complicated". No one is positive about anything. ### Weekend FTB: Marlies make it 2-0 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-marlies-make-it-2-0/ Last updated: 2026-05-30T12:07:56.000Z The Marlies gave us a great show last night, winning 2-1 in overtime against the Scantron Penguins, pencilling in three home games for this week. It was a quite a different game than their last win on Wednesday, where at times they looked like they were barely holding on against the Penguins offence. This game they were visibly more robust, more into the game, winning their matchups, and getting performance from all lines. To start, well, you can always count on a Nylander to get one on the power play. > pretty swede if you ask us 😉 [pic.twitter.com/eYdluSTK5D](https://t.co/eYdluSTK5D?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [May 29, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2060508808737157349?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The game finished tied 1-1, so it went to OT and then this happened. > After review... IT'S A GOAL! > > MARLIES WIN IT IN OVERTIME!!!! [pic.twitter.com/mjblxJRXvA](https://t.co/mjblxJRXvA?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [May 30, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2060545435425444088?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The goal went for a long review to see how the puck actually got in the net, whether it was batted in high by Marc Johnstone (who used to play for the Penguins) or if there was interference, it wasn't clear what they were actually checking, but it found that Johnstone never even touched the puck and the goal was awarded to Michael Pezzetta. So the Marlies come back to Toronto with a 2-0 series lead. The game schedule here is Monday Wednesday and Friday, all at 7:00 p.m. at the Coliseum. On the other side of the league, the Chicago Wolves are up by one game on the Colorado Eagles, and a Toronto-Chicago final would be lots of fun. The Wolves, by the way, are the Carolina Hurricanes AHL affiliate. Which brings us to what else happened last night. The Canadiens imploded and it will be very interesting in the coming 48 hours to see play out the narrative revisionism by some and we may even get some reactionary finger-pointing, which how refreshing is it that it's not the Leafs we have to see go through that right now. We can just sit here and enjoy. Here's the TSN breakdown and to their credit, they weren't really on the Habs bandwagon, or at least nowhere near to the degree that Sportsnet has been. Game #1 of the Stanley Cup Final is on Tuesday in Carolina at 8:00 p.m. ET The NHL combine starts on Sunday. [McKenna, Stenberg among 90 draft prospects attending NHL Scouting Combine | NHL.comEvent gives teams chance to assess players through interviews, physical testing![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)NHL logoMike G. Morreale![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/nv5xte2xbyw3rvyoo3cc-0a800116ad3f84e8242de152e2b06aaaed33084e7d4f57a19ee2860eed060689.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/nhl-draft/mckenna-stenberg-among-top-draft-prospects-at-2026-nhl-scouting-combine?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) One final note, there is no GO train service on most of Lakeshore West or the Barrie lines for this entire weekend. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/image-19.png) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/image-18.png) VIA Rail is operating between Aldershot and Union via a detour routing that skips Oakville. Canada plays Finland today at the IIHF World Championship at 2:00 p.m., broadcast on TSN. Enjoy your weekend ### 2026 NHL Draft Profiles: An Introduction URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profiles-an-introduction/ Last updated: 2026-06-25T23:46:54.000Z It's that time again! Time for me to write far too many words about the prospects that interest me the most for Toronto's picks in this year's draft. I've been doing some form of these since the 2020 pandemic draft, and my process has changed a lot since then. The last few years I've settled on a rough structure for watching, reading about, organizing names, and picking players to profile that I will follow again this year. If you want to view past profiles to get an idea for how I do things, or to review all the watch lists I wrote over this season, you can check all the articles under the "NHL Draft" tag: [NHL Draft - PPP LeafsCoverage of the NHL Entry Draft and draft prospects.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/size/w256h256/format/png/2023/04/pension-plan-min.svg)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1608270586620-248524c67de9?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDExfHxkcmFmdHxlbnwwfHx8fDE3MTcwMDM2ODV8MA&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tag/nhl-draft/) ## My Process A lot of time is spent in the research part of this process. In the past it was around 10 hours a week, on average, during the hockey season. This past season was... difficult. Monetary issues, work issues, personal/sleep issues gave me some wild swings for how much time I had to watch and follow prospects. Regardless, as usual the bulk of work I put into these profiles is already done by now, when all the various seasons, playoffs, and tournaments are done. Once again, I am starting my actual writing for these profiles well ahead of time. And I've had the list of players I will be writing about since April. This means I am finalizing my list of articles and players to write about before most leagues are done their playoffs, and before people release their final draft rankings. The first profile is already done, and it will be published on Monday June 1st. After that, I will have a different article on the draft coming out on every day of the month right up to the draft itself on June 28th. There will be 21 full player profiles, and then five other lists of mini-profiles for overagers, goalies, and late round swings that interest me. I will basically be writing several individual profiles on the top players, and most interesting ones, that I think could be available when Toronto has their picks come up. To make a reasonable guess of who will be available in Toronto's range, I am relying on rankings from people like TSN (sigh... miss you forever Bobfather), Cam Robinson, or Corey Pronman – all three of whom build consensus rankings based on feedback from NHL scouts/teams. They are, in theory, the most accurate for the actual draft day results. The problem is, their very final rankings don't come out until just before the draft and as I said... I can't wait that long if I'm writing these ahead of time. So I'm making reasonable guesses based on their most recent rankings as of me setting my final list, and then some assumptions based on what players have late hype (or the opposite). I'll typically mix in some players that will likely be gone before Toronto picks, but who I really like and can see some small chance they fall to us. I do that for every round Toronto has picks. After that, I will pick from the players that are in a reasonable range to be available. ## Selecting Players The way I selected players, outside of deciding who may be in range of Toronto's various picks, is to look for certain traits in players that matches the things the team and their scouts like. This was a lot easier for me during the Wes Clark and Kyle Dubas years since I had time to see from their picks and interviews what they looked for. But now, the Leafs have changed general managers twice since Dubas was still here. There's apparently supposed to be a whole new process for the team to follow in how it uses analytics to help inform decisions instead of ignoring it, and I assume that also applies to the draft. There's at least a new head scout that has a couple of drafts under his belt here by now, but I also know that the GM typically gives direction to their scouts a lot so I expect things to change compared to the Treliving drafts. The time between the Leafs officially hiring their new GM and/or Hockey Ops figure(s) and the draft is small. I'll already have my list of players to profile settled before then. There's also rumours that Pelley wants the new hires to help overhaul staff from top to bottom to bring in that new culture or whatever terms you want to parrot from the talking heads. Suffice to say, more than any other year I have no damn idea what to expect from them at the draft. So, more than any other year, I'm going with the players I just like. ## What I Like I'll add this section just to talk about what I like in players, or what catches my eye and makes me like certain prospects. From forwards, I like guys who can play at a high pace. This doesn't mean they have to skate fast, it means they have to play fast. Skating is part of it, but so too is decision making and positioning. Speed of mental processing, anticipating, and moving the puck are just as important for being able to play at the highest, most competitive level as pure mobility. This is something I probably the most for both forwards and defensemen. Specifically for forwards, I want them to be able to drive play. Being able to transport the puck with it on their stick or by passing it is important to me. I'm also typically a big fan of the "little things" kings. Guys who are good along the boards, good without the puck, get the puck to the middle of the ice, protect the puck well, all those things. I do like skill as well, and I always love me a guy who can absolutely rip it. But to me, execution in live play is more important than pure skill. I don't care about a skill or tool that is inconsistent at actually being able to impact the play. For defense, I've said this often enough I'll keep it short. The skills I value in a defenseman start in their own end and become less important (to me) as you move into the offensive zone. I value stopping zone entries, retrieving dump ins, breaking up cycles and getting the puck out of their own end with control. I then value being able to move the puck through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone. Once in the offensive zone, sure I'll like a guy that can help score goals but I mostly want puck movers and offense supporters rather than being finishers with a big shot. Then there are the goalies, and I'm not even going to pretend I have any idea about them or what kinds of goalie prospects that Toronto may like. So I'm just making one list of the various guys I think could be interesting regardless of where they're ranked. Spoiler: there aren't that many that I know anything about, and I'll have to be doing special research to know enough to make my list about them. ## Profile Schedule For shits and giggles, here's the schedule for the profiles that will be coming out starting on the first of June, conveniently also a Monday. At this point, I hope I will have most of them done. I may make some changes to the order or a couple of the players after this is published if some final rankings or strong rumours come out that would change my guess as to whether or not someone would be available or not. But for now, here's the list: - Mon June 1st – [Gavin McKenna](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-gavin-mckenna/) (LW) - Tue June 2nd – [Ivar Stenberg](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-ivar-stenberg/) (LW) - Wed June 3rd – [Caleb Malhotra](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-caleb-malhotra/) (C) - Thu June 4th – [Chase Reid](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-chase-reid/) (RD) - Fri June 5th – [Malte Gustafsson](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-malte-gustafsson/) (LD) - Sat June 6th – [Ryder Cali](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-ryder-cali/) (C) - Sun June 7th – [Mathis Preston](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-mathis-preston/) (RW) - Mon June 8th – [Jaxon Cover](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-jaxon-cover/) (LW) - Tue June 9th – [Adam Andersson](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-adam-andersson/) (C) - Wed June 10th – [Alexander Bilecki](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-alexander-bilecki/) (LD) - Thu June 11th – [Måns Gudmundsson](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-too-much-mans-gudmundsson/) (RD) - Fri June 12th – [Jonas Lagerberg Hoen](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-jonas-lagerberg-hoen/) (RW) - Sat June 13th – [Olivers Murnieks](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-olivers-murnieks/) (C) - Sun June 14th – [Rudolfs Berzkalns](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-rudolfs-berzkalns/) (C) - Mon June 15th – [Alofa Tunoa Ta'amu](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-noa-taamu/) (LD) - Tue June 16th – [Giorgos Pantelas](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-giorgos-pantelas/) (RD) - Wed June 17th – [Wiggo Sörensson](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-wiggo-sorensson/) (C) - Thu June 18th – [Alan Shaikhlislamov](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-alan-shaikhlislamov/) (LW) - Fri June 19th – [Adam Valentini](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-adam-valentini/) (LW) - Sat June 20th – [Yelisei Ryabykin](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-yelisei-ryabykin/) (LD) - Sun June 21st – [Brek Liske](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profile-brek-liske/) (RD) - Mon June 22nd – [Late Round Forwards](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profiles-late-round-forwards/) - Tue June 23rd – [Late Round Defensemen](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profiles-late-round-defensemen/) - Wed June 24th – [Re-Entry Forwards](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profiles-re-entry-forwards/) - Thu June 25th – [Re-Entry Defensemen](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-profiles-re-entry-defensemen/) - Fri June 26th – Goalies ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Friday FTB: Norway? No way! URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/friday-ftb-norway-no-way/ Last updated: 2026-05-29T10:33:46.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! While Leafs-land is stuck in a cycle of trade rumours, first overall debates, and your typical off season talk we've rehashed over and over, there are games happening. Weird, that. [Maple Leafs’ Morgan Rielly has ‘writing on the wall’ in trade update | Sporting NewsThe veteran defenseman has regressed of late.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-de1b8a1ab1440f837422e902b752b331f7ce7f0f2058c9fd58fdbcbc73d8ad5b.ico)Sporting NewsBilly Heyen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/USATSI_27277671.jpg-8ac707032e7a7446f27b6dce509318899657816a183ab8021331ccae21135e9b.webp)](https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/news/maple-leafs-morgan-rielly-writing-wall-trade-update/6ae0c9cf47643a9070aa7265?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Over in Europe, the Maple Leafs are making news. Our very own Tinus Luc Koblar helped push his home country to places it's never been before: The semi-finals! [Maple Leafs prospect Tinus Luc Koblar leads Norway to world semis for first time![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/koblar-b13b38af739405a4a5ee87e2f3d69ceb7926afd93017741b1e08ac9f009b4620.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-prospect-tinus-luc-koblar-leads-norway-to-world-semis-for-first-time/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Norway's best player of the tournament, our own second round pick, and now he's a hockey hero for his home. More Maple Leafs are moving on, as Team Canada blanked the Americans 4-0 yesterday as well. [Canada blanks Team USA to advance to semis at hockey worldsMacklin Celebrini scored as Canada beat the United States 4-0 in a rematch of the Olympic final to reach the semis at the ice hockey world championship.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Yahoo SportsAssociated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/c95b2543f2d41b6983fb1ef85b49e187-f62964ffd0beffb6e38db65cd7b184f9a13d251e2f4b5130c94cde11ebd62fbe)](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/canada-blanks-team-usa-advance-041132876.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It's semi-final Saturday with Canada lining up against Finland while Norway takes on Switzerland. We could end the NHL semi-finals tonight, the Carolina Hurricanes are leading the Montreal Canadians 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Final. [Habs bombarded with calls to shoot: ‘It’s not fun to hear... but they’re not wrong’The Montreal Canadiens were unable to break through offensively for the third consecutive game Wednesday night as they fell 4-0 to the Carolina Hurricanes, putting them into a 3-1 series hole in the Eastern Conference final.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/3JD3I3C3XNADXPI3BVB6GZDXNM-d13c643b5accd7ce711a57a273a1dd09adbe733c0b59b7d4e75cca376a1ef43e.JPG)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/habs-bombarded-with-calls-to-shoot-its-not-fun-to-hear-but-theyre-not-wrong/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Vegas Golden Knights are waiting to find out their opponents for the Final, which will begin on either June 2 or June 4. The Toronto Marlies are on win closer to the Calder Cup Finals, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals. [John Gruden on the Marlies’ fourth line scoring the winner in Game 1 of the ECF: “They’re the heartbeat of our team at times”Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discusses his team’s 4-2 victory over the WBS Penguins in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final. On starting the fourth line (Pezzetta-Johnston-Johnson) to begin the game, and the line coming through with the game-winner in the third period: They’re the heartbeat of our team at times. When we \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500-408eda8b0aaa42d08c18c92391ee4ace7dbb06965d823827ab71efc959f2b6cc.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/gruden-john-laval-e2439af7e2dd8ac1b76d172712751b068afccae26883495a1c24ae9727afc1a6.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/05/28/john-gruden-on-the-marlies-fourth-line-scoring-the-winner-in-game-1-of-the-ecf/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) On the otherside of the league the Chicago Wolves won game one of their Western Conference Final against the Colorado Eagles. [HIGHLIGHTS: Game 1 Chicago Wolves vs Colorado Eagles | AHL Calder Cup Playoffs 2026AHL Calder Cup Highlights presented by Fortune Tires from Round 4, Game 1 between the Chicago Wolves and Colorado Eagles.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-96x96-88180da887f0b516c2edc90a88af5ac03fda782cbd7c76e93f86f4b32a0c788e.png)FloHockey Logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/6a1911ca49b27-3e9b3461fa6f82b809b55d2f8c934253de6f82c68ed9a056c1a56c486b36d423.png)](https://www.flohockey.tv/collections/6752017-highlights?playing=15952265&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Speaking of ever more semi-finals, the Memorial Cup semi-final is tonight, with WHL champion Everett Silvertips play the QMJHL champs Chicoutimi Sagueneens tonight. [Everett beats Kelowna to set up Memorial Cup semifinal against ChicoutimiDefencemen Kayd Ruedig and Jaxon Pisani scored in a 25-second span in the first period and the Everett Silvertips beat the host Kelowna Rockets 4-0 on Wednesday night in the Memorial Cup to advance to face Chicoutimi in the semifinal.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caAssociated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/tips-ee9e940a8250211c134dce4ae227413cbb0ec2fe2ce7b705666f665f9a9a0431.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/juniors/article/everett-beats-kelowna-to-set-up-memorial-cup-semifinal-against-chicoutimi/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Kitchen Rangers wait to find out who they will play in the Championship game on Sunday. Speaking of the Memorial Cup, the Soo Greyhounds haven't given up on bringing the national championship to the shores of Lake Superior. [Soo Greyhounds owner talks arena upgrades, team philosophy, Memorial Cup bid: Q&ATim Lukenda working on an extension for GM Kyle Raftis, playing a key role in head coaching search.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/icon-f7f7c98446a8b8c669de0fadc546537467d9e44df37ab645e0d37a81a0b8df2f.png)Sault StarJanson Duench![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/0530-sm-lukenda-scaled-1e445318696a699262c92ff9d72e53c642397d898a2ff53d23cf34d76a92e4bd.jpg)](https://www.saultstar.com/sports/arena-upgrades-junior-hockey-changes-memorial-cup-bid-talk-tim-lukenda-qa?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, Tmthe PWHL expansion draft is coming up, the four new teams have their front offices ready and waiting. [Four new PWHL general managers gear up for different expansion![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caCanadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/PWHL-6d98ce8d3fa0c3ab576dce64bddda5120aae2d103b60ad6f4dd45a811f93956d.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/pwhl/article/four-new-pwhl-general-managers-gear-up-for-different-expansion/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Have questions about how it works? Professor Puck is here for you. Enjoy your day everyone! ### Defence Defence Defence URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/defence-defence-defence/ Last updated: 2026-05-28T12:00:17.000Z I wanted to see if what I think about how defence and offence in players holds up under scrutiny. So I asked Evolving Hockey to give me all the players with 3,000 minutes played since 2017 at even-strength. I wanted to weed out most of the bottom half of the lineup players or one or two season wonders or rookies who haven't established themselves yet. ### Who Does What in the NHL? [I got 681 players](https://evolving-hockey.com/stats/skater%5Frapm/?%5Finputs%5F&rapm%5Fsk%5Ftable=%22Single-Season%22&rapm%5Fsk%5Fteam=%22All%22&rapm%5Fsk%5Fpos=%22All%22&rapm%5Fsk%5Fstr=%22EV%22&rapm%5Fsk%5Ftype=%22Rates%22&rapm%5Fsk%5Frange=%22Seasons%22&rapm%5Fsk%5Fseason=%5B%2220252026%22%2C%2220242025%22%2C%2220232024%22%2C%2220222023%22%2C%2220212022%22%2C%2220202021%22%2C%2220192020%22%2C%2220182019%22%2C%2220172018%22%5D&rapm%5Fsk%5Fspan=%22Regular%22&rapm%5Fsk%5Fgroup=%22All%22&rapm%5Fsk%5Finfo=%22No%22&rapm%5Fsk%5Fstatus=%22All%22&rapm%5Fsk%5Fage1=%2217%22&rapm%5Fsk%5Fage2=%2250%22&rapm%5Fsk%5Fdft%5Fyr=%22All%22&rapm%5Fsk%5Fplayers=null&rapm%5Fsk%5Ftoi=%223000%22&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). I used 2017 as the start date because I know that's the season when shotrates in the NHL began to climb. The game changed significantly in a way that drew little attention. But the NHL in the "Matthews era" is very different from the NHL he grew up watching. For this exercise in checking my assumptions, I used the RAPM information EH produces. This is a foundational part of their GAR model, and is a numerical measure of a player's isolated impact on the given metric. I stuck exclusively to Excpected Goals per 60 in total (which is expressed at a plus/minus) and in its component parts. We out here in the world are limited in what we can know about how players get to xGF and xGA. We have to settle for the RAPM version which attempts to isolate out teammates, so resist the impulse to do that yourself on top of what the model has already done. Does xGA give the complete picture of player defence? No. But it draws a sketch of it. Shadows on the cave wall. I consider everything that contributes to xGA to be, broadly, doing defence. So limiting shots against, limiting quality of shots against, exiting the zone cleanly, denying entry – all those things are defending. So is in-zone defence. That is the actions taken without the puck to prevent goals before the puck gets to the goalie. I consider control of the puck in the neutral zone to be the start of offence. So zone entries, and all that happens within the offensive zone as well as puck retrievals in the neutral zone to stop transition against are offence. There is clearly a grey area here, and when we're just philosophizing we can agree that offence and defence don't have a fence between them. I made some charts to look at the data for all these defenders, but I find them busy and they require study to return useful information. I think this time just mostly numbers will give the story. The first thing to understand is that the measure of overall value in RAPM xG is xG+/-. All values are per 60 minutes, and I'm just going to stop typing that part every time. That plus minus is the xGF figure, where positive numbers are good, and negative bad, with the xGA number subtracted (because negative are good here and positive bad). The next thing to understand is that offence, as measured by xGF, is distributed very differently by position. (In this set of big minute players, not in all players over time, but that would be fun to examine.) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/Rplot12.jpeg) And the other side of the coin? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/Rplot16.jpeg) The x-axis is reversed because negative to the right is good here. There are not many defenders better than all forwards at defending, but there is a larger group of forwards better at offence than all defenders, and the scale of the heights these forwards reached offensively is higher than the defenders. Today I'll spend no more time on the easier to understand forwards; rather, let's take a closer look at these defenders. ### 247 Big-Minute Defenders ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/Rplot15.jpeg) There's no trend line here, rather the diagonal line marks zero xG+/-. Up and to the right is "good". One of the confounding problems with this look into what these players have done over a lot of games played is that there are a lot of really bad defencemen in this list (the smallest dots in the bottom left). In a very general sense, the NHL curates its players well. Most of the players who play a lot are worth playing a lot. And while I'm not trying to say the RAPM xGA portions of the +/- is the perfect measure of defensive impact, there sure is a collection of defenders in this set who are actively making the in-zone situation worse at both ends. I think we just need to accept that the NHL in general thinks that guys like this are useful in some way. I mean, here's the names of the worst ones, so you'll know what "some way" means. - Simon Benoit - Jack Johnson - Mason Lohrei - Erik Gudbranson - Jay Bouwmeester - Deryk Engelland - Arber Xhekaj - Josh Brown - Tyson Barrie (Wait, what? Okay there's more than one way to be bad...) - Nathan Beaulieu - Ben Chiarot - Johnny Boychuk You get the picture. We're not learning anything new here that there are guys like this having massive negative impacts on the team and playing every night, sometimes on top pairs. They also seem to have long careers, so they got on this list that way too. This might be a big reason why, in this set of people, defenders aren't defending any better than forwards. How do all of these players break out by value? There are 129 defenders with their xG +/- zero or better and 118 below water (the water line is the diagonal line on the chart). Of the 118 "bad D" there are 28 with at least zero or better xGF and 38 with zero or better for xGA (good xGA is to the right here). That leaves 52 in total out of those bad defencemen who are bad at both offence and defence. That is a lot. Now most of these guys are clustered really close to zero on both sides of the line because there area mostly replacement level players in the NHL, and even limiting my set of players to big minute guys over a career, I will get replacement level defenders in there. I'll digress here for a second to jump on my hobby horse (well, one of them, anyway). We sort defenders by top-four and bottom pair, which is broadly true of their ice time, but is not how the talent is distributed. There are not twice as many above replacement level defenders in the NHL. The talent distribution gives us less than 32 elite defenders, less than 64 top-pairing defenders, and a lot more than 128 bottom four defenders. By default, "do no harm" zero rated defenders will play big minutes. By bad team construction and poor GM choices, genuinely harmful players play big minutes as well. Of the bad overall defenders, that list of the worst are not representative. Most of the "bad" ones are at least good at defence and are not killing the team with offensive nullification. But what about the other bunch, the glass cannons? Now that we now know that defenders can't reach the same dizzying heights of offensive impact as forwards, is the glass cannon trope real? That is, are there defenders so good at offensive impact they wipe out their defensive badness? Before I answer that, it's important to know just how many of these players we're calling bad at defence are actually good overall, and I'm setting the bar really low here, this is what percentage of these players are at zero xG +/- or more? Out of the 118 defenders considered here who are bad overall by the plus/minus metric, the highest xGF any of them have is 0.119\. That's so high up, that there's only 13 defenders at or above that of any defensive ability. Tony Deangelo happens to be the best offensive defender that still lands underwater overall. Morgan Rielly is right behind him, and in fact, I'd call their offensive stats here functionally identical. But their defensive badness is markedly different. Rielly is trying very hard to hug the zero line (John Klingberg is the overlapping dot) and Deangelo is the worst guy on the list defensively. This is the full list of defenders better than those two offensively who actually manage to be above water by the plus/minus from best to worst: 1. Lane Hutson 2. Adam Fox 3. Evan Bouchard 4. Dougie Hamilton 5. Erik Karlsson 6. Thomas Harley 7. Zach Werenski 8. John Carlson 9. Mattias Ekholm 10. Shea Theodore 11. Jordan Spence 12. Thomas Chabot 13. Charlie McAvoy xGA is a limited measurement. Some of these gifted offensive players, like the best one, Lane Hutson, might be terrible at some aspects of in-zone defending. But if their transition skills or zone entry denial skills or puck control skills are really good, they can get this big impact on xGA in other ways. When they are also that offensively gifted, no one should care if they have some defensive deficiencies, but there is a very good reason why Deangelo is too brittle a form of glass to have any value. But the number of players here that are in that category is very small. 1. Deangelo 2. Pavel Mintyukov 3. Luke Hughes 4. Torey Krug 5. Jamie Drysdale 6. Alex Goligoski To summarize what you get in the NHL at even-strength today: Getting genuinely positive offensive impacts from defenders at even-strength is difficult, since most defenders can't do that. The ones who can, don't add much value. Of the ones who add any value, they're more likely to net out as negative rather than positive. Overall negative impact defenders can have very high levels of offensive impact. The number of meaningfully valuable offensive impact defenders is very small and only about four of them are remarkable enough to rank in with the best forwards. ### Mitigating the Glass Cannon I ignored the power play stats here for two reasons – even-strength impacts are much more important to the overall chance of a team winning more games than the other teams. The second is that actual defender impacts on the power play are a lot smaller than most people mentally model it, in no small part because people will insist on calling the defender the quarterback. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/Rplot14.jpeg) At the bleeding edge of power play value in defenders, their impact there can put them over the water line in some cases. Morgan Rielly ends up an overall value add player of an extremely small amount if you consider his power play value (over this period of time, I make no assertions about this recent season). Quinn Hughes and Lane Hutson, Adam Fox and Evan Bouchard become superstars when you add in their PP value. But for the true glass cannon defenders with very poor defending stats, the power play isn't enough to make them a truly valuable player, not anywhere near what they tend to get paid, and that's largely because there just aren't that many power play minutes and even-strength play really does matter a great deal more. Reputation of players is often really skewed from reality, however. Any small-bodied agile defender with puck skills is assumed to be offensively tilted. Cale Makar is a very good example of a player whose defence is better than his offence by this measure. There are 77 of the 129 defenders whose overall impact is at or above zero who have better defensive impacts than offensive. ### How is this actionable? What this means for the draft, and for prospect evaluation in general is this: if you're looking at a defenceman whose primary skills are offence creation or support, and whose defence is very poor to just okay, you have to believe this is an ultra elite offensive player who is also ultra elite on the power play before you have a valuable player. These players are very uncommon. There aren't going to be four or five in every draft, and most of the defenders who are paying their way up the draft rankings with points in junior leagues are going to be Luke Hughes not Quinn Hughes. (Luke Hughes is well below water even after considering his power play contributions.) Here's the conundrum: if you want an elite impact defender, he's going to need very good offence, but he can't be a glass cannon. No one is so good offensively they actually make up for very bad defence enough to even get to very good. The worst defensive defender who is above water on that chart is Niklas Hjalmarsson, whose offence was elite. He's the lone dot left of the 0.1 line that nets out as good without the PP to get him there. Note, this period covers his late career on the Coyotes, not his prime. Most of the famous offensive defenders are very, very good at defence, sometimes better than they are at their sparkly offence like Adam Fox or Makar. Some of the most outstanding defensive defenders in the league like Mattias Ekholm are actually as good at offence creation as someone like Luke Hughes or Rielly. The perception of the actual glass cannon is skewed towards the fun stuff and ignores the very hard to see transition and in-zone defending that crashes their xGA and their value. They aren't worth it. ### Our Glass Cannon Now and in the Future But what of Morgan Rielly? That's the other side of this problem. Offensive defenders are useful, and every team needs one good power play defender, and two is better, but players perceived as defensive cost less, and if you need offence, you'll get more out of a forward most of the time. Players like Luke Hughes and Rielly shouldn't be your minute munching top pairing player either. It isn't Rielly's fault that the Leafs kept leaving him hung out to dry as the most-used defender most of the time for the last 10 years. He's paid like he's the backbone of the team, or he was before the cap inflated, but that's actually one of the biggest problems with the team. He's just okay overall. And when the team struggles, suddenly his okayness is revealed as a liability. Not quite as extreme a liability as his recent "I saw a mistake" detractors would have you believe, and not actually the problem on the power play, but not adding much value. If glass cannon is the worst case scenario or "floor" of a prospect at the draft, then I say walk on by. Elite offence from a forward can be double the offence from an elite offensive defender. Defensive deficiencies in a forward are easier to work around. It's a bad bargain because offence costs more in salary no matter the other side of the equation. Offensive deficiencies in a defender are easier to work around than defensive because placing a partner defender with the opposite skew of skills works a treat in a "positionless hockey" offensive cycle, but no defensive defender is so gifted he can teleport over to where his hapless partner is getting taken advantage of again in front of the net. Matthew Schaefer is a rare jewel. Quinn Hughes is another. But every draft, and in every prospect pool there is a clutch of shiny glass baubles beguiling with their offensive ability, their points, and the story is always the same – well, his defending is okay, it's getting better, you can teach defence, he's got some runway, he can learn in the AHL. You better be absolutely sure that's not a fairy tale before you buy in on that. ### Thursday's FTB: Marlies take game one URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-marlies-take-game-one/ Last updated: 2026-05-28T10:47:27.000Z The Marlies started their conference final series against the WBS Penguins last night and while the Penguins scored first, the Marlies came back with force in the second period and it all started with our favourite cowboy. > ✨easton cowan supremacy✨ [pic.twitter.com/bVKasLYUj0](https://t.co/bVKasLYUj0?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [May 28, 2026](https://x.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2059792113559027852?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It was a bumpy ride for the Marlies though, with the Penguins massively out shooting them, including in high danger areas. but Artie Akhtyamov continued his likely exhausting work in net to keep the pucks out. Things got heated in garbage time at the last minute where the Marlies had already sealed the 4-2 win. Avery Hayes was running amok Xhekaj style, and he was given a penalty and ejected, but on the way off the ice he took a detour and whacked Akhtyamov with his stick and then Henry Thrun absolutely lost it and went after him, but the refs managed to convince Thrun to back off and play out the last few seconds of the game, but no doubt Thrun will have something to say about what happened to Hayes in the next game on Friday. Here's the tally of the damage. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/image-12.png) You can see all the highlights here and the kerfuffle at the end in this video starting at about 10:05\. Over in Switzerland, the IIHF World Championship is on today with Canada playing the USA at 10:20 a.m. ET. Also of note, if you want a chance to see Tinus Luc Koblar playing he is leading Norway against the Latvians today at 2:20 p.m. ET. Those games are on TSN. Oh and in the NHL some team lost, can't remember what their name is, but I know it's pretty hard to start a riot when all your fans have already left the building before the end of the game. > CANES TAKE BOTH GAMES IN MONTREAL AND ARE UP 3-1 HEADING BACK TO RALEIGH!!! 🔥🔥🔥 [pic.twitter.com/xm3BzfxYFZ](https://t.co/xm3BzfxYFZ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — B/R Open Ice (@BR\_OpenIce) [May 28, 2026](https://x.com/BR%5FOpenIce/status/2059831554549965015?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Have a nice day. ### Wednesday's FTB: Norway is hot URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-norway-is-hot/ Last updated: 2026-05-27T10:00:31.000Z Yesterday the IIHF Men's World's quarterfinals were set, and John Tavares did Tinus Luc Koblar a favour by getting the winning goal in Canada's game against Czechia. By beating the Czechs, Norway comes second (!!) in their group and faces Latvia in the quarterfinals, a game they could conceivably win to get to the semifinals. Today is an off-day, so this is tomorrow's lineup: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/HJRmvk7WgAAY6RR-1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/HJRx3Q8XoAAa6WP-1-.jpg) The PWHL is releasing salary information, something they refused to do while Brian Burke was involved in the PWHLPA. [PWHLPA Salary GuideSee the player’s salary guide![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/650868503e207b0cb957b77c_pwhlpa-fav-1-a1bfc3cf02e074d400fc9e4ec88b25b0569a1adda3ff9f77436725b8b96a9598.png)![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/650869807d6c90dd6916a54b_09132023-PWHLPA-share-52a2d9094b3f89a15c47c95727fd4e0ae70c95da41d6ee83864b6497155ffd78.png)](https://www.pwhlpa.com/salary-guide?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Pronger confirms he interviewed for top Maple Leafs jobHockey Hall of Fame defenceman Chris Pronger interviewed for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ president of hockey operations role, he confirmed on TSN 1050’s OverDrive on Monday.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/KYZIHAXPMXVEVVNZZFRI3B3ZXU-a220c6beb8f2e0abdd81f761aae1675d7ba73e456604748783dc4214d86bb821.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/pronger-interviewed-for-top-maple-leafs-job/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Malkin signs 1-year, $5.5 million contract to remain with Penguins | NHL.comForward will play 21st NHL season, ranks 3rd all-time for Pittsburgh in scoring![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/vktaogwydqx0z2dnvijz-297b04f5e1a3c93ac6545933066e315c315b4d1ab8313c61144d5792ea649055.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/evgeni-malkin-signs-one-year-contract-with-pittsburgh-penguins?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I tuned into Vegas vs Colorado last night to watch the third period and discovered they have no Eastern Time bias and it was only half over! What is this? I gave up. It was 1-0 Vegas, so either they won and advanced to the SCF or they did not. The Marlies start their Conference Final in Wilkes-Barre tonight. That's all for now. Have a good Wednesday. ### Tuesday FTB: Playoffs continue for some, summer continues for others URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesday-ftb-playoffs-continue-for-some-summer-continue-for-others/ Last updated: 2026-05-26T11:11:48.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! It's the end of May, the weather is warming up, and while a select few players are still on the ice the majority are done and recuperating, enjoying the slower pace, or celebrating. Tonight the Vegas Golden Knights could complete the sweep of the injury riddled Colorado Avalanche and head to their third Stanley Cup Final in only nine seasons. [Golden Knights erase three-goal deficit, defeat Avalanche to take 3-0 stranglehold on seriesThe Vegas Golden Knights are one win away from the third Stanley Cup Final appearance in nine seasons after defeating the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 in Game 3 Sunday night at T-Mobile Arena.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/cropped-cropped-koilogo-7bf98c13c638e2383809067883736a80f9ddb80a29516051fe3fb0bbcc0bfadb.png)Knights On IceJillian Wagner![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Hertl-game-3-avalanche-gold-twitter-12aeac5310bf965d43ab750ad8e4016887d4d507f43bebf1566341908fbcbad2.jpeg)](https://www.knightsonice.com/golden-knights-erase-three-goal-deficit-defeat-avalanche-to-take-3-0-stranglehold-on-series/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I don't know if you've heard but former Maple Leaf Mitch Marner is on that team. People have been very quiet about this fact, but it's true! Last night the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes faced off in game three of the Eastern Conference Final and the Hurricanes took it in overtime, winning 3-2 and outshooting the Habs 38-12. [Canadiens fall to Hurricanes in Game 3, trail series 2-1![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/HabsHurricanes-98655f06c6d8371085de0b5331bd04b5536d944fc88201d55a484db225ffb0cb.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/canadiens-fall-to-hurricanes-in-game-3-trail-series-2-1/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) More important than the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Calder Cup conference final series are starting tomorrow with our own Toronto Marlies taking on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at 7PM in Pennsylvania. The Marlies homestand will be Games 3-5 on June 1st, 3rd, and 5th. [TORONTO TO FACE WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON IN EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/6567ebf4350784c46f6ab55a_Marlies-Favicon-32-f949d434ee401193c6cc9a0f2b6bc38ac1a2721ad36ca5024482da8da86461dc.png)![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/651f7bc84146dea778560a59_marlies-logo-white-62d26cb4fd5c8c325ad0bb981e76d6834d43fd0b8219d32e25c88da320c60ade.svg)](https://www.marlies.ca/articles/toronto-to-face-wilkes-barre-scranton-in-eastern-conference-finals?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Western Conference Final will start Thursday night between the Colorado Eagles and Chicago Wolves and the winner of the series will go on to lose to the Marlies in the finals. The Memorial Cup keeps going in Kelowna, and last night we were treated to what many are saying will be a preview of the finals between the Everett Silvertips and the Kitchener Rangers. > WHAT. A. TILT. 🤯 > > Andrew MacNiel and Jaxsin Vaughan go at it at the [#MemorialCup](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MemorialCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 🥊 [pic.twitter.com/repqiHoyw3](https://t.co/repqiHoyw3?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — BarDown (@BarDown) [May 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/BarDown/status/2059102253798088756?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Rangers were planning on going all in next season, but when Guelph was awarded the Memorial Cup instead of Kitchener the Rangers quickly pivoted their plans to focus on this season and pulled it off incredibly well. If you want all the Memorial Cup coverage you can handle, follow along with the All 61 Podcast, recording on site at the arena throughout the tournament. [ALL 61: A CHL PODCAST - All 60: A CHL PodcastWelcome to the home of All 61: A CHL Podcast! After getting our feet wet with our first season of All 60 in 2024-25, we figured it was time to step up our game coming into the 2025-26 season!In addition to buying new equipment, coming up with new ideas and just trying to make the![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/lJlMd_wNhbjRpMe6aa0LHY48-scaled-9259445c47579984167885203f0aae3356649332b7eba41d7cb55c5588f8ad81.jpg)All 60: A CHL Podcast -bySteve McLean![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/lJlMd_wNhbjRpMe6aa0LHY48-scaled-9259445c47579984167885203f0aae3356649332b7eba41d7cb55c5588f8ad81.jpg)](https://all60chlpod.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The PWHL is busy, busy, with eight teams making their plans for the expansion draft and four new ones deciding who would be best to poach, as well as all twelve teams going through hundreds of players who opted in to the player draft. [2026 PWHL Draft Rankings: Final Top 125The 2026 PWHL Draft will take place on June 17 in Detroit. Here’s a look at The Hockey News’ final Top 125 player rankings for the 2026 PWHL Draft.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon_y24_48x48-c071d8c9eb6a9348ffc29f6f49260f1ef642580f532eb133eb97418fbc69563e.svg)Yahoo Sports CanadaIan Kennedy![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/216cb1e97f3129dd207cf8f856b9eabe-69a8d7fe1e09d3665d3ad3acee0148529190b2ba6038d7428f0f4c04a06bb214)](https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/2026-pwhl-draft-rankings-final-133205172.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Montreal Victoire will hold a celebration of their first Walter Cup this Saturday. Hopefully there's a bigger one in Hamilton next summer. [Montreal Victoire to celebrate Walter Cup championship with downtown parade SaturdayThe Montreal Victoire will celebrate their historic Walter Cup win last week with a championship parade on Saturday.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-c6f7ee2cadae2e121342a8c4245141175bfe887776206deb17149d46cf3aa827.ico)Yahoo News CanadaCBC![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/d4e551e5f54ffee724290ec146a9d0ba-7964af4b74f8619dee33cbfcf5360de51fef7c24f99de7006b2cf1e45c891929)](https://ca.news.yahoo.com/montreal-victoire-celebrate-walter-cup-000215635.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Some NHL teams are already getting a start on planning for next season. [RELEASE: Oilers sign Aku Raty to one-year contract | Edmonton OilersFinnish forward led Liiga’s Karpat in scoring this past season with 57 points in 51 games![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-31be5d9747625dbc5c1d9b1204ce5cfeef73214b43d5b7f09aee735e8c80b960.png)Edmonton Oilers logoEdmontonOilers.com Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/v1oda2g0tkn5wn5cnvoc-f6d505d721f11dbb99ea4657529629ff33e53e6fa9ebd45bed720e54deb8ce0a.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/oilers/news/release-oilers-sign-aku-raty-to-one-year-contract?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Some third jerseys are leaving us, some new ones are arriving. Finally, William Nylander is always around to keep us entertained. The start to his off-season is here for your enjoyment. Enjoy your day everyone! ### Max Domi out indefinitely URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/max-domi-out-indefinitely/ Last updated: 2026-05-25T12:52:34.000Z Today the Maple Leafs issued this notice: > [pic.twitter.com/obMsro9HFA](https://t.co/obMsro9HFA?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [May 25, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2058887068642639955?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Forward Max Domi underwent offseason surgery to address an issue he played through during the 2025-26 season. Due to complications arising from the procedure, Domi will be out indefinitely. > Domi will continue working with the club's medical staff and will be re-evaluated at the start of training camp. This is a very unusual situation. Domi had what could be argued to be his worst season ever in all areas of his play. His normal offence generation was gone, and his impacts on goal-scoring were extremely negative. Craig Berube struggled to find a place for him in the lineup, finally using him as a centre at the end of the season when the rest of the options were injured or traded. To call it a lost season is an understatement. Domi, now 31 years old, is under contract for two more years at $3.75 million. That number is just under the cap on in-season LTIR. Which means that should Domi be unable to play next season in October, there is full relief for his cap hit regardless of how long he will be out of action. Off-season LTIR also exists. It is often not needed as teams are allowed to exceed the cap by 10% in the offseason, and the total cap hits that count against the cap are calculated very differently in the offseason to how a 23-man roster is calculated. No details have been provides as to what sort of issue he played through, or what sort of complications he has suffered. Domi is a Type 1 Diabetic and has managed this condition all through his junior and professional hockey career. ### Monday's FTB: Cowan sends the Marlies to the Conference Finals URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-easton-cowan-sends-marlies-to-conference-finals/ Last updated: 2026-05-25T10:00:25.000Z Yesterday the Marlies beat the Cleveland Monsters to advance to the Conference Finals against the Wilkes-Bare/Scranton Penguins. As reported by our own Species, the Marlies are going directly to W-B on the bus to get ready for a practice tomorrow with the first game on Wednesday night. The schedule is: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/HJHcYXbXQAAT4_K-1-.jpg) Where is that? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-24-221013.png) You can see why this choice was made. The trip from Cleveland is a mere 6 hours or so, approximately the same time to drive to Toronto. To go between Wilkes-Barre and Toronto is another 6 hours. The WBS Penguins are, surprisingly, the affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and their GM is Jason Spezza. Spezza is with Team Canada at Worlds right not, something that seemed to be engineered by mentor Kyle Dubas to give him a broader management experience. Their AGM is Amanda Kessel, and Kirk MacDonald is the head coach. They have a young and exciting team with a lot of 21st century birthdates on the roster including Bill Zonnon, drafted last year, who has just made his pro debut and who has three goals in five games so far. He's working out okay. Meanwhile, the Marlies have a lot of players born in the 90s as well as Easton Cowan and Ben Danford and a few more young-ish players. The outstanding playoff performers (in terms of points) have been Vinni Lettieri and captain Logan Shaw. William Villeneuve has an assist on a third of the goals as well. > GIDDDYYYYYY TF UPPPPPPPP 🤠🤠🤠 > > COWBOY WITH 10 SECONDS LEFT!!!! [pic.twitter.com/zddEYQnsxY](https://t.co/zddEYQnsxY?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [May 24, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2058663354638459172?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) These two teams do not know each other well: > Fun fact: The Toronto Marlies haven't faced Sergei Murashov yet this year. > > Toronto faced Filip Larsson (November 5) & Joel Blomqvist (March 22nd) in the two regular season meetings between the two teams. [@InsideAHLHockey](https://twitter.com/InsideAHLHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Tony Androckitis\* (@TonyAndrock) [May 24, 2026](https://twitter.com/TonyAndrock/status/2058694880788984166?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Okay, that's the AHL, what's going on at Worlds? Norway beat Sweden. And while Sweden's team is not their Olympic roster by any means, Norway is missing all of their NHL talent and their 1C is barely older than Sweden's. Or course, TLK is our prospect so he's obviously better than Viggo Björck. Canada continues undefeated, as are the hosts Switzerland as well as Finland. Canada finishes against the Czechs on Tuesday, which might be their toughest game. Sweden, and those draft-eligible prospects, play Slovakia on Tuesday, a game they need to win if they want in the quarterfinals. By the way, Denis Malgin is third in points in this tournament, behind teammate Sven Andrighetto and Lucas Raymond. Good detailed coverage of both this and Troy Ryan's move to San Jose. [Duggan leaves NHL Devils to take over as GM of PWHL HamiltonThree-time U.S. Olympian Meghan Duggan is leaving her player developmental job with the NHL New Jersey Devils to become general manager of the PWHL’s expansion franchise in Hamilton, Ontario.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/INSJSUIBOLSAPYQDBGSK27Q4EE-6155d2a8d98550bd5001c035077232f1535519d3e78ac6fee651d94288198897.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/pwhl/article/duggan-leaves-nhl-devils-to-take-over-as-gm-of-pwhl-hamilton/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Much has been made about Ryan becoming the GM and coach of the team. This sort of arrangement is totally normal in the ECHL, and some AHL teams load a lot of the management onto the coach too. NCAA teams have head coaches involved in player acquisition in ways that are very unlike the NHL. So it's not really as weird as everyone is making out. Meanwhile the Toronto Sceptres still need a coach. As do Seattle. > The Torrent’s first coach, Steve O’Rourke, was fired after a single season, during which the PWHL expansion franchise quickly fell into last place and stayed there. [https://t.co/X3ewiwESYf](https://t.co/X3ewiwESYf?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — The Seattle Times (@seattletimes) [May 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/seattletimes/status/2057931943996510336?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And finally, Vegas doesn't want to hear about your odds of Colorado winning the Cup. What does Vegas care about probabilities and odds? The Avs went up 3-0 last night, and Vegas scored five straight, the last one in the empty net. Not even Nathan MacKinnon playing on whatever he broke/strained/bruised blocking a shot could save them. Vegas leads 3-0 with another home game on Wednesday. Lots of narratives about this series miss an interesting piece of the puzzle as to how Vegas is overwhelming the best team in the NHL. Their regular season team SV% was 26th at .879\. Their playoff number is third behind the Hurricanes and the Senators (LOL) at .919\. They aren't suddenly good because of whatever the story says was just the one thing that wins them games – magic coaching mysticism. They were always good. Very good. Just sewered by goaltending. And the Avs, who led the league in team Sv% all season? Now they're just ordinary. The margins here are so small. These two teams score the most goals per 60, but the difference has been some pretty subtle variation in defensive numbers, most noticeably on the PK. The Avs need four miracles in a row, and I don't think they're getting even one. This is why you actually play the games. If life was predictable, all those Vegas betting houses would go broke! We can't have that. Have a great Monday everyone, and there is another game tonight you might have heard a very great deal of hype about. ### Weekend FTB: The Marlies win to force a final game in the series URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-the-marlies-win-to-force-a-final-game-in-the-series/ Last updated: 2026-05-24T02:01:49.000Z The Marlies beat the Monsters on Friday night 5-2 in a game where they dominated. Artur Akhtyamov was in net and was on course for a shutout right up until the final minutes when two slipped past him, though that was in part because the Marlies had taken their foot off the gas a bit to coast through to the end of the game and get the well earned win, also to try and get an ENG, which they did. Ryan Tverberg got it all started in the first period. He also later finished it with that empty net goal. > ❗️BEWARE OF THE RHINO❗️ > > Ryan Tverberg rips one home on the power play to make it 1-0! [pic.twitter.com/zmA7nZWqRf](https://t.co/zmA7nZWqRf?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [May 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2057969015427891330?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Tverberg also got in a rare for him fight at the end of the game, and maybe he didn't get many licks in, but showed the Monsters of what every member of the Marlies was capable of. And then what happens when you put A Nylander on a power play? This happens. > SILKYYYY SMOOTH 🤌 > > Alex Nylander scores on the power play to make it 2-0! [pic.twitter.com/9bxH83Ck8k](https://t.co/9bxH83Ck8k?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [May 23, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2057986190754931019?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Henry Thrun made it 3-0, and that's a nice reward for him as he's taken so much physical punishment in these playoffs–the Rocket went after him every game–as he has spent the playoffs just throwing himself in front of the attacking plays to break them up and he's willing to take big hits on the boards for the chance to get puck possession back in the defensive zone. > ANOTHER ONE, THANK YOU 😌 > > Henry Thrun finds the back of the net to make it 3-0! [pic.twitter.com/osX8ixYv5S](https://t.co/osX8ixYv5S?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [May 23, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2057994367969755177?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Then Q used his omnipotent power to get the fourth goal. > RIGHT ON Q! > > Jacob Quillan scores to make it 4-0! [pic.twitter.com/5D1Gr8v6W4](https://t.co/5D1Gr8v6W4?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [May 23, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2057998447270150574?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Quillan said after the game that in the previous game "we really didn't get to the net, didn't get shots, they out-shot us by a ton." After this game he said part of the success was "just keeping it simple, win my battles, be in the right spots." Naturally, during the garbage time in the last minute of the game with the Marlies having locked up the win, things got a little tense. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/image-7.png) Post-game, Gruden noted they only now need to make sure they are ready to go on Sunday, saying "when their back's against the wall it brings out the best in them, and I guess that's a good trait to have." The win comes after a difficult night on Wednesday where the Marlies were shutout and looked dead on the ice. Logan Shaw summed it up by saying "They haven’t seen our best game yet, and that’s on us as a whole group." The visible difference of play on Friday was astounding. John Gruden summed it up noting they did the small things right early on, and Tverberg getting the first goal. One key item Gruden has pointed out is that, unlike the Rocket, the Monsters have four lines all with highly skilled fast players ,and he knew it would be an adjustment to face them. After the game Friday he said they had accomplished that goal. The matchups will also be something to watch, which Gruden pointed out as difficult on Wednesday when the Lettieri line that was very successful against the Rocket was shutdown by the Monsters, but that changed on Friday where he said "We went to a hard matchup today. We had to simplify and get little wins. Win your matchup. If you win your matchup and everyone wins their matchup, we will win the game. That is the mindset we went into it with." On the road things change, and Gruden added it will be harder in Cleveland to get the matchups you want but Friday's win was still a strategic success. "We don’t get the last change, and I am usually more worried about what we do, but we figured that would be a good way for us to start and for us to get little wins within the game. I think the confidence built as it went on." Sunday's game in Cleveland will be at 3:00 p.m. and the Monsters play in the same large arena as the NBA Cavaliers. Given the time of day and the fact that Monday is a US holiday, it will be pretty noisy in there. Tverberg noted "it gets pretty hot in there," so we'll see how it goes on Sunday. It sounds as though Akhtyamov will start again on Sunday, nothing certain of course, but Gruden said "he's taken the ball and is running with it," and he has high confidence in him. Finally, I snapped this photo at the game. > Spotted in the concourse at the Marlies game. [pic.twitter.com/iz6gNbbeWY](https://t.co/iz6gNbbeWY?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Pension Plan Puppets (@PPPLeafs) [May 23, 2026](https://twitter.com/PPPLeafs/status/2057978552448925822?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Elsewhere in the AHL, the Western Conference final has been set after the Colorado Eagles knocked out the Coachella Valley Firebirds, and the Chicago Wolves knocked out the Grand Rapids Griffins who had the best record in the league for the regular season. The winner of the other spot in the Eastern Conference will be decided tonight, either the Scantron Penguins or the Springfield Thunderbirds. UPDATE SATURDAY NIGHT: The Penguins won, so they would be the Marlies opponent in the Eastern Conference Final if they make it there. The Penguins are also Alex Nylander's old team, so maybe he can bring some energy there that way. On the NHL side we have game #2 of the Hurricanes and Canadiens Saturday at 7:00 p.m., then game #3 of the Golden Knights and Avalanche on Sunday at 8:00 p.m.. [Canadiens-Sabres scores top audiences of resurgent Stanley Cup PlayoffsA pairing of the NHL’s smallest U.S. market and a Canadian team, Canadiens-Sabres still drew the top audiences of a hot Stanley Cup Playoffs.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-f0d97b96db460618cb373ad5a3b216508d3e70303901ce474c242a353c23acec.png)Sports Media WatchJon Lewis![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/AP26139167259178-scaled-d02ccd99bf147254ef6995d16b8af7272085ad8910c018dc3b15242101d02891.jpg)](https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/05/stanley-cup-viewership-canadiens-sabres-most-watched-games/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Enjoy your weekend. ### Friday's FTB: Rust beat rest URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-rust-rest/ Last updated: 2026-05-22T10:00:45.000Z It's been ages (or like a couple of weeks) since I posted a long table to get you to scroll like mad on your phone. I blame this one on yesterday's Leafs birthdays which featured Matt Hunwick. So without further ado, this is Defenders I Have Known by Auston Matthews: (Regular season GP and total TOI since 2016\. If you want TOI with Matthews, you can look that up yourself.) | Player | Season | GP | TOI | | -------------------- | ------ | --- | -------- | | Morgan Rielly | 16-26 | 715 | 16127.40 | | Justin Holl | 17-23 | 285 | 5602.83 | | Tj Brodie | 20-24 | 274 | 5879.54 | | Travis Dermott | 17-22 | 251 | 3975.91 | | Jake McCabe | 22-26 | 240 | 5129.01 | | Jake Gardiner | 16-19 | 226 | 4928.09 | | Nikita Zaitsev | 16-19 | 223 | 4796.95 | | Simon Benoit | 23-26 | 215 | 3655.74 | | Timothy Liljegren | 19-25 | 197 | 3439.17 | | Jake Muzzin | 18-23 | 187 | 3960.35 | | Ron Hainsey | 17-19 | 161 | 3389.91 | | Oliver Ekman-Larsson | 24-26 | 155 | 3228.75 | | Mark Giordano | 21-24 | 144 | 2626.80 | | Rasmus Sandin | 19-23 | 140 | 2333.12 | | Roman Polak | 16-18 | 129 | 2296.75 | | Connor Carrick | 16-18 | 114 | 1805.85 | | Conor Timmins | 22-25 | 101 | 1623.23 | | Chris Tanev | 24-26 | 86 | 1678.90 | | Martin Marincin | 16-20 | 77 | 1244.31 | | Brandon Carlo | 24-26 | 75 | 1449.32 | | Philippe Myers | 24-26 | 75 | 1151.46 | | Matt Hunwick | 16-17 | 72 | 1294.45 | | Tyson Barrie | 19-20 | 70 | 1531.42 | | Troy Stecher | 25-26 | 58 | 1146.15 | | Cody Ceci | 19-20 | 56 | 1150.30 | | Igor Ozhiganov | 18-19 | 53 | 742.80 | | Ilya Lyubushkin | 21-24 | 50 | 834.75 | | Andreas Borgman | 17-18 | 48 | 657.00 | | Zach Bogosian | 20-21 | 45 | 654.17 | | William Lagesson | 23-24 | 30 | 435.40 | | Luke Schenn | 22-23 | 15 | 199.50 | | Dakota Mermis | 24-26 | 14 | 193.33 | | John Klingberg | 23-24 | 14 | 287.72 | | Calle Rosen | 17-20 | 12 | 170.32 | | Jordie Benn | 22-23 | 12 | 189.62 | | Alexey Marchenko | 16-17 | 11 | 155.58 | | Victor Mete | 22-23 | 11 | 143.80 | | Erik Gustafsson (D) | 22-23 | 9 | 141.78 | | Joel Edmundson | 23-24 | 9 | 160.17 | | Mikko Lehtonen (D) | 20-21 | 9 | 106.85 | | Maxime Lajoie | 23-24 | 7 | 89.02 | | Mac Hollowell | 22-23 | 6 | 77.62 | | Ben Hutton | 20-21 | 4 | 72.12 | | Henry Thrun | 25-26 | 4 | 59.45 | | Carl Dahlstrom | 21-22 | 3 | 40.95 | | Kevin Gravel | 19-20 | 3 | 33.27 | | Kristians Rubins | 21-22 | 3 | 35.25 | | Marshall Rifai | 23-26 | 3 | 32.99 | | William Villeneuve | 25-26 | 3 | 51.98 | | Alex Biega | 21-22 | 2 | 26.23 | | Filip Kral | 22-23 | 2 | 19.92 | | Frank Corrado | 16-17 | 2 | 28.00 | | Jani Hakanpaa | 24-25 | 2 | 28.17 | | Matt Benning | 25-26 | 1 | 12.43 | Justin Holl is still second. What else is going on? I forgot to post this yesterday, but it's relevant, so: [Capitals reach two-year extension with D LiljegrenThe Washington Capitals have reached a two-year contract extension with defenceman Timothy Liljegren, it was announced Wednesday. The deal is worth $6.5 million total and $3.25 million annually.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/EGRK3FKV2FB3NBGLNQK6Q4ECTQ-acd2a5b25c0aa6165d57bc5872e6bcd5ec2e93e084bbadeabd57c612d1fcfd82.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/capitals-reach-two-year-extension-with-d-liljegren/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Liljegren was traded to the Capitals at the deadline for mysterious reasons, played four games, and they did not make the playoffs so that was that. The theory here is that Rasmus Sandin needs surgery and rehab on his knee, so he won't be ready to start the season. They also traded for David Kämpf and he played in two games, and is now UFA. All this sort of flew under the radar, but it sure seemed weird at the time. Why they didn't just go for it and get Justin Holl too is beyond me. I'm working on something to try to look at defencemen and it's just amazing the players of no value who play 20+ minutes a game as defenders. Makes you wonder why the Leafs have spent 10 years unable to get better on defence because the bar for being not stupid about defencemen is very low. Yesterday Canada faced their toughest challenge at Worlds. [Scheifele completes hat trick in OT as Canada edges Norway at worldsMark Scheifele scored his third goal of the game in overtime, and Canada narrowly avoided an upset with a 6-5 win over Norway on Thursday at the world hockey championship.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caCanadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Canada-1-eaf363e327df5714bd0fbac908e573c38eccf658a0aa625b3b80de5af0007803.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/ice-hockey-world-championship/article/scheifele-completes-hat-trick-in-ot-as-canada-edges-norway-at-worlds/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This unknown Norwegian teenager was too much for them. > NORWAY HAS THE LEAD IN THE THIRD 😱 > > Leafs prospect Tinus Luc Koblar puts Norway ahead![#MensWorlds](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MensWorlds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/4lXqiugpAR](https://t.co/4lXqiugpAR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [May 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2057497770970267894?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Unfortunately Canada tied it up with under two minutes to go, and then Norway had zero answer for a Canadian three-on-three game. TLK is only a few months older than Ivar Stenberg and Gavin McKenna, which brings home how this projecting 17, 18 and 19 year old players is really damn difficult. This event, with 16 teams now, is dragging on as the same few good teams play against competition well below them. The next meaningful game for Canada and Sweden is on May 26\. Speaking of the teenagers, the first game of the Memorial Cup is tonight. [Memorial Cup 2026![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/CHL-50th-RGB_CHL-50-EN-Gold-b23a6200583a149c1c9be5d2a2112c3ff0aa3eb0ba3055e969ab29e4491330d8.png)Canadian Hockey League![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Canadian_Hockey_League_Logo.svg_-c95d877798509ebe078847da0ad31e74cd58a7cc74911061546829fd1fe1b763.png)](https://chl.ca/memorialcup/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Leafs prospect Matthew Hlacar is there with the Kitchener Rangers. No 2026 top draft prospects are playing. And in the NHL, Freddy Andersen did not have the shutout stuff, and while once again the Canadiens were not very good, they scored so much so early they didn't need to be. > The Canadiens have now scored as many goals tonight (5) as the Senators and Flyers each scored their entire series against Frederik Andersen and the Hurricanes. > > — Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) [May 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TomGulittiNHL/status/2057649207649907160?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Final score was 6-2\. ### Thursday's FTB: Montréal wins the Cup URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-montreal-wins-cup/ Last updated: 2026-05-21T10:00:09.000Z > KORI CHEVERIE -- THE FIRST FEMALE COACH TO WIN THE WALTER CUP 🫡 [pic.twitter.com/RdCAOh3HKC](https://t.co/RdCAOh3HKC?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) [May 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/thepwhlofficial/status/2057284766236361157?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Hear from the playoff MVP, Marie-Philip Poulin! [#PWHL](https://twitter.com/hashtag/PWHL?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/8D7arSYZoN](https://t.co/8D7arSYZoN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [May 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2057280863285473383?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Meanwhile the Marlies got stomped with John Chayka in attendance. > R3 G3 By The Numbers 📊 [pic.twitter.com/SldbpPJFxl](https://t.co/SldbpPJFxl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [May 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2057280710033969385?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Cleveland now leads 2 games to 1 and they play again on Friday. As the Western Conference final got started, Vegas chose not to just roll over. > PAVEL DOROFEYEV CAN'T STOP SCORING!!! [pic.twitter.com/nOoVS9Wuop](https://t.co/nOoVS9Wuop?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [May 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2057277195723092013?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's Pavel "arb rights" Dorofeyev. He is gonna get paid. Vegas won the opener but just on the scoreboard (you'll get this in a second). Not every coach gets fired. [Sabres sign head coach Lindy Ruff to two-year contract extension![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caAssociated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ruff-2-9c01186381591afef375f57e8e5e84271ec7c3b2d5b10eedec28176536c7b0a3.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/sabres-sign-head-coach-lindy-ruff-to-two-year-contract-extension/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Brad Treliving on Overdrive: [\- TSNBryan Hayes, Jeff O’Neill and Jamie McLennan are joined by Team Canada Co-GM at the World Championship and former Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving to discuss whether or not John Tavares playing the wing on Team Canada will translate to him moving to the wing in Toronto in the future, Morgan Rielly’s future, the connection with former Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube and more.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-4367d8fad32285f4846ac0b4cdd396a1e5171cb5c21bbea45ec888232e0e4aa3.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F05-20-2026-2Ft_7537226366d34332a33649a4f31e27ad_name_2026_5_20_f73ee2d4_2174_443c_ba52_bf9870ba16c6_jpg_1920x1080-2f455ed2ab94512a5d1074bc12e6f2c960b8060973273edba8bb3447adc001ed.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/video/2026/05/20/treliving-on-leafs-fall-we-didnt-have-the-buy-in/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) "Even the games we won on the scoreboard we weren't winning," is a statement Treliving says he made back as far as November. He followed that up by making it clear he meant by scoring chances or driving play, so I guess he wanted that out there that he saw what was obvious. For whatever that is worth. He's also got some comments that totally contradict the "did not see the train coming". He says he totally did. I get it, he's positioning himself as not the big dummy because he'd like to rehabilitate his reputation. And that's enough of that. Everybody who says anything to anyone on or off the record has some kind of agenda, even if it's just their own POV on the world. Believing a little too hard in whatever makes the news today is how you let them all play you. Do something fun today! And later the Hurricanes have to play hockey again after a month or so off. ### Wednesday's FTB: Conference Finals begin URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-conference-finals-begin/ Last updated: 2026-05-20T14:42:40.000Z Yesterday the NHL released numbers that are based on the accounting for the season that has not yet ended, but this is when they finalize salary values that affect a host of other things. The 2025-2026 Average League Salary is $3,973,228 which [PuckPedia](https://puckpedia.com/news/nhl-provides-update-key-dates-and-figures-2026-27?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) tells me is a 4.08% increase over the prior year. Under the new LTIR rules introduced this season, that figure is the in-season cap on LTIR for any individual player. The amount that limits teams who wish to elect arbitration on eligible RFAs is now $2,484,079, so players currently paid that much (in salary) are the only ones eligible for this type of arbitration. They cannot be paid less than 85% of that salary amount from an award. Matias Maccelli is the only Leafs player over this amount, and it is extremely unlikely the team would elect arbitration. The compensation tiers for offer sheets are also now known. > 🚨Breaking > > The Offer Sheet Tiers for this summer are finalized. These are the 2027 picks needed for offer sheets this summer. > > Use our offer sheet tracker to see what teams have the draft picks required for offer sheets in the various tiers:[https://t.co/Cac7a5Mpfc](https://t.co/Cac7a5Mpfc?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/fI98JfXp4j](https://t.co/fI98JfXp4j?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [May 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/2056797036285165773?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The picks must be all in 2027 (unless multiples are required and then they must include the 2027) and must be the team's own picks. The only offer sheet the Leafs could enter into is the fifth level down that requires the second-round pick or the lower level that requires no picks. In theory, they could reacquire some of the traded picks, like the third-round pick the Mammoth have, but that is unlikely. And finally, if a player is awarded more than $4,950,080 in arbitration, the team can walk away from the award, and the player becomes UFA. (If it's a two-year award, they can only walk away from year two.) --- In a story that is utterly fascinating the Czechs are having some controversial conversations over how to pronounce names in Swedish. [Záruba: Češi nejsou na Peršony a Laršony připraveni! Vrátíme se ke staré variantě | Hokej.cz - web českého hokeje(FRIBOURG, od našeho zpravodaje) „Výslovnost švédských příjmení, kde se k sobě pojí hlásky „R” a „S” se skutečně změkčuje,“ argumentuje komentátor Robert Záruba v diskusi o největším jazykovém tématu v Česku…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-0836a931c9b79c3356b8c0141b86db2bef29c41c42d50fa44dc10ba5f4552537.png)Hokej.czDominik Dubovči![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/zaruba-ilu-ms-673a684cb8e25588601699bb7aa1eeec368159a87f003b9350cb2efd46d37c50.jpg)](https://www.hokej.cz/zaruba-cesi-nejsou-na-persony-a-larsony-pripraveni-vratime-se-ke-stare-variante/5096209?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Few people have studied linguistics or even Swedish. Nevertheless, many Czech fans and viewers of Czech Television have an opinion on Zárub's pronunciation of Nordic surnames. > However, the head of Czech Television's hockey team insists that his "La(r)šon" or "Pe(r)šon" honors the version currently in public use in Sweden. It's just that it's a little more complicated. > However, according to Záruby, part of the Czech public is not ready for the names to be changed in line with the original. "We don't want to distract attention from hockey. We will return to the original version, which has almost nothing to do with reality, but you and I are used to it," he surprised. > "After a quick consultation with the Institute of the Czech Language, such an option is possible... And fortunately, the Swedes are tolerant. We'll see if the situation develops over time. I wish everyone a nice experience at the World Cup," Záruba wished. Vancouver has fired all their bench coaches: [CANUCKS ANNOUNCE COACHING CHANGES | Vancouver Canucks…ADAM FOOTE, SCOTT YOUNG, KEVIN DEAN & BRETT MCLEAN RELIEVED OF THEIR DUTIES![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-e88c0fdc94923b04ef133c468da884e733e2c9ac6b049852538a61c216f85141.png)Vancouver Canucks logoCanucks Communications![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ufcvap2kwd66kwm0rhvx-b042e96da9a6bb7c1d72c451105a6a8b50676e140fac5d639dfe8680ab794966.png)](https://www.nhl.com/canucks/news/canucks-announce-coaching-changes?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Devils got in on it. > [#NEWS](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NEWS?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): The Devils announced today Goaltending Coach Dave Rogalski has been relieved of his duties. > > Additionally, Assistant Coach Sergei Brylin will be taking on a new role within the organization.[https://t.co/TiY8IomXB3](https://t.co/TiY8IomXB3?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) [May 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/2056842415642685503?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Vegas soap opera has another chapter after they tried to appeal their forfeited pick and fine and were denied: > McCrimmon says teams have asked for permission to speak with Bruce Cassidy, but that their focus has been on the playoffs. He said he spoke to Bruce and that he understands. > > — Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger\_) [May 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/JesseGranger%5F/status/2056885050873135565?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > BREAKING... Hamilton's new AHL franchise will be known as the 'Hammers.' A press conference to unveil the name, logo and colours is Thursday at TD Coliseum, and will be broadcast on [https://t.co/vpPKCWcb44](https://t.co/vpPKCWcb44?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [@CHCHNews](https://twitter.com/CHCHNews?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/54u1kI36Zy](https://t.co/54u1kI36Zy?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Clint 'Bubba' O'Neil (@BubbaCHCH) [May 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/BubbaCHCH/status/2056883225356624021?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There is a game every night from now until one of the Conference Finals ends. So anyone wanting to politely drop news is waiting for a couple of weeks. [New film tracks McKenna’s journey to become projected No. 1 pick in NHL Draft | NHL.com‘The McKenna Project’ premiers on TNT after Game 1 of Eastern Final![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-84cd85e9fc7f06c221ca6d652dd71c7b788626411b8b9396ef3dbd687062551f.png)NHL logoAdam Kimelman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/unwkdyy3aqwtn4juy8eb-77d18a6a25b439be2d16561a15c6235562ee11db3f7933a6d3ab0608955ad082.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/new-film-tracks-gavin-mckenna-on-his-journey-to-projected-top-pick?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Okay, so other than that Chris Johnston said some things on a podcast that I don't care about. I'll tell you why: all of it was obvious. It's also the sort of thing that makes people shout out how this is not a serious team based on something some guy said, and I've run out of patience. [The gist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db6OcBpnPoE&t=3s&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Other teams are saying that the Leafs are willing to discuss any player except Auston Matthews. And yes, he does caveat that with some of the players with various forms of trade protection. He also said that he would be stunned if Max Domi is moved, he bases this on his relationships with Mats Sundin and John "already traded him once" Chayka as well as his trade protection. I have been deliberately not thinking about roster construction. I don't care about speculative trades – it's all an exercise in who people want punished. And they're never good speculation because that guy you hate will always return some 25 year old star in the making, and come on. I don't care about free agency. It's May. There over a month before this is even on the radar and by then a good portion of the current pending UFA players will be re-signed. But the main reason I don't care is because until Auston Matthews choses his path for the near term and the medium term, none of these conversations can be had in any sensible way without a set of nested if statements five deep. Or maybe a flow chart in three dimensions. A case statement can't even help. It's the multiverse of future options and choices. And it's all just pointless until the team has a firm direction. Yes it is blindingly obvious that the Leafs will discuss just about any potential trade. This does not mean they want to trade every player or even any player. Nothing here is different to Brad Treliving calling every GM to talk about everything. They have extremely difficult problems to solve. But first, they have to know what Matthews is thinking. There is one amusing aspect to this however, remember like a week ago when the OMG, scandal!!! was that no one would ever deal with Chayka and it was doom and despair and agony on me, and they'd never make a trade and the team would just wither away? Seems weird CJ's information is coming from other teams. Guess they are talking to the Leafs after all. Okay, there's two funny things. CJ is again doing the thing where he guesses that the Leafs will act like the median NHL team and not trade a player their GM knows. Right now, it's guessing all the way down. Have a great day. Let's test Bluesky image posts: [Micah McCurdy (@hockeyviz.com)Not a lot to love about Adam Foote’s first (only?) season in the league. Score behaviour pretty typical - best hockey when down one, open it up down two, low-event when up by one.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-eb14a7ed3cead85c71ac878fcff399abd445d8d998ab76953f23fdecc02e90f5.png)Bluesky SocialMicah McCurdy![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/bafkreibjjrjlmdemfiekcgfnlvu6rcacozccfhaqts44risebq2ppvtn2y-64ac371dce478188ea157724ca3b69bb9df0e73207bd1d246d26726a51823fe4)](https://bsky.app/profile/hockeyviz.com/post/3mm7zdoi4uc2g?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Tuesday's FTB: Catch up after a weekend off URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-what-did-you-miss/ Last updated: 2026-05-19T10:00:03.000Z If you took the weekend off from the internet, I salute you. I came pretty close and got some gardening done and enjoyed the broiling unseasonable weather. The Leafs did some pruning too. [Maple Leafs trim the executive treeBrandon Pridham and Derek Clancey are leaving.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-2277b0be3893e07436fd09e0b135fca0c4e40eed6006f9a973cd9f024c2f253f.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1657730391002-bf55ff069a80-275f53d059ba011b2dc5ee132fd06d70e229d849e971e7add40baab5e46fcb58)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-trim-the-executive-tree-pridham-clancy/) After the fact Elliotte Friedman discussed this on 32 Thoughts, and the story on the loss of Brandon Pridham is simple. Pridham interviewed with the Leafs for the GM job, and Friedman said that didn't go well, but he didn't expand on what that meant. Obviously he wasn't promoted. What would you do if you were he? He's not going to advance where he is, and I wouldn't blame him if he doesn't want to be in on a young and maverick GM-led revamp of the team structure. Kyle Dubas wanted him, maybe that's his ultimate destination now. This is what a total change of management structure often means, the loss of good people, new good people coming in. Much like when Pridham himself was hired. Also on 32 Thoughts on the holiday Monday there was word that the Leafs have had an initial conversation with David Carle. [The David Carle Hype ShowWhat’s this all about?![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1606411312124-21322f0a23ef-84614c0081b05b8d6d00ea8b331efcb5e83b6b6c21002cd981762b9e670bff2b)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/the-david-carle-hype-show/) Friedman was emphatic that the Leafs are serious about interviewing a lot of people, so this will keep happening. They will reach out, they will interview, and trying to decide who they will hire will be as successful as all those Mike Gillis guesses were. Is it time yet to start believing what the Leafs say instead of insisting they'll do the median NHL team thing. They did actually interview dozens of people for the GM position, it wasn't a put-up job. They did actually decide for themselves if the coach should remain, they didn't do the median team routine of keeping the guy on contract for another year to see how it worked out. And now they will actually look at a wide range of coaching options. I enjoy watching people grapple with the Leafs not being the median NHL team as much as I enjoy the anticipation of what they might do. Little of both here: [What should be on the Maple Leafs’ off-season shopping list?The Maple Leafs probably won’t be contenders next season, but they aren’t rebuilding either. As Toronto looks to thread the needle, Justin Bourne examines its greatest off-season needs.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Chayka-1-ac841ad3b280d449387dca4f892850a0904a1276a8af6abba84fa2bb84ba8b12.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/what-should-be-on-the-maple-leafs-off-season-shopping-list/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Meanwhile, Friedman also reported on Monday that the Oilers had sought permission to speak to Craig Berube. The Leafs are, naturally, not going to stand in his way of finding another coaching position. Later Ryan Rishaug filled in the story: > Hearing a formal interview with Berube is expected after some initial conversation between he and Bowman. Permission to speak with Bruce Cassidy had still not been granted as of Sunday night. > > — Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) [May 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSNRyanRishaug/status/2056374719868522918?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies dropped game two to the Monsters, so they will try to take the lead again tomorrow. In PWHL news, the Charge, facing elimination, beat the Victoire at home to force game four tomorrow in Ottawa. In IIHF news from Men's Worlds, Team Canada kicked the crap out of Italy and then got goalied by a Dane for two periods before kicking the crap out of Denmark. In a more interesting game, Sweden dropped a game to the Czechs that was epic in so many ways it's impossible to overstate it. But from a prospect-watching perspective two things are true: Ivar Stenberg and Viggo Björck are the legitimate top line players on this team and they also keep losing. If you're in it for prospects, Sweden next plays a serious opponent a week from now. There seems to be way too many teams in this event and a lot of lopsided games. The CHL playoffs are all decided: > 2026 Memorial Cup: > > \- Kitchener Rangers (OHL champ) > \- Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL champ) > \- Everett Silvertips (WHL champ) > \- Kelowna Rockets (host) > > The top junior tournament in North America starts May 21. > > — NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) [May 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/PuckReportNHL/status/2056192729667838205?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Mem Cup ends just in time for the Combine at the end of May. And for draft watchers, I watched this outside in the heat and still found it interesting in many ways. You get to decide what you think: A titch more actual discussion about the defencemen would have been a good idea. And in NHL news, the Canadiens beat the Sabres in OT in Game 7 to advance to face the Hurricanes in the conference finals. And that is all for now. The NHL begins those conference finals tomorrow, so tonight is that last no-hockey day for a few days. If any team wants to make big news, now is the time! ### Holiday FTB: An extended holiday for some URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/holiday-ftb-an-extended-holiday-for-some/ Last updated: 2026-05-18T10:00:38.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! I have been released by my hostage takers even though no one here would pay the ransom. Turns out, like my family, they got sick of hearing about my wikipedia deep dives and do not want to hear anything else about the bridges crossing the Hudson River into New York City. So, I am back to both you all. Lucky. Just after a big news week too. Hopefully more things will happen, but good ones like we've been getting. The Leafs got rid of the GM and Coach, Hamilton got a PWHL team (and me as a season ticket holder), and now the Leafs are tossing more bodies overboard as the new regime establishes themselves. [Maple Leafs trim the executive treeBrandon Pridham and Derek Clancey are leaving.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-418.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1657730391002-bf55ff069a80)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-trim-the-executive-tree-pridham-clancy/) I'm hearing rumours that Keith Pelley is holding meetings with both Claude and CoPilot, but honestly I'd rather bring back Claude Loiselle to do the job. I'm also hearing I've been away too long and everyone's sick of Pelley / AI jokes. Sorry, Gemini told me they were still cool. The Maple Leafs are working on their front office, the draft is coming up, but I hear rumours that hockey games are still being played. The Toronto Marlies are tied in their series against the Cleveland Monsters 1-1 with game three coming on Wednesday night in Toronto. [The Marlies playoff run is the most important thing in Toronto right now and the entire offseason leans on itThe Toronto Marlies playoff run has more than the Calder Cup at stake, as the Maple Leafs offseason hinges on many of their prospects making the leap forward.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-icon-180x180-40.png)Hockey PatrolCharlie McAfee![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/666550.webp)](https://www.hockeypatrol.com/nhl-team/toronto-maple-leafs/the-marlies-playoff-run-is-the-most-important-thing-in-toronto-right-now-and-the-entire-offseason-leans-on-it?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Montreal Victoire are one win away from sweeping the Ottawa Charge and becoming the first non-Minnesota Frost team to win the Walter Cup. [Flaherty the OT hero, Victoire move one win away from Walter CupMontreal Victoire take a 2–0 series lead over Ottawa Charge after a 2–1 overtime win in Game 2 of the Walter Cup Finals.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/habs-eyes-on-the-prize-logo-5.png)Habs Eyes on the PrizeSheilaP![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/MTL_vs_OTT_MAY16_GAME2.jpg)](https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/maggie-flaherty-montreal-victoire-pwhl-ottawa-charge-pwhl-game-3-walter-cup-poulin/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The IIHF World Championships are going strong, Team Canada is doing well with two wins, and have Denmark on tap today at 10:20am Toronto time. [Ukraine’s journey to 2027 World Championship about more than hockey | NHL.comWith country at war, team ‘overwhelmed’ to reach tournament for 1st time since 2007![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-231.png)NHL logoPaul Strizhevsky![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/yv8qsldrzta5vl5aq3yf-1.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/team-ukraine-journey-to-2027-world-championship-about-more-than-hockey?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) We're even getting some highlights from long lost prospects. [Ukraine’s journey to 2027 World Championship about more than hockey | NHL.comWith country at war, team ‘overwhelmed’ to reach tournament for 1st time since 2007![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-232.png)NHL logoPaul Strizhevsky![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/yv8qsldrzta5vl5aq3yf-2.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/team-ukraine-journey-to-2027-world-championship-about-more-than-hockey?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Traffic in front? No problem for Latvia's Mārtiņš Dzierkals, taking the first lead of the game 🇱🇻![#MensWorlds](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MensWorlds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/FmGIrTKq4t](https://t.co/FmGIrTKq4t?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [May 17, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2056086534156152922?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It's rumour season and I'm eating up all the discourse and rantings around them. Let's make them wonder though. I hear Evgeni Malkin may be a free agent soon... [Trocheck Trade Is Something Maple Leafs Should AvoidThe Toronto Maple Leafs would do well to avoid a Vincent Trocheck trade, as the New York Rangers look to move on.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-180x180-23.png)HeavyNestor Quixtan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/trocheck_9ea8fb-e1772943862946.jpg)](https://heavy.com/sports/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/trocheck-trade-is-something-maple-leafs-should-avoid/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) After it came out that the Owen Sound Attack were for sale I was worried. Who would by the team in the OHLs smallest market? The I got the answer... [Private equity enters the CHL as fund purchases the Owen Sound AttackThe Owen Sound Attack are the first franchise in the Canadian Hockey League owned by a private equity group.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/icon-17.png)Owen Sound Sun TimesGreg Cowan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/webAKD_2363.jpg)](https://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/news/local-news/private-equity-enters-the-chl-as-fund-purchases-the-owen-sound-attack?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Well, they had a good run. But, staying positive, the new PWHL teams are doing some hiring so, hopefully we get some good news when Hamilton makes some staffing announcements. [Trailblazer Rheaume hired as Detroit’s PWHL GMManon Rheaume is carrying over her trailblazing women’s hockey career into a front office role in being hired as the general manager of the PWHL’s expansion team in Detroit, the league announced on Friday. The Canadian Olympian goaltender, and first woman to appear in an exhibition game of any of North America’s four major sports, \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-262.ico)The Mining Journal![](https://ogden_images.s3.amazonaws.com/www.miningjournal.net/images/2026/05/17165418/5-18-6b-detroit-pwhl-1100x676.jpg)](https://www.miningjournal.net/sports/2026/05/trailblazer-rheaume-hired-as-detroits-pwhl-gm/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Enjoy your day everyone! ### Maple Leafs trim the executive tree URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-trim-the-executive-tree-pridham-clancy/ Last updated: 2026-05-17T16:42:34.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/HIiMCbaWoAAR2Pp-1-.jpg) Aside from the interesting detail of how this is phrased, the thinning of a very large executive group was very much expected. Pridham, widely thought of as the Cap guy is an accomplished executive who should be considered for GM positions the way people like Evan Gold have been. His skillset is important, and there is surely going to be a hire to fill that void. Derek Clancey was a Brad Treliving choice and his background is in scouting. This choice might signal a desire to change up the ideas and culture around player acquisition and how the player experience off the ice has been managed. Listen to this at the point I've set it: It makes you wonder. ### Weekend FTB: May Two-Four URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-may-two-four/ Last updated: 2026-05-17T21:42:50.000Z It's the May long weekend, the traditional time in Ontario for spring cleaning, transplanting your seedlings from the house to the garden, beer drinking, and the long slog part of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. There's not much to talk about not covered yesterday beyond the 4,528.7 potential candidates for the Leafs coach which has already been covered in nauseating detail. The Sabres are still battling the Canadiens to get to the Conference Final, and that game will be at 8:00 p.m. Saturday night. If the Sabres win, a game #7 will happen on Monday at 7:30 p.m.. The Marlies continue their division final series tonight against the Cleveland Monsters. They won the first game 5-2 after being down 2-0 all the way to the half way mark in the second period. Their next game after tonight is back here in Toronto on Wednesday evening. Over in Switzerland the IIHF Men's World Championship continues with Canada playing (checks notes) Italy? That game is at 10:00 a.m. ET on TSN1 and I guess a great excuse to crack open that first beer of the weekend. The Ottawa Charge will face the Montreal Victoire for game #2 of the PWHL Walter Cup final at 2:00 p.m. and that game is also on TSN1. And, well, that's it for hockey, folks. There's not much to talk about since there were no games yesterday. So enjoy your long weekend. Next FTB is on Monday and perhaps we will have more to talk about then, but I doubt the Leafs would break news on a long weekend... or would they? The Blue Jays are in Detroit to play the Tigers at 1:00 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 on Sunday. Something to pay attention to this weekend if you are in or near Toronto is that there's a 6:00 p.m. deadline today (Saturday) for the TTC to reach a collective bargaining agreement before the CUPE Local 2 workers go on strike. This is already an extension to the original deadline of last night. They are responsible for maintenance of the physical electrical infrastructure (subways and streetcars). It is unclear what will happen if they don't come to a deal, as the operators, which are in a completely different union, may still refuse to cross picket lines at the various TTC facilities. UPDATE: Negotiations continue Sunday morning. No new deadline has been set by either side. [CUPE Local 2 bargaining update![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-346.png)TTC.ca![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/TTC-LOGO.svg)](https://www.ttc.ca/riding-the-ttc/Updates/Labour-Disruptions?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Line 6 Finch is shut down all weekend for maintenance. UP Express trains and the Kitchener GO train service are also suspended for the whole weekend by Metrolinx. ### The David Carle Hype Show URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/the-david-carle-hype-show/ Last updated: 2026-05-15T12:00:40.000Z I set out to write a profile of David Carle mostly because I saw a cool story about his background. It turns out there are a lot of cool stories. But I will put the great big giant caveat first before the fun. [Carle signed a multi-year extension as head coach at the University of Denver last May](https://www.uscho.com/2025/05/05/with-denver-home-for-me-and-my-family-carle-inks-multi-year-contract-extension-to-remain-behind-pioneers-bench?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) after the hype train had rolled through the NHL for a while imagining him as coach of any team who might be hiring. He didn't just sign a contract to coach, however. > Along with the extension, Carle is also committing to a multi-year major gift pledge to support current and new initiatives within the hockey program. Carle will be the first Denver athletics head coach to join the department’s Gold Standard Society. His gift will directly support the Murray Armstrong Hockey Student-Athlete Enhancement Fund and the Athletics Excellence Fund. > “Our program is tremendously grateful for the support we have received from our fans, alumni and donors. In today’s changing college athletic landscape, we are grateful for philanthropy and season-ticket holder support more than ever to help our program stay at the highest level,” said Carle. “The legacy of Denver hockey wouldn’t be where it is without the foundation laid by coach Murray Armstrong. My family and I are honored to support the Murray Armstrong Fund and become members of the Gold Standard Society with the signing of this agreement. I would invite others to honor Murray’s legacy and support current and future initiatives of Pioneer hockey at a time when it is as crucial as ever.” This doesn't sound like a guy will now say, "You know, we won the Frozen Four, so never mind on the rest of that extension, I'm out." That is not stopping his name showing up on every listicle of potential Leafs coaches. There is a lot of good reason for the idea, though, so onto the profile, and do let me know if he reminds you of anyone... At 36, David Carle has been synonymous with DU for so long it's hard to imagine him anywhere else. But he started a long way away. Born in Anchorage, Alaska, he didn't stay anchored down there, but went to Shattuck St. Mary's at 17 to play hockey with an eye to the NHL draft. His brother Matt had already been drafted in the second round a few years before. While preparing for the draft in 2008, a heart problem was discovered that could be fatal for an elite athlete. With a scholarship in hand to DU and a profile to get him drafted in a few weeks, he retired from hockey. Two amazing things happened. The Tampa Bay Lightning drafted him 203rd overall to reward him for his work to make it as far as he did, and without any idea of how it would pay off for them, DU honoured his scholarship. [The Ties That Bind![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-22.png)University of DenverJordyn Reiland | Web design by Erin Bannon![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/david-carle-1-social-cover-1.jpg)](https://stories.du.edu/kings-of-college-hockey/kings-of-college-hockey/a-sit-down-with-coach-david-carle/index.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > I majored in finance and did a minor in economics, so I spent a lot of time at Daniels (College of Business). > My family owns and operates KFC restaurants in Alaska, so business and real estate were always talked about at the dining room table at our house. My brother studied real estate construction management (at DU). My mom worked at the (KFC) stores, and my dad bought the restaurants from my uncle in the 1990s—it’s where they met—so we grew up working in the commissary and in the stores. Without the Colonel (Sanders), we wouldn’t be anywhere. While pursuing his degree, Carle was offered a role on the hockey team and he served as an assistant coach for four years. He left after graduation for a season and a bit as and assistant in the USHL, but he left that job in December of 2013 just a few weeks after he turned 24 to take up the full time professional role of assistant coach at DU under coach Jim Montgomery. Montgomery left for the NHL in 2018, first with Dallas, and most recently in St. Louis, and Carle immediately became head coach. His only other coaching experience is two times behind the bench at the WJC for Team USA in the past two years. He seemingly had never been on USA Hockey's radar before. > At the time of his hire at DU, Carle was youngest head coach in NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey at age 28\. He became the fourth-youngest coach in history to win a D-I national title in 2022 (32 years, 5 months, 0 days) and is the youngest ever to win two national championships following the Pioneers’ victory in 2024 (34 years, 5 months, 4 days). He is the 20th coach in NCAA history to win multiple national championships and the first to do so since Scott Sandelin of Minnesota Duluth (2011, 2018, 2019). > > In his seven years at the helm of the program, Carle has led Denver to a 179-74-17 overall record and an 83-49-11 mark in National Collegiate Hockey Conference play. His .694 winning percentage is presently the highest all-time among Denver hockey coaches, and Carle’s 179 victories entering 2024-26 are three shy of tying Ralph Backstrom (182) for third place on the program’s all-time list. [*Team Bio*](https://denverpioneers.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/roster/coaches/david-carle/1029?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Now we know who he is, in a general way, how does he coach? And do let me know if this reminds you of anyone... [From a post in 2024, discussing the season just beginning](https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/ncaa/ncaa-hockey-what-makes-denver-tick?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), Ryan Lambert covers the way the Pioneers maintain their roster. They don't do a boom-bust cycle, it seems, the just keep turning over the departing NHLers and other graduates with more good young talent. But at the beginning of 2024 they had turned over most of their roster after winning the Frozen Four in the spring. > "I think the maturity and the starting point of our group is probably higher than it was a year ago," seventh-year Denver coach [David Carle](https://www.eliteprospects.com/staff/2092/david-carle?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) told Elite Prospects. "Doesn't mean there's not room for growth, but we're proud of the start and that's all it is, a start at this point. We gotta make sure that we're continuing to get better." > It is, however, hard to find too many areas where "better" is even conceivable. The No. 1 team in the country hasn't just hit the ground running: They're already moving at the kind of pace you might expect for a bullet train. Through the first month of the season, they're 8-0-0 with a 41-11 goal advantage and a plus-81 edge in shots. They're getting .941 goaltending. The power play is running at 32.5 percent. The penalty kill is at 92 percent. They're winning 56 percent of their faceoffs. > Their style is suffocating and dispiriting. They have not yet ended a period down a goal, never trailed outside the opening few minutes of a game. In fact, the opening period has been their worst; they "only" have a 12-5 advantage in goals; it's 18-2 in the second and 11-4 in the third. [From the enemy (rivals Boston College) comes this summation from the start of this last season](https://www.si.com/college/bostoncollege/hockey/davis-curse-over-new-era-dawns-bc-denver-mens-hockey-showdown?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): > Including the Pioneers’ 6-1 exhibition win over Las Vegas, DU has generated 20 goals in five games played this season, and there is a clear reason why—Denver is averaging 44.75 shots per game. > Of course, shot output is all a result of shot creation, which means that the Pioneers’ spacing in the offensive zone, efficiency in defensive zone breakouts, and control of the puck through the neutral zone has also played a major role in terms of overall shot count. > That is all to say that no matter who is on the ice for Carle, each player understands how he desires the offense to operate. > Seven total players on DU’s roster have scored a goal this year, surprisingly led by junior defenseman Eric Pohlkamp (3 goals, 3 assists), and 16 total players have produced at least one assist. Essentially, the Pioneers are loaded with players, top to bottom, who are capable of generating pressure offensively. By the end of the year, Pohlkamp led the team in points, on what was very likely unsustainable goal-scoring, but the offence was definitely well spread out over a large portion of the lineup. The usual whack at the DU tall poppy is the claim that they get outshot a lot. By shots in NCAA hockey, unfortunately, we have to mean Shots on Goal. [In this past season.](https://www.collegehockeyinc.com/conferences/national/natteam26.php?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com#SF%25) Denver had the most SOG for of anyone (teams play different numbers of games), and their overall SOG differential was 182\. So they allowed more than many other teams. They also have really good team Save %. At even-strength, the SF% was 52, and they had a really high rate on the power play as well, giving them a special teams percentage of 58\. The team wasn't the most dominant in the NCAA. They weren't the Avs or the Hurricanes, but the knock against them seems to be very specific to particular games in the Frozen Four and is therefore a "deserve to win" argument of no consequence. The general take on the team is offence first, everyone scores and the defencemen are activated not wailing from the blueline. How ever they actually defend requires some long experience watching them. Carle was a defenceman, as it happens. Would he be a good choice? Sure. How could he not be? But it seems really unlikely given that contract. [Luke Fox at Sportsnet](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/seven-candidates-to-be-the-next-maple-leafs-head-coach/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) reported this just yesterday, though: > Our understanding is that Carle wants big money and a voice in roster construction if and when he makes the leap to the NHL and already turned down a lucrative offer from Chicago’s Kyle Davidson during the Blackhawks coaching search in 2025. And if anyone could collaborate with a rookie coach on roster construction, it might well be John Chayka. Of interest, this video is set to his explanation of how they use sports science at DU. ### Friday's FTB: 4,528.7 candidates for Maple Leafs head coach URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-45287-candidates-for-maple-leafs-head-coach/ Last updated: 2026-05-15T10:00:49.000Z Everyone has a coach candidate listicle. In no particular order, other than the first one which I actually read... [Luke Fox](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/seven-candidates-to-be-the-next-maple-leafs-head-coach/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Bruce Cassidy, Manny Malhotra, Jack Capuano, David Carle, Mike Yeo, John Gruden, Joe Sacco [Blog TO](https://www.blogto.com/sports%5Fplay/2026/05/coaching-options-toronto-maple-leafs-after-berube-firing/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Malhotra, Jay Woodcroft, Cassidy, Carle, Gruden, Derek Lalonde [Terry Koshan](https://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/craig-berube-fired-list-coaching-candidates?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Cassidy, Patrick Roy, Malhotra, Todd Nelson, Woodcroft, Dean Evason, Carle, Jay Leach, Lalonde [Kevin Skiver USA Today](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/leafs/2026/05/13/maple-leafs-coaching-candidates-craig-berube-fired/90060970007/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Cassidy, Bruce Boudreau, Carle, Gruden You fill it in, I don't subscribe: [Adam Proteau at THN](https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/four-coaches-the-toronto-maple-leafs-should-consider-hiring?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Cassidy, Carle, Malhotra, Gruden [Sara Civian at Bleacher Report](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25427487-best-candidates-maple-leafs-head-coach-after-craig-berubes-firing?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Cassidy, Carle, Peter Laviolette, Woodcroft, Malhotra, Kris Knoblauch [David Suggs at The Sporting News](https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/ranking-5-best-leafs-coaching-161120378.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Cassidy, Carle, Roy, Gruden, Laviolette [Mike Zeisberger at NHL.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/new-toronto-coach-will-have-difficult-task?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Cassidy, Carle, Gruden, Steve Sullivan, Laviolette, Jussi Ahokas, Malhotra [Spencer L. at The Hockey Writers](https://thehockeywriters.com/3-potential-head-coach-replacements-for-maple-leafs/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Woodcroft, Malhotra, Cassidy So let's do the analytics on that. Nine sources with the following scores: - Cassidy: 9 mentions, 7 time lead-off hitter - Carle: 8 mentions, no lead-off at-bats - Malhotra: 7 mentions, 1 lead-off - Gruden: 6 mentions, no lead-off, at least 2 "not that Gruden" jokes - Woodcroft: 4 mentions, 1 lead-off - Laviolette: 3 mentions - Lalonde: 2 mentions - Roy: 2 mentions - Knoblauch: 1 mention - Boudreau: 1 mention - Leach: 1 mention - Nelson: 1 mention - Evason: 1 mention - Capuano: 1 mention - Yeo: 1 mention - Sacco: 1 mention - Sullivan: 1 mention - Ahokas: 1 mention The most creative award goes to Terry Koshan, Sara Civian and Mike Zeisberger (mostly creative in a good way). The ones who just asked an AI are obvious. I actually do think Carle's lack of lead-off hitting is a red flag. A very slightly more serious profile of David Carle will be out later. In other news, the Marlies went down 2-0 early against the Monsters and then really came back. Final score was 5-2 with five different scorers for the good guys. Ben Danford in his pro debut: > First Pro Game. First Belt 👑 > > Danny in the newest D Core + Artie & Beast Pic 🥹 [pic.twitter.com/AGIlCMy5rw](https://t.co/AGIlCMy5rw?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [May 15, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2055110786117218736?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It's possible Dennis Hildeby has had too much Nylander influence in his life. Montréal took the opener in the PWHL final in OT, as is the PWHL way. The Victoire tied the game with fractions of a second left in the third. The Sabres gave it up to the Canadiens who now lead that series 3-2 and Vegas had an early lead to try to beat out the Ducks in their game. And the Marner goal everyone will be talking about: > MARNER GOES THRU THE LEGS TO SCORE, OH MY THAT WAS NASTY 😱🚨 [pic.twitter.com/UPeZjLqpBh](https://t.co/UPeZjLqpBh?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — B/R Open Ice (@BR\_OpenIce) [May 15, 2026](https://twitter.com/BR%5FOpenIce/status/2055104347021758644?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Conference Final schedule scenarios announced | NHL.comNEW YORK -- The National Hockey league today announced the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Conference Finals schedule scenarios. The Eastern Conference Final will feature the Metropolitan Division regular-season champion Carolina Hurricanes against either the Buffalo Sabres or Montreal Canadiens and will begin either Tuesday, May 19 or Thursday, May 21,![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-229.png)NHL logoNHL Public Relations![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/uj9vwasdxsn3htoalsrw.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/start-times-for-conference-final-scenarios-announced?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Canucks promote Johnson to GM; Sedin twins named co-presidentsThe Vancouver Canucks confirmed the worst-kept secret in hockey on Thursday with the introduction of their new management group. Assistant general manager Ryan Johnson has been promoted to general manager with club legends Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin expanding their roles as co-presidents![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-261.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/4RBLIJG55FG7JDJEFW7JOCRXEM.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/canucks-promote-johnson-to-gm-sedin-twins-named-co-presidents/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Celebrini to remain Canada captain at worlds despite Crosby addition![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/canada-1-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/celebrini-to-remain-canada-captain-at-worlds-despite-crosby-addition/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Men's Worlds starts today from Switzerland. If you are looking to watch Ivar Stenberg or Viggo Björck, you want Team Sweden under captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson, if you want the very stacked Team Canada, well, that has JT and Mo on it for Leafs content. (Fraser Minten is also on the team.) Find all information here: [https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/wm](https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/wm?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Find all games on TSN. Sweden plays Canada today at 10:20 am Toronto time, opening the tournament with the top two teams in Group B. The medal games are on May 31. And that's all for now. ### Thursday's FTB: Now What? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-now-what/ Last updated: 2026-05-14T10:00:53.000Z After the Leafs fired Craig Berube yesterday, the natural question is now what? All the experts on executive search processes are ready to rate the search again – the Athletic should come up with ranking scale, really dig into the numbers and quantify the people interviewed and compare it to other teams. But seriously, what we will get is that a bunch of names will be mentioned speculatively, which will be repeated as a rumour, which will then become truthy, and when Mike Gillis isn't the new coach, the questions will be asked why the Leafs didn't hire Doug Armstrong. My speculation is as follows: the Leafs will interview a lot of coaches. They will interview Bruce Cassidy. And what you need to do is think of these interviews like Brad Treliving's speculative calls about trades. They are information gathering exercises as much as genuine expressions of interest. Concurrently the Leafs will talk to most of the players, and with Auston Matthews fairly soon. And also concurrently some changes in the front office will happen. No, I don't know who, and guessing seems a bit silly considering we know next to nothing about these people. There certainly exists the chance that someone they talked to already might get hired for some other job that opens up. There also exists the possibility they start interviewing for new people at the AGM level. And at the same time, the scouting staff has a big job to keep working on, and their methods will come under scrutiny and there might be some suggestions there on how they quantify their choices. It's a big job. My final word on Berube is this: yes it was obvious he should be fired. I could not imagine a world where John Chayka wanted to keep him. The only question was if he was allowed to make the call, and now we know. If you want the transcript of the media scrum yesterday: [John Chayka on whether Auston Matthews’ future impacted the decision to fire Craig Berube: “None. Zero.”After the decision to relieve Craig Berube of his head-coaching duties, GM John Chayka discussed the process behind the decision, the start of his search for a new head coach, whether any players were consulted, and the plan to meet with Auston Matthews. Chayka’s Opening Statement Chayka: I just want to start out by thanking \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500-90.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/chayka-leafs-presser-may-13.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/05/13/john-chayka-on-whether-auston-matthews-future-impacted-the-decision-to-fire-craig-berube/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I like to actually watch these things because how people say things matter. This is good, although I disagree with the way he sees Berube's usage of Domi: [Why firing Craig Berube gives Leafs, Chayka a chance at a new eraJustin Bourne shares eight thoughts on the Maple Leafs’ decision to fire Craig Berube as head coach, and how it gives the team a chance to establish a new era.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-6-2.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/why-firing-craig-berube-gives-leafs-chayka-a-chance-at-a-new-era/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Good heavens, do they realize Vegas hasn't been eliminated? [Golden Knights’ McNabb to have hearing for hit on PoehlingVegas Golden Knights defenceman Brayden McNabb will have a hearing Wednesday for his hit on Anaheim Ducks centre Ryan Poehling on Tuesday, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-260.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/3KUHCENIPRHKFNXNUDURKVWNDI.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/golden-knights-mcnabb-to-have-hearing-for-hit-on-poehling/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Wow, a suspension: > Vegas’ Brayden McNabb has been suspended for one playoff game for interference against Anaheim’s Ryan Poehling. [https://t.co/gSW0ADnpak](https://t.co/gSW0ADnpak?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) [May 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHLPlayerSafety/status/2054689473124819107?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Calder goes to – you'll never guess. > Matthew Schaefer broke down into tears live on Good Morning America when he was surprised with winning the Calder Trophy… > > What an incredible moment 🥹🫶 > (h/t [@RTaub\_](https://twitter.com/RTaub%5F?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)) [pic.twitter.com/hybBtFvNdM](https://t.co/hybBtFvNdM?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Gino Hard (@GinoHard\_) [May 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/GinoHard%5F/status/2054634181276110942?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Spoiler: He was No.1 on my ballot. [https://t.co/sXYtkzLk3M](https://t.co/sXYtkzLk3M?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) [May 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheFourthPeriod/status/2054629892289900905?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Stick tap to the Habs beat writers for not doing a stupid thing here. Although Demidov over Dobes is not how I'd vote. My very barely informed vote would be: Schaefer, Sennecke, Dobes, Demidov, Kindel. I don't think you can overlook how rare a goalie as a rookie having a season like Dobes truly is. The PWHL officially expanded to two more teams. One more is reported to be coming (San Jose). [PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S HOCKEY LEAGUE EXPANDS TO LAS VEGAS AND HAMILTON, ONTARIO WITH 2026-27 SEASON DEBUTPress conferences to take place in Las Vegas (today at 1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET) and Hamilton (Thursday at 10:30 a.m. ET)NEW YORK AND TORONTO (May 13, 2026) — The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) today announced expansion to Las Vegas, Nevada and…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-345.png)Professional Women's Hockey League![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/EXP-League-Announcement-HAM-LV-Branded-1920x1080)](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2026/may/13/professional-women-s-hockey-league-expands-to-las-vegas-and-hamilton-ontario-with-2026-27-season-debut?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies are back to work tonight in Cleveland at 7 pm. So go Marlies. And that's it for now. ### Maple Leafs fire Craig Berube URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-fire-craig-berube/ Last updated: 2026-05-13T13:46:06.000Z [Maple Leafs Relieve Craig Berube of Head Coaching Duties | Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple Leafs General Manager John Chayka announced today that the club has parted ways with head coach Craig Berube. “Craig is a tremendous coach and an even better person,” said Chayka. “This decision is more reflective of an organizational shift and an opportunity for a fresh start than it![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-228.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/l7yznodjaxk4pa9muzpf.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-relieve-craig-berube-of-head-coaching-duties?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > “Craig is a tremendous coach and an even better person,” said Chayka. “This decision is more reflective of an organizational shift and an opportunity for a fresh start than it is an evaluation of Craig. We are grateful for his leadership, professionalism and commitment to the Maple Leafs organization and wish Craig and his family nothing but the best moving forward.” > The club’s next head coach will determine the makeup of the remainder of the coaching staff. While this news broke, I was listening to 32 Thoughts where the topic was the situation with the Oilers reportedly wanting to talk to Bruce Cassidy but being denied by Vegas. Since this will be a thing on people's minds, I'll discuss that here. First: When a coach or executive is under contract in the NHL, they are not allowed to talk to any other team about a job. Many people are really upset that John Chayka did that very thing. When a coach is "fired" they aren't fired like you are from your gig at your office, they are relieved of their duties. You hear that phrase used explicitly. They aren't the coach, but they still have a contract and are bound by it. Until the contract is up, the team has to agree to allow the person to interview for other jobs. If there is term on the contract beyond this year (which runs to June 30) then the NHL negotiates a deal between the new team that hires the person and the old team for how much is paid by whom to fulfill that contract. To use the obvious example, if Berube is offered a job – and the Leafs would almost certainly leap out of their chairs to give permission for any interview – they would still have to pay him something on his remaining two years, but not all of it. The Leafs are doing Berube a favour by doing this now when other teams are actively interviewing. Which leads to Cassidy, who has one more year on his contract. Elliotte Friedman reports that as of last night, he believed both the LA Kings and the Oilers have asked to talk to Cassidy. He does not believe that Vegas has said no, not ever in response, but there is a delay for some reason. That reason isn't known. What is interesting to consider is that, as Friedman mentioned, the Oilers are not leaking this information, so someone else is. That's the contract status as of now for all interested parties. ### Wednesday's FTB: Draft tidbits URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-draft-tidbits/ Last updated: 2026-05-13T10:00:18.000Z Oh, so you can get suspended in the playoffs, oh, wait... > Boston’s Charlie McAvoy has been suspended for six regular season games for slashing Buffalo’s Zach Benson. [https://t.co/j90GKNYbMe](https://t.co/j90GKNYbMe?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) [May 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHLPlayerSafety/status/2054307534316437851?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Only after you're eliminated. Got it. There was a report today that the Oilers are looking to interview Bruce Cassidy, and it is said that Vegas said no. > "He's basically fired." 😳[@mike\_p\_johnson](https://twitter.com/mike%5Fp%5Fjohnson?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) on Kris Knoblauch's future with the Oilers after the team is reportedly seeking to hire Bruce Cassidy as the head coach[#LetsGoOilers](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetsGoOilers?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/Xgc7eR0xYZ](https://t.co/Xgc7eR0xYZ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — OverDrive (@OverDrive1050) [May 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/OverDrive1050/status/2054327878788018289?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > After making Leafs/NHL debut, William Villeneuve leads AHL d-men in playoff scoring > > Marlies coach Gruden: "There's that 'Oh crap' moment where you can see a guy really grow ... He got a taste of it & he’s bringing it down here & he's running with it"[https://t.co/OTv2wMchtA](https://t.co/OTv2wMchtA?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [May 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2054326944980676758?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > All indications are the Vegas [#PWHL](https://twitter.com/hashtag/PWHL?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) team will call T-Mobile Arena home. > > San Jose’s expansion team will play out of SAP Center, with an official announcement expected next week, sources tell IW. > > — IW Magazine (@IWmag) [May 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/IWmag/status/2054304935789875294?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Vegas news is supposed to be today and Hamilton on Thursday. Interesting rules lawyering here: > Interesting to note, the deal starts in 25/26, this will burn the first year of the contract. It also allows for the minimum salary to be $775K which lowers the cap hit for the remainder of the contract. This is allowed because the Canes are still in the playoffs. > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [May 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/2054314259228598601?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This was interesting in light of the defenders ranked high in the draft and the pointz talk that just won't stop! > How many points for Lane Hutson in Game 4 tonight?[@MeghanChayka](https://twitter.com/MeghanChayka?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) explains how his playmaking has translated to strong analytics in the series 👇 [@FanDuelCanada](https://twitter.com/FanDuelCanada?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/lrdNtAzrAs](https://t.co/lrdNtAzrAs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN EDGE (@TSN\_Edge) [May 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FEdge/status/2054307997350830191?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) What Chayka is talking about here is doing the things that lead to goals, which if you have a method to count them are far superior to assists. If we had publicly available shot-assist or shot-pass data we'd have a fuller understanding of playmaking for defenders and forwards. The numbers she gives mean nothing since we cannot contextualize them. But pointz are dependent on the random process affecting the shooter, as well as the shooter's talent, the goalie's talent and a host of other things beyond the passer's control. Enough passing data of all kinds and our understanding of hockey would explode. Just what's hand tracked is some of the most interesting information to understand players there is. In Team Canada news, Sidney Crosby has joined the team along with Porter Martone and Dawson Mercer. Mat Barzal has had to drop out to rehab an injury. Some schedule changes, potentially: > The [@NHL](https://twitter.com/NHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) today announced schedule scenarios for potential [#StanleyCup](https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Playoffs Second Round games on Saturday, May 16, if necessary. [pic.twitter.com/nSfkUoGwHT](https://t.co/nSfkUoGwHT?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) [May 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHLPR/status/2054290518457073996?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Buffalo beat Montréal to tie the series, and someone is up 3-2 in the Vegas-Ducks matchup. > LIKE WHAAAAAAATTTT!!!!! 🚨 [https://t.co/vLOglN8eeT](https://t.co/vLOglN8eeT?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/xe2lDWd6Iw](https://t.co/xe2lDWd6Iw?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — B/R Open Ice (@BR\_OpenIce) [May 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/BR%5FOpenIce/status/2054361768856563880?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > LA VICTOIRE DE MONTRÉAL ACCÈDE À LA FINALE DE LA COUPE WALTER POUR LA TOUTE PREMIÈRE FOIS ! > > THE MONTRÉAL VICTOIRE ADVANCES TO THE WALTER CUP FINAL FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME! [pic.twitter.com/sbykNi8N3Q](https://t.co/sbykNi8N3Q?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — xz - Victoire de Montréal (@PWHL\_Montreal) [May 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5FMontreal/status/2054373612606370227?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) They open against Ottawa on Monday. It's an all red team matchup and no Minnesota Frost winning anything this year. Meanwhile the list of those declared for the draft is out: [2026 PWHL DRAFT ELIGIBILITY LIST FEATURES RECORD NUMBER OF PLAYER DECLARATIONSNEW YORK AND TORONTO (May 12, 2026) – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) today announced that 235 eligible players have declared for the 2026 PWHL Draft presented by Upper Deck, representing the largest talent pool of prospective players sin…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-344.png)Professional Women's Hockey League![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/2026PWHDraft_Header_1200x800)](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2026/may/12/2026-pwhl-draft-eligibility-list-features-record-number-of-player-declarations?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There are over 20 players with national team experience on various countries, including some from the most recent powerhouse Team USA, long-time Canadian player Meghan Agosta, Swiss goalie Andrea Braendli and some stars of the recently ascendent Italian team including Laura Fortino. But the name that stood out to me? Jade Iginla. I recall seeing her on the ice with Tij and Joe as kids when Jarome was awarded something (likely his silver stick). When that ceremony happened, only Tij and Joe knew they'd have a chance to play pro hockey someday. Joe is a draft eligible prospect this year as well. They all got a chance. ### Draft results by position I said I'd post some information on the top of the draft split out by position. This is all skaters drafted since 2000: #### Average Career Regular Season TOI per Game | Pick | D | C | W | | ---- | -- | -- | -- | | 1 | 25 | 21 | 17 | | 2 | 20 | 13 | 17 | | 3 | 25 | 18 | 17 | | 4 | 22 | 17 | 18 | | 5 | 13 | 11 | 15 | | 6 | 15 | 14 | 17 | | 7 | 15 | 15 | 16 | | 8 | 17 | 13 | 14 | | 9 | 17 | 11 | 16 | | 10 | 18 | 15 | 14 | #### Average Career Regular Season NHL Games Played | Pick | D | C | W | | ---- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | 744 | 919 | 867 | | 2 | 772 | 880 | 808 | | 3 | 902 | 704 | 771 | | 4 | 658 | 873 | 562 | | 5 | 676 | 674 | 726 | | 6 | 561 | 652 | 596 | | 7 | 657 | 584 | 687 | | 8 | 444 | 430 | 466 | | 9 | 670 | 503 | 511 | | 10 | 370 | 478 | 644 | There doesn't seem to be any really obvious split by position here but there sure is a drop in defenders from pick four and on down in terms of ice time. I would speculate that says GMs are really sure that when they draft a defender very high they have a top pairing guy of some description. There is robust analysis (this is very much not that) that says drafting hits most on centres, then wingers, then defence, then goalies. But it would require digging into older draft years to see if that is true at the very top where most picks are hits. And then you have to ask, what does some draft from 1985 have to do with next month's choices? Anyway, the next time you think you know something, check it! I did this today because of my Chase Reid skepticism. Which I'm not cured of entirely, but we'll see what happens in the fullness of time. I saw this today: > Every player drafted 15th overall or higher in the cap era who was out of the NHL by their Draft + 7 season [pic.twitter.com/tzC3ebkuCx](https://t.co/tzC3ebkuCx?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — JFresh (@JFreshHockey) [May 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/JFreshHockey/status/2054277758616772746?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Which tells you what I already told you, there's very few misses the higher you go. But it also shows how many chances a "first-rounder" gets. Since it doesn't say, Nolan Patrick retired due to injuries including concussions and a migraine condition. Marek Zagrapan came back after a year off and played this season at 39, busting the right edge of that chart. That's it, everyone, have a good day. ### The Marlies outrace the Rocket, but the Monsters await URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/the-marlies-outrace-the-rocket-but-the-monsters-await/ Last updated: 2026-05-13T08:40:39.000Z I mean, there's no way to start this off without posting this again. > The taste of victory. [pic.twitter.com/7OsvahxZAr](https://t.co/7OsvahxZAr?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Pension Plan Puppets (@PPPLeafs) [May 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/PPPLeafs/status/2053233358813966566?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies knocked out the Rocket in game #5 of the series and boy did Dakota Mermis (whom I originally misidentified as Luke Haymes) ever deserve that beer, though it looks like there was none left in the can, but I'm sure he had one, or more, later that evening. The origins of this go back to the beginning of the game, with both teams seemingly very unhappy with many penalty calls, or non-calls, but not as unhappy as the fans in the packed arena in Laval. If the only AHL games you've been to are Marlies games you may not understand how the Laval Rocket have a legitimately huge fanbase of their own. When you go there you will find thousands wearing Laval Rocket jerseys, not Habs jerseys, even though they are certainly still Habs fans too. Marlies jerseys are only fraction compared to Leafs jerseys at their games. The Place Bell arena has a capacity of about 10,000 and it was almost sold out for this game which was moved to Saturday as it was originally scheduled on Friday for the exact same time as the game between the Habs and Sabres. The crowd was absolutely roaring, and the crew put on a fantastic show there. The arena is relatively new, about 10 years old, with all the modern sound and ribbon banners and strobe lighting effects, an in-house DJ for intermissions, stage-sized props and smoke machines for the player entrances, and an excellent variety of concessions etc., and with all due respect to the historic Coliseum, Laval built this out to be a total entertainment district with restaurants, both sit down and take out, and outdoor patios available, a hotel across the street, and it's right beside a subway station with Laval police pedestrianising the adjacent streets on game days (remind me to finish someday that article I started about "Where is Toronto's missing middle indoor arena?"). A few weeks ago there was even a medieval fare outside before the game. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/image-6-1.png) But like typical Montreal-area hockey fans, they don't like it when they lose, and the refs bore the brunt of that. The "Refs you suck!" chants came fast and early, though at first I was confused as they were garbled, but then I learned there is both an English and a French version of that chant, so it was a bit of a jumble by the crowd. At the end of the game the beer cans and other junk went flying all over the ice, nominally targeted at an official standing near the glass. It was a perfect ending... for the Marlies, and that ending was wonderful, but how the Marlies got there is the most interesting part. Many of the games in this series were basically decided in the first 10-12 minutes. The Marlies or the Rocket would simply take control, score twice, and that was that as the team would crush it for the rest of the game. This time was different. While the Rocket scored the first goal at about 10 minutes into the first period, that was it until the second when Blake Smith scored this beauty. > 🚨 SMITTY FIRST [@TheAHL](https://twitter.com/TheAHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) PLAYOFF GOAL TO TIE US UP!!! 🚨 [pic.twitter.com/lhvhjXkepk](https://t.co/lhvhjXkepk?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [May 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2053211952667623750?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I admit, I did not have Blake Smith scores a crucial goal on my bingo card for this game, but that was more because I didn't anticipate he would be playing at all. This was the first game where he drew into the lineup for the playoffs. I asked John Gruden about that and he pointed out "with them adding Arseneau, another big body, it was to protect the D back there and protect Chadwick in situations with scrums. You have to make sure you are putting people in positions to succeed." Arseneau is referring to Vincent Arseneau who is 6'2 and 231 pounds and an AHL journeyman with Laval being his 7th AHL team in the past 13 years. Smith is the taller but more agile and faster counter to him and it worked out. Also, Smith is now officially a goal-per-game player in the playoffs! The Rocket scored to take the lead again, but Reese Johnson was there to turn it back to a tie game. > BLINK AND YA JUST MIGHT MISS IT 😉 > > Reese Johnson scores to make it 2-2! [pic.twitter.com/kbFMmNiA6K](https://t.co/kbFMmNiA6K?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [May 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2053222117886288295?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And goal number three was a Vinni Lettieri classic goal on a 4-on-4\. Take a penalty? Put out Vinni. It works every time\*! > CLASSIC VINNI BOMB 💣 > > Vinni Lettieri scores to give us the 3-2 lead! [pic.twitter.com/c70gNIm701](https://t.co/c70gNIm701?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [May 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2053225690489614653?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) \*Not guaranteed to work literally every time. The only other item I would note was Easton Cowan was oddly quiet in this game. I recall him trying what could generously be called a fun play that might work in the OHL, but it didn't here, and he didn't appear as engaged as I've seen him in all the previous games in this series. I'm not worrying about it, but it was notably inconsistent with all his prior appearances this series where he was running amok of the Rocket's defence. ## What's next? Ah, the Monsters. They are the Columbus Blue Jackets' affiliates and they knocked the Marlies out of the playoffs last season in the play-in round and now they face them in the division finals. The Marlies have played the Monsters eight times this season and won four. John Gruden said the games will be different than the heavy contact and board battle games they've had against the Rocket, and a shout here to Henry Thrun who took some severe punishment in this series from the Rocket but kept putting himself in the way to stop them right through to the end of this game, but Gruden noted the Monsters have a different style, saying "They're quicker. They've got some smaller skilled forwards up and down the lineup, all four lines can basically all do the same thing." So more zippy little wingers to face versus lumbering Xhekaj's. He also noted the presence of our old friend Zach Aston-Reese in their lineup, who has already been that ex-Leafs guy that scores on the Marlies this season, and he also moved the Monsters to the division finals with a goal in triple overtime. He's definitely one to watch out for. > Zack Aston-Reese marque en 3e prolongation et les [#Monsters](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Monsters?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) de Cleveland éliminent le [#Crunch](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Crunch?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) de Syracuse en 4 matchs de cette serie (3 de 5) > > Cleveland s’en va en finale de section Nord face au gagnant de la série Laval vs Toronto [#AHL](https://twitter.com/hashtag/AHL?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Toronto mène 2-1 [pic.twitter.com/lvfPMhRMKr](https://t.co/lvfPMhRMKr?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Stephane Leroux (@StephRDSJunior) [May 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/StephRDSJunior/status/2051086658842345913?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies will also have one new addition to play in this coming series. > The Toronto Maple Leafs have assigned D Ben Danford to the Marlies. > > — Toronto Marlies PR (@AHLMarliesPR) [May 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/AHLMarliesPR/status/2053844591095288105?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Cleveland has the home-ice advantage to start this series, so the first home game for the Marlies isn't until Wednesday next week. Here's the full schedule. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/image-5.png) Elsewhere in the AHL: The Scantron Penguins will play the Springfield Thunderbirds in the Atlantic Division Finals. The Grand Rapids Griffins will play the Chicago Wolves in the Central Division Finals. The Colorado Eagles will play the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the Pacific Division Finals. ### The field behind McKenna URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/the-field-behind-mckenna/ Last updated: 2026-05-12T12:00:40.000Z While it's not even a given that Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg will be 1-2 or 2-1 in the draft this June, even sticking to the most conservative rankers, the list after that is chaos. Chaos that is going to change before the end of June. Chase Reid may already have bounced Stenberg. And the bias to centres will work its magic on the rankings too. None of which really tells you what individual teams think. I was going to cover the two defencemen I thought were mostly getting ranked just behind McKenna, but there's too many names. So briefer notes on the field will do. This is, once again, not a scouting report, but just a brief look at who everyone thinks these people are. ### Viggo Björck Björck, born in March, is only just 18\. He is from Stockholm and has played his entire career there to date. He is a right-shooting centre. He moved from his home club in 2024 at age 16 to go to Djurgården when he played mostly at the J20 level. He got in a couple of playoff rounds too. Djurgården were in Allsvenskan at the time, something they don't tend to take lightly, but Björck only played one game there. Last season Djurgården was back in the SHL and so Björck joined them there. He played 15 minutes per game, had very little power play time and almost no PK time. His on-ice Corsi was poor, and his points are a lot less exciting than Stenberg's. Their seasons are not very comparable, but the role of prospect evaluation is not to just look at where they are now, but where they will get to. Björck had a lot of early buzz before Stenberg's strong showing this past season, and in older rankings he's often higher. His story is one where his early hype was based on reading way to much into some junior points totals and his subsequent re-evaluation might be an overcorrection based on size. ### Carson Carels Carels will have just turned 18 by draft day, and he is from Cypress River, a small town nearish to Winnipeg. He grew up on a farm there, and he is a left-shooting defender. He started playing for a prep academy, as McKenna did, but a year later in 2021-2022\. Pilot Mound Prep is not far from home, and his uncle Dan Carels has been the assistant coach there since Carson's first year. Carels was drafted by Prince George in the first round of the WHL draft and has two full seasons there. They've been a good team but not a great one. He's had some playoff experience to go with Team Canada play at U17, U18 and last year's WJC. He's getting the same hard-working farm boy narrative we all know and love about Easton Cowan, but other than that, he seems to be not Verhoeff or Reid. He started out on the second pair at the WJC and dropped very fast to the extra defender and sometimes scratch. But by the bronze medal game he was back on pair two again. He is a symbol of this part of the draft. He's good, not great and any difference between him and other defenders is a question of scouting and how they are projected to develop. Along with all the size bias and other things people mistakenly rate too highly. ### Tynan Lawrence Lawrence, who has an August birthdate making him one of the youngest players in the draft, is a left shooting centre. He is from Fredericton and played some U15 hockey there before making the big move to Shattuck St. Mary's in 2022\. He was just 14 at the start of the season and played in his age group for the U14 team. He moved to the U16 team the next year and then to the USHL in 2024-2025, playing for Muskegon. He led that team in points, but not dramatically so. Last year he played 13 USHL games before joining Boston University where he only played 18 games. He had some injuries to recover from and the story on the switch to BU is one about him trying to raise his profile ahead of the draft. He played in the U18 for Canada, not the WJC, not least because of his injury timing. He's always been one of the younger guys on his team, and you can say he's almost a full season behind McKenna in terms of experience. His story is one of being overlooked because of a lack of stats in his draft year but also getting overrated due to the time-honoured bias to centres on draft day. He's more of a puzzle to solve than a known commodity. ### Caleb Malhotra Malhotra is also a centre, and will just be 18 on draft day by a few weeks. He is from Toronto, and father Manny Malhotra was playing with the Blue Jackets when he was born. His uncle is the basketball player Steve Nash, so he gets the athletic family storyline by default. This sort of fame by association and gross misunderstanding of genetics usually dramatically obscures a players individuality and their real value. The son of an NHLer almost always gets a higher pick than he might seem to warrant. That doesn't mean he isn't very good, though. Malhotra played his hockey in Vaughan up to the 2024-2025 season where he moved to the BCHL. This was a tactic to maintain NCAA eligibility, something no longer necessary. He may well have played in the OHL for a year if the rule change had come earlier. Instead he went to the Brantford Bulldogs this past year while he is committed to Boston University for next season. The Bulldogs lost in some heartbreaking games and were beat out of the playoffs by a very hot goalie run. but they were a stacked team. He had a mass of points and he ranks 19th in the OHL for points per game, irrespective of age. For his age group, he's third. His story is his famous family, his points and the fact that everyone expects Vancouver to draft him. Somewhere underneath that is a hockey player who is unique in his own way. ### Chase Reid Don't get this Reid mixed up with the unrelated Cameron Reid who played on the first pair for Canada at the WJC. Reid is another old man in this draft with a late December birthdate. He is a right shooting defender which alone gooses his value up some. He is from Chesterfield, Michigan and played his youth hockey in the hot-house atmosphere of Michigan's Tier 1 Elite teams. When he was 16, he played a very few games in the USHL, then he dropped to the NAHL, a Tier II junior league, the next year. His USHL team wasn't playing him, but he was aiming for the NCAA so he needed to maintain eligibility. He had been drafted by the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL (still decently close to home) and he chose to make the switch when the rules changed. Suddenly he had all these points. Assists were dropping from the sky! Brady Martin, last year's fifth overall might have had something to do with that. He repeated the trick with Martin gone, but, let me digress... The Soo has this guy named Marco Mignosa from Toronto. He's almost short enough to be a classic zippy little winger, and he scores in the OHL like it's easy. He's switching to Penn State next year, part of this wave of players swapping leagues. He was drafted in the seventh round by Tampa. You watch, he'll be their fourth line sparkplug in a few years. His scouting report is about everything but all that sparkly scoring. Guys like him are how guys like Reid get all those points. Reid, who is planning to go to Michigan State next season, played in the WJC where he lined up on the second pair and was fine, but many scouts just love him and think his play there was outstanding. His story is his struggle in both the USHL and the NAHL and his explosion of points when he moved to a team stacked with good forwards. He used to have the same kind of stat line when he was 16/17 as well before his lull. And now, today as we approach the draft, he's all about the huge bump in hype, rankings and attention paid. What will determine if he's a good draft prospect is what exists behind both the coveted right shot and that synergy with someone else's offensive skill. I want to confess to being deeply skeptical of Reid and the foundation for the hype. When people talk about him, they glide effortlessly over his defending and talk about his puck moving in terms of offensive support. Which is, for me, the way you talk about assists without saying the word. I think defending at a high level is the must have, and it is not offset by puck skills. ### Keaton Verhoeff Verhoeff is from Fort Saskatchewan, which is in Alberta, as you'd expect. He is a right-shooting defender, and he has a June birthdate, so will shortly turn 18\. He played in his local youth leagues and then moved on to Rink HA Kelowna in 2022 when he was 14\. If that name sounds familiar, it is where Gavin McKenna played, but Verhoeff arrived after McKenna left. Drafted by the Victoria Royals of the WHL, Verhoeff played a few games at 16 and then a full season at 17 including some playoffs. Last season he moved to the NCAA with the University of North Dakota. He has played for Team Canada at the U17 and U18 level and at the WJC last year where he was usually on the fourth pair (the IIHF allows more skaters) and often played with Carson Carels. For all of that he has risen in a lot draft rankings over Carels. Verhoeff only switched from goaltending to defence at age 12, so his trajectory to top prospect has been unusual. His story, I'm inclined to think, is one of size in a field of smaller players. Not much smaller, mind you, but 6'4" is enough outside the average player to be notable. A lot of public "Not-McKenna" opinion seems to have coalesced around Verhoeff as a total opposite – big, strong, defender, with a lot of sparkly offence that dazzles. As we move closer to the draft, Verhoeff is giving way to Reid. That's the bulk of the field, but there are more players people will place in their top five. I don't believe anyone is a consensus pick over McKenna, and ranking anyone over him is still a radical idea. But that tall poppy is going to take more and more hits as the weeks unfold and more and more opinions will look for someone not the obvious. ### Tuesday's FTB: Mock drafts and mock discipline URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-mock-turtle-soup/ Last updated: 2026-05-12T10:00:27.000Z My second draft profile mini-sketches is out today, and as you can see below the late season lists are moving away from what was commonly believed up until about a week ago. > It is officially mock draft season in the NHL.[@coreypronman](https://twitter.com/coreypronman?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) projects the top-32 picks, with Gavin McKenna going No. 1.[https://t.co/BonBlJvygp](https://t.co/BonBlJvygp?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/tgiEjD5hJS](https://t.co/tgiEjD5hJS?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — The Athletic (@TheAthletic) [May 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheAthletic/status/2053867975053066464?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I find this interesting as May moves into June when the seemingly inevitable desire to make this dynamic and have players move up and down to liven things up. Stock rising and falling are the terms. Sometimes, like with Gaving McKenna, for example, it makes sense that an opinion of a player changes as their performance over a season changes. Sometimes it seems like you're watching someone try to liven up the ratings on a TV series that has lost its audience. Or course mock drafts are not the same as rankings. Mock drafts are about what a person thinks a team will think they should do, and often involve imputing motives to the team that are suspect. I think San Jose looking for a right-shooting defender is an obvious thing they need to do. But they have a large number of prospects. They don't have to draft for it. And in before the chants of BPA, this draft is very much one where there is real disagreement over who is best and what best even means, even at number one, and that's not just controversy for the sake of it. This isn't Laine vs Matthews stuff. They may very well draft Reid because they like him best. I enjoyed this move by Carolina. Not because I care at all about this player, but because they're just signalling that they are so relaxed, have so much free time, they can start re-signing their depth guys. > The [#Canes](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canes?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) signed 31 y/o F Mark Jankowski to a 2 year $1.85M cap hit extension > > Yr 1: $850K Salary, $1M Signing Bonus > Yr 2: $1.35M Salary & $500K SB > > 8 team no trade list both years > > Rep'd by Wade Arnott [@wadearnott](https://twitter.com/wadearnott?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/MNgTK0JhiM](https://t.co/MNgTK0JhiM?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [May 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/2053991948298711318?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies are having practices – more on them later today, but that means they're talking about various things: > Easton Cowan believes that Gavin McKenna is built for the spotlight in Toronto, if the Maple Leafs take him first overall in the draft. 👀 > > (H/T [@markhmasters](https://twitter.com/markhmasters?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)) [pic.twitter.com/dd1mPO63qA](https://t.co/dd1mPO63qA?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [May 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2053976844932636680?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The PWHL did something I'm not sure has happened in playoff hockey other than because of weather. They postponed yesterday's game between Montréal and Minnesota set for the Laval arena. > According to a source briefed on the situation, the illness is currently contained to the Montreal Victoire, with nobody on the Minnesota Frost sick as of Monday evening. > > More on the PWHL playoff game postponement here:[https://t.co/Ut46rNcIR4](https://t.co/Ut46rNcIR4?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hailey Salvian (@hailey\_salvian) [May 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/hailey%5Fsalvian/status/2053976764011962721?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [GAME 5 OF PWHL WALTER CUP PLAYOFFS BETWEEN MINNESOTA AND MONTRÉAL RESCHEDULED FOR MAY 12NEW YORK AND TORONTO (May 11, 2026) – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has announced that Game 5 of the PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs between the Minnesota Frost and Montréal Victoire will be played TOMORROW, Tuesday, May 12 at 7 p.m. ET at Pla…![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Professional Women's Hockey League![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/2526-PLY-Generic-Header-1920x1080)](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2026/may/11/game-5-of-pwhl-walter-cup-playoffs-between-minnesota-and-montreal-rescheduled-for-may-12?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I guess it's a sign of the times that they felt compelled to get out in front of the usual disinformation and explain that this wasn't hantavirus. I can't imagine what someone would have to do to get a suspension other than in a game they were eliminated in: [Sabres’ Malenstyn, Canadiens’ Xhekaj both fined for Game 3 infractionsBuffalo Sabres forward Beck Malenstyn and Montreal Canadiens defenceman Arber Xhekaj were both fined following infractions made during Montreal’s 6-2 win over Buffalo in Sunday’s Game 3, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced on Monday.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/DR7CM4RSCZHEXCPAXJVSSX4Z4U.png)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/sabres-malenstyn-canadiens-xhekaj-both-fined-for-game-3-infractions/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Shane Doan and the Leafs have parted ways. His deal was expiring June 30\. Sounds like a mutual decision. Doan was brought in by former Leafs GM Brad Treliving. Doan recently interviewed in Vancouver. We’ll see where Doan ends up but he’s now a free agent. > > — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) [May 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/PierreVLeBrun/status/2053861993379987615?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This was later confirmed by the Leafs and they updated their website as well. By sorting this out now, Doan is able to interview for any position without the asking for permission step getting in the way. He has interviewed in Vancouver. Both Vancouver and Nashville have interviewed many people for their GM jobs and no one has been hired yet in a situation that seems a little weird. All the expected topics here: [Maple Leafs mailbag: How will GM John Chayka attack the off-season?From the No. 1 pick to the head coach, the Maple Leafs face plenty of questions this off-season. Sportsnet’s Luke Fox opened up the mailbag to dig into some potential answers.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/john-chayka.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-mailbag-how-will-gm-john-chayka-attack-the-off-season/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Last night, the big drama was should the Avs play Woody in net or go with Woody. In the end, they chose Woody and took a 3-1 series lead. > COLORADO TAKES GAME 4 AND PUSH MINNESOTA TO THE BRINK OF ELIMINATION 👀 [pic.twitter.com/93hOpA5kIe](https://t.co/93hOpA5kIe?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [May 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2054033835461910751?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) They'd like some rest too. That's it for now, have a great day. [Mock Turtle Soup“Neil, it’s your butcher, Lee.” “Hi Lee, what can I do for you?” “Did you by any chance order a calf’s head a couple of weeks ago? It’s the kind of thing you would order.” “You’re right it is the s…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/ffbdce96d38faed39eedf71f593680a63bc38fdb4785f7cfd7a021cf1cceb0ed)British Food: A HistoryLike![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/green-turtle-image.jpg)](https://britishfoodhistory.com/2016/08/09/mock-turtle-soup/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gavin-mckenna-and-ivar-stenberg/ Last updated: 2026-05-11T12:00:01.000Z It's been a long time since I wrote a profile of a top prospect in the NHL Draft. It's been a long time since I even did one for the 15th or lower pick. I really liked Ryan Poehling, though, I remember that. This is not a draft profile of the sort where I tell you about their skating and their shot and how they play. The last time I did that I'd watched hours of Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljujärvi. At the HALO conference this spring, one of the team managers made the comment that the great players are easy to see, it's the finer distinctions that are harder and need more analytical analysis. And that's usually true for adults. One of the ancient bits of analytical knowledge from major league baseball, and from long before Billy Beane quit playing, is that drafting college players gets you more success than drafting high school players. It just makes sense that older players in harder leagues can be more readily evaluated correctly. The NHL draft is set up to force choices in the grey area between teenage junior and college capable man. Even at the top of the draft prospects' lists, the teenage factor confounds evaluation. Puljujärvi looked overwhelmingly good in Finnish men's hockey revealing another confounding problem of NHL drafting. In the intervening years the truism that Finland was producing more and more better and better players has been proven false, and our Top 25s of years past are littered with the ones not quite good enough out of the surge in drafting Finns. The Leafs record of drafting out of the US has been better, and is likely driven by some form of bias that keeps American trained prospects available later than they should be. Most of that does not apply at the top end, however. Top ranked players come in a variety of types, though. They aren't all Auston Matthews or Matthew Schaefer or Connor McDavid or Macklin Celebrini. They're only rarely not NHLers at all, but they will eventually fall into a range of outcomes from the very top to replacement level. Disappointment that this year's first overall is not McDavid level is not player evaluation, it's complaining. I'm looking here today to profile players in respect to their public personas, the buzz, the narratives. I'll leave the heavy lifting of abilities and all those ceilings and floors I don't really believe in to others. To get started on this topic where my ignorance is vast, I went to Elite Prospects and clicked through every draft ranking they have. There is a lot more disagreement than usual. Many have Ivar Stenberg first, Craig Button shows how much of a maverick he is by having him fourth. A few have one of the defenders in the top three with Keaton Verhoeff a popular choice. But the consensus ranking is Gavin McKenna first and Stenberg second. So I'll profile them as if I know nothing about them. Not a hard task as I pretty much have no idea beyond the vaguest of recollections of them at the WJC. Both of these players are left-shooting left wingers and I don't care how tall they are or what they weigh. ### Gavin McKenna McKenna is 18 (not a given for draft prospects) and his birthday is in December which means he is actually older than most of the players in the draft. There's nine players on Elite Prospect's list of draft prospects who are older. One of whom I'm going to talk about in a moment. MeKenna is from Whitehorse, Yukon which inevitably means that he left home very young to play competitive hockey in the south. He started out in the local system, but he shows up on a team in Kelowna, BC in 2020, however that season was cancelled. He was 13 at the time. McKenna got to play the next season for Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna U18 Prep. Elite Prospects links to a site called [My Hockey Ratings](https://myhockeyrankings.com/team%5Finfo.php?y=2026&t=4760&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), and they say this about themselves: > MYHockey's ratings are computed mathematically, with no subjective weighting. MYHockey computes an average performance rating for each team based upon how well they play against other teams and how good those teams are. There are two real inputs to this rating, they are "AGD" or average goal differential and "SCHED" or strength of schedule. They rate that team at 97.92\. The team plays in a league called the Canadian Sport School Hockey League which is what it sounds like, a league for students at schools with high-level hockey programs. They have divisions below U18, so it's notable that even in the league that's elite, McKenna was playing over his own age group. Tij Iginla was his teammate that year. McKenna outdid him on points by virtue of his assists, something I think will drive the buzz around him possibly forever. McKenna's time in Kelowna was spent billeting with [the team's skills coach Byron Ritchie](https://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/gavin-mckenna-whl-or-ncaa-byron-ritchie-helping-him-decide?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). Ritchie is also McKenna's family advisor as he works in player development for CAA under head of hockey Pat Brisson. Family advisor is the term of art for a player's agent before they are allowed to have an agent. CAA's Matt Williams has been acting for him in public lately. In other words, he was so good at that age that his final destination as an NHLer was never in doubt and he was already under the wing of a top agency. In the next season beginning in 2022, McKenna changed to SAHA U18 Prep in the same league. This school is right outside Medicine Hat, or Med Hat, as I've heard McKenna call it in an interview. He had been drafted by the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL first overall in 2022\. He played 26 games at SAHA, led the team in points by 29 over his next closest teammate and also played 16 games for the Tigers and four playoff games. He was over a point per game in his WHL regular season debut after just turning 16\. I assume he would have played the whole season with the Tigers if the WHL had granted him exceptional status. He spent two more years with the Tigers, dominating in points to the point you'd start to worry this was all too easy for him. Medicine Hat won the WHL championship last year, and if you watched the Memorial Cup for Easton Cowan, you know that the Tigers beat the London Knights in the round robin, but not when it counted most. He'd done almost all he could as a junior, and he was in exactly the same place Cowan had been in the year prior, not quite getting the Cup, facing another junior year where maybe he could go for it. But McKenna hit that point at a younger age and in a world of changing opportunities. He could stay with the Tigers or in the WHL if they weren't contending again, or he could move to the NCAA and play what many think is a harder level of hockey. He went south again to face the challenge, and not incidentally collect some serious money. McKenna chose Penn State and played the full season that started before he turned 18\. He led his team in points, with an emphasis on assists. Yeah, that's what the buzz will be all about. Six of his teammates have already been drafted or signed by NHL teams, most of them late round picks except Jackson Smith, who went 14th overall last year. What separates McKenna from them cannot be seen in points. Points tell you he played a lot with good teammates, likely on the power play and he has offensive talent to some degree. The rest is a blank page to write a story on. It is more meaningful that McKenna is doing this at 17/18 than it is that he scored what he scored. Smith is only six months older, and they were the only regulars that young. McKenna started slow, and the buzz turned on him, and most of the talk about him is a blend of character assessment mixed in with stories about points. In a sign a little reminiscent of Auston Matthews trajectory, McKenna was seriously offered a spot on Team Canada for Men's Worlds this year. He has said he decided to stay focused on the Combine and in an interview held at the Draft Lottery... well, watch it, you'll see. [\- TSNNo. 1 ranked 2026 NHL draft prospect Gavin McKenna discusses how he’s preparing to play at the next level.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F05-06-2026-2Ft_6026efd7c96244c6a4805b96af34f4a4_name_2026_5_5_7839e6de_14f5_4708_bdb7_77f9e684af54_jpg_1900x1068.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/05/06/how-gavin-mckenna-is-getting-ready-for-the-nhl/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The conversation quickly turned to "adversity" and the spotlight on him. So that's the other thing that will be the buzz about McKenna. With the talk about him through the season that he wasn't as good as he should be, and similar things said during the WJC the tall poppy was in danger. As far as I recall, his game at the WJC won over Dale Hunter who put his line out on the ice with Ben Danford and his D partner whenever he'd really had enough of the other guys being junior hockey players doing junior hockey things. But I only had eyes for Danford, I'm no judge of McKenna's game. The adversity tag is also code for an off-ice incident that happened in February. [McKenna had been to a bar with friends and family](https://onwardstate.com/2026/02/05/details-surrounding-gavin-mckennas-arrest-released/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) after a Penn State game, and was later arrested for punching another man in the face in a nearby parking garage. He was originally charged with aggravated assault and some other lesser charges. Within days the one serious charge was dropped. The court process on the misdemeanor assault charge is ongoing, and is [at the stage](https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmacramalla/2026/04/21/gavin-mckenna-waives-arraignment-what-it-means-for-his-case-moving-forward/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) where some kind of negotiated end to the case can occur. It was just announced that Krystal McKenna, his mother, has been charged with furnishing liquor to minors. According to the Penn State website, this offence carries a mandated fine and can include jail time. If life were a movie, McKenna, heading into the Combine interviews in a few weeks, would meet with John Chayka and Mats Sundin and the conversation they'd have about scandal and adversity, your reputation and how you see yourself, and what you can do when the two don't match would be the underpinning of the first act and set the tone for the glorious climax of redemption for everyone. I don't doubt those two men know exactly how McKenna feels. So does Auston Matthews. The B plot in this move is the similarities between these two players. The early years in a place without elite competition, the move away at a young age to a dramatically different place, the family, the sacrifices, the long hard slog, the search for a challenge when it was all too easy at 17\. And the arrest. And the scrutiny. And the reputation that can't be fixed except, absurdly, by winning at hockey. Life isn't a movie, though. And Chayka and Sundin will talk to a lot of other players. But it's a hell of a story. ### Ivar Stenberg Ivar Stenberg is a couple of months older than McKenna, missing last year's draft by two weeks on his birthdate. He is from Stenungsund Sweden and played in his hometown club as a child until he finished the 2020-2021 season. He was 14 and moved to a greater challenge in a bigger club that had an SHL team at its head. This is exactly the same move McKenna tried to make at 12/13, but had to wait a year. Stenungsund is a small town up at the far end of what looks like a fjord to me. It's not as remote as McKenna's birthplace, but it is interesting to consider just how much they have in common off the ice. They are not city boys. When Stenberg went south, it was a lot easier, a one-hour straight shot down the highway to Göteborg, more commonly known in English as Gothenburg, which is Sweden's second-largest city. Stenberg joined Frölunda HC and immediately began playing U16 hockey at the regional level. The next season, 2022-2023, he moved to J18 at the regional and national level. As is typical for Swedish prospects, he has seasons where he played for five teams. This frustrates people who want to see rankings on league tables for points, but the club focus on development vs the desire to win championships is balanced differently in Sweden to Canada. Stenberg climbed the age rankings at Frölunda until 2024-2025 where he split his season between the J20 team and the SHL team. He was 17, and moving up a year earlier than McKenna. Stenberg was a full time SHLer last season and played on the national team at the WJC for the first time, winning gold. Frölunda did not go deep in the playoffs, so he only got in six games. In the SHL, he averaged 15 minutes per game and was fifth on the team for points. That is impressive usage. The SHL gives some on-ice Corsi stats that are hard to find much meaning in, but there are some clues to usage there. Overall the team had a high Corsi %, and Stenberg led the team. This is most strongly an indication of a coach using his offensively gifted teenager in a very offensively-defined role. He also had the second-highest ice time per game on the power play, so he clearly played the first unit. The buzz about Stenberg seems to be primarily that he's the forward in the top five who isn't McKenna so he is portrayed as his opposite in all ways. He's not exclusively getting points by tilting towards assists, but his seasons where he scores goals to match are rare. His full season on the J20 team in 2024-2025 saw him shoot at 16%, and the buzz that creates never seems to include the caveat on how unrepeatable it is. Stenberg's movie is the Star is Born remake number five thousand. He is the plucky young (forget he's a titch older) fresh-faced up-and-comer with no character blemishes that are public. He won the Gold at the WJC, and that's the first act plot point that tells us he is here to supplant the other guy, the one we've known long enough and well enough to have seen his flaws. Only two Swedes have been drafted first overall: Mats Sundin and Gabriel Landeskog. Landeskog gets an asterisk for actually playing in the OHL, so only one Swedish trained player went first overall. Movie logic says Mats gets to draft the player he sees as himself reborn, and I've seen some buzz about that. Stenberg, however, is not a big, tough two-way centre. Both of these players are left-wingers with some marked similarities in their offensive games, and some big differences as well. Beware the buzz because it follows the logic of time-worn narratives. My early take on these two is very much a desire to have them both. That's a different movie, though, and requires some machinations we haven't seen since 1999. Over the next seven weeks we'll all become more expert on these two and some radical other choices, but as you learn things about them, notice how they fit the time-worn narratives and be at least a little skeptical of the conclusions. ### Monday's FTB: Prospecting season URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-prospecting-season/ Last updated: 2026-05-11T11:21:23.000Z I'm about to ramble about drafting, so I'll put this at the top. I went to clean out the spam memberships the other day and I was surprised to discover how many of them were real. So welcome new people. Some things to help you. ### Welcome new readers and members If you're completely new to PPP please read the [Community Guidelines](https://pensionplanpuppets.ghost.io/community-guidelines/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). The [About Page](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/about/) gives a brief outline of who we are and how we came into being. If you're not completely new, you should read the Community Guidelines. If you need help with something, check out the [How To section, particularly the FAQ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tag/how-to/) If you can't see the comments, go to [the FAQ first](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/i-cant-see-the-comments/) If nothing there helps, drop an email to us. Look for the Contact link in the footer. You have to be a member to comment, and membership works on an email-based, no password system. You will be sent an email with a secure login link or a URL you can copy if you want to use a different browser to where you get your email. This is a fairly uncommon system, so if it causes you trouble, ask for help. If you're going to the trouble of making an account to make trolly comments as a fan of some other team, may I suggest you start your own blog and build out the site and customize the experience for your readers. You suddenly won't have time for that nonsense. Any other questions, just ask, someone will either know the answer or lie convincingly. Also, so you understand, this site is 100% paid for by members' subscriptions. If you want to know more read this How To article: [Everything you need to know about subscribing to PPP LeafsValid as of 2026: You’ll find a Subscribe link floating around near the bottom of the page, and there’s a subscription box in the footer on each page. If you’re not a member of the site, enter an email in the box in the footer or click the Subscribe link,![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1595014361820-91c39c0cf800?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=MnwxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fG1lbWJlcnNoaXB8ZW58MHx8fHwxNjc4ODg4NTM3&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=2000)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/how-to-subscribe/) Subscriptions are what it says on the tin, they renew automatically. If you would like to donate one time the tip jar link up in the top menu is what you need. If you don't want to support us financially, that's totally okay. I would need to make an effort to know who is a paid subscriber and who isn't, and I choose carefully where to put my efforting, so I don't keep track. One other note. This is an observation not a complaint but it somewhat relates to topics that do come up when discussing hockey from an analytical perspective. Particularly about draft prospects. There's been a couple of comments here and there that made me pause, and I wanted to clarify my thoughts on something. There is no wrong way to perform your gender. There isn't a moral hierarchy of gender diversity. There isn't one true way for a hockey player. There isn't something about character you can discern from performance of gender. If you moralize about gender performance here, you are doing it in a venue where I guarantee you will be insulting someone. This isn't about being offended, it's about everyone recognizing that "we" are not all alike here. Something we all should always assume anyway. Okay, welcome, try to remember, hockey is fun. And if you signed up to give us a talkin' to, well, on your head be it. We've had decades to refine techniques to deal with that. --- I'm not sure it's really sunk in yet that the Leafs have the first overall pick. I'm not sure I've moved off my initial reaction which involved a lot of laughing. But time comes at you whether you want it to or not and we are now six weeks and change to the draft itself. This means it's prospect prospecting season full on, although I do hear some people watch the playoffs as well. There was some limited chatter about a game last night? I don't now. There are almost no prospects of note to watch who are still playing. Ivar Stenberg is likely to play for Sweden at Men's Worlds, as is Viggo Björck. That will be announced today and the tournament starts Friday. Everyone else is practicing pullups for the Combine which is only three weeks away. The Marlies don't play again until Thursday. I have not followed prospects in years. There's hot young stars in the NHL who surprise me when I see them because I've never heard of them until there they are playing at a high level. I am assuming many other people have been similarly disinterested, so before we get to Brig's comprehensive look at draft prospects for both the first overall and the second rounder, as well as the late-round picks, I wanted to profile the top prospects for all of us clueless types who haven't been paying attention. The first piece is out today, and it's not a scouting report or even a compilation of scouting reports it's an exercise in the basic history of these players and what the narrative that's been built up around them is all about. This is narrative building: I stumbled on something recently that got me thinking about how we think about prospects. It's [the "in mice" bot](https://www.in-mice.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). > *in-mice* is a reddit bot that tracks posts in the popular [r/science](https://www.reddit.com/r/science/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) community. When it finds a headline that tries to frame mouse model research breakthroughs as human medical science, it adds the comment ‘…\*in mice’ to the post. > For example: [The headline](https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/937314?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com#.YbRi78UpmkM.reddit) ‘Nasal Vaccine may Aid Fight Against New Viral Variants’ may lead readers to believe that this vaccine has been tested in humans and will soon be available to the public. In reality, the [research paper](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.abj5129?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) is about a set of mouse experiments, and it could be years before this translates to a human vaccine. A more responsible headline would be ‘Nasal Vaccine Generates Robust Antiviral Immune Response in Mouse Experiments’. > Why do we need this? > Molecular, biochemical and occasionally even behavioral research in 🐁 models can be very fruitful. But it’s important to note that many results seen in animal models will take years before they are translated to the clinic. Many don’t make it. Let's take that last paragraph and re-write it. Junior, NCAA and occasionally European Men's team data can be very fruitful for evaluation. But it's important to note that many results seen in those leagues can take years before they are translated to the NHL. Many don't make it. I can't, much as it would make me laugh, build a bot to append "in junior hockey" to every statement made about a top draft prospect, so what I urge everyone to do is mentally add it yourself as a hype corrective. By T25 season, it might be ingrained. Also, seriously, learn to look beyond the headlines on medical research. Reading the entire story is one neat trick that helps with that. Every year someone will roll up at the T25 and tell us all as if it's a new idea that really that one dude on the internet there that does tiers of prospects, that's way better and you should totally do that and why no, I got no clue how, but you should. The T25 is an old thing set in its ways, and its ways are for fun, not deep analysis or complex voting schemes. But it still teaches so many lessons, and one of them absolutely is that figuring out relative values of disparate prospects is really difficult. A lesson that flies out the window when the hindsight goggles get snapped on and people judge prior drafts. When anyone is talking about prospects, they are describing one guy, usually. Although there is going to be a lot of McKenna vs Stenberg. It's extremely difficult to compare their value to a team. Not least because we don't all agree on the definition of value. I mentioned this is the comments the other day, but Billy Beane's philosophy of drafting for the Oakland A's was to find players with flaws other people thought were important, but he believed didn't matter. He considered that knowledge not belief. I couldn't help but think of Sebastian Aho, the man no one thought was anything like who he is because of things about him that don't matter. It's been long enough we should have grappled with what physical dimensions in a prospect mean and don't mean, but it's so emotionally fraught – big man, grr, make big hit, go boom – that maybe it will forever be something only some teams grasp. But what Beane's ideas really made me think about is our obsession with the complete player. It's dangerous to port baseball ideas into hockey because they measure defence a little better. But what Beane thought was true (and I see no reason to doubt him) is that defence doesn't matter if you generate enough offence "in baseball". Hockey people of all kinds love the complete player. I read something recently about a baseball reporter decades ago, who listened to a hockey game on the radio, having never paid any attention to the game before, and he described it as listening to an endless description of failure. Yes, that's it! That is what hockey is, endless trying punctuated by occasional explosive success. Given that, it's natural that the fan engagement is mostly complaining about mistakes. There's lots of them. A complete player may generate fewer complaints. And so we like them more. And we'll sell the chance for more bursts of offensive excitement for a quiet life. We'll come up with truisms and systems and coaching preferences and stories about how you win in the playoffs to keep Mr. Failsalot off the ice. Mr. Failsalot can hurt you. Mr. Complete does that less. You might think I'm talking obliquely about Morgan Rielly, but really it's some other guy: [Flyers’ Matvei Michkov a healthy scratch for must-win Game 4 vs. Hurricanes![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/michkov.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/flyers-matvei-michkov-a-healthy-scratch-for-must-win-game-4-vs-hurricanes/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And Mitch Marner, and all the wrong lessons learned from his scoring burst in the playoffs now vs in the past. How often, when we look at prospects with a rapt attention to how they spread out their skill points when they made their character, do we see imbalance itself as a flaw. When the person just put a point in every category, we see the balance as a positive. It's really hard to not just complain about the flaws and miss the overall value. The question of which skill detriments matter and which don't is not a robustly studied area of hockey. Faceoff skill above average is very unimportant, and that's about the only thing anyone's ever seriously quantified. I have some opinions on this. I actually do think there is a minimum in-zone defensive ability that is needed in a defenceman, and that transition skill cannot make up for a lack of it. In other works, the player being able to impact overall shots against in a good way can be obliterated by not being of any actual use defensively. Overall shots against or quality of shots against can't measure that kind of defence either. And no one player is on the ice enough to determine how they impact the goalie making saves or not in a reliable way. I don't care at all about a defenceman's personal shooting. But I don't think we in general really understand what forwards can be bad at and have it not matter at all – thereby generating the secretly good player. I think, but do not know, that offence creation is the most important thing a forward can do. This is why I have some patience with he who shall not be named, this season excepted. Rule one is pointz lie, but rule two is a little more hazy, because it's hard to be sure about what does and does not matter in individual player evaluation. This is my off the cuff list of defencemen who I think are particularly gifted at defence, although Forsling had a bad year (by his standards) like the rest of his team, I'm keeping him on my list. It's tilted east because I know them better. - Jaccob Slavin - 120 - Gustav Forsling - 126 - Adam Fox - 66 - Moritz Seider - 6 - Jonas Brodin - 10 - Adam Pelech - 65 - Artem Zub - undrafted - Chris Tanev - undrafted Just some food for thought on the nature of drafting defencemen. Or of trading for them, and how their offensive impact should be the third thing you look at after defending and transition. Oh, and offensive vs defensive defenceman, aside from being too simplistic, doesn't map onto height like so many believe. It's not actually about masculinity either. ### Weekend FTB: The wrong kind of prospect news URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-news-prospects/ Last updated: 2026-05-09T12:35:01.000Z Okay first up today a news item that we might as well have out in the open in full before it gets picked up by the great amplification and distortion organ that is social media. [https://www.psucollegian.com/news/crime\_courts/gavin-mckennas-mom-charged-with-furnishing-liquor-for-minors/article\_87dac3d5-f2e2-47c2-95e1-2b8b52b7df5c.html](https://www.psucollegian.com/news/crime%5Fcourts/gavin-mckennas-mom-charged-with-furnishing-liquor-for-minors/article%5F87dac3d5-f2e2-47c2-95e1-2b8b52b7df5c.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) As you likely know, Gavin McKenna was arrested in the winter for punching a man in the face near a bar. At that time the police stated they had video of McKenna leaving the bar. He was reportedly there with his family. The serious charge against McKenna was dropped within days with the statement made that the evidence didn't support the intent provisions of that charge. McKenna is still facing some misdemeanor and summary charges, and that process is ongoing. This charge of furnishing liquor to minors against Krystal McKenna, his mother, was laid in April, but stems from that same incident. The potential outcome is a fine or jail time, and that process is ongoing and may involve some kind of settlement as seems to be expected in some news reports regarding Gavin's case. My first response on reading this was: hands up if your mom ever bought you beer when you weren't legal. Which might be a way to split everyone up by age and class. But my hand is up. Not in a bar, though. For a supervised party. --- Montréal beat the Sabres last night to tie their series. That winner faces (almost certainly) Carolina. They are trying to go 8-0 by beating the Flyers today in a game that starts at 6 pm. No one has ever done that in the modern era of hockey, I heard on a podcast yesterday. The Avs play the Wild today at 9 pm and they lead that series 2-0\. Vegas now leads the Ducks 2-1\. [Marner has natural hat trick, Golden Knights top Ducks in Game 3 of West 2nd Round | NHL.comForward gets 4 points for Vegas, which retakes series lead; Dostal pulled for Anaheim![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)NHL logoDan Arritt![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/gmhto715qmgq0vf8qbal.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/playoffs/vegas-golden-knights-anaheim-ducks-game-3-recap-may-8-2026?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) --- If you missed it yesterday the preliminary rosters for Worlds are out. And speaking of Gavin McKenna, I heard on a podcast, and they've all run in together in my head, I can't remember who said this, but not some radio performer guy, a believable person... But McKenna was not offered a roster spot on Team Canada, just a spot like the extra junior player who might get in some games. Given this legal stuff his family is facing, it's not a surprise he turned it down. The other reason he turned it down, as mentioned on the pod, is fairly silly, and kind of not. He doesn't weight much. He's a bit like Cowan at his age, not yet at his full strength, and he wants to build up now prior to the Combine. His eyes should be on next fall, but if a guy like him isn't stupidly competitive, he's not a guy like him. > NHL Draft: Gavin McKenna to skip IIHF World Championship to prepare for [@NHL](https://twitter.com/NHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Draft Combine. He's currently working out/skating in Kelowna. > > "It's better for his development to stay back, prepare for the NHL Combine & start his summer training."[https://t.co/8692ufDltF](https://t.co/8692ufDltF?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mike Morreale (@mikemorrealeNHL) [May 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/mikemorrealeNHL/status/2053085470112862408?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Meet the 2️⃣3️⃣ players who will wear the 🍁 at [#MensWorlds](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MensWorlds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)! > > Voici les 2️⃣3️⃣ joueurs qui porteront la 🍁 au [#MondialMasculin](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MondialMasculin?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)! > > ROSTER: [https://t.co/sfrs3l0ZKL](https://t.co/sfrs3l0ZKL?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > FORMATION : [https://t.co/MfjPGLV9Nn](https://t.co/MfjPGLV9Nn?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/NUFFnwTn9t](https://t.co/NUFFnwTn9t?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) [May 8, 2026](https://twitter.com/HockeyCanada/status/2052780721417171392?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Introducing the preliminary roster for the 2026 U.S. Men's National Team! 🇺🇸[#MensWorlds](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MensWorlds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) roster details: [https://t.co/A4ssxWDEM1](https://t.co/A4ssxWDEM1?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/dOqsTKgF2I](https://t.co/dOqsTKgF2I?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — USA Hockey (@usahockey) [May 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/usahockey/status/2052439913061302295?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Sweden is finalizing their roster in some action that continues today. And Tinus Luc Koblar is on the Norwegian team as expected. [MacLeodová končí na lavičce ženské reprezentace | Hokej.cz - web českého hokejeKanadská trenérka a bývalá obránkyně Carla MacLeodová (43) po čtyřech letech končí na lavičce ženské reprezentace. Dovedla ji k největším úspěchům v historii – dvěma bronzům z mistrovství světa. O konci její mise informoval Český hokej na webových stránkách.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Hokej.czJakub Ruč![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/macleod090526ova.png)](https://www.hokej.cz/macleodova-konci-na-lavicce-zenske-reprezentace/5096008?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Carla MacLeod, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, is stepping down from coaching the Czech Women's team. She has led the team out of the field and into the medals, one of the most rapid rises in hockey prowess in recent memory. ### Should they or shouldn't they: make a coaching change URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/should-they-or-shouldnt-they-make-a-coaching-change/ Last updated: 2026-05-08T12:11:42.000Z When people talk about firing the coach, which is usually very emotional, they're doing that thing that Justin Bourne talked about in regards to the Leafs – decide who you want to add, not who you want to get rid of. I wrote a big headline when Bruce Cassidy was fired about how Brad Treliving could save his job by firing Berube and hiring Cassidy. Not that he really could have, no GM on any team gets to make the decision to have the organization eat years of contracted salary by themselves. But that was the only idea that could have helped when Treliving was hanging by a thread. He did nothing – his forte – and he is gone. Bruce Cassidy's name is still on everyone's lips as the most famous guy who has the appearance of being good. Win/loss or Cups won or reputation or any of that is not a good reason to bring in a coach. It's how you argue about who should coach. Not decide. The question first needs to be: should they change coaches at all. So I want to discuss how I see that in a way that does not require deep or even superficial understanding of measures that mean something. Again win/loss record means nothing. It's as wrong to use that as it is to listen to colour commentators claim GAA measures a goalie and not the entire team. I will try my best to not have to start this with: In the beginning there was Corsi... Instead, I'll put my personal opinion of Craig Berube on the table. I was mildly appalled when they hired him even if I was not surprised, but I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. I first paid serious attention to him when he was about to be fired by the Flyers many years before. I used to focus solely on the worst teams in the NHL at that time (which is one of the reasons I'm not convinced by many hindsight views of the Coyotes) and the Flyers were demoralizing their good players and pushing them towards the exit. They've all moved on now except Sean Couturier and more than a decade on since he was fired there, they're getting a tiny taste of the playoffs. I watched the Blues win the Cup with Berube as coach and I don't have this extreme negative feeling that's common to Jordan Binnington and I love Ryan O'Reilly, so it was a lot of fun, but it was pretty obvious they bored their way to winning while Binnington did the, well, Winnington. But I was willing to see if Berube plus the dynamic players on the Leafs equaled a slightly more balanced game to Sheldon Keefe's. The meme-based response to Berube on this site has been to create a caricature of a red-faced screamer who hates everything good and spends all his time concerned only with the way the players perform their masculinity. I don't think there's any foundation in reality for that view and it's a barrier to really understanding the team. My take on his affect was that he was trying to be boring and calm and boring in media hits to avoid having the heat turned up on the team. I find him funny, and I bet I'd like him as someone to have a beer with. I think he knows more about hockey than me, in ways I can't know it, that he has real and meaningful expertise. And I think he should retire. The really wrong question being asked about Berube is the one that's posed as: Can the Leafs win with him as coach. Well, yeah. Demonstrably. The Leafs won their division with him behind the bench. But this discussion always digresses into ideas about how he plays a particular player wrong or he isn't right for the team but maybe he's okay for some other team. And that's the wrong conversation. The right question is: How should a winning team play? What John Chayka has said, more than once so it's his go-to line on this, is that he wants the Leaf to be a versatile team that can win in many ways. A team that can do the things that will get them wins in multiple circumstances. You may have heard Flyers players talking about Carolina after they got stomped to dust in their opening second-round game. They said things about how they studied the way that team plays and discussed how to counter it and then they went out and just couldn't do it. They couldn't do it a second time either. What does it mean to be versatile? The ability to adjust to the context of who you're playing so if you are crashing headlong into the Panthers hard forecheck you have an answer, if you're being run around by the Habs, you have an answer, if you're facing the high pressure system of Carolina, you have an answer. And underneath your versatility is a foundation that is a winning system. When all the lottery balls are bouncing against you, you can still win. I think there's another meaning there, and in reading the book Moneyball, I was reminded that the origin of baseball analytics deep in the past is largely financial analysis techniques brought to sport. Derivatives traders importing their ideas to breaking up the game into bits and measuring them. You will get a lot of finance bro language out of Chayka, by the way. What I think he says he's after is a team that spreads the risk around. Okay some analysis. Expected Goals is a way of weighting the quality of shots with their location, type and various other factors to avoid just using the volume of them as the base measure (that's Corsi). The xG% is the weighted shots for vs against. The bigger that number is at five-on-five, the more likely a team is to win in the future. Because that is true, it has become a way of deciding if a team is "good" or not. Which is not how you decide if a team is versatile enough to win in multiple ways. I found the 2024-2025 season a trial because for anyone who takes that single number as the good/bad blinking light, the Leafs were bad (if you picked the right variety of xG or Corsi) and did not deserve their place in the standings. And that's just wrong. The Leafs that year at 50% xG by the site I looked at first, could win playoff games, and they did. The took the Cup champs to seven games, made them work harder than anyone else managed. But at no time they did the Leafs spread their risk out. Their five-on-five xG was so mediocre they had to have good goaltending and above average shooting to succeed. There's no special award for winning while you're goalie in terrible. You aren't a better more morally sound team of higher quality if you win with a guy who is average. It's just really risky to *need* very good goaltending. The Leafs, with some power play struggles real and imagined, and a five-on-five result that needed shooting luck/talent and goalie luck/talent to break the right way to just hit even on the goals for and against was not a sustainable, reliable versatile system. It was unevenly risky and exploitable by a team that was bent on winning in the playoffs. The fact they were better at limiting quality of shots against than they had been the prior year with Keefe is not enough of a risk reducer to have made the rest of what they did a long-term viable process. This is the question about Berube. Not can he coach Morgan Rielly to individual success or did he stifle Auston Matthews. It's not even just the zone exits – and Chayka also described the Leafs as having some opportunities to improve in terms of clean exits in the understatement of the century. This shouldn't be a thought experiment about erasing injuries and adding better players and returning to something like his first year as coach. That's better, yes, but it's not good enough. Lest we forget the Leafs hit 50% xG while tanking in 2015-2016\. Berube is and will try to create a game on the ice that he believes in. That he just thinks is right. And he's got a long track record in the NHL to draw on of what does and does not work. He's not the hapless fool many would paint him as, and he isn't Randy Carlyle making up fanciful tales for why getting massively outshot is okay. He knows it's not. But there is a point at which he will accept risk at five-on-five to keep the team defensively focused and count on the lottery balls to give the Leafs wins. I don't mean he intellectualizes it that way. I don't think he would see his system as risky at all. That's the problem. It *seems* safe. For all his genuine expertise and understanding – related more than once in pressers – about the need for engagement, commitment, having the puck more, shooting more, and yes, physical play, Berube is not a guy who coaches towards achieving measurably good results in all the things that lead to winning in all game states and against all opponents. He doesn't think that way. For the entirety of NHL history very few coaches have, and they used their expertise and their intelligence to find patterns that worked. And then did all the other things coaches do like motivate and manage and put lines together and build skills. And the good ones were chosen by win/loss. Those days are over. Hockey is a game where it takes years to figure out exactly how good a goalie is because so much of the game is random. Chayka's job is not to play in the realm of hope for lottery balls. His job is to work on the slice of the game that isn't random. Hockey is a hard job, winning is hard, building a team is difficult. It's difficult because the surgical slicing of baseball actions into derivatives works, and there isn't quite the same clean and surgical methodology in hockey. It's difficult because the nature of the game opens the door to lottery balls a hundred times in every game. The Leafs need a coach who understands how to diversify their portfolio of options in a game, and also how to know if the strategy will achieve the goal, if the tactics will advance the strategy, and that what things seem like aren't always what they are. Maybe I'm wrong about Berube. Maybe he can be that guy, but he's only once put a team on the ice that had a good enough five-on-five game to be taken seriously. His Cup-winning St. Louis team. The rest of the time, his teams' mediocrity at five-on-five has left them mired in risk. It's pretty hard to look at last season and believe that's the outlier you throw out and not that long-ago Blues team. Keith Pelley and MLSE decided to add John Chayka to this team. They have to let him decide who to add as coach. ### Friday's FTB: So much draft prospect buzz suddenly URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-draft-prospect-buzz/ Last updated: 2026-05-08T10:00:22.000Z With the PWHL announcing expansion to Detroit, there is reporting that they aren't actually just adding one team: [Sources: Hamilton next in line for PWHL team — Ice WarriorsIW has learned that the PWHL is planning on expanding to Hamilton, Ontario.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Ice Warriors![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Hamilton-TD-Coliseum.jpg)](https://www.theicewarriors.ca/sources-hamilton-next-in-line-for-pwhl-team?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Hamilton team under discussion is said to be playing in the same arena as the new AHL team, affiliate of the New York Islander. Things going well in Flyers-land: > Rick Tocchet to Trevor Zegras 👀 [pic.twitter.com/jiw2riAXUQ](https://t.co/jiw2riAXUQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [May 8, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2052547636641575205?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) They were on their way to losing again when I turned off the game, so I assume that held up. [Dahlin, Makar, Werenski named Norris Trophy finalists | NHL.comSabres, Avalanche, Blue Jackets defensemen up for award given to top player at position![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/twkdrbmcqsmtj7vgpvvy.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/nhl-awards/norris-trophy-finalists-for-best-defenseman-for-2025-26-announced-by-nhl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Another speculative report in advance of any meeting that Craig Berube will return as coach: [Chayka, Berube to meet in coming days to discuss future with Maple LeafsJohn Chayka, the newly-hired general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, is expected to meet with head coach Craig Berube to discuss the plan moving forward in Toronto, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/QHX7BB4U5PEVTZ7IJD7EMDYZ5Y.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/chayka-berube-to-meet-in-coming-days-to-discuss-future-with-maple-leafs/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > “If I had to handicap that part of it, I’d think John Chayka would be comfortable with Craig Berube as his head coach, but that’s just a gut feeling on my part.” This meeting is said to be happening "in the coming days." Near as I can tell, this speculation is based entirely off of the fact that Berube is under contract for two more years. We'll see how this plays out. Maybe I'm getting too cynical, but this Insider stuff on Berube is not being fired is starting to feel a little like a PR push. [Six critical steps on John Chayka’s Maple Leafs to-do listNow the work begins. Luke Fox offers up six big-picture boxes John Chayka and Mats Sundin must check off from this summer’s critical to-do list for the Maple Leafs.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-9.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/six-critical-steps-on-john-chaykas-maple-leafs-to-do-list/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Bukala vouches for Stenberg at No. 1: ‘Harder out at hardest time of year’![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Connected](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/bukala-vouches-for-stenberg-at-no-1-harder-out-at-hardest-time-of-year/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Gavin McKenna’s junior coach believes he can ‘thrive’ in Toronto![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CP174606826-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/gavin-mckennas-junior-coach-believes-he-can-thrive-in-toronto/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [What Gavin McKenna offers the Toronto Maple LeafsAfter landing the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, McKenna appears to be Toronto’s top option right now.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Daily FaceoffSteven Ellis![](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/_next/image?url=https://publish.dailyfaceoff.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/SE5_5178-scaled.jpg&w=1200&q=75)](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/gavin-mckenna-nhl-scouting-report-toronto-maple-leafs-prospect-draft-lottery-first-overall?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There is less buzz about Ivar Stenberg, ironically since he actually played a hockey game yesterday. I watched about one half of it in between interruptions (don't ask how). This is a National Team tournament and Sweden were playing the Czechs with a men's team lineup full of very young players. And Oliver Ekman-Larsson and a few other former NHLers. First of all, Sweden were really bad. Like, Leafs bad as a team, so as you know, it's hard to take much from a game where they took stupid penalties, never had a serious offensive game going, defended like idjits and generally looked like they all just met. They did in their defence just join up for this tournament. The SOG were even, but it felt like Czechia had this in the bag from the beginning. Ivar Stenberg played a lot in the first period, and a lot less as the game wore on. Czechia scored in the first, and Sweden was always behind, so the youth movement didn't get the ice time they might have hoped for. Anton Frondell and Viggo Björck were noticeably worse than Stenberg, so there is that consolation. All I can say is Stenberg doesn't look out of place on a men's team, but he wasn't a hero carrying the team either. Nor should anyone expect him to be. Sweden plays again on the weekend, so maybe they'll get their act together before Worlds actually start. One thing I noticed about the coverage of McKenna vs Stenberg already is a massively outsized amount of attention paid to the WJC. It was ever thus, but seriously, one tournament is not the measure of a player. Stop this. That is it for today. We'll find out in due time how Chayka's meetings with everyone are going. Have a great Friday, everyone. ### Back to Excited Episode 227: Draft Lottery Reaction + John Chayka Deep Dive URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/back-to-excited-episode-227-draft-lottery-reaction-john-chayka-deep-dive/ Last updated: 2026-05-08T01:39:10.000Z Hello, and welcome to another episode of Back to Excited! On today's episode, Fulemin and I discussed the Leafs stroke of good luck in their draft lottery win. We follow it up with a long deep dive into John Chayka's history as GM of the Arizona Coyotes, and what it might mean for his tenure as the Leafs GM. Timestamps: - \[0:00\] Draft lottery reactions - \[13:48\] What will Mats Sundin's role be in the Leafs front office? - \[18:30\] What do we know about the process that led to the Leafs hiring John Chayka as their lead decision maker? - \[33:33\] A long deep dive into John Chayka's moves as Coyotes GM As always, you can find us on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts. Let us know your thoughts on the lottery win, and the Leafs new hires! ### Thursday's FTB: Now we wait URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-now-we-wait/ Last updated: 2026-05-07T10:00:10.000Z Yesterday John Chayka did an interview on TSN radio: He said that the first overall pick is "an organizational pick" which came after some discussion of expertise of the scouts. He then discussed the challenges of scouting for the draft in a way that makes me believe he wants to have it be clear that analytics is a part of the toolset, not the only tool. (Also the body language in this video is a-mazing.) While they all get on with their scouting, we should likely expect the cone of silence to come back down and not much to happen for some time. The Marlies are still in action, playing on Saturday in their next game, which has been moved from Friday. Men's Worlds starts on May 15, which is a week Friday, but now that we're all top-prospect watchers, you should know that Gavin McKenna is not playing for Team Canada, so he is out of action until Combine testing. Ivar Stenberg is about to play today in the Beijer Hockey Games in Sweden. This is a national team competition, part of the Euro Hockey Tour with Sweden, Finland, Czechia and Switzerland. Sweden has already won this event, so they don't have any pressing need to do much here but sort out their roster for Men's Worlds. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is also participating in this event which wraps up on May 10. I am slowly getting up to speed on the other top-ish prospects. Keaton Verhoeff and Chase Reid are also done and waiting for the Combine, so the Memorial Cup is not that important to us this year. It begins on May 21\. Right after the Mem Cup is over, the Combine runs from the end of May to June 6 in Buffalo, and we will be inundated with largely useless numbers about these prospects including updated heights and weights which will be taken way too seriously. There is no Leafs business in terms of players, contracts or any other sort of activity that has to happen before the Combine. However, the front office remains officially unchanged beyond the addition of Chayka and Mats Sundin, so some changes there are inevitable. While it's been reported Shane Doan is leaving, he's still listed as employed by the team. I expect he's a little busy watching hockey in Buffalo right now. Look for meaningful prospect coverage to begin around the Combine timeframe and in the interim, I'm going to do some more, frankly, superficial pieces on who the top four prospects are for those of us who have been happily in the dark until yesterday. --- [Hamilton hockey fans buzzing with excitement for new AHL team, no matter what it will be called](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/ahl-team-islanders-hockey-9.7188713?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In other related news, the team will have a new coach as the current AHL head coach has been promoted: > [#Isles](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Isles?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) News: The New York Islanders announced today that Rocky Thompson has been named Assistant Coach. > > — New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) [May 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/NYIslanders/status/2051716106243514666?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Buffalo took the opener over the Canadiens last night and something happened in the west while I was asleep. Tonight's game is Flyers hosting the Hurricanes. [Cates to miss rest of Eastern 2nd Round for Flyers with lower-body injury | NHL.comForward played 20:53 in Game 2 loss to Hurricanes; prospect Luchanko recalled from OHL![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)NHL logoAdam Kimelman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/jxu5gvmacpdzjhxyosk7.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/playoffs/noah-cates-injury-status-update-may-6-2026?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Suzuki, Nelson, and Cirelli named finalists for Selke TrophyMontreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki, Colorado Avalanche forward Brock Nelson, and Tampa Bay Lightning centre Anthony Cirelli were named as the finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy on Wednesday.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/NJRWGWUUBVB6ZDMEA4R5VBJMIA.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/suzuki-nelson-and-cirelli-named-finalists-for-selke-trophy/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [McKenna vs. The Field: Who will be the first pick of the 2026 NHL Draft?The Toronto Maple Leafs have won the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, now what? FanDuel has priced Penn State forward Gavin McKenna at -670 to be taken first overall at this year’s draft.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSNLuke Bellus![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/DBTEBXUCDJX6VX5KXQHU55L5EY.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/betting/article/mckenna-vs-the-field-who-will-be-the-first-pick-of-the-2026-nhl-draft/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) What we already knew is official: [NHL informs teams of 2026-27 salary cap and payroll range![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/d6f69910cc82ba413b628b855329e7c2087793fde1aea67093826949d439df3c.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhl-informs-teams-of-2026-27-salary-cap-and-payroll-range/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Time to reset your ideas (again) about what a contract should be. That's all for today, have a great day. ### The first overall - keep or trade? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/the-first-overall-keep-or-trade/ Last updated: 2026-05-06T13:00:42.000Z Once you have a top-five draft pick in your hot little hands, you have to decide what to do with it. Now that the Leafs are clutching a very unexpected first overall pick, while knowing they will not have their first-round picks for the next two years no matter how good those picks are, they have choices to make. Trading draft picks from the top of the first round is very rare. So their choices are: 1. Use the pick 2. Do a pick trade to get a similar pick and some other pick or player as well 3. Do a player trade to get a high quality player now ### Using the Pick This is by far the most probable choice the team will make because it's what teams do the overwhelming majority of the time. However, John Chayka has traded a seventh overall at the draft to acquire a player of high need, but that's a long way from a first overall. That move was for a starting goalie, and that is not a problem the Leafs need to address. There is some indication that wanting what I would call the rarest thing in the NHL – a goalie of elite status and consistency – is a strong motivator to trade high-value picks. The argument for using the pick isn't just "that's what everyone else does" however. Players drafted in the top five are much more likely to become NHLers than players drafted later down the draft order. They are also much more likely to have long careers instead of merely meeting an arbitrary minimum level of games played. There is no guarantee, though. #### Skaters with no Regular SeasonNHL Games Played by Pick since 1980 Note: this includes the 2025 draft where most of the players with no games were drafted. | Pick | No Games | | ---- | -------- | | 1 | 0 | | 2 | 0 | | 3 | 0 | | 4 | 2 | | 5 | 0 | | 6 | 1 | | 7 | 1 | | 8 | 1 | | 9 | 1 | | 10 | 3 | #### Average Regular Season NHL Games Played by Skaters since 1980 Note: this includes all the recent years where players cannot have played significant numbers yet. This undersells the average. | Pick | Avg GP | | ---- | ------ | | 1 | 865 | | 2 | 831 | | 3 | 776 | | 4 | 684 | | 5 | 689 | | 6 | 607 | | 7 | 651 | | 8 | 448 | | 9 | 569 | | 10 | 512 | The other argument for using the pick is that players drafted very early in the draft are much more likely to play in the NHL right away. This is not universal, as Mats Sundin played another year in Sweden post-draft for example. Matthew Schaefer has set high expectations with a direct to NHL season of outstanding value. The only players between Matthews and Matthew to not play in the NHL immediately were Owen Power and Rasmus Dahlin, both defenders, both with Buffalo. This gets into what the Leafs medium- to long-term plans are. Do they think they're heading for some sort of prolonged downturn and are just trying to stave that off? In that case a player who can make a splash now is useful, but that player would be spending his peak years on a team not trying to win. If they have some other thoughts on trying to retool and then have a longer period of rolling through players to be a perennial playoff team, then the thinking on the draft changes too. The decision to use the pick has to be made in full knowledge of the projected future of the team, and also their scouting intelligence about the actual person would consider drafting at first overall. ### Pick Trades There are two different ways to do pick trades, although high-value picks have only ever been traded in one way – for another high-value pick at the same draft. The other option involves swapping the pick for a pick in a subsequent year, and that carries a pile of risk that it won't end up as high a value as what the team could get right there at the draft floor. Why would the other team do it if they aren't assuming they'll get better? The only way option one could ever happen is if the player choices in the given year were very unusually poor, and that's just not the case this year. Using a host of public draft valuation analyses, which all return a graph of very similar shape, the probability that a top-five drafted player hits at least 100 games played is nearly 100%. We can't figure how much of that is draft bias very easily, so we need that average from the table above. Note how fast that number drops. It hits about half the top-five values at pick fifteen and hits 200 at the end of the first round. I have never held a desire to reproduce this work, but [an interesting university project](https://www.sfu.ca/~tswartz/papers/ryker.pdf?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) by a fellow who now works professionally in sports analytics used a host of player value measures and got curves that are very similar and match up with Schuckers 2011 work. We need a general understanding of the value differences, and this is very fit for that purpose. The top five returns a kind of value vastly different to something like pick number 10. High-value pick trades are usually for another pick very close in order because everyone in the NHL understands this value difference at the top end, even if they aren't very good with numbers. You won't see a top-five pick traded for a bunch of second rounders. While a pick value chart can call that equivalent, it really isn't. One elite player who can be elite for a career cannot be replaced by a group of secondary players. There is a section of the draft where you don't want to drop out of, but where that line is varies in every draft. How a pick trade gets made should include understanding of the uniqueness of the draft year, and the scouting intelligence and not just focus on the average value. The average is a good starting guide, though. That's one of the ways quantifying evidence works. A pick trade made just using the [PuckPedia calculator](https://puckpedia.com/pickvalue?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) to try to make a trade of the first overall to the Sharks at second overall shows the Leafs would struggle to get back full value without taking a pick in next year's draft, but this is a way to get a "first-rounder" next year, albeit of unknown value. No one is going to want to make a deal to get the first overall more than Vancouver, and they also have the Wild's first-round pick. That's not likely to be good enough to be the deal on its own, but it's an interesting idea. St. Louis has two picks, the 11th and the 15th, but that's not good enough at the top end. In order for a deal like this to happen, the other team has to want a player they think will be gone one or two spots later, and they have to want that player more than the team with the higher pick. That team has to actually want someone they think they can get lower down. Sometimes these deals have looked like a pick holder exercising some knowledge of which player a team wants in order to engineer the swap. In the NHL Central Scouting video, they were very upfront about the total lack of consensus on everyone after Gavin McKenna in the North American list. It is more plausible this year than in most drafts, that a team might want to move up to get their guy. But is it plausible that someone other than McKenna is who the Leafs are going to want? That leads into the drafting a defenceman for current need debate which is complicated with a pick this good. Usually the answer is no, never do that, but I'm not in the Leafs scouting room, and I don't know what they know. ### Player Trades If a team is trading for a player with a pick of a high value, the return is usually impressive-looking at the time. It can be the only way to acquire some high-value NHLers without having an excess of proven high-value prospects to offer. This is why this should be an idea the Leafs give full and complete attention to. That doesn't mean they should do it, and this option is very difficult to have a meaningful opinion on from the outside looking in. It depends on who is available, but how about we fantasize about a player of very high value and a player who fits exactly into a hole the Leafs would like to fill, and who is still at peak age. Even better, his team is doing some kind of serious rebuild. Adam Fox is 28, a right-shooting defender and outstanding player. He's under contract for three years at $9.5 million and also has a full NMC, so while we're fantasizing, let's do it honestly and consider that he'd need to be willing to leave the Rangers because the Rangers aren't going to try to contend. And he'd have to be willing to go to the Leafs. The difficulty in finding a player good enough, and available and acquirable is not to be overlooked here. So while this would be the best way for the Leafs to add high-value impact to the roster right now, and to get someone under 30 who fits that bill, it's hardly a simple process. ### Conclusion The choice the Leafs will make is going to be shaped by their overall strategy for beyond this moment in time, but also by what is possible to do. My overall view on this question is always to trade the picks. Picks, even really good ones, have value in handfuls, not individually most of the time. Trading for players with excellent understanding of their value though analysis and pro scouting is a much lower risk way to build a team. Most of the time. This choice for the Leafs is going to be shaped as well by their amateur scouting and their pro scouting knowing exactly (to the extent possible) what any player in the draft or in a potential trade is worth. Evidence-based decision making means throwing out any ideology about "draft and develop" or "picks are junk" and quantifying the choice within its real-world context. This isn't the first decision the new management team has to make, but it's the biggest outside of the coaching choices. The most likely outcome is they take Gavin McKenna on draft day, though. ### Trading a top five pick URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/trading-a-top-five-pick/ Last updated: 2026-05-06T12:00:45.000Z As shown here: [First Round Draft Pick TradingWho does it, why and how often.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1610277920341-fbd9d7b2a5cc)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/first-round-draft-pick-trading/) Trading in the top 10 of the draft is rare, while trading in the top five is very rare. There have been 12 players drafted in the past 26 years by someone other than the original pick holder in the top 5\. Fewer still are trades that were made when the pick number was known, i.e. between the lottery and the draft. Listed are all the moves (note that trades are simplified here, in some cases several other picks including later first-rounders were involved). 2000 - the Kevin Weekes trade to the Lightning, which was made in full knowledge of the pick value. The Islanders selected Raffi Torres fifth overall. 2001 - the Alexei Yashin trade to the Islanders, made in full knowledge of the value. The Senators selected Jason Spezza second overall. 2002 - three picks changed hands, the most in any year. The Panthers, who had the first overall, swapped picks with the Blue Jackets, who had the third overall. Columbus took Rick Nash and Florida Jay Bouwmeester. The only other element to this trade was an option to swap picks in 2003 given to the Panthers. Florida had the first overall again, and they did not exercise the option to swap. The other pick traded that year was the Ruslan Fedotenko trade to the Lightning for the fourth overall. The Flyers selected Joni Pitkanen with that pick. All trades were at the draft. 2003 - two picks changed hands in an echo of the 2002 trade. Florida traded their first-round pick, the first overall, to the Penguins for their third overall. Unlike the prior year, the Panthers extracted some more value with the inclusion of Mikael Samuelsson and a second-round pick going to Florida and a third-round pick going to Pittsburgh. The Penguins took Marc-André Fleury and the Panthers took Nathan Horton. 2004 - the Blue Jackets traded their fourth overall to the Hurricanes for the eighth overall and a second round pick. Carolina took Andrew Ladd and the Blue Jackets selected Alexandre Picard. The count from the pre-lockout flurry of trades is eight picks moved, all of them made in full knowledge of the pick values. Five of the picks were in pick swap deals and three were trades for players. Two of trades were motivated by the desire for a starting goaltender. And I think the trade for the pick to take Fleury could be said to have led them to a Stanley Cup. 2008 - There were actually two trades in 2008 in the top five. One was a trade that had been done the prior year by Atlanta to get back their first-rounder they had previously traded in the big Keith Tkachuk deal. The other was the Maple Leafs trading up from seventh overall with the Islanders. There were some other picks involved, as well. The Islanders traded the Leafs pick to Nashville who took Colin Wilson. The Leafs took Luke Schenn fifth overall. That year was full of first-round pick trades and other swaps, [almost all of them at the draft itself](https://www.prosportstransactions.com/hockey/DraftTrades/Years/2008.htm?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). Something in the water? 2010 - The Bruins used the Maple Leafs pick, the second overall, that they had acquired the prior year in the Phil Kessel trade to take Tyler Seguin. The pick was not lottery protected. 2019 - The Avalanche drafted Bowen Byram with the fourth overall they got from Ottawa years earlier in the Matt Duchene trade. This was a top-10 protected pick, but the Senators used the protection to retain the 2018 pick, this pick was the alternate. 2020 - The Senators drafted Tim Stützle with the third overall they got from the Sharks years earlier in the Erik Karlsson trade. This pick was unprotected. Those are the 12 picks in 26 years that changed hands, and the final breakdown is - Six top-five picks moved in four pick swap deals at the draft - Three trades for players that involved three top-five picks as payment with full knowledge of the pick value - Three trades for players that moved three top-five picks only one of which was protected, all done before the pick value was known ### Wednesday FTB: Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg highlights URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesday-ftb-gavin-mckenna-and-ivar-stenberg-highlights/ Last updated: 2026-05-06T10:00:32.000Z The Toronto Maple Leafs, to everyone's surprise, WON the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery and will be picking first overall in the upcoming draft! Mats Sundin was live on air to witness the results, and c'mon, that smile is worth a million bucks. Chaykdin/Sunayka got on video to share their reaction with the Leafs youtube channel. 10/10 faces from Mats last night. [John Chayka on the Maple Leafs winning the first-overall pick: “Just elated... A meaningful step and a monumental type of opportunity”After a franchise-altering draft lottery win, John Chayka and Mats Sundin discussed the meaning of drafting first overall, prospects Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg, and how this might change the franchise’s direction going forward. What was your initial reaction when you saw the result? Chayka: Just very excited for the organization and fan base. It \[…\]![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/chayka-sundin-lottery-win.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/05/06/john-chayka-on-the-maple-leafs-winning-the-first-overall-pick/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There is currently a fight between Philadelphia and Boston over who gets the Leafs first round pick from 2027\. Brad Treliving's wording in his trade has given Philly a case to get the pick in 2027 and not see it pushed back to 2028\. Boston was initially understood to either be getting the 2026 pick (no longer) or the 2027 pick. > Further to this: It sounds like there's a good chance the NHL would rule in Philadelphia's favor if this scenario plays out. > > Meaning, if Toronto retains its 2026 1st after tonight's lottery, expect 2027 1st to go to Flyers and 2028 1st to Bruins ... both unprotected. [https://t.co/Iyq5Fq0CM5](https://t.co/Iyq5Fq0CM5?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [May 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/2051777197690454414?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I say let them fight because either way we're losing those two and no matter what the 2026 first overall pick is ours! And I'm just going to repeat that, the Leafs own their 2026 first round pick, no one else has a claim. We can do what we want with it – meaning either taking Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg or trading it (but honestly don't do that). And that's a great segue to lead into the main topic for today! Here's video and highlights of these two prospects so everyone can actually watch something of these potential Leafs before deciding to trade them for Kyrou and Thomas. First up, Gavin McKenna from Whitehorse, Yukon. Left winger. McKenna has won gold at the U18s, bronze at the WJC, won the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. In his D-2 he was the WHL and CHL rookie of the year and made various all-star teams. In his D-1 he won the WHL championship and lost to Easton Cowan in the Memorial Cup. He also won the WHL and CHL player of the year award, among other all-star awards. And in his draft year in the NCAA, he was a Hobey Baker finalist, won rookie of the year, was the scoring champion of the Big 10 conference (yes, he scored more than Porter Martone who's ripping it up in Philly). And the challenger, Ivar Stenberg from Stenungsund, SWE. Also a left winger. McKenna being Canadian simply means there's more videos of him published. Please don't get mad at me in the comments about biased coverage. Stenberg is the reigning World Junior Championship gold medalist, as well as the Champions Hockey League Champions (basically the hockey equivalent of football's champion's league). He also had the most assists and points by a junior player in the SHL. In his D-1 season, Stenberg won bronze at the Hlinka-Gretzky cup and bagged the most goals in the tournament. He lost to McKenna's team in the final at the U18's and made that tournament's all-star team. He also had the most goals and points in his J20 swedish hockey league conference. Stenberg played in the SHL last season, finishing 4th on his team in points as Frolunda finished 2nd in the league. Stenberg was 2nd in SHL scoring among U21 players, more than Chicago's 3rd overall pick from last year Anton Frondell. So, who's going to be first overall? In other news, after falling from first overall down to third overall because of the draft lottery, Vancouver Canucks president Jim Rutherford says he'll be transitioning to an advisor role after the draft. Rutherford has a strong reputation of being quite controlling as the Canucks have spiraled out of control. I don't have much in trust that he will in fact give up the reigns. > Jim Rutherford says that he will transition to an advisor role with the [#Canucks](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) after the draft > > — Harman Dayal (@harmandayal2) [May 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/harmandayal2/status/2051815355560136917?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies and Rocket are going to a deciding Game 5 on Saturday afternoon in Laval. The Marlies lost Game 4 last night. This is a best-of-five series so winner takes all. The game time was changed to not conflict with the Habs game, according to Insider Species. > UPDATE: Marlies @ Rocket game #5 in Laval has been moved from Friday to Saturday at 3 p.m.. > > — Pension Plan Puppets (@PPPLeafs) [May 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/PPPLeafs/status/2051848324156620906?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I think the Avalanche are going to beat the Wild. As of the time of writing this, they are up 3-1 midway through the third period. Nic Roy scored for the Avs while Nathan MacKinnon continues to give us points in my wife's work hockey pool. Pagnotta dropped this weird bombshell on an Oilers podcast that the Oilers almost traded Darnell Nurse for Nic Roy. Holy Boston Pizza, Treliving, this could've been so bad. I'm so much happier with that 2027 first round pick. That would've been nothing short of a return to the Dion Phaneuf era. [Oilers reportedly tried to trade Darnell Nurse to Maple Leafs for Nic Roy at deadline

It’s no longer smoke that the Edmonton Oilers seemingly have a desire to move on from Darnell Nurse. As the 2024 playoffs wound down, his name began to appear on trade target boards as a potential option to be moved, and a year later, the Oilers asked Nurse to waive his no-trade clause — something…

![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Oilers NationZach Laing![](https://oilersnation.com/_next/image?url=https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/USATSI_28443729-scaled.jpg&w=1200&q=75)](https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-reportedly-tried-trade-darnell-nurse-toronto-maple-leafs-nic-roy-nhl-trade-deadline?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) For over a year I've been asking the same question: how does a team replace Mitch Marner? What a difference 48 hours makes... ### First Round Draft Pick Trading URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/first-round-draft-pick-trading/ Last updated: 2026-05-05T12:00:26.000Z The official [NHL record of drafts](https://records.nhl.com/draft/draft-picks?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) only tracks the pick history since 2000\. You can find all the details of prior drafts elsewhere, but when I discovered that the official and easy to access data only went back 26 years, I was okay with leaving it at that. As anyone who pays even the slightest attention to the NHL knows, there are endless discussions about the prospect of exciting pick trades leading up to the draft. The reality is much less dynamic. The basic numbers first: ### First-round picks traded by season *The caveat here is that traded means someone other than the original owner of the pick used it. There are a few cases of picks changing hands several times and ending up back with the originating team. They aren't included here.* | Year | Total | Traded | Percent | | ---- | ----- | ------ | ------- | | 2000 | 30 | 8 | 27 | | 2001 | 30 | 11 | 37 | | 2002 | 30 | 13 | 43 | | 2003 | 30 | 12 | 40 | | 2004 | 30 | 10 | 33 | | 2005 | 30 | 6 | 20 | | 2006 | 30 | 7 | 23 | | 2007 | 30 | 12 | 40 | | 2008 | 30 | 18 | 60 | | 2009 | 30 | 7 | 23 | | 2010 | 30 | 11 | 37 | | 2011 | 30 | 11 | 37 | | 2012 | 30 | 5 | 17 | | 2013 | 30 | 9 | 30 | | 2014 | 30 | 5 | 17 | | 2015 | 30 | 9 | 30 | | 2016 | 30 | 11 | 37 | | 2017 | 31 | 9 | 29 | | 2018 | 31 | 9 | 29 | | 2019 | 31 | 7 | 23 | | 2020 | 31 | 11 | 35 | | 2021 | 32 | 12 | 38 | | 2022 | 32 | 14 | 44 | | 2023 | 32 | 10 | 31 | | 2024 | 32 | 14 | 44 | | 2025 | 32 | 15 | 47 | Is that a trend to more pick trades? Maybe is my answer. It's been over 10 years since the low of five in 2014, but the highest value is in 2008\. However, there isn't a percentage under 30 in the last six years. Blip or trend, we have to wait to find out. ### First-round picks traded by pick number | Pick | Total | Traded | Percent | | ---- | ----- | ------ | ------- | | 1 | 26 | 2 | 8 | | 2 | 26 | 2 | 8 | | 3 | 26 | 3 | 12 | | 4 | 26 | 3 | 12 | | 5 | 26 | 2 | 8 | | 6 | 26 | 1 | 4 | | 7 | 26 | 3 | 12 | | 8 | 26 | 5 | 19 | | 9 | 26 | 6 | 23 | | 10 | 26 | 2 | 8 | | 11 | 26 | 9 | 35 | | 12 | 26 | 9 | 35 | | 13 | 26 | 10 | 38 | | 14 | 26 | 8 | 31 | | 15 | 26 | 8 | 31 | | 16 | 26 | 12 | 46 | | 17 | 26 | 6 | 23 | | 18 | 26 | 7 | 27 | | 19 | 26 | 12 | 46 | | 20 | 26 | 12 | 46 | | 21 | 26 | 10 | 38 | | 22 | 26 | 16 | 62 | | 23 | 26 | 10 | 38 | | 24 | 26 | 13 | 50 | | 25 | 26 | 13 | 50 | | 26 | 26 | 14 | 54 | | 27 | 26 | 15 | 58 | | 28 | 26 | 14 | 54 | | 29 | 26 | 17 | 65 | | 30 | 26 | 12 | 46 | | 31 | 9 | 6 | 67 | | 32 | 5 | 4 | 80 | Naturally, most trades are not for high-value picks. Yet another lesson in why the very term "first-round" is an exercise in misleading first yourself and then others. Lottery protection on picks is one reason why high picks don't get traded very often, but that's not a perfect method of prevention. The big driver of pick trades, though is teams that are good and therefore have low-quality picks adding players via trade. One interesting note, is that most of this data comes from a time when there were only 30 picks in the first round. And it's long been known that pick 30 gets traded less than the high 20s do. That effect has not yet shown up in pick 32, but it may in time. It sure looks like there is a mental barrier at pick 10 – partly driven by how lottery protection clauses are often written, but that's also a human failing. Teams can likely get pick 11 or 12 in trade easier than 10, and they should try for those, not the magic number that corresponds to how high you can count on your fingers. I was surprised to see no strong difference in the top five vs the top 10, but these numbers are small, so it's difficult to see any pattern. Let's meet back here in 2126 when we have more data... ### Top-10 and top-5 picks by season | Year | Top 10 | Top 5 | | ---- | ------ | ----- | | 2000 | 2 | 1 | | 2001 | 1 | 1 | | 2002 | 5 | 3 | | 2003 | 2 | 2 | | 2004 | 2 | 1 | | 2005 | 1 | 0 | | 2006 | 0 | 0 | | 2007 | 1 | 0 | | 2008 | 3 | 1 | | 2009 | 0 | 0 | | 2010 | 1 | 1 | | 2011 | 2 | 0 | | 2012 | 1 | 0 | | 2013 | 1 | 0 | | 2014 | 1 | 0 | | 2015 | 0 | 0 | | 2016 | 0 | 0 | | 2017 | 1 | 0 | | 2018 | 0 | 0 | | 2019 | 1 | 1 | | 2020 | 1 | 1 | | 2021 | 1 | 0 | | 2022 | 2 | 0 | | 2023 | 0 | 0 | | 2024 | 0 | 0 | | 2025 | 0 | 0 | There's all sorts of stories to be told about what looks like a change in attitude to trading top-five picks after the lockout. But it pays to remember that the difference maxes out at three, so this is a cloud not a real bunny by my guess. But this does, I think, emphasize that top-10 pick trades are generally rare. Only 11% of the top-10 in the past 26 years have been traded which is a simple average of just over one per year. 2013 is when the draft lottery changed from the original format where a single lottery allowed one winner to move up no more than four spots, to a system where the winner got the first-overall pick regardless of their original position. If there's a rules-based influence here, it's that. Who traded these top picks? If you'd like to go back in time beyond 2000, then I have the source for you, complete with the traditional Leafs-fan baiting from this author: [Down Goes Brown: 10 trades involving top-10 NHL Draft picks![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)ConnectedSean McIndoe![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/schneider_cory.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/goes-brown-10-trades-involving-top-10-nhl-draft-picks/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It stops at 2016, though, and he used a different criteria. He was focused only on trades for players that happened between the draft lottery and the draft. So it's a compilation of who knowingly traded a good pick. There are very few. The ones from this article that are in my charts since 2000 are (in heavily simplified form): - 2000 Kevin Weekes in a deal that netted a fifth overall for the Islanders from Tampa - 2001 Alexei Yashin in a deal that netted the Senators a second overall from the Islanders - 2002 Ruslan Fedotenko in deal that netted the Lightning the fourth overall from the Flyers Now that makes the story of those trades at the top a little different to the mere appearance of a statistical anomaly. But this is not a social history of ass-covering in the NHL... - 2011 - Jeff Carter in a deal that got the Flyers the eighth overall from Columbus - 2012 - Jordan Staal in a deal at the draft netted the Penguins an eighth overall from the Hurricanes - 2013 - Cory Schneider in a deal the got the Canucks a ninth overall from New Jersey (this was a Mike Gillis deal) I'll carry this on using the excellent [resource linked in the post that still exists](https://www.prosportstransactions.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). Unlike the careers of most of those players. I'll just do all the trades that aren't straight pick swaps. - The 2014 traded pick was from a deal the prior year, so doesn't meet the above criteria, but was Ottawa sending off what became the 10th overall in a deal for Bobby Ryan. - 2017 - Antti Raanta in a deal that netted the Rangers the seventh overall from the Coyotes (this was a John Chayka trade at the draft). - The 2019 traded pick was for Matt Duchene in a deal that got the Avalanche the fourth overall from Ottawa. This deal had actually taken place in 2017, and was for a 2018 top-10 protected pick. That pick was the fourth overall, so Ottawa chose to use it and give the 2019 pick to the Avalanche. - The 2020 traded pick was Erik Karlsson to the Sharks for what became the third overall that year for Ottawa. The deal dated from 2018\. - 2021 - Oliver Ekman-Larsson in a deal that netted the Coyotes the ninth overall from Vancouver. (The Coyotes own pick at 11th overall had been forfeited in punishment for Chayka's violation of NHL rules. This was Bill Armstrong's deal.) - In a deal done the prior year, Columbus had traded Seth Jones to Chicago for what became the sixth overall in 2022\. It was only top-two protected. - In a deal done at the draft in 2022, Chicago got Ottawa's seventh overall for Alex DeBrincat. Since 2022 we have had three drafts with no traded picks of any kind in the top 10\. Will that continue, or is this the year for a big deal? ### Tuesday's FTB: Lottery Day! URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-lottery-day/ Last updated: 2026-05-05T10:00:16.000Z The NHL Draft Lottery is today and will be aired on Sportsnet, ESPN and TWASports at 7 pm. I've been doing some research on the draft and the idea of trading top picks. Today is a piece on the overall history of the trades made over the last 26 years. Tomorrow, well, that depends on tonight. [NHL Draft Lottery - how it worksYou only think you know how this goes.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1518688248740-7c31f1a945c4)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl-draft-lottery-how-it-works/) Yesterday was all about the Leafs with the new executive media availability: [Maple Leafs Chayka/Sundin/Pelley Media AvailabilityWatch together.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1485579149621-3123dd979885)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-chayka-sundin-pelley-media-availability/#comments) You can rewatch the video here. Before that went down, Justin Bourne had some thoughts that are actually intelligent and were on my mind while I watched: [Six thoughts on the Maple Leafs hiring Mats Sundin and John ChaykaThe Maple Leafs’ hiring of Mats Sundin and John Chayka appeared to pique fans’ curiosity. Sportsnet’s Justin Bourne has some potential answers among his six thoughts on the new front-office duo.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Mats-Sundin-smiles-as-he-is-inducted-into-Hockey-Hall-of-Fame.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/six-thoughts-on-the-maple-leafs-hiring-mats-sundin-and-john-chayka/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It's all good, but this stood out, as does the part about trading to improve: > In the past, this idea of “I need to evaluate everyone” before making decisions — namely with Treliving and the Mitch Marner contract situation — has really hurt the team. You just need to know the lay of the land on Day 1\. Where the team is at is not proprietary information — it’s not hard to follow along with their contracts, it’s all very public. And so if you’ve followed the team at all — which presumably Chayka has if they’re hiring him — you know you can’t move forward with the same people in every role. > So is he going to get hired and start by letting people go? By making trades? The draft is in a month, so how soon will hard conversations be had with Morgan Rielly, Max Domi and others? I actually kinda like that there’s news out there that he’s already been in contact with people under contracts, as he’s clearly ready to get going immediately. I’ll take that over “I just need to come in and look around and get the lay of the land.” There will be so much talk about the Leafs hires now because the second-best time to have a big opinion piece out about something is when there's a little bit of information, but not much information. But judging by the sometimes unhinged accusatory questions from the press, no one is going to be talking about hockey very much. Almost every question was about the process of hiring, rumour- and conspiracy- theory based nonsense or the ravings of Steve Simmons and the confusion of Rosie DiManno. There isn't much meat on the bones of that Q&A. I don't think there was meant to be. Almost every reporter there had a process-related question that sounded like a grievance or a hit piece on John Chayka prepared to go. I get that they want to rake over these coals. But the deed is done, and this is, for many of them, their only chance to talk to the new GM of the Leafs about where the Leafs go from here. They're stuck in last week's social media rumour mill. They've mistaken the sizzle of drama for the meat of their jobs. And a lot of hockey fans are so very here for this soap opera of circling wagons and shutting out the guy who doesn't fit in. Chayka was somewhat vague when discussing Craig Berube in response to a sensible question from Terry Koshan. He said that he and Mats Sundin will talk to him soon and discuss things. There was not too much of the "get the lay of the land" sort of talk that Bourne was fearful of. Luke Fox's normal question about hockey got a fulsome answer from Chayka about the basic principles of the game and how they want to be team that can win in multiple ways. Chayka was also clear that he sees a gap between where the team is and what they need to be. He also used the term "latent upside" in the team, which I agree with. He is clear that there needs work to have that latency show up on the ice. He was also honest that they need some luck and to hit on the right choices a few times. No one followed up on any of that looking for detail. Maybe they will have done so in the scrums that follow that are not broadcasted. > Some takeaways from Chayka’s media avail in 2 separate scrums: > \- he acknowledged that addressing the team’s blueline is “a priority” > \- when asked how he evaluates Berube, he mentioned “data is one part of the puzzle.” > \- wouldn’t offer certainty on contender status timeline > > — David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) [May 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheFourthPeriod/status/2051366755717521492?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Dave McCarthy asked Sundin about risk with this job. I believe he means reputational risk, and Sundin basically brushed that off by saying he doesn't think about that, but it was a legitimate question that got an answer of a sort. The entire episode of journalistic incompetence – incendiary or stupid questions about how everyone thinks Chayka is a con man from Steve Simmons to Kevin McGran thinking that asking about Tie Domi doing "machinations" was what mattered were very easy to just shut down. They existed to get the question on the record, not to get an answer. They were grandstanding buffoonery, capped off by Jonas Seigel with the final question who decided, "Why didn't you hire a President?" was what everyone needed to know. He sounded confrontational. Keith Pelley got to calmly respond with the identical words he used a month ago about being open to any structure. He got to just repeat "due diligence" to every line of attack about Chayka, some disappointingly from Chris Johnston who could have asked anything about the Leafs, and instead he went for this metatextual process discussion. Pelley also got to call certain people's reporting "preposterous" in response to the "machinations" nonsense. If these people collectively wanted to shine up the gloss on Chayka's hiring, they couldn't have picked a better way to do it. Because they were so confrontational and fixated on the hiring process, Chayka was able to easily duck questions about his combine rules violations and NHL suspension. He also barely discussed the Toronto Maple Leafs so he never actually had a chance to say anything that might be concerning to fans of hockey the game, not the NHL as a business. Lance Hornby asked about Chayka's plan to talk to players. Chayka was happy to discuss how he's already started doing that. He also talked at length about his approach with Auston Matthews and how they can achieve the values they have in common – to win in Toronto. This was a great question from Nation Network reporter, whose name I could not make out on the broadcast. Luke Fox. He covers hockey it seems, not the social media alternate reality or the "rival GM" gossip and knitting circle. Was this worse than the Dubas "divorce" pressers? Yeah, way worse. Because those two events were an emotional time after a loss. This was supposed to be about the future direction of the team and instead it was scandal mongering, conspiracy theories, and Steve Simmons. I really, really want to hear John Chayka talk some more about hockey systems and how he thinks the Leafs should play with more specifics than he was called upon to give yesterday. He hit my big bias dead centre, though, when he kept repeating how player-focused he is. There was something about the way he talked about being honest with players, telling them the truth and putting their needs first that was not typical GM speak. I want to know how he's going to integrate scouting and analytics. Not one reporter even said the word analytics, and Chayka's opening remarks included a bit that could be taken as him saying the NHL has finally caught up to him, so his time to be a GM is now. He's right, it has, and it does make his return make some sense, but no one seemed to hear that or catch the ever so slight arrogance of it. Honestly, when Simmons started going about his 20 sources (where have I heard that number before?), I really wanted someone to stand up and say, "Sir, this is a Wendy's." This is a much more interesting Q&A: There is also a 32 Thoughts interview, which I have not had time to listen to: [32 Thoughts: The PodcastHockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman & Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.ca![](https://www.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/32-THOUGHTS_640X360_TOYOTA.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/podcasts/32-thoughts/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) --- My focus after the lottery will be on laying out the tasks ahead of the new management, and considering what moves they can make. Moves are unlikely before the SCF in June, however. Our draft prospect coverage begins soon. In other news: Brantford lost another heartbreaker, this time game 7, and are out of the playoffs. I confess I am not sure if Ben Danford can join the Marlies mid-playoffs or not. I'm not sure they'd open up the roster to a new guy, as they sent home all the ATOs and PTOs they signed. The Marlies return to action tonight at 7 pm. There were two NHL games last night, and I caught some of the Flyers-Canes OT and got to see Taylor Hall very happy. Sean Walker is very good, yet another defenceman coveted by Leafs fans who went on to glory elsewhere. Six straight wins for Carolina. > Here are the finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. 🏆 [#NHLAwards](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLAwards?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > The Trophy is awarded annually by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey. [pic.twitter.com/i01Cc6Sh4H](https://t.co/i01Cc6Sh4H?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL (@NHL) [May 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHL/status/2051331025154757040?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's all for now, see you at 7 pm. ### Maple Leafs Chayka/Sundin/Pelley Media Availability URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-chayka-sundin-pelley-media-availability/ Last updated: 2026-05-04T16:47:48.000Z Things I'm looking for: - the status of Brandon Pridham and Ryan Hardy - what Chayka thinks the first steps should be - anything about scouting - is there a lot of talk about a long evaluation period or do they sound ready to act - how vague their statements area about Craig Berube And a preview: > John Chayka's vision [pic.twitter.com/r7DWoli3Sk](https://t.co/r7DWoli3Sk?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [May 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2051338406836486462?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Knows it better than anyone [pic.twitter.com/LDvB2XGgfP](https://t.co/LDvB2XGgfP?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [May 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2051337458004951231?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Monday's FTB: Nothing will ever be the same again URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-nothing-will-ever-be-the-same-again/ Last updated: 2026-05-04T10:00:43.000Z Big news: [Maple Leafs hire John Chayka and Mats SundinThis really is a whole new era because the new boss is nothing like the old boss.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1528294941335-0d388bc8ac99.jpeg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-hire-john-chayka-and-mats-sundin/) And now the other things: > This is a real voicemail one of our VPs received after last night’s game. > > Don’t worry, we've already passed it along to Martin Brind’Amour. [pic.twitter.com/SRQVkQsvej](https://t.co/SRQVkQsvej?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) [May 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/Canes/status/2050987977648517492?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Remember, when presented with something you don't like, think up a conspiracy theory to account for it. Someone is definitely out to get you. The Maple Leafs media availability is set for 1 pm today, and when that happens we'll try to post the video links for you, but these things are always free streams on TSN and Sportsnet. Meanwhile there seems to be consternation about the lack of answers before the media availability where they will, um, answer questions: > Corrado skeptical of Leafs' new front office: 'There's way more questions than answers' > > VIDEO: [https://t.co/GjULL8vY2D](https://t.co/GjULL8vY2D?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/Xqs9kE1evJ](https://t.co/Xqs9kE1evJ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [May 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2051107859291574353?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I have to tell ya, I'm getting more than a tad sick of the faux political style commentary of contrariness aimed at sports teams. The Maple Leafs, for real, do not have to tell you their plans, plot, schemes, ideas or hopes, dreams, fears and anxieties. *They're a hockey team people, not the government.* You aren't the NYT, not even you Athletic reporters. Besides everyone is just going to make up ever increasingly weird things about that master of Machiavellian plotting Tie Domi, so forget answers, make up your own. --- While the whole Leafs news was coming down, the Marlies were playing game 3 of their series with Laval, and they stormed out to a four goal lead in the first period and held to a 6-2 win to go up two games to one in their best-of-five series. Later, the Canadiens faced Tampa in game 7 of their series, the last first-round game to be played. Montréal won that one 2-1 and is heading to the second round against Buffalo. > Canadiens will take the win [https://t.co/e3oM7V0iA3](https://t.co/e3oM7V0iA3?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/j4pLszSOh8](https://t.co/j4pLszSOh8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — MoneyPuck.com (@MoneyPuckdotcom) [May 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/MoneyPuckdotcom/status/2051102003598676403?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) How's that go? There is no deserve in hockey. The first round is now over, the second round is under way and it will last no later than Victoria day. > Chris Tanev and William Nylander are in attendance for Raptors vs. Cavaliers Game 7 👀 [pic.twitter.com/KsCdUy9cSQ](https://t.co/KsCdUy9cSQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [May 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2051108239169704392?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Former Ottawa Senators GM, Pierre Dorion was in Vancouver last week and has interviewed for the Canucks GM vacancy. > > — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) [May 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/DarrenDreger/status/2051095930837913977?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's all for now, see you at 1 pm. ### Maple Leafs hire John Chayka and Mats Sundin URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-hire-john-chayka-and-mats-sundin/ Last updated: 2026-05-03T20:34:25.000Z > We have named John Chayka the General Manager and Mats Sundin as Senior Executive Advisor, Hockey Operations > > Details » [https://t.co/25X9aFsYlc](https://t.co/25X9aFsYlc?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/vJgSQZoYy9](https://t.co/vJgSQZoYy9?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [May 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2051036700244160906?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Today the Toronto Maple Leafs made the official announcement of the hiring of John Chayka as General Manager and Mats Sundin as Senior Executive Advisor, Hockey Operations. John Chayka is soon to be 37 and was an AGM and GM for the Arizona Coyotes under their final two owners for five years. He had graduated from the Ivey School of Business with an HMA a year before his hiring by the Coyotes. He is also one of the founders of the hockey video analysis company Stathletes. He played hockey at the major junior level before an injury forced his retirement from the game. [Who is John Chayka, and why are the Leafs considering him?Digging beyond the surface proved to be very easy.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1611077544775-6e72542a206f)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/who-is-john-chayka-maple-leafs/) Mats Sundin is 55 and is the best hockey player the Leafs didn't draft in the modern era. Sundin began his playing career with the Leafs after the 1994 lockout delayed the season. Drafted by the Quebec Nordiques first overall in 1989, he played for them for four years before they made the decision to trade him to the Leafs at the draft in 1994 in a deal that sent icon Wendel Clark back the other way. That trade, viewed form 30 years on, looks a lot like a change from one view of hockey by the Leafs to a newer kind of game. Sundin went on to become the best player the Leafs had ever seen in terms of goals and points and many other ways of judging these things. His place atop the Leafs all time list for goals was eclipsed by Auston Matthews in January of this year. Sundin still holds the points record. In his third season he became captain and, in his 12 seasons with the team, he also served as captain for Team Sweden. He has one Olympic gold medal and seven world championship medals of various colours. That world championship success is due to one major factor: the Nordiques and the Leafs played very few playoff games during their Sundin eras. In 18 years in the NHL, he has 91 playoff games played, 15 of which came with other teams. His most successful year in Toronto, 1998-1999, the Leafs lost to Buffalo in the conference finals. They spent several years losing in the conference semifinals before dwindling to a non-playoff team. In 2007-2008, while accumulating those all-time Leafs records, Sundin decided to refuse to waive his no-trade clause to facilitate a deadline deal. As a free agent in 2008, at age 37, he signed in Vancouver after the season was well underway. Mike Gillis, then the GM, has stated he was looking for a veteran European as a positive influence on his young stars Daniel and Henrik Sedin. The Canucks lost in the conference semi-finals and Sundin retired before the start of the next season. He is the only executive with the Maple Leafs to have a statue on Legends Row. He has also never held a front-office hockey job placing him in a similar position to Chayka's in his first year in Arizona. The Leafs are set to have a media conference tomorrow where they will all get to discuss the new management structure and future of the team in greater detail. This video from prior to tonight's Canadiens game has some hints about what we will hear tomorrow. > Elliotte Friedman has learned the Maple Leafs have hired John Chayka as General Manager and Mats Sundin as Senior Executive Advisor. [pic.twitter.com/wOR3cLNknR](https://t.co/wOR3cLNknR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [May 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2051031441383792651?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Quotes from the Maple Leafs article: “Today is an important day for the Toronto Maple Leafs organization,” said MLSE President & CEO Keith Pelley. “I’m thrilled to welcome John and Mats to their roles, two great hockey minds that will strengthen our entire hockey club. From the start of this process, it’s been about building a championship-calibre team for our fans and our city and today is an important step towards that goal.” “I’m honoured to join the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and excited to work alongside Mats and the entire organization,” said Chayka. “This is one of hockey’s most historic franchises, with a passionate fan base who want to win. I'm focused on building a team that is competitive, driven and relentless – one that is in the best position to win for our fans and for the City of Toronto.” “This fan base deserves greatness and I am grateful for the opportunity to help this team, organization and city achieve that,” said Sundin. “My love for the Maple Leafs and the City of Toronto is an important part of who I am and who I will always be. I look forward to working closely with John as we both recognize the incredible opportunity and responsibility to win here in Toronto.” ### Weekend FTB: Let the second round begin URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-let-the-second-round-begin/ Last updated: 2026-05-02T12:28:13.000Z The second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs starts tonight... but the first round isn't even over. It's one of those weird scheduling oddities that crops up from time to time and this time it's because the Lightning beat the Habs last night to force a game #7 in their first round series. > GAGE GONCALVES WINS IT IN OT, THIS ONE IS GOING TO A GAME 7!!!! 😱🚨 [pic.twitter.com/fBdLyhwwsN](https://t.co/fBdLyhwwsN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — B/R Open Ice (@BR\_OpenIce) [May 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/BR%5FOpenIce/status/2050398314470769014?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Also, Vegas knocked out those plucky Uath Mammoth from the playoffs too. Who showed up with two goals in the game? > MITCH IS MONEY TONIGHT, VEGAS IS UP 4-1 LATE!!!! 💰🚨 [pic.twitter.com/t8Ho0Xpyhq](https://t.co/t8Ho0Xpyhq?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — B/R Open Ice (@BR\_OpenIce) [May 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/BR%5FOpenIce/status/2050437175141966243?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In addition to that, on Sunday we get game #3 of the Marlies-Rocket series. The Marlies left Laval with a loss and a win, so it's now a best-of-three series. Clearly, a lot of lessons were learned about the Rocket from the game #1 loss and it lead to their blowout win in the second game Friday night. There's lots to unpack about the game, but I can't stop coming back to this Easton Cowan goal in the third period that sealed the win. > YEE TO THE HAW 🤠 > > Cowboy makes it 4-2! [pic.twitter.com/jgF45acjBs](https://t.co/jgF45acjBs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [May 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2050382961522962840?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Game #3 will be interesting. Florian Xhekaj had a meltdown near the end of the third period and was ejected from the game, and it very much look like he hit Ryan Tverberg who was on the bench, which if my understanding is correct should be an automatic suspension, but we shall see. If he's playing there could be a lot of post-whistle action in that game. So, on to round #2, it starts Saturday with the Flyers @ Hurricanes game at 8:00 p.m. ET. The game is only on Sportsnet and TVA in Canada, CBC is not carrying it. If you go to the game be careful of Cam York throwing his stick into the crowd. [Flyers fan returns stick York tossed into crowd after OT series-winning goal | NHL.comDefenseman appreciative of Philadelphia fan who ‘are as tough as they get’![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)NHL logoAdam Kimelman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/fjrf0wxiiknxpijrrwhz.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/short-shifts/cam-york-gets-ot-goal-stick-back-from-philadelphia-flyers-fan?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) CBC will have the Habs @ Lightning deciding game on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. ET and then the Wild and Avalanche kickoff their second round series at 9:00 p.m.. One last note, a reminder that the Toronto Marathon is on Sunday. This is the big one that splits the city in half east-west. While most of the race will be wrapped up by noon, the area toward the finish line will have closures spill over as lat as 2:00 p.m.. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/05/image.png) In the meantime, enjoy your weekend. > RJ BARRETT WITH THE GAME-WINNER! THE RAPTORS ARE HEADING TO GAME 7! THE KID FROM MISSISSAUGA JUST DID THAT 🤯 [#NBAPlayoffs](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/s8rXwKd5Mr](https://t.co/s8rXwKd5Mr?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [May 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2050402276183884253?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Friday's FTB: Quack URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-quack/ Last updated: 2026-05-01T12:12:08.000Z Oh what fun if you stayed up late last night. The Oilers went down like a derrick on fire, losing 5-2. > Incredibly, this was the 16th straight playoff series where Connor McDavid registered at least a point per game. Belief is he was severely compromised and playig through serious pain. > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [May 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/2050081877294264489?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Oilers coach Knoblauch said something that stuck out in my mind, "I really thought the regular season was just a formality," and "on everyone's mind was the playoffs." Sound kind of familiar? All that was missing was the game #7 loss. McDavid and Draisaitl couldn't come up with much more than "I guess they were better than we were." Anyway, the Oilers are gone, and so are the Stars. So that leaves us with three series left and the first round will be over no later than Sunday. The Marlies are playing game#2 of the division semi-final tonight in Laval. The lost game #1 to the Rocket on Wednesday. This is a best of five series so evening it up tonight would take off some pressure. In other news, an NHL assistant coach is available. [Seattle Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell to explore new NHL coaching opportunities | Seattle KrakenSEATTLE (April 30, 2026) — The Seattle Kraken today announced that assistant coach Jessica Campbell will be exploring other coaching roles in the National Hockey League. “As Jessica’s current contract expires, she has expressed her desire to explore other coaching roles across the League and we support her in this![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Founding Partner - AlaskaKraken PR /![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/yr9xn3kmcqushv2nqk7o.png)](https://www.nhl.com/kraken/news/seattle-kraken-assistant-coach-jessica-campbell-to-explore-new-nhl-coaching-opportunities-pr?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The PWHL playoffs are here. News is thin today as likely all the teams are waiting for the first round to end to make some of the big announcements. We shall see. Have a great Friday. ### Thursday's FTB: Rumours are designed to make you worry URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-rumours-are-designed-to-make-you-worry/ Last updated: 2026-04-30T10:00:23.000Z We've been telling each other the worst case scenario as a risk-mitigation method since we could gesture emphatically. So it's very human to be totally concerned to terrified that the Leafs might hire the wrong guy. One of the hardest things to do is be the person who stands there and says, "But are you sure?" because someone in the full thrall of an anxiety drama doesn't want to hear how they might have jumped to the wrong conclusion. Rumours or even facts that are incomplete facts, > Oh they scored! > Five minutes later: Oh, the goal was overturned!! can make you have big emotional moments only to crash down and have the opposite later. This sells. Rumours sell. And yeah, it's a little weird that the goal review pisses people off and the other roller coaster seems to be a more popular ride. No matter, the future arrives when it arrives. I'm guessing it will arrive on Monday, but we shall see. This is the brief text version of yesterday's salient points from 32 Thoughts: [Maple Leafs working to hire a Sundin, Chayka front office![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Sundin.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-working-to-hire-a-sundin-chayka-front-office/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Here's why this is so fraught: not one of us has enough information to judge this contest. We don't know if there is a tiger out there just because of a rumour, and we don't know which potential future Leafs universe will be the one we want to live in. And we still won't for a very long time full of hot summer nights and whole days without a thought of hockey. --- What's most interesting here, beyond the very reasonable salary expectations Der-Arguchintsev has, is that his agent had already approached Brad Treliving: [KHLer Semyon Der-Arguchintsev looking to rejoin Maple LeafsSemyon Der-Arguchintsev may not be satisfied with his cup of coffee. The veteran of one NHL game is looking to return to the Maple Leafs from the KHL, writes Sportsnet’s Luke Fox.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/semyon-der-arguchintsev.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/khler-semyon-der-arguchintsev-looking-to-rejoin-maple-leafs/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) KHL contracts official terminate at the end of May, a change made last year from the former date of May 1\. The goal appears to have been preventing prospects from joining their teams in the playoffs. There is no rational reason to say no to SDA, so I hope the new regime does that. [Stars’ Jamie Benn fined for cross-check on Wild’s Ryan Hartman![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/stars-benn.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/stars-jamie-benn-fined-for-cross-check-on-wilds-ryan-hartman/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Sorokin, Swayman, Vasilevskiy named Vezina Trophy finalists | NHL.comIslanders, Bruins, Lightning goalies up for award given to top player at position![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/olv0wmcuwkceuwwgym4d.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/nhl-awards/vezina-trophy-finalists-for-best-goalie-for-2025-26-announced-by-nhl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Last night Laval took the opener from the Marlies in their series. The Canadiens went up 3-2 over the Lightning, and the Penguins and Flyers took a 0-0 tie to overtime and Pittsburgh dominated for the third and most of OT and lost anyway. The Flyers move on. The Mammoth and Vegas now have someone up 3-2 in that series. And that's it for today. Have a happy last day of April. ### PPP After Dark: Marlies in Laval and a possible elimination URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ppp-after-dark-marlies-in-laval-and-a-possible-elimination/ Last updated: 2026-04-29T23:08:00.000Z 7:00 p.m. Marlies @ Rocket Game #1 It's Marlies playoff time! If you missed my catch-up and quick preview of tonight's game it's here: [The Toronto Marlies are in Laval for the division semi-finals against the RocketThe first playoff game between the Toronto Marlies and Laval Rocket is tonight.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)PPP LeafsSpecies![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/55231572147_dfa30877b8_5k-2-1-1.jpg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/the-toronto-marlies-are-in-laval-for-the-division-semi-finals-against-the-rocket/) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/image-5.png) Elsewhere in the NHL, the Flyers could close out their series against the Penguins tonight. If they don't, the Penguins will be on track for a possible huge comeback series win in the next game. 7:00 p.m. Canadiens @ Lightning on CBC Sportsnet and TVA: series tied 2-2 7:30 p.m. Penguins @ Flyers on Sportsnet 360 and TVA: Flyers lead series 3-2 10:00 p.m. Mammoth @ Golden Knights on Sportsnet and TVA: series tied 2-2 Mmmmm. Pasta chicken casserole. [A pasta bake and a sumac salad: Sami Tamimi’s prep-ahead sharing recipesA pasta bake combining tender chicken and hearty chickpeas, and a sumac salad layered with refreshing herbs and sweet peas![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)The GuardianSami Tamimi![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/4299.jpg)](https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/apr/27/pasta-bake-sumac-salad-prep-ahead-recipes-sami-tamimi?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Not a profile of Mats Sundin URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/not-an-a-profile-of-mats-sundin/ Last updated: 2026-04-29T19:24:51.000Z The [story of the day ](https://www.sportsnet.ca/podcasts/32-thoughts/staving-season-2/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)is that MLSE wants to hire John Chayka and also Mats Sundin in a yet to be fully defined structure. Let's play a game. If the Maple Leafs, not the collection of current players, but their brand or vibes or image – however you want to describe it – if the team was an NHL player, what would they be like? Cap hit three million higher than anyone likes, too much term, a full NMC, skilled, but you always wonder when he's going to disappear for five games, terrible in the playoffs, likes the cheers when he scores, but doesn't want to hear about it when he's bad. Is never sorry the season is over, and always thinks there's next year. Spends all his money on the best gear, but shows up at training camp in late-January malaise form. Blows off the third period if it's hard, there's always the next game. Yes, indeed, that is exactly the fanfic that people have written about Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and particularly Mitch Marner. But fanfic doesn't just arise out of the neurosis and biases of the author. It's a vibes kind of narrative that feeds off of wider held opinion about it's source. That is the Leafs vibe, a trust fund kid with no initiative or direction. We know the Leafs actually do spend money like they have an endless supply. When Brendan Shanahan remade the team and hired the then most expensive coach in NHL history in Mike Babcock, I used to joke they had a money-printing machine in the basement and what came out looked remarkably like a Rogers bill. In those early days of the modern version of the team, they had a rapidly expanding org chart that culminated in Kyle Dubas's final year where he had someone at the executive level for more possible roles than the average person would be able to imagine. They have six AGMs, which I know because Keith Pelley made a point of pointing that out. Pointedly. And yet there is a second throughline of passivity, of choosing to not go for it. Shanahan wouldn't commit to Kyle Dubas, and exiled him to the AHL while he cycled through "old school" on legs, Lou Lamoriello and "work ethic" on legs Mark Hunter. They've both been successful in the past – Hunter more so, and yet their teams have had comprehensible identities. Sorry, there is no other word. The London Knights, who many people really hate, are the same team all the time – better than they should be, skilled and also tough, well coached with professional hockey systems (hardly a given in the OHL) and built by scouting. Lamoriello's teams were always "logo on the front not name on the back", orchestra, not soloist, boring, hidebound and lacking in forward power. This season, the refrain started up on social media – not from takists, random angry fans or attention farmers, but from the better class of reporters and analysts – Who are the Leafs? A better question would have been who have they been all this past decade? Pelley, in his discussions of culture, was telegraphing that he doesn't like who they are. The question asked of him about why he thought he had the right leadership left behind when he fired Shanahan was pretty on point, and his answer wasn't fulsome. It always pays to listen to what people say, but watch closely what they do. What he did was call up Mats Sundin and talk to him. Does that character (assassination) sketch up there describe Mats Sundin? Rather the opposite. So when Elliotte Friedman ran into Sundin and Pelley having a conversation back in ~~March~~ the period before the playoffs, I bet he wasn't all that surprised. When it became widely known that Sundin was discussing a role on the team, there was a strange reaction. Understandable if you have been seeing that identity I sketched out as embodied only in the players. If your paradigm of the organization is that the players are to blame and don't care and are just counting money and every other thing said about Mitch Marner, then maybe all the Sundin talk does is make you roll your eyes about a famous player being given a job he has no qualifications for. When names galore were coming out about who the Leafs might interview, Chris Pronger was in there. I said I did not consider him a serious candidate which was understating the case dramatically. I actually found it insulting to a group of people who have decades of NHL managerial experience – including some already employed by the Leafs – to parachute in a guy who acts like an Instagram influencer. Sundin is different. He has a deep and deeply meaningful connection to the team, and he can challenge that team identity just by standing in the room is a very expensive suit. However, he has zero credentials as a manager. Pelley said he was open to any structure, and it appears he really meant that. There is no indication that Pelley's lost his reason and wants Sundin to be the overall boss of the hockey operations, the job he said he was hiring for. There's every indication that Sundin himself might be less than inclined to too much self belief. I got in trouble once for saying that Sundin's entire Leafs career was wasted by the team. People who were fans then – and I was not – loved him and believed in him and raised up the surrounding cast to heights in their imaginations they never achieved because they weren't cut out to achieve them. Sundin knows what never happened when he played for the team. He likely has some pretty good ideas of why. According to the expanded discussion on this potential outcome from Friedman today on 32 Thoughts, Sundin would not be the top guy, and he has been hesitant about the scope of the role that MLSE is offering him, but that it is not a kind of PR role or what Shane Doan was doing. It's something more, but how much more is vague. I cynically called it making the team bilingual in hockey guy and nerd talk as a VP to Chayka's President – Friedman's speculative idea about the organizational structure. I think it's more than that, though. What Pelley said is he wants evidence based decisions and datacentric focus. And as I mentioned in [discussing Scott White](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/who-is-scott-white/), Pelley gushed a bit about Eric Tulsky, but also made a rather strongly stated point about the "hockey men" around him. He also talked extensively about culture. Let's begin by believing Pelley meant what he said. What he said was the culture was a problem. Things happened in hockey operations that Friedman's own reporting has as not how a business would be run. Things happened on the team this year and years past that we all might say are not how a winning team behaves. Things have been said and done that wouldn't be done by a team that understands the ways of thinking that are datacentric and analytical. The exaggerated and polarized view of hockey man and nerd, numbers and eye-test, gut feelings and analysis, learned expertise and observational evidence might answer the question of who the Leafs are in a slightly different way – a wealthy team, overly sure of the value of what their money bought them, who vacillates between paradigms of management, team construction, coaching systems and player development with no clear strategy. They have to stop flip-flopping and figure out how to synthesize all of this into one package. You know, like how you expect a top centre to be strong emotionally and physically, constantly engaged, good with and without the puck, stoic and also aggressive, the quintessential 200ft player who will play in January how he plays in June (or at least credibly look like it). The idea or ideal of Mats Sundin as a necessary aspect of the modern Leafs 2.0 is a rational choice from Pelley. So is Chayka or Smith or Evan Gold or Mike Gillis. So is the retention of some of the people already there. I'm not qualified to judge them. There is another person who has the drive, the determination, the commitment to the game and also the glorious rewards, and that is Haley Wickenheiser. Please put aside your "women are better people" takes for a second and consider her for her merit as an individual person. She is absolutely the embodiment of the ideals the Leafs lack. And there were early rumours about her as the speaker of hockeyese in this new structure. Hockey, like every sport, goes too far in it's affection for the affect of the star player. You can't role model your way to a Cup. Although I actually wouldn't count out Patrice Bergeron as capable of putting the lie to that. Mats Sundin never could pick up the team and carry it on his back to glory on the ice, and he can't do that now. But the Maple Leafs can't be just another Bay Street office where you go to put in your time while you accumulate stock options. When I [discussed hockey team structure in general terms](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ways-of-building-more-layers-than-a-cake/) I ended with this: > You have to believe in something. Even if you're Rogers, you have to believe in more than just oligopolies and share prices. If you're the Leafs, you have to believe in more than "gosh we're rich." If you're the coach, you have to have more than an aphorism about work ethic. > The lesson of Treliving's tenure is that what you believe in has to be grounded in the reality of your people and what they can do and what that can accomplish. Not what you'd like them to be. Identity and culture cannot be imposed top-down and they aren't substitutes for what works. You can't impose culture by talking about it. Or by signing Ryan Reaves. Or by trying to invoke the ghost of Domi past. Or, for that matter, Domi's best friend Mats Sundin. I think what I missed in that conclusion was that you do have to embody it in individuals. The ideal has to be made manifest right there in human form. That's why I think bronze isn't enough, and the Leafs would be better with Sundin. No matter who else they hire. ### The Toronto Marlies are in Laval for the division semi-finals against the Rocket URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/the-toronto-marlies-are-in-laval-for-the-division-semi-finals-against-the-rocket/ Last updated: 2026-04-29T13:00:22.000Z After a great end to the season that still left the Marlies stuck in the play-in round, everyone's collective breath was held to see what would happen next. The best-of-three play-in started off well, with a shutout by the Marlies against the Rochester Americans here in Toronto for game #1. The Amerks flipped the script for game #2, getting a shutout against the Marlies at the game in Rochester, so it all came down to a final third game to decide it all last Sunday and the Marlies came through. The Marlies beat the Amerks 4-2, getting them past that play-in round where they lost last season against the Cleveland Monsters. > goals so nice, we need to see them twice [pic.twitter.com/J0jXW3Mw4Y](https://t.co/J0jXW3Mw4Y?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [April 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2048528461384331381?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Now the Marlies move on to the division semi-final against the Laval Rocket. They played eight games against the Rocket this season, winning five of them. That sounds like the odds are good the Marlies can take this, but the Rocket are not to be taken lightly, having finished first place in the North Division this season and with some high profile prospects on board and reliable veterans like Alex Belzile, who in ways reminds me of Logan Shaw. [Like a Fine Wine, Alex Belzile is Getting Better With Age – Rocket Laval![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Rocket Laval - AHL Affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/55159126508_2d060e5d10_o-1024x683.jpg)](https://www.rocketlaval.com/en/news-en/alex-belzile-like-a-fine-wine/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) They also have a top forward in Sammy Blais, which, hmm... where have I heard that name before? Oh, right. [Leafs put Sammy Blais on waiversThe roster crunch finally arrived.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1461503312594-019be44dd599?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDI5fHx3YXZlfGVufDB8fHx8MTc2NDE4NDE0OXww&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/leafs-put-sa/) Shaw said after Sunday's game "we're going to soak this moment up, but come tomorrow we have to start thinking about Laval," adding, "their rank is awesome, their rank is one of the best ones to play in the league. We know it's going to be loud, but that's playoff hockey and we're all looking forward to it." While Shaw may have been talking about the fans in that building, which is a really nice arena with a 10,000 seat capacity so it is literally loud, "loud" here probably also means on the ice. The Rocket have real heavy hitters who love the battle of the game, like Florian Xhekaj. Further, the Marlies finished the regular season with two straight wins against the Rocket, so there's some recent history between these two teams to fuel the fire. The Marlies have their own loud player deployed in Michael Pezzeta, who used to play for the Rocket, and on the skill side we all want to see more of what Easton Cowan can do. At a minimum, this will be a very entertaining series. Dennis Hildeby will start in net for the Marlies tonight as confirmed yesterday by John Gruden at practice. Both Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov are available to them and they could alternate through the series. It seems likely Laval will go with Kaapo Kähkönen. The Rocket will have the home ice advantage for this best-of-five series, so the first game tonight is in Laval starting at 7:00 p.m.. Here's the full schedule, with Sunday and Tuesday being the only possible games in Toronto, Sunday guaranteed, Tuesday not, but we'll know more by late Friday night. > Tickets for Round 2 are on sale NOW! > > 🎟️ Grab yours today: [https://t.co/zSisB9ie5V](https://t.co/zSisB9ie5V?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/Jew9UD9ZYm](https://t.co/Jew9UD9ZYm?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [April 28, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2049167089294786607?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Tonight's game is broadcast on RDS in French in Quebec, but in Toronto you can only watch it with a FloSports subscription. ### Wednesday's FTB: Did the Oilers win? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-did-the-oilers-win/ Last updated: 2026-04-29T10:00:58.000Z Today marks the return to action of the Marlies, who play in Laval tonight at 7 pm. Yesterday marked the start of the awards finalists announcements. [Celebrini, Kucherov, McDavid named three finalists for NHLPA’s Ted Lindsay AwardThe three finalists for the National Hockey League’s Ted Lindsay Award for the 2025-26 season are Macklin Celebrini, Nikita Kucherov and Connor McDavid, the league announced on Tuesday.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/BEGYJW6X7BN6BVSFM3J5VOUHUA.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/celebrini-kucherov-mcdavid-named-three-finalists-for-nhls-ted-lindsay-award/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In very sad news yesterday: [Sportsnet analyst John Garrett passes away![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caCanadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/garrett_john1280.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/sportsnet-analyst-john-garrett-passes-away/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Note the date here, this is the first day after the last possible date of first-round games. Keep that in mind for any announcements from the Leafs: > Ottawa’s Ridly Greig will have a hearing Monday, May 4th, for roughing Carolina’s Sean Walker. [https://t.co/VaFDh40Nof](https://t.co/VaFDh40Nof?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) [April 28, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHLPlayerSafety/status/2049262790704042183?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Kade O’Rourke denied exceptional status to OHLThe 2026 OHL Draft will take place June 12-13 in person at the Slush Puppie Place in Kingston, Ontario.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Daily FaceoffSteven Ellis![](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/_next/image?url=https://publish.dailyfaceoff.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/SE5_6037-scaled.jpg&w=1200&q=75)](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/kade-orourke-denied-exceptional-status-to-ohl-2026-27-ohl-oshawa-generals?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) --- And now the only news we really are interested in... The three teams actively searching for new executives have all gone very quiet. That said, there was a one sentence bit from Eliotte Friedman tonight about the Leafs along with some indication that Vancouver and Nashville aren't ready to decide yet. [Latest from Friedman: If Sundin agrees to Leafs job, Chayka-Sundin will lead the new management groupThere was a very brief update from Elliotte Friedman about the Leafs’ executive search on his Oilers NOW segment on Tuesday night, but it was a bit of a bombshell: “We are waiting for Mats Sundin’s decision. I believe, if he says yes, it will be a John Chayka-Mats Sundin combination.” The cynical angle on \[…\]![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/mats-sundin-2024-camp.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/04/29/latest-from-friedman-if-sundin-agrees-to-leafs-job-chayka-sundin-will-lead-the-leafs-new-management-group/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I'm just going to repeat this made to be quoted statement from him as well: "We are waiting for Mats Sundin’s decision. I believe, if he says yes, it will be a John Chayka-Mats Sundin combination." MLHS goes into two ways to view this, one of which is that Sundin is there as covering fire for the controversial hiring of Chayka. The other needs you to buy in on the view that Brendan Shanahan was a novice when the Leafs hired him so it would be okay if Sundin were in the role of President with Chayka as the – well, guy doing all the work, I guess. I'll be blunt here, at least Shanahan had had another job, one with a high profile and in the NHL. I'll be blunt some more. I can't write an article about Mats Sundin as an executive because there is nothing to say. I can't find any evidence of any work he's done at all since he retired from hockey that says he can translate his outstanding playing ability, and noted perseverance and dedication to the game to a managerial role in an NHL team. He did some TV at the Olympics. If the Leafs make him President of Hockey Operations, it better be President like the President of Ireland. If that makes me the cynic in the MLHS duality of possible responses, I'm cool with that. Now, to dial all this way back, let's look at what Eliotte Friedman is not saying. He's not saying Sundin is going to be the top guy and Chayka's going to do the work. He's not actually saying they're just doing Shanny-Dubas Electric Boogaloo Two. So the concept could be Chayka as the head of hockey operations with whatever title and Sundin as the adjunct who facilitates the interface with the sort who have been made nervous by the words evidence-based decision making. That might be cynicism of another kind, but I've watched the scouting room scene in Moneyball and also read the relevant part of the book, and no one in the NHL is going to turn their amateur scouting inside out to that extent, but there is a natural point of conflict there as there could be with the performance staff, given Chayka's entry point into the hockey business. Remember the bit about Keith Pelley wanting evidence for decisions and not "scout talk"? I couldn't reconcile Chayka and White as the Leafs finalists, not really. And I said why not both. But ego and corporate structure and sports all being what they are, that isn't really likely. Therefore, is this idea, whatever it turns out to be, really a way to have a bilingual culture in hockey operations? (And I don't mean Swedish and English.) I come back to the Ray Ferraro and Darren Dreger conversation I mentioned recently. It was Ferraro who said something about an analytics guy and a hockey guy working in collaboration if you could ever put aside the egos. I wonder how many rock bands have started out that way. Hey, let's listen again to Stewart Copeland explain how you can (or cannot) work with someone who has a different paradigm of what you're building. > “I'm a drummer, the back of the stage. And all I ever see is the back of the singer's head. So, I don't care what he's singing about,” says Stewart Copeland of The Police. “I just want to bang stuff.” [https://t.co/QXLRrSLoLh](https://t.co/QXLRrSLoLh?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/VWfJ37FEes](https://t.co/VWfJ37FEes?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) [April 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/60Minutes/status/2046242484167094597?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) We will, as the man says, see where this goes. ### Who is Scott White? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/who-is-scott-white/ Last updated: 2026-04-28T12:00:57.000Z Scott White was just looking for a coaching job when he left Michigan Tech (his alma mater) for an ECHL team in Greensboro, Carolina. He'd played in Greensboro's former ECHL franchise in his final year of hockey, so he was moving from a city he'd called home for two long stretches of his adult life for one he was a little familiar with. He was 31, and felt there was no room to advance in Michigan. That ECHL job as assistant coach launched him on the path to where he is today. The thing about the ECHL is that most teams have one person acting as GM and Head Coach. When the Leafs funneled money into the Newfoundland Growlers, things were different. The Leafs current affiliate is owned by Philip Anshutz (the LA Kings and a host of other teams) so they also have the money to run the team more like an AHL franchise. But teams in emerging markets often double up on the jobs. > There was word of ECHL expansion on the horizon and an assistant coaching job in a familiar city was a great place to start getting his name in the running for a head coaching spot in the league. After just one season with the Greensboro Generals, the call came to become the new head coach of the ECHL’s expansion Columbia Inferno. White was able to secure an affiliation with the Vancouver Canucks and the Manitoba Moose for the new club, a huge coup for a first year head coach/GM. [*Texas Stars GM Scott White Exclusive: Building a Winner, Part 1 by Stephen Meserve*](https://www.100degreehockey.com/2012/10/texas-stars-gm-scott-white-exclusive.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) If White at the time considered the side hustle of running the team in the ECHL the price of having a head coaching job, it paid off in a promotion, just not to AHL coach: > After four seasons, White and the Inferno parted ways. Despite success in the ECHL, there were no AHL coaching jobs on the radar, and White was unsure about taking a run at an assistant coaching job in the American League. Then the Dallas Stars called. > > “Dallas approached me coming out of the lockout with an offer. The right people talked; somebody talked to somebody. I owe a lot to those people. My coaching in the ECHL prepared me for the next level. I was able to watch a lot of hockey and learn the business side of it. I learned the low-level details more in the pro game than in the college game.” *Building a Winner* White became the Director of Hockey Operations for the Iowa Stars, and did that job for three years. Then a hiatus forced him to broaden his experience and scope. The Stars ended the relationship in Iowa (now the Iowa Wild) and wanted to build their own AHL franchise in Austin Texas (today's Texas Stars). For a year, the Dallas prospects were loaned out to various AHL teams while the Stars built their own development system closer to home. During that year White stayed working out of Iowa, but looked after the prospects wherever they were and did a lot of scouting. He then had to build an entire roster for the newly minted Texas Stars in 2009 and hire a coaching staff. What started out as a job running an AHL team had become a job building one from the ground up with Les Jackson, a Dallas executive who had moved into the player development position. They first had to hire a coach, and they picked Glen Gulutzan out of the ECHL. You might know him as the head coach of the Dallas Stars as they play in the playoffs this season. The Stars made it to the AHL finals in their first year of existence, losing to the powerhouse Hershey Bears. They won the Calder Cup in 2014. White has run the Texas Stars for their entire existence from when he built them to their playoff game tonight. In 2014, he also became the Director of Hockey Operations for the NHL team, and then in 2016 was named AGM. The Leafs under Brad Treliving hired Dallas scout Mark Leach to be the Director of Amateur Scouting, and he would have worked closely with White for 11 years. One thing that stands out about Dallas is they have a lot of long-term stability in their organization with people like White working their for twenty years. However Jim Nill just received a contract extension as GM, and like in his very first job back in Michigan, there is no path upward in Dallas for White. Dallas has been a team that everyone thinks of as a good team for many years. They didn't make the playoffs in 2021 with a bad performance, but they have every other year since 2019\. Drafting is essential for any organization’s success, but that has proven especially true for the Stars. What has gone into the preparation for said drafting is what has proven to be the key behind Dallas’ success year after year at the end of June. > “Good evaluation by our amateur \[scouting\] staff,” Stars assistant GM Scott White told Daily Faceoff. “Led by Joe McDonnell, he and his staff have done a good job. We’ve traded some of our Draft Capital over the last \[few seasons\] and have still found a way to hit \[in the Draft.\] > “We’ve been able to bring in some skilled hockey players.” > In addition to his role as AGM, White is also the General Manager of the Stars’ AHL Affiliate, the Texas Stars. In this role he has had a first-hand view of the Stars’ draft picks after they turn pro. [*How youth and drafting make the Dallas Stars a sustainable juggernaut by Anthony Di Marco*](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/how-youth-and-drafting-make-the-dallas-stars-a-sustainable-juggernaut?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) For fans of the draft and develop model of team building, White's record of development is outstanding based off of some extremely good drafting from a team that has sustained itself by adding to the prospects gained from before their playoff run started. > In addition to the aforementioned higher profile names in Heiskanen, Oettinger and Roberston – and 2015 second round pick Roope Hintz, who has emerged as one of the league’s most underrated centermen – the Stars have seen a steady flow of younger talent join their roster over the last number of seasons. Names like Mavrik Bourque, Thomas Harley, Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven are staples on the Stars’ roster in the young 2024-25 season. *Juggernaut* Logan Stankoven and two first-round picks became Mikko Rantanen, of course, one of the other ways you can capitalize on smart drafting. > Aside from the trade that saw them acquire defenseman Nils Lundqvist from the New York Rangers, the Stars have not been ones to easily part with high end draft picks. Being one of the main reasons for their success, you’d imagine trading higher round picks would be tougher to justify. > “It’s a double-edged sword (to trade higher round picks),” White said. “You don’t like to be sitting at the Draft, like this year in Vegas, and not have a lot of draft capital. You get excited at the Trade Deadline, which is ultimately what it’s about: trying to improve the big club and give them the best chance. Sometimes draft capital is how you make the group better short term. > “It’s going to catch up to us at some point; fortunately it hasn’t caught up to us yet.” *Juggernaut* Dallas hit on a lot of their late first-rounders, and then traded the 2025 first for Cody Ceci and Mikael Granlund before the big two-pick blockbuster of last year. Scott White's bland remark about trading picks to add short term value should have gotten more attention in 2024 when that article was written. There is no one true way – trading or not trading picks – and Dallas has done both. In terms of the short term gain, their results have been mostly very positive. How much of that strategy was down to White's influence is an open question. He's had a lot of experience in prospect development and in scouting, and the Texas Stars have had a big role in turning those late first-round picks into players of value. But the Leafs seem to have already plucked the scouting apple off the Dallas tree. What White would bring is all the experience anyone could need running an NHL team, and I found some takes out there about how he'd need to be insulated by a President or some other staff that wouldn't be terrified by the Toronto media scene very amusing. Overall the zeitgeist is forming around issues of fame, ideology and some unquestioned assumptions about how things should be done in hockey and not those pesky facts. I recently rewatched Keith Pelley's media availability where he talked about a lot of things beyond the quick comment about AI that has become a fixation. He had the numbers memorized of how many NHL teams have a President and a GM, how many have those two jobs held by the same person and how many just have a GM. He repeatedly said he is open to any structure. He repeatedly said they are looking to make one hire first as the head of hockey operations. He also made a pointed sounding remark about the Leafs and their six AGMs. For Chayka and White, two vastly different people, to be his finalists, he had to have meant all of that. Maybe everyone should start considering that he's just saying what he means most of the time. Now, having said that, I can see massive benefits to both of these people, although I don't really have a good handle on how White thinks. I almost want to say why not both? How that would work, I don't know. A few weeks ago when all the datacentric overreaction was kicking off, I watched Ray Ferraro and Darren Dreger on their podcast discussing what sort of person the Leafs should hire. They were both very confident that numbers can't answer every question, and someone with real hocky knowledge has to be there too. I think they both grossly misunderstand how analytics is used, but that's not uncommon. But the other person who talked like that was Keith Pelley when he was discussing Eric Tulsky and his intellect and background. He made a point of mentioning that he had very good hockey people there with him. Why not both? ### Tuesday's FTB: AI, yi yi URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-ai-yi-yi/ Last updated: 2026-04-28T10:00:27.000Z This timely article dropped yesterday. [How AI is creeping its way into NHL front offices and can become a game changerThere’s still a gap in hockey between teams that embrace data and those that don’t, but the beginnings of the next wave of innovation have already started rippling.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)New York PostEthan Sears![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/newspress-collage-dulq58ch9-1777263221779.jpg)](https://nypost.com/2026/04/27/sports/how-ai-is-creeping-its-way-into-nhl-front-offices-and-can-become-a-game-changer/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is very much worth your time. I don't agree with this author's definition of what analytics is for and I think he's a bit out of date in his estimations of how widespread its use is in the NHL, but he found the right people to talk to about how AI is and can be genuinely used by NHL teams. From a HALO hackathon contestant using Gemini to help code the project to a speculative bit about focusing player acquisition by sorting the emails from agents around free agency, there's some viable real-world uses for the tools that exist now. He does mention the reliability of these tools and does not mention the environmental impact. But much like the discussion around analytics itself any critique that starts with "don't wear your skates on your hands" levels of concern about teams assuming that AI solves all their problems is not worth much consideration. Last word goes to the hackathon participant: > \[Lanari-Collard said,\] "I think fundamentally you still need really good people. Those people may be able to implement AI models to develop metrics and things like that, but you definitely can’t just sort of hand off analytics to an AI and expect to get particularly good results.” --- I saw an article today about Ilya Samsonov – it was in Swedish and was a rip of something in Russian, so I'll just tell you what it said. He signed in the KHL this year after not performing well in Vegas last year, and his two-year deal is about to be terminated by the KHL team. He's being dumped, in other words. He barely played for them, with only 14 games, and his Sv% was .903, which is garbage in the KHL. I am sad for him. Something beyond his wild swings in results he had in the NHL seems to be going on. He's 29 now, and is again looking for a new team. Meanwhile: > The whole squad is rocking Ernie Clement hockey jerseys 😤 [pic.twitter.com/iQu2fjtxM8](https://t.co/iQu2fjtxM8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [April 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2048894673519804866?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Team Canada Worlds has some new names: > Team Canada has added some big names to its Men’s World roster. Celebrini, McKenna, Scheifele, Barzal all committed. Morgan Rielly has agreed to go to Switzerland as well. More to come. > > — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) [April 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/DarrenDreger/status/2048772500406874470?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Also Jet Greaves and Jordan Spence have been announced. There is lots of time yet for the team to pick up players from first-round losers. Speaking of the playoffs. > Keeping it 💯 [pic.twitter.com/Z5uGGMaeEN](https://t.co/Z5uGGMaeEN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — x - Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) [April 28, 2026](https://twitter.com/penguins/status/2048941446556795212?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's all for now. ### Who is John Chayka, and why are the Leafs considering him? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/who-is-john-chayka-maple-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-04-27T12:04:21.000Z The first time John Chayka collected information and then analyzed it in a search for a deeper understanding of hockey his subject was himself. He filmed his own games and his teams' games as a junior player with fellow Stathletes founders Meghan Chayka and Neil Lane sometimes running the camera. He eventually formalized his concept into his first business supported by his father and [Andy O'Brien](https://www.quartexxmanagement.com/andy-o-brien?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) to come up with a service for players that would improve their training. > “You hear a lot about ‘work ethic’ or ‘compete,’” Chayka says. “I always thought it’d be great if you could actually dig into this and try to understand, in objective terms, what it means and if it’s even important. There were some people who I felt were valuing things that were irrelevant, and some who weren’t valuing things that were actually really important.” [*Numbers Game by Ryan Dixon*](https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/big-read-coyotes-gm-john-chayka-drive-bring-winning-hockey-desert/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Chayka got into hockey management at age 19 after his junior career ended due to a chronic back injury. His initial goal was to bring together a group of on and off-ice trainers to help elite hockey players. He quickly found that if he wanted to convince an NHL-level player to change something like his shooting, it was useful to break down his shooting through intensive video game analysis, discerning any tendencies and weaknesses. Chayka did this video work along with his father Terry. > “He was very young at the time and people didn’t necessarily take him as serious,” \[Neal\] Lane says of John. “When you have a Sidney Crosby come through your school, he’s not as inclined to listen to a 19-year-old as he would be somebody more senior, so John started putting numbers behind player’s games and trying to communicate with them in a way that would remove opinion, and it got very well received.” [*Inside the Moneypuck methods of new Arizona GM John Chayka by David Staples*](https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cult-of-hockey/john-chayka-arizona-coyotes?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) A back injury forced Chayka to stop playing hockey, and while he never was at the elite level, he was close enough to have had a scholarship to Cornell. With that gone, he ended up at Western in London, and then to the Ivey School of Business which is where Stathletes was developed. > Stathletes quickly began to grow, and Chayka found himself building a good reputation and solid relationships with people within the NHL that would ultimately become valuable as he moved beyond his organization. > “It reached a point where there was enough talent and support around the business that it was no longer dependant on one of its founders and myself. I actually felt that at times I could potentially be holding the business back because there was a wealth of talent below me that was ready to take their next step as well.” > But it was a combination of the skills he learned through Stathletes and his time at Ivey that would play a big role in Chayka’s career. Graduating in the class of 2014 with an HBA from Ivey, Chayka credits Ivey with instilling a mindset that drove him to strive for excellence and found himself especially inspired by his peers. [*John Chayka's rapid ascent in the world of professional hockey by Katie Lear*](https://westerngazette.ca/sports/john-chaykas-rapid-ascent-in-the-world-of-professional-hockey/article%5F02341292-1e38-11e6-ad87-d77c8a2200d5.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Stathletes is now owned and operated by Meghan Chayka and Neil Lane. John Chayka is so famous as the youngest general manager in NHL history, that it likely comes as a surprise to people that he was an AGM for a season with the Coyotes first. Once he had the big job in May of 2016, his first job was the draft, but it wasn't his first time there. > Although \[Steve\] Sullivan – who played 16 seasons with the New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Penguins and Coyotes – admits that he was skeptical at first of Chayka, he was impressed with the latter's decision-making during Chayka's first draft with the team, then as assistant general manager, in 2015\. Sullivan recalled how Chayka wasn't afraid to voice his opinion about prospects, even when it was contrary to those of some of his older co-workers. That chutzpah quickly won Sullivan over, and the two became friends. > "He had his laptop and he had all these numbers \[that explained\] what draft picks were worth, what would happen if you make a trade and what you would need in return if we were trading a certain pick or certain player," Sullivan said. "He was pretty vocal and confident in himself for someone we had just hired. I was still suspicious, but it takes very, very few conversations with him about hockey to realize he does have a very high knowledge of the game. And once you realize that, it just becomes two guys talking about the game." > Chayka uses analytics as a tool in his decision-making process and as a resource in dealing with players, coaches, agents and opposing GMs. But he also relies on the eye test. He had written the Coyotes' lines in a leather-bound notepad, and at various points during the first period, he scribbled ideas and thoughts on the page. Well, in fact, his first job was really to tell Shane Doan he wasn't being re-signed which marked the end of Doan's playing career. [*John Chayka, the Arizona Coyotes' whiz-kid GM, is more than just a numbers nerd*](https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/%5F/id/20922909/nhl-arizona-coyotes-gm-john-chayka-more-just-numbers-nerd?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) *by Josh Cooper* > Not long after he became GM — he was originally hired by Arizona as assistant GM, analytics in 2015 — he got together with defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson to ask the Coyotes’ most important player who his ideal blue-line partner would be. Ekman-Larsson said fellow Swede Nik Hjalmarsson was a perfect fit. After some serious digging, Chayka came to the same conclusion and — one year later — pulled the trigger on a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks to acquire the three-time Cup winner. “I needed to find a way to get him to take that next step to be that elite guy,” Chayka says of Ekman-Larsson. “Look what \[Erik\] Karlsson did for Ottawa.” *Numbers Game* As it turned out Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Nik Hjalmarsson barely played together. However, their results from that season show they were likely the two best defenders on the team with Ekman-Larsson getting more offensively focused usage from the new coach with Hjalmarsson being kept for defensive usage. This is not the first time, nor will it be the last, someone believed that an offensive defender needed a defensive conscience. That season's results also show that Chayka's overall plan of insulating very young players with veterans was paying off for Jakob Chychrun, or at least that's my take from a few minutes spent on HockeyViz. For a deeper look at Chayka's trades and signings in Arizona, this exhaustive study is exactly what you need. The outlook is balanced with some attention given to the situation the Coyotes were in at the time: [Devils’ GM Candidate Deep-Dive: John ChaykaExamining what John Chayka may bring as a possible candidate to take over the New Jersey Devils’ now-vacant General Manager position.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Devils' AdvocatesJP Gambatese![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wwPF!,w_1200,h_675,c_fill,f_jpg,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F59a1e1c0-90e3-4038-9a2f-a5306c50e03a_512x512.png)](https://njdevilsadvocates.substack.com/p/devils-gm-candidate-deep-dive-john?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The above post also covers the two concurrent situations that wrapped around Chayka's departure from the Coyotes, but it's worth noting that when he was made GM of the team Andrew Barroway had the controlling interest in the ownership group, and then owned the team outright after Chayka's first season. In November of 2019, Barroway sold a controlling interest to Alex Meruelo who was acting as the owner of the team when Chayka left on July 26, 2020, right before the playoffs were to begin. Bill Armstrong took over in September and Steve Sullivan's contract was terminated in February of 2021 with no reason made public. Sullivan had been acting GM before Armstrong arrived. In 2020, the draft was in October, and there was no Combine. [The violation of NHL rules by the Coyotes staff](https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/nhl-arizona-coyotes-stripped-draft-picks-violating-scouting-policy-1.5700838?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) occurred sometime before the playoffs, and there are [reports ](https://x.com/DarrenDreger/status/1226164576775000064?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)that this was not a one-off practice of the team to engage in physical testing of draft prospects, but an ongoing project. As discussed in the [piece on what teams use analytics for from the HALO conference](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/lessons-from-halo-how-teams-use-data/), biometric data is standard in other sports, and there will almost certainly come a time when what Chayka and his staff were doing then is no longer controversial. The NHL's position is they are protecting draftees from having to be tested repeatedly, but there is an argument to be made that the NHL was protecting its turf over the type of testing they do at the Combine, most of which is not terribly meaningful. Chayka began his foray into evidence-based hockey analysis focused square on training and performance, so this is his core area of expertise. This company (with a vested interest in this issue) has some things to say about the Combine tests: [The NHL Draft Combine: A Value Add Or Just Eyewash?The NHL Draft Combine: A value add or just eyewash? The NHL Combine is held each year leading up to the Draft to give the top 100+ players worldwide an opportunity to showcase their athletic prowess in hopes of raising their draft stock. The tests performed by each player is comprehensive and includes anthropometrics (body…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/cropped-Logo_V5-Social-Media-Profile-Image-Black-copy-270x270.jpg)Apex Hockeyiclarke![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/389573_10100164256755845_1530162348_n_540x.webp)](https://apexhockey.com/nhl-combine/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The [first thing Chayka did when originally hired by the Coyotes ](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/coyotes-up-their-analytics-game-with-stats-guru-chayka?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)was to attend the Combine. It's clear that his focus starts with player development and moves out from there to the draft, to trades and to the team play as a unified system. As far as we know, this conflict between the team and the league was not part of the breakdown in the Chayka relationship with ownership. That relationship had been great, with Meruelo authorizing more spending and also extending Chayka's contract only a few months prior to the bust up. The Coyotes made the playoffs for the first time in the bubble and began playing right after Chayka left. Ask any Utah fan today about the Nick Schmaltz trade, and you won't hear complaints. The circumstances of the contract dispute and his desire to leave for a job with the Devils have been rehashed several times, but this [ESPN take](https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/%5F/id/29555087/why-were-arizona-coyotes-angry-gm-john-chayka-quit?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) seems to find the middle ground that could well be close to the real story. I don't claim to know. > After Chayka requested his release to leave for the new job, sources said Meruelo "felt lied to" and "betrayed" after the previous conversation \[where Chayka is said to have claimed it wasn't a job interview\], the contract extension and the financial commitment to Chayka's plan for the Coyotes, which included a December 2019 blockbuster trade for Devils winger Taylor Hall. > After denying Chayka's release, the relationship between the GM and ownership became strained and acrimonious. The team offered to revisit the situation with Chayka after the conclusion of the season, according to sources. Chayka reportedly didn't trust that delay, and felt that denying him an earlier exit was "unreasonable." The team would reply that he was under contract. > Sources say things boiled over between Chayka and the Coyotes when it became clear that the job he wanted to take was rooted in hockey operations, making it much more of a lateral move than previously indicated. In hindsight, we all have a better understanding of Alex Meruelo and his business practices, and maybe that casts a new light on all of this. Why are the Leafs interested in Chayka with this baggage of past behaviour attached to him? The first thing we should consider is that a lot of other people have baggage that just never got made public. What you see is *not* all there is. But Chayka's been doing, or trying to do, the things that teams do now in other sports to apply analytics to their evaluations to get a competitive edge. He was integrating video and data analysis long before anyone else was thinking that way. He wanted biometrics before the Whoop was invented. If the Leafs want to surge ahead in their use of new technologies and new techniques, he wants it even more. I think that's the attraction, and his past baggage is all about trying too hard to get ahead. In the piece from Sportsnet, Numbers Game, this paragraph stood out: > **A**bout once a month, Chayka has dinner with some of the brightest sports minds in the Valley of the Sun. The supper club includes Ryan McDonough, GM of the Phoenix Suns; Mike Disner, director of football operations for the Arizona Cardinals; and a pair of guys from the Arizona Diamondbacks’ front office, general manager Mike Hazen and assistant GM Jared Porter. They discuss everything from maximizing sleep to in-flight nutrition to how to best make players’ families comfortable and happy. “We’re after information; we’re after competitive advantages,” says Chayka. That's the HALO panel. Once a month almost a decade before the NHL held their first analytics conference. Two other things struck me in reading up for this article: The Leafs have access to Steve Sullivan, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and even Shane Doan to get the behind the scenes story on the Coyotes of that time. They have outside perspectives we don't. But the other thing is that this information is out there in a flood. I still haven't figured out where exactly Scott White is from, as a comparison. It's not just the two "scandals" that ended Chayka's tenure as GM that are repeated all over the place, but all the other things, quotes to everyone, from the UWO Gazette to big pieces in every outlet that still wrote things longer than a Tweet in the past. John Chayka has always been willing to get the word out about John Chayka. It's not that that's inherently bad, because that's just more of his drive and ambition on display, which is clearly massive. But it does mean he's had a hand in a lot of the things that are quoted here. To use that bastion of evidence based thinking to end on: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/everybody-lies-v0-1u52vzy7p06f1-1-.jpeg) ### Monday's FTB: Marlies move to round two URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-marlies-move-to-round-two/ Last updated: 2026-04-27T10:00:50.000Z Yesterday the Marlies won their must-win playoff game moving to the second round of the AHL playoffs. Dennis Hildeby got the win and Logan shaw was the scoring hero in a 4-2 win over the Amerks. They move on to play Laval with the first game on Wednesday night. This is a best of five round. > “We don’t quit. We never quit.” > > Hear from Logan Shaw, Ryan Tverberg, Dennis Hildeby, Vinni Lettieri and head coach John Gruden in Sunday’s post game media mash. [pic.twitter.com/joPydbLJHo](https://t.co/joPydbLJHo?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [April 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2048586647688691961?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) On Saturday the Toronto Sceptres failed to get the win against Ottawa and are out of the playoffs. They will draft fourth overall, and Vancouver got enough points after they were eliminated in the Gold draft plan to draft first overall. What comes next for the Sceptres is up in the air as more expansion is rumoured meaning the team will be remade again. It needs to be, but we can only hope the outcome is better this time. In NHL action, the Los Angeles Kings were eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche marking the end of Anze Kopitar's amazing NHL career. The handshake line left me a little teary for a man who certainly defied all the probabilities and may well go down in history as the best Slovenian to ever play the game. > Anze Kopitar makes his way through the handshake line after his final NHL game 🥹 [pic.twitter.com/gdmM1f5mcm](https://t.co/gdmM1f5mcm?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [April 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2048546830384820360?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) He had what every top player wants. He was drafted in 2005 and after one more year in Sweden, he entered the NHL and never left until last night. He played every game for the team that drafted him, won the Cup twice, the Lady Byng and the Selke twice (just his luck his career overlapped Patrice Bergeron). 1,521 NHL games in the regular season, 107 playoff games. When you draft someone that special, that's what you want their career summation to look like. You owe it to them. --- Oh, did Montreal get beat? That's too bad. > BRANDON HAGEL AGAIN, THE BOLTS LEAD 😱 [pic.twitter.com/NdG4mlOn6n](https://t.co/NdG4mlOn6n?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [April 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2048579701472370920?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is pure gold. Lists of everyone who didn't score enough, trade speculation based on residency. Remember all those times you whined about all the media only talking about Toronto? Enjoy. [Future of Senators captain Brady Tkachuk and goalie Linus Ullmark among off-season question marksThe Ottawa Senators will face no shortage of questions about what the future holds for this roster after coming up short at an important time of year![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Ottawa CitizenBruce Garrioch![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ottsensapril25_302798520.jpg)](https://ottawacitizen.com/ottawa-senators/garrioch-tkachuk-ullmark-future-senators?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Senators’ Ridly Greig to have hearing for roughing Hurricanes’ WalkerRidly Greig will have to answer for his actions following a chaotic finale to the Ottawa Senators’ season.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Ottawa-Senators-Ridly-Greig.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/senators-ridly-greig-to-have-hearing-for-roughing-hurricanes-walker/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Sabres score 4 in 1st, win Game 4 of Eastern 1st Round to push Bruins to brink | NHL.comDoan, Tuch each has goal, assist for Buffalo; Arvidsson leaves with upper-body injury for Boston![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)NHL logoJoe McDonald![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/hsf922x1fxrlzmuwj7xm.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/playoffs/buffalo-sabres-boston-bruins-game-4-recap-april-26-2026?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's it for now, have a great Monday! ### Lessons from HALO: How teams use data URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/lessons-from-halo-how-teams-use-data/ Last updated: 2026-04-25T12:00:28.000Z The HALO Conference in Denver in April was the first NHL team-run analytics conference and is part of an initiative by the league. Just what its goals and activities will be is a little hazy yet. The timing of the event has been useful for confronting the changing management direction of the Leafs and for just figuring out what analytics even is now that it's back on the menu. [Lessons from HALO: What is Analytics?An expert explains it in under 10 minutes.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1666875753105-c63a6f3bdc86)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/lessons-from-halo-what-is-analytics/) Kroenke Sports & Entertainment is the parent company of the Colorado Avalanche, the Denver Nuggets of the NBA and the Colorado Rapids of MLS among other related assets. The ownership structure is extremely similar to that of the Maple Leafs, and this panel at HALO shows how similar all three KSE teams are in their approach to using data. But the differences are meaningful lessons for Leafs fans who are about to get a datacentric approach back in hockey operations. The panel is hosted by one of their broadcast people and features Chris MacFarland (Avalanche GM), Ben Tenzer (Exexutive VP of Basketball Ops for the Nuggets) and Pádraig Smith (president of the Rapids). This is an incredibly interesting window on what teams are actually doing, as distinct from what fans use public analytic models for. Three main areas of using data are discussed: 1. Evaluating players for the draft or for acquisition of current pro players. 2. Evaluating game play in general and also from specific players to measure against a game model of expectations. 3. Evaluating the physical ability and health of the players directly. How that evaluation is used by the teams varies greatly. ### Data as a source of collaboration Ben Tenzer leads off by saying that analytics is a part of everything they do all the time, but he also mentions that the NBA allows things to be measured that other leagues aren't allowed to do. The NBA allows biometric data collection that the NHL does not, for example. Basketball teams began using cameras and GPS trackers over a decade ago, and teams began experimenting with wearable monitors – both on and off the court – at that time. Five years ago that [wearable tech was used during the Ryder Cup broadcast to show golfers' heartbeats in real time](https://golf.com/instruction/fitness/new-tech-shows-nervous-ryder-cuppers-first-tee/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). Keith Pelley was head of the European Tour at that time, the co-sponsor of the Cup. In describing how the Nuggets use analytics in evaluating draft prospects, Tenzer talks about an integrated process of looking at video, gameplay data and biometric data to decide if a prospect can carry his college skills into the NBA. This contrasts pretty sharply with a typical NHL org-chart view of hockey operations where the data science people are over there, and the scouts are over here and they might only ever meet by accident. How much the org-chart mirrors the actual processes used is, of course, going to vary from team to team, but it's clear that for the Nuggets, they aren't walled off. Tenzer can't talk about analytics without talking about video review, coaching, and scouting as well as the data they use because, to him, they are all the same thing. Their in-house scouting portal is a website they built to allow scouts to instantly access all the information they have on a player. There's no concept of balancing competing paradigms, it's just one big integrated package. Next is Pádraig Smith, the president of the Rapids, who is an interesting man. He used to run a branch of Ernst and Young (an accountancy firm) in Dublin before he moved to a business related role in Irish football. He's been sporting director and then president at the Rapids since 2015\. He talks about analytics in terms of team and player performance as well as recruitment. MLS gets a lot more players than the NHL does by signing foreign pros as adults, so it's much more important for them to have data on those players. MLS also uses biometric data extensively to determine player usage, for training as well as for evaluating players for recruitment. Smith talks about how much data they have access to, and how they have their database of potential players purpose built to align with their game model and position-specific relevance all in the name of getting the right fit in players they target to acquire. The one area where MLS is more a model for how the NHL can acquire useful data and use it to gain deeper understanding of players and teams is in how rare the goals are, and therefore how much sway randomness has over outcomes. Smith talks about the need to dig deeper into the way the game works, essentially, to give them a game model that is the best. They then test against that model on a game-by-game basis. The software tools the Rapids use are mostly built in-house. And a wander through NHL data science teams listings on their websites will show you software and database engineers along with the analysts. There was a push from some teams to have robust tracking data long before the NHL got in the business, and a lot of NHL rinks have private data providers' cameras up in their rafters amongst the Cup banners. But teams absolutely are building out their own tools and reporting platforms that allow the people at the top of the decision trees to be more effective managers, not analysts themselves. Chris MacFarland describes analytics for the Avalanche as a way to look under the hood. His example is the situation where they know the team didn't play well even if they won. So why exactly did they play poorly? He says something similar about a situation where scouts and analysts don't agree about a player. Then you dig deeper using all your tools to find out the truth. He also touches on how bespoke their data usage is. ### Data as a competitive edge Smith says something interesting about how MLS is not the top of the soccer world (although they do have access to some of Arsenal's data), so that what they are doing is closer to the problem solving in Moneyball. The NBA and NHL teams are in the elite league for their sport. The tag line of Moneyball is "The Art of Winning an Unfair Game". What made baseball unfair for the Oakland Atheltics in the early 2000s was the amount of money teams like the Yankees could spend on their players. The thrust of the Moneyball ideas, and where the "money" comes into play, is in attempting to get wins with less monetary investment. That's their problem. They sought evidence-based solutions to solve it, which is really the nature of the revolution. "It's easy to spot the really good players" is a truism for any sport. MLS soccer has a soft salary cap, which allows for some [designated players](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designated%5FPlayer%5FRule?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) who don't count against the cap. This sets up an unfair game in the real money sense in MLS, where they need to succeed by finding the players that aren't obvious because they cost less in real dollars. There is a hint of the way in which the NHL is unfair in some of MacFarland's later comments. As a team deep into their competitive cycle they lack draft picks and have to look to things like the NCAA free agency period to find value in player additions. What all these executives also discuss in very similar ways is the question of a player's fit in terms of their playing ability but also their personality – team culture ideas. Good in the room vs good on the ice. They are, inevitably, debunking the persistent myth that analytics is used to dehumanize the process of player evaluation and demands that decision makers ignore those human traits that can't really be measured. Let's consider Scott Laughton for a moment. He's good in the room, this is clear. He's also got a particular on-ice affect that seems desirable. He's past his peak age, while he's clearly still an NHL player, but disagreements persist on how good he is. The idea gets floated that you use his "good in the room"-ness to break the tie in some imaginary head-t0-head contest with some other player you're going to shop for. So the Leafs should not sign him *just* because of the cultural value he brings. But the *just* here is a fiction created for the purpose of arguing. Evaluating players, as all three of these executives make clear, involves all their varied attributes. If evidence-based decision making exists in the mind of the person at the top then there is no risk of them *just* doing anything. As Smith puts it, their analytics are used to de-risk player acquisition. As Tenzer puts it, you have a Venn Diagram of your eyes, your ears and your numbers and where they overlap is where the good players are. What is very clear is that both MLS and the NBA have a lot of data on draft-eligible players and pros from other leagues that the NHL really doesn't. MacFarland alludes to what sounds to me like player similarity comparison models, which is about where the NHL's draft analysis sits. There are some public versions of these modles that float around from time to time, and they are almost universally points-based, so they might do a better broadly based sorting of players than no model at all, but points-based systems will inevitably have some big glaring false negatives that show up someday when an NHL team gets a top pairing defender on waivers and wins a couple of cups with him. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/GT_MIi_XAAE8Mxp-1-.jpg) The Rapids didn't become a datacentric team overnight. Smith has been with the team for over 10 years, and he mentions that when he started, the coaching staff wouldn't even use video recording and the players balked at wearable monitors. As they gradually incorporated new technologies and new ideas, they gained a competitive edge. He is upfront that the company's Premier League team staff told them they weren't up to standard and they had to improve. The Rapids got to be a better team by being able to show players the data. The point of this is to help them if they are struggling, but also to reassure the player when they are doing the right things. Players buy in when it helps their performance, but both Smith and MacFarland made it clear that the coach has to be the nexus of passing information to players when it's appropriate and that the goal has to be the psychological well being of the player as well as maximizing performance. ### Data as a source of conflict An audience question asked about players having their own analytics sources. Both Smith and Tenzer mentioned the possibilities that performance coaches or training consultants might be using data as tools and engaging with the play in that way, but it appears not to be widespread. On another HALO panel (linked below) Meghan Chayka, Co-CEO and Chief Marketing Officer at Stathletes, talked a bit about selling their product directly to athletes. She made a remark about it being an easy sell to the 1%. The commercialization of data analysis into products to be sold is definitely something Smith sees as a source of conflict, and of course soccer is way ahead of the curve on this because they have a business and media landscape that is very different to the NHL's. Agents use data in negotiations, and that leads to teams having to counter a case made with something they might not consider valuable information. The media does this a well. Smith contends the analytics sold to the media are largely descriptive, and it gets used for story telling. But they are often using information that isn't significant. He also raised concerns about coaches using bundles of commercial tools that they think of as all useful when some aren't. Within an organization there can be conflicts over how to use these varied sources of data. An argument again for decision making skills at the top level. As Smith says, everyone wants a simple number that tells you how much better a player is than replacement, but it doesn't exist. The game is too complicated for these simple answers. That means coping with the complexity has to be part of the goal of the analytics systems that teams use. In the NHL, very little of what you could legitimately call analytics can be used in arbitration cases – Corsi and Fenwick and that's about it. But any other negotiation is wide open to whatever teams and agents want to say to each other. As is every conversation between a player and a coach and a coach and a GM. As the NHL progresses, and more teams have GMs comfortable with these tools, there will be disputes with agents over whose numbers mean something important. Everyone needs to be ready for this. ### The NHL is way behind While this conference made clear that all NHL teams are trying to use analytical tools, it's also clear that the complete integration into team operations that exists on the Nuggets and the Rapids is not quite what the Avs are doing. The biometrics other sports use as a matter of course are a no-go in the NHL, and would require some serious CBA negotiation. There are privacy concerns, two countries' rules about it all, litigation risk and the hill to climb of getting player buy-in. The internal-facing use of data is going to stay confined to the development of a game model and evaluating the players against that model before finally communicating what's useful to the players. It's not that the NHL has no sports science or medical data collection, but it's nothing like what other sports take for granted. The external-facing use for data is player acquisition. The draft information the NBA has and the data on pro players MLS has is well beyond the scope of what exists for NHL teams. I am guessing a lot of hand tracking is going on for draft analysis for teams looking to draft out of the CHL or NCAA. Although there are some stats that NHL teams can get from those leagues that you and I can't. The NHL's hard cap doesn't create the same real-dollar moneyball issues that most teams want to solve. But what the NHL does have is teams looking to draft and sign players in a way that keeps the competitive window open. In any given year 15% of the NHLers are undrafted players. That's the sea to fish in if you're not cash poor but rather draft-pick poor. If there's an area of NHL hockey that is absolutely ripe for finding those famous market inefficiencies it's defence. Turn the smartest minds to figuring out what defence is and what it is not and how you find it, and you'll be able to turn a few good forwards and a couple of goalies into a real team. Or so we hope. --- This is the other panel, which I struggled to get much out of, but it might give you a feel for where commercial services offering data analysis are at. Chayka constantly refers to masses of data and the cost and difficulty of managing it all. The low level of what is discussed for broadcasters makes that heartrate monitor idea seem innovative, though. If anything, this panel showed that the NHL is by necessity in the business of building bespoke data tools for their staff to use. ### Weekend FTB: Marlies drop game two URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-marlies-drop-game-two/ Last updated: 2026-04-25T10:00:17.000Z The Marlies dropped game two of their best of three playoff round so deep it's under the sea. They almost lost as badly as they won game one, giving up four goals and a shutout to the Amerks. They managed to [outshoot](https://www.arcticicehockey.com/frequently-asked-questions-12-score-effects-1550397050/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Rochester 29 to 24, but if you don't score, you don't win. Interestingly, the Marlies played Artur Akhtyamov again, leaving Dennis Hildeby as the backup. Easton Cowan led the team with five SOG. Did you know the AHL gives you [shotplots](https://theahl.com/stats/game-center/1028993?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)? They do. And the Marlies were doing quite a bit of shooting from the weeds by the look of that chart (score effects again), but they also got right in Devon Levi's crease a little. They can do better. Next game is winner take all and it is on Sunday afternoon at 4 pm. Speaking of winner take all, today is the day for the Scepters. Gametime is 2 pm, and the action is in Ottawa. If the Sceptres win in regulation, they are in the playoffs. If they go to OT or lose, they are out. The other PWHL key games are Boston vs New York at noon and Montréal vs Seattle at 10 pm. Boston and Montréal are one point apart for first place, and whoever finishes first gets to pick their first-round playoff opponent. Playoffs start April 30 in Boston and May 2 in Montréal, regardless of the outcomes of Saturday's games. The eliminated teams are all trying to win to secure Gold draft points to claim the first overall draft position, which really matters this year. [The best prospect in PWHL history, Caroline Harvey is ready for her next chapterComing off a three-month stretch that saw her win more hardware the most hockey players can dream of earning in a lifetime, Caroline Harvey is just as excited for what comes next: the PWHL draft and the start of her pro career.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caEmily Sadler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Caroline-Harvey-PWHL-Draft-Header.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/pwhl/article/the-best-prospect-in-pwhl-history-caroline-harvey-is-ready-for-her-next-chapter/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Last night was the first ever playoff hockey game in Utah: > WE OFFICIALLY HAVE PLAYOFF HOCKEY IN UTAH! 🏒 > > 📺: Golden Knights 🆚 Mammoth live on SN360 > 📲: Stream on Sportsnet+ [pic.twitter.com/biNUMlmEzD](https://t.co/biNUMlmEzD?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [April 25, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2047854014042190061?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Mammoth, Avalanche set for 2027 Winter Classic on New Year’s Eve | NHL.comUtah to play its 1st outdoor game, will host event at Rice-Eccles Stadium![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)NHL logoNicholas J. Cotsonika![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/cmz9faedsgzl89yv06fe.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/utah-mammoth-colorado-avalanche-2027-winter-classic-set-for-new-years-eve?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And the Canadiens took an overtime victory from the Lightning with a goal by Lane Hutson. Two other games happened at times suited to those in the west. Yesterday's 32 Thoughts covered the Leafs hiring search. [NHL Rumour Roundup: Who is still in the running to be Maple Leafs GM?As we approach the one-month mark since the Toronto Maple Leafs fired general manager Brad Treliving, anticipation around who they will hire next has only grown.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://www.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Maple-Leafs.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhl-rumour-roundup-who-is-still-in-the-running-to-be-maple-leafs-gm/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I won't use the word GM because the Leafs aren't. [Senators’ Jake Sanderson out with a concussion for Game 4![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Ottawa-Senators-defenseman-Jake-Sanderson.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/senators-sanderson-out-with-a-concussion-for-game-4/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Head hits are cool in the playoffs, it seems. News will come in its own time, but until then, there's a big analytics article today from a long, but very rewarding HALO panel. That's it for now. ### Sceptres Gameday: Win or go home URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-win-or-go-home/ Last updated: 2026-04-25T21:03:19.000Z ### Everyone else's problems #### New York vs Boston at noon > Boston can secure first place with a regulation win combined with a loss of any kind by Montréal, or with an overtime/shootout win combined with a Montréal regulation loss. > New York has been eliminated from playoff contention and will finish third in the ‘Gold Plan’ standings that determine the draft order of selection among non-playoff teams. [*The PWHL*](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/daily-clinching-scenarios?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) #### Minnesota at Vancouver at 7 pm The Frost cannot move out of third place and will play one of Boston or Montréal in round one. > Vancouver can secure the first overall draft pick with a regulation win combined with an overtime/shootout win or loss of any kind by Seattle, or with an overtime/shootout win combined with a Seattle loss of any kind. #### Montréal at Seattle at 10 pm > Montréal can clinch first place with a win of any kind or a Boston loss of any kind. > Seattle can earn the first overall draft pick with a regulation win or a Vancouver loss of any kind, or with an overtime/shootout win combined with an overtime/shootout win by Vancouver. ### **Toronto Sceptres at Ottawa Charge** **2 pm @** TD Place, Ottawa **Watch in Canada:** CBC, CBC Gem #### **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com > The fourth and final playoff berth will be decided between Ontario rivals, where Ottawa can clinch with a win of any kind or with an overtime/shootout loss, while Toronto must win in regulation. > The losing team will place fourth in the draft order of selection among non-playoff teams. That's it. Win or go home. When the Olympic break ended, the Sceptres were last in the league by Points %. This was the way it looked before their first game: > The math on this is not pretty. The Sirens are on pace for 42 points if they play at the same Points % they have now – 0.471\. For the Sceptres to hit 43 points by the end of the season, they have to play at a .619 Points % for the 14 remaining games. They need to get 26 points. That's nine wins in 14 games, with enough wiggle room to have one game be an OT or Shootout win. The Sceptres have five wins of any kind so far. And as it turned out, it wasn't the Sirens that were the problem. But the points goal was almost right on. A regulation win today gives them 41 points. If Ottawa wins they have 43 or 44 points. We shouldn't forget the massive effort this last month has entailed from the Sceptres. Nor should we forget the hole they dug in the first half of the season. Those lessons are for the team come summer, though. For now, it's time to play to win. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/HGw3HMfWQAEDCcC-1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/HGtukfWbgAALSzY-1-.jpg) ### PPP After Dark: Marlies game #2 and Stanley Cup Playoffs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ppp-after-dark-marlies-game-2-and-stanley-cup-playoffs/ Last updated: 2026-04-24T22:32:09.000Z Win and you're in. That's the message for the Marlies tonight in game#2 of the play-in round of the Calder Cup playoffs tonight in Rochester. If they don't win, it will all come down to a final game on Sunday to decide who moves on to play the division -semi final against the Laval Rocket. He're's Logan Shaw on tonight's game. ### Plus there are three NHL games on tap (all times ET): Lightning @ Canadiens 7:00 on CBC, Sportsnet and TVA Sports - series tied 1-1 Golden Knights @ Uath Mammoth 9:30 on Sportsnet 360 and TVA Sports 2 - series Oilers @ Ducks 10:00 on CBC, Sportsnet and TVA Sports - series tied 1-1 Start your weekend off right here with us! Finally, a heads up if you are heading to downtown this weekend. [Gardiner closed this weekend; DVP scheduled weekend closure in early MayThe Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway are scheduled to be closed on two separate occasions for maintenance work.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)CityNews TorontoPatricia D’Cunha![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Toronto-Gardiner-Expressway.png)](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/04/21/gardiner-dvp-weekend-closures-april-may/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Friday FTB: Canadian teams struggling with the pressure URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/friday-ftb-canadian-teams-struggling-with-the-pressure/ Last updated: 2026-04-24T10:00:34.000Z The Toronto Marlies have a chance to eliminate the Rochester Americans today in their short best-of-three first round series. [Artur Akhtyamov notches first career playoff shutout, Toronto Marlies dominate Rochester in Game 1“In a best-of-three, we know we can’t afford a bad start, especially against a team that transitions like they do and gets after it. Any mistake that you make, they will be quick to transition. We did a really good job of managing that, establishing some forechecking time, and making them defend. That started right \[…\]![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Maple Leafs HotstoveMark Rackham![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/55224844873_14e0413601_k.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/04/23/artur-akhtyamov-notches-first-career-playoff-shutout-toronto-marlies-dominate-rochester-in-game-1/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Call it inception because I have thoughts on these thoughts and I might try to articulate them in an article. [One quick thought on all 33 Toronto Maple LeafsBefore the realities of trade and free agency (and retirement?) kick in, Luke Fox runs down the roster and offers a parting thought on all 33 members of the Toronto Maple Leafs.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-2-2.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/one-quick-thought-on-all-33-toronto-maple-leafs/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Mark Carney is also surprised everything has to be about the Leafs. [Ottawa mayor’s joke about the Leafs catches PM by surpriseDuring an announcement on housing alongside Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutfcliffe took a moment to wish the Senators luck on Game 3 of the playoff series before making a joke about the Toronto Maple Leafs.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)CityNews Toronto![](https://cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/593482582001/d49af22d-75f4-45ad-96b4-ab1011f9ed58/d93c8d49-ce9d-4ede-93e7-d06536a25c65/1920x1080/match/image.jpg)](https://toronto.citynews.ca/video/2026/04/23/ottawa-mayors-joke-about-the-leafs-catches-pm-by-surprise/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Senators are down 3-0 in their first round series against the Carolina Hurricanes after a 2-1 loss. They've also lost Jake Sanderson now. [Senators’ Jake Sanderson exits Game 3 vs. Hurricanes with apparent injury![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Sanderson.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/senators-jake-sanderson-exits-game-3-vs-hurricanes-with-apparent-injury/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) However, they're getting a first round pick because Gary Bettman feels like it. [NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says he felt it was appropriate to give Senators a first-round pick this springThe Senators will receive the No. 32 overall selection in June’s draft![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Yahoo News CanadaBruce Garrioch![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/137c305c3d969a44cb3482f977df71f8)](https://ca.news.yahoo.com/nhl-commissioner-gary-bettman-says-002058114.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Connor McDavid is showing the effects of the pressure he's under. He had primary points on 37% of the team's goals this season. [McDavid labouring to start NHL playoffs: ‘He’s putting a lot of pressure on himself’Connor McDavid, the league’s regular-season points leader, was held off the scoresheet a second straight game Wednesday at Rogers Place. He had four shots and went minus-2 in a 6-4 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/VNEBW6ZXD247DNX2BOB2K2M2X4.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/mcdavid-labouring-to-start-nhl-playoffs-hes-putting-a-lot-of-pressure-on-himself/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Buffalo Sabres made a goaltending switch from Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to Alex Lyon. Hopefully a name with fewer K's, more L's gives them the win. [Sabres make goaltending switch for Game 3 vs. Bruins![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Lyon.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/sabres-make-goaltending-switch-for-game-3-vs-bruins/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And update, it did, they beat the Bruins 3-1 in Game 3 and are now up 2-1 in their series. The late game was the Avs vs the Kings. Nic Roy got a primary assist on Gabriel Landeskog's goal in the first period. In case you missed it, the Avs are icing a Landeskog-Kadri-Roy *third line* just because they can. ### Thursday's FTB: Marlies storm past the Amerks URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-marlies-storm-past-the-amerks/ Last updated: 2026-04-23T10:00:34.000Z The Marlies won their first playoff game of this postseason last night in dominating fashion, going up 3-0 in the first period and allowing only four Shots on Goal. Vinni Lettieri had a good night, scoring three goals after assisting on Benoit-Olivier Groulx's first-period insurance goal. But hats off to Michael Pezzetta, playing on the fourth line, who opened the scoring with what ended up the game winner is a 5-0 final score. > PEZZ GETS THE FIRST OF THE PLAYOFFS! 🚨 > > Michael Pezzetta finds the back of the net to make it 1-0! [pic.twitter.com/oXMHihFCXz](https://t.co/oXMHihFCXz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [April 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2047093153136537904?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Artur Akhtyamov stopped 16 shots for the shutout. The second game of the series is Friday night in Rochester. --- In less fun news, the Ottawa Charge beat Boston last night 2-1 in overtime. But it was overtime, which means the Sceptres are behind Ottawa by three points. The two teams go head-to-head on Saturday at 2 pm in Ottawa. If the Sceptres win in regulation they will be tied in points, and Toronto holds the tiebreaker (regulation wins). Any other result and Ottawa will be the final playoff team. In NHL action, it would appear that the Penguins are in over their heads. Who had the Flyers as the first team to get to three wins in round one? > THE FLYERS HAVE THEIR FIRST LEAD OF THE NIGHT AND RASMUS RISTOLAINEN HAS HIS FIRST CAREER PLAYOFF GOAL ‼️ [pic.twitter.com/Rm0QNrbFVF](https://t.co/Rm0QNrbFVF?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [April 23, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2047112939102929173?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/history-ristora94.png) Risto: smashing your isolated metrics and your ageing curves. There were two other games last night, but you know where to find the scores. The NHL Schedule page has the recap linked for each completed game. Meanwhile in the Leafs hiring search, yesterday was a day of insider reports that all sounded the same – okay, I listened to two. And they both used the term misdirection. Rumoured names of who was interviewed might not be fully accurate, and might not represent just attempts to hire the top person for hockey operations. That said, it sure seems like this is going to end in at least one person hired before the draft lottery and these names might not be all who are in consideration, but they are some of them: [What you should know about Toronto Maple Leafs’ GM finalistsThe four finalists in the Maple Leafs’ hockey-executive search all share striking similarities. Sportsnet’s Luke Fox breaks down what you need to know about each one.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-68.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/what-you-should-know-about-toronto-maple-leafs-gm-finalists/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Meanwhile the non-candidate speaks: [Pronger on Leafs’ GM: ‘I did not interview for that role’It doesn’t appear Hall of Fame defenceman Chris Pronger will be the next general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/VJXCDDFG7JZ3O2QOBNGJT67QMY.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/pronger-on-leafs-gm-i-did-not-interview-for-that-role/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I hope he was joking when he called this a vicious rumour, but I don't care enough to listen to him talk. As others have noted, he's not actually saying he didn't interview at all. Interesting concept here of an internal audit: [Kraken shed light on internal audit, hope to improve after disappointing seasonKraken CEO Tod Leiweke gave an update to a proposed internal audit on Wednesday, saying the Kraken have talked with a number of individuals and firms about using their services in the near future.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSNThe Associated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/JOF6IAECPNBMWRJ7SQZPYSPVTM.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/kraken-shed-light-on-internal-audit-hope-to-improve-after-disappointing-season/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Imagine the leaks to the media if the Leafs did that instead of just having their parent company act all, you know, interested in how they run things. That's all for now, have a great day! ### Toronto Marlies start the play-in round against Rochester tonight URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/toronto-marlies-start-the-play-in-round-against-rochester-tonight/ Last updated: 2026-04-22T14:02:30.000Z "Trust me, I've been in that play-in before and it's only best out of three and anything can happen," said Alex Nylander one month ago after a game against the Rochester Americans, adding, "We're not looking to get that other spot we're looking to get that third spot." That didn't work out. The hope was kept alive right through to the final game of the regular season on Sunday that they could leapfrog the Cleveland Monsters and seize third place in the North Division to skip the play-in round; however, further losses in the interim required the team to win both final regular season games last weekend against the Laval Rocket and also for the Cleveland Monsters to lose their final regular season game against the Grand Rapids Griffins. The Marlies did their part and won both games against the Rocket. The Griffins, the best team in the league with a final record of 51 wins in 72 games, blew up that hope for the Marlies by somehow losing 6-4 to the Monsters, with the dagger being that the game winning goal was scored by ex-Maple Leaf Zach Aston-Reese. > ZAR DELIVERS 📦 > > 🍎: Pinelli & Ceulemans [pic.twitter.com/9UoUS5RnkQ](https://t.co/9UoUS5RnkQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — x-Cleveland Monsters (@monstershockey) [April 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/monstershockey/status/2045979585095798822?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) But back to tonight's game #1, the Americans are a known quantity. The Marlies have played them six times this season, winning three games and losing three. It makes it look like a coin toss, and in a best-of-three series it often is, but the Marlies are at least notionally better than the Americans, especially with Amerks star player Isak Rosén gone, traded by the Buffalo Sabres at the deadline to the Winnipeg Jets for Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn. Yes, Luke Schenn is still in the NHL 18 years now after he was drafted by the Leafs (he never actually played for the Marlies), and he now has the possibility of becoming a three-time Stanley Cup Champion, though the Sabres certainly did not look like contenders last night against the Bruins. The Marlies have reinforcements too with Easton Cowan transferred to the team and already making an impact playing on a line with Alex Nylander and Luke Haymes. Easton Cowan said he loved the vibes in the arena, and I pointed out how there were a lot of London Knights Cowan jerseys in the crowd for both games and he had a beaming smile and said, "Obviously, it's great, a lot of support and a great fanbase in London, and here, super cool." When asked what has changed about Cowan in the time since he was last with the Marlies John Gruden said it was all about confidence, something Cowan echoed himself, saying, "confidence in my overall game," adding, "these guys have welcomed me back with open arms." > GIDDY UP COWBOY! 🤠 > > Easton Cowan scores on the breakaway to make it 3-0! [pic.twitter.com/vsQllqIGvD](https://t.co/vsQllqIGvD?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [April 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2045619920298291226?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Several players mentioned in their post-game interviews how the team felt like a family and had become a very tight-knit group. These are themes that immediately reminded me of the end of the last season where Shaw said the same thing after the knock out of the playoffs, losing two straight to the Monsters, that the team had bonded over the season and going out of the playoffs so quickly was hard on all of them. Shaw has come a long way from a few years ago when he became captain and once said to me, "I'm only standing on the foundation that Rich Clune built," something which then Marlies coach Greg Moore scoffed at saying he undervalued his contributions. Shaw has now made this truly his team, and tonight Shaw and the rest of the Marlies have their next shot at showing us what this new generation have learned from him and what they can really do. The schedule for the best-of-three is out and it follows the 1-1-1 format, so after tonight, the next game is in Rochester. > IT ALL STARTS WEDNESDAY! > > The Toronto Marlies will officially take on the Rochester Americans in Round 1 of the Calder Cup Playoffs. [@scotiabank](https://twitter.com/scotiabank?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > 🎟️ Grab tickets now: [https://t.co/nBrvc9L0Gz](https://t.co/nBrvc9L0Gz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/1dl4qHyDwv](https://t.co/1dl4qHyDwv?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [April 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2046002746973725033?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Lessons from HALO: What is Analytics? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/lessons-from-halo-what-is-analytics/ Last updated: 2026-04-22T12:00:28.000Z The HALO conference in Denver in early April was the first NHL-funded and team-run analytics conference. Arik Parnass, the Director of Analytics for the Avalanche, opened the event with an overview of how the NHL got to this point where over 90 NHL team employees attended this conference. I've set the video to where he gives his view on what it means to do analytics well, but if you want to back it up, you can see him run down the names of the blogosphere crew of yore who have turned into NHL AGMs today. My thoughts on what he had to say are below. Too often, the idea of taking statistics in sports and using them to inform decisions is perceived as almost a faith based initiative – a competing religion to the existing belief system. Parnass's example from an old advertisement about baseball is apt. I'll repeat it here: > In baseball there's a stat for every situation. Tie Game, man on second, Ian Desmond at-bat. In day games, he's batting .219\. That's what the stats say. Do you pinch hit for him? Absolutely not. Sometimes, you believe in the stats. Sometimes, you believe in the players. The idea behind this oh so clever bit of boundary policing is endemic today, while I wonder if anyone knows who the hell Ian Desmond is. Just last week, I ran into someone who was favourably quoting yet another comment by Brian Burke telling everyone that you can use stats (thanks for the permission), but you have to start player evaluation with your eyes, with how they play, and on it went. For a lot of hockey people, it's okay to measure things after the fact, but it's a bridge way, way too far to use what analytics actually is to understand players, the game and to also understand what can't be known. When someone grunts out the word truculence and is sure the nerds can't grasp why it matters, it's obvious to anyone they've reduced the game down to ... well, I have been known to call that your taste in men. It's not those people who are the problem to a wider understanding of analytics in sports. The popularity of Burke's homilies about the streetlight effect, one of his classics, reveals that a great many people don't actually know what analytics is. This became very clear the minute Keith Pelley said the word datacentric. I wish Parnass had been a few days earlier with his decade-old wisdom, but it's never too late to catch up. His simple explanation is that a statistic is just a piece of data, but analytics is the study of data to find meaning. So therefore datacentric is about meaning not data at all. The cautionary tales of the moderates who are okay with using numbers (so big of them) as long as you understand what they mean are actually saying something so basic, so elemental that it's impossible to take them seriously. It's okay to use data as long as you analyze it. That's what they're saying. It's okay to have water, but you shouldn't snort it up your nose. It's okay to breathe, but you should exhale the carbon dioxide. It's okay to put on skates, but don't wear them on your hands. With that out of the way, Parnass covers the concept of deterministic vs probalistic views of the game. We often speak similarly of descriptive vs predictive. I sometimes call it thing you are vs thing you do. All these ideas seek to recognize a fundamental dual nature of hockey. There is a cause and effect for every action in a game. Human decisions, the laws of physics, the randomness that is the nature of the universe, and physical ability of players combine to cause outcomes. The player's mind, their intent, their years of dedication lead up to a goal or a hit or a giveaway. And then someone takes all that and plots a bunch of dots on little comic-strip hockey rink, and says here is what this player is likely to do, and for many that's not merely something they struggle to understand, it's outside their paradigm of what the sport even is. Parnass talks about what a GM might do if they have a wholly deterministic view of the game, in what amounts to a pretty good demolition of the "hot hand" fallacy beloved by many, including a lot of GMs who want to be analytics moderates and measure with data, but not think with the meaning of the measures. Parnass's next point is about randomness. This is one of the fundamental things that any person needs to get a grip on if they want to be able to make good decisions. You don't need to give a damn about that if you're a fan watching the game, but your way of seeing the game isn't going to be a valid measuring stick for who should be GM or coach or what players they should add or subtract. Parnass uses a good story about iPods and shuffle to demonstrate that we all start out with a view of what randomness is that is very, very wrong. We live in a state of belief in a giant conspiracy theory about how the universe functions. And I've seen this brought to life in vivid colour in almost every single comment made about the draft lottery and what will happen. Understanding what randomness looks like is the necessary precondition to being able to recognize things that aren't random, and then find meaning in data. I think getting your head around measurement and meaning, description and prediction, shadows of what is and what may be is pretty easy if you're motivated to. It is randomness where many fall. We often get back up again and try to rewrite our own ways of thinking, and try again. But randomness is also the hurdle where many will outright balk at or they'll try the buffet approach: "I'll admit some things are random, sure, but if Auston Matthews isn't scoring goals like he should, then there's something wrong with him and no bunch of dots on a drawing of a hockey rink will convince me otherwise." I think a lot of very smart, experienced and well educated hockey people with open minds take the buffet approach. And I think this is the point within an organization where the beautiful tapestry of data, analysis, decisions, collaboration, and process starts to unravel. A successful NHL team is bound to be tattered around the edges to some extent. We aren't ever getting to perfection, but analytics, evidence-based thinking, and datacentric approaches cannot be optional. Parnass's conclusion is a thought experiment about all of these ideas of what measurement is for, how you use it, and how you think about it and with it. He sounds almost angry, certainly impassioned. And I am there with him. This is the article of faith which divides, and it's fundamental to the way the game is described on television and by us as viewers, and also by the people actually playing and creating the teams. It's the big emotional moment, and it's the emotionally weighted means by which we tell lies about players and teams and the league. Points. He asks you if you were inventing hockey today, would you select the last three people to touch the puck before a goal, a thing that happens about six times a game, give each of them one unit of your measure and say there: I've defined the players, the team, the game. If you can't give that up, give up points as the foundational stat of the game, then you will never think clearly about the game at a fine level of detail. That sounds harsh, and it's rare for the people who publicly disavow points almost entirely to say it this bluntly. But it's the truth. Goals sure are the fun part, though. I don't expect we'll see coaches stop saying things like what was said of Matias Maccelli by Craig Berube in what was otherwise a good summary of his progress this year – that he has to start getting points. He's not going to tell a reporter that Maccelli needs to keep doing the things that lead to winning, that lead to "scoring goals, more than them, do it again next time". The closest we'll get to that is talk about grinding it out when there's a "slump" or maybe a little process talk from someone like Sheldon Keefe. If the deterministic view, based on no understanding of randomness and a commitment to an absurdly ineffective measure, is the most popular dish from the buffet in the executive dining room, the team is going to fail. No more pretending that analytics is an optional tool, or a coat you put on and take off, or a way to prove your biases are correct. It has to be baked in at all levels. What the Leafs did when Brendan Shanahan hired Brad Treliving, when Brad Treliving hired Craig Berube was choose to lose. It didn't have to happen right away, and it didn't! But it was inevitable, and it's high time the richest team in the NHL quit hiring substandard people. ### Wednesday FTB: PWHL playoff hunt going down to the wire URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesday-ftb-pwhl-playoff-hunt-going-down-to-the-wire/ Last updated: 2026-04-22T10:00:33.000Z The Toronto Sceptres struggled to find offense in a 1-0 overtime loss to the New York Sirens. The team only managed 21 shots, most coming in the third period, while goaltender Raygun Kirk stopped 32 of 33 in a stellar effort to keep the team in the game. > sheeeesh Kirky! [pic.twitter.com/0CvuTXM2C0](https://t.co/0CvuTXM2C0?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Sceptres (@PWHL\_Toronto) [April 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5FToronto/status/2046757747534733818?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The impact of this OTL is wide-ranging as the Sceptres only have one game remaining in their regular season schedule. In pushing the game to overtime, they denied the Sirens a full three points, elimininating them from the playoff hunt. It was exciting to see the Sirens pull their goalie with less than two minutes left in a tie game because any result less than a regulation win meant their season was over. For Toronto, the loser point puts the team one point behind the Ottawa Charge who sit in that fourth and final playoff spot. The Charge play Boston today in their second-last game of the season, a regulation win punches their ticket to the playoffs. Anything less than a regulation win and Toronto has the opportunity to leapfrog Ottawa in the standings on the final day of the regular season when the two Ontario rivals face off on Saturday at 2pm. [NEW YORK ELIMINATED FROM PLAYOFF CONTENTION DESPITE OVERTIME WIN IN TORONTOHighlights and Press Conferences available on Toronto and New York YouTube channels . TORONTO (April 21, 2026) – Allyson Simpson scored the game’s only goal to lead the New York Sirens to a 1-0 overtime win against the Toronto Sceptres in front of a s…![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Professional Women's Hockey League![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/NYatTOR_21.4.26)](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2026/april/21/NEW-YORK-ELIMINATED-FROM-PLAYOFF-CONTENTION-DESPITE-OVERTIME-WIN-IN-TORONTO?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Toronto Tempo basketball team visited their "roomies", the Sceptres for the game. The Tempo start their inaugural season on May 8th at the Coca Cola Coliseum. I don't remember the last time this 104 year old building held more than two teams in it at once. > Welcomed our new roomies to our home!! 🫶🏀 [@TempoBasketball](https://twitter.com/TempoBasketball?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/E469K0AH09](https://t.co/E469K0AH09?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Sceptres (@PWHL\_Toronto) [April 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5FToronto/status/2046784993205027118?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > .[@TempoBasketball](https://twitter.com/TempoBasketball?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) taking in some [@PWHL\_Toronto](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5FToronto?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) action tonight 🤩 [pic.twitter.com/wBLXTlAwt7](https://t.co/wBLXTlAwt7?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sports on Prime Canada (@SportsOnPrimeCA) [April 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/SportsOnPrimeCA/status/2046751539323134104?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is a highly recommended article about Mike Gillis and how he views how to run a hockey franchise. I learned that he was looking for the Penguins top job in 2021 when Brian Burke was hired and has otherwise waited for job opportunities he's interested in rather than simply having a job. [How Gillis, Sundin would change Maple Leafs’ culture, decision-makingMike Gillis was chasing culture when he brought Mats Sundin to the Canucks. Now, both figures have been linked to a Maple Leafs front office in flux. Sportsnet’s Luke Fox explains why bringing in the duo would set the tone for a team in need.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://www.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Vancouver-Canucks-general-manager-Mike-Gillis-.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/how-gillis-sundin-would-change-maple-leafs-culture-decision-making/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies are in playoff prep as they start their best-of-three first round series against the Rochester Americans today. [John Gruden, ahead of the Marlies’ playoffs, on the growth in Easton Cowan: “You can see he has matured... He’s definitely a confident young man”After the final practice ahead of the series opener against Rochester, Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discussed the team’s playoff preparation, the decision in goal, and the impact of Easton Cowan, Jacob Quillan, Noah Chadwick, Alex Nylander, and Bo Groulx. What did you think of the energy in practice ahead of the playoffs? Gruden: \[…\]![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/john-gruden-maple-leafs-rookies.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/04/21/john-gruden-ahead-of-the-marlies-playoffs-on-the-growth-in-easton-cowan-you-can-see-he-has-matured-hes-definitely-a-confident-young-man/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Am I wrong or does Gruden and Gillis have the same facial structure? Anyway, this is the lineup the Marlies are going to be going with. > Lines at Marlies practice > > Groulx - Shaw - Lettieri > Cowan - Tverberg - Nylander > Quillan - Haymes - Valis > Pezzetta - Pare - Johnstone > > Rifai - Thrun > Mermis - Villeneuve > Chadwick - Benning > > Hildeby > Akhtyamov > > Game 1 vs Rochester tomorrow[@TSN\_Sports](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/aHsBfOCML2](https://t.co/aHsBfOCML2?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [April 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2046608475917066506?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies are getting their Leafs media attention early with these interviews. [\- TSNDennis Hildeby performed well during a 20-game look with the Leafs this season. Now the franchise’s top goalie prospect is aiming to prove he can lead a team on a playoff run with the Marlies. “That’s when it matters,” the 24-year-old Swede said. “It’s definitely a good time to step up.”![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F04-21-2026-2Ft_7e27a5a0333b465a9c58a9e169efc81a_name_2026_4_21_7823494a_a8d7_4044_9eb0_1ebfc5030f2e_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/04/21/a-good-time-to-step-up-leafs-goalie-prospect-hildeby-eager-to-prove-playoff-pedigree/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) "Frozen in Time: The Bill Barilko Story" is a documentary about Bill Barilko that was announced yesterday, 75 years to the day after he scored the Stanley Cup winning goal in 1951\. [New doc revives the legend — and mystery — of Leafs’ Bill BarilkoThe story of Barilko is one that has been told over time, through the song “Fifty Mission Cap,” by The Tragically Hip in 1993.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)CityNews TorontoLucas Casaletto![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Bill-Barillko.png)](https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/04/21/bill-barilko-maple-leafs-documentary/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In the NHL, The Lightning beat the Habs 3-2 in overtime to tie their series at 1-1. The Bruins jumped to a four-goal lead and win 4-2 against the Sabres to also now sit 1-1 in their series. The Utah Mammoth beat the Golden Knights 3-2 to tie their series at 1-1 as well (cheers to my two students who are Mammoth fans). And I didn't stay up for the Avalanche vs Kings game but last I checked it was going to overtime. Avs were up 1-0 heading into the game. Sorry, I woke up, Nic Roy won it in overtime assisted by Nazem Kadri. Okay goodnight. [Los Angeles Kings - Colorado Avalanche - Apr 21, 2026 | NHL.comNHL Gamecenter - Los Angeles Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche, Apr 21, 2026 - summary, stats, boxscore, play by play, recap and more.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)NHL logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/LAK-COL.png)](https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/lak-vs-col/2026/04/21/2025030152?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > THIS IS INSANE: THE FANS IN COLORADO WERE SO HYPED FOR THE PENALTY SHOT SAVE THAT THEY SHATTERED THE GLASS BEHIND THE KINGS BENCH 😱🤯 [pic.twitter.com/WYMgGZCQgl](https://t.co/WYMgGZCQgl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — B/R Open Ice (@BR\_OpenIce) [April 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/BR%5FOpenIce/status/2046795960743755973?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Sunny Mehta was introduced by the Devils. > First question I asked [@SunnyMehtaX](https://twitter.com/SunnyMehtaX?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) was about the iconic Starter jacket. > > But also on the story making the media rounds on his pre-draft ranking of Jesper Bratt and how he plans to bring that philosophy to the [#NJDevils](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NJDevils?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/lc46UBxZOs](https://t.co/lc46UBxZOs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Keith (@KeithKavJr) [April 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/KeithKavJr/status/2046682624593203634?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Sceptres Gameday: Once more unto the ice URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-once-more-unto-the-ice/ Last updated: 2026-04-21T22:37:22.000Z ## New York Sirens @ Toronto Sceptres *Pride Celebration* 7:00 PM ET @ Coca-Cola Coliseum **Watch in New York:** MSG **Watch in Canada:** Prime Video #### **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com #### Every game is a Pride game in the PWHL, Pride games are just a little more so. [From wec](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-marlies-get-sorted-ahead-of-the-playoffs/?ht-comment-id=33749054): > Stakes for the Sceptres-Siren game tonight: > The current standings are OTT (39 points), TOR (37 pts), NY (34 pts), with 2 games remaining for all (including a TOR-OTT game on Saturday). OTT also plays BOS on Wednesday. > NY is eliminated unless they win in regulation. (With an OTW they max out at 39 points, and either OTT or TOR will pass that in the final game.) This is useful for us because they should pull their goalie in a late tie, making us more likely to win in regulation. > If the Sceptres win in any fashion, the final spot will be determined by the TOR-OTT game. > If the Sceptres lose in OT, they are eliminated by an OTT regulation win against BOS. > If the Sceptres lose in regulation, they are eliminated if OTT wins in any fashion against BOS. > In summary: win and they fight on, lose and they need Boston’s help. No one ever wants to need Boston's help, so a win is what we want. For fans of Gold drafting, from [the PWHL notebook](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2026/april/20/pwhl-weekly-notebook-apr-20-2026?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): > **SEATTLE AND VANCOUVER ACTIVATE GOLD PLAN** > It was an eventful two games last week between the league’s two expansion teams. On Tuesday, Vancouver (8-2-4-14) eliminated Seattle (7-1-4-16) from playoff contention with a 4-1 win, then on Saturday, the Goldeneyes needed a regulation win over the Torrent to stay alive but were eliminated despite a thrilling 6-5 comeback win in overtime. Per the league’s innovative ‘Gold Plan’ initiative, teams eliminated from playoff contention will compete for ‘draft order points’ in all remaining games, post-elimination. The team with the most ‘draft order points’ earns the first overall pick in the 2026 PWHL Entry Draft. > Seattle earned one ‘draft order point’ by virtue of their overtime loss to Vancouver. > Seattle and Vancouver each have two remaining games to accumulate draft order points. > If Vancouver loses to Montréal on Tuesday, then Seattle would have the opportunity to clinch the first overall pick with a regulation win against Minnesota on Wednesday. > New York and Toronto are the only other teams capable of playing for draft order points and would have one game to do so if eliminated from playoff contention before Saturday. > This is the first time in league history where multiple teams are competing to earn the first overall draft pick. In each of the first two seasons, New York was the only team eliminated from playoff contention prior to the final day of the regular season. Click [here](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/2026-pwhl-draft-order-gold-plan-standings?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) for the latest order of selection standings. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/HGdEBzmX0AERjqj-1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/HGdnt40WYAAF_eq-1-.jpg) ### NHL Draft Lottery - how it works URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl-draft-lottery-how-it-works/ Last updated: 2026-04-21T12:58:14.000Z This year, the NHL Draft Lottery will be televised on May 5 live on Sportsnet, TVA and ESPN, while the lottery itself will be held in the NHL's New Jersey studio. The time has yet to be announced. The owners of the first-round picks of all 16 teams who did not qualify for the playoffs are participants in the draft lottery. The current owner of the pick is determined by trades and the finalized conditions on the trades, so for the purposes of the lottery, Toronto is the owner of their own pick, at least when it starts, they are. There are two lotteries for the top two places in the draft. Under the revised rules for recent years, a team can only move up 10 places. Only the top 11 teams (top being the Vancouver Canucks and on down to the St. Louis Blues) can get the first-overall pick, and only the top 12 teams can get the second-overall pick. The lottery is a draw of a four-digit number. To make life easy, the NHL has designated a combination of balls (11, 12, 13, 14)\* as an automatic redraw, reducing the number of combinations to 1,000 so the numbers are easier to allocate. *\*from last season's official rules* Each team has a set of randomly generated number combinations assigned to them before the draw. It's used for both draws. This is the table of teams, their odds, and the number of number combinations they are assigned: | Teams (Fewest Points to Most) | Odds | Combinations (out of 1,000) | | ------------------------------------- | ----- | --------------------------- | | Vancouver Canucks | 18.5% | 185 | | Chicago Blackhawks | 13.5% | 135 | | New York Rangers | 11.5% | 115 | | Calgary Flames | 9.5% | 95 | | Toronto Maple Leafs (cond. to BOS) \* | 8.5% | 85 | | Seattle Kraken | 7.5% | 75 | | Winnipeg Jets | 6.5% | 65 | | Florida Panthers | 6.0% | 60 | | San Jose Sharks | 5.0% | 50 | | Nashville Predators | 3.5% | 35 | | St. Louis Blues | 3.0% | 30 | | New Jersey Devils | 2.5% | 25 | | New York Islanders | 2.0% | 20 | | Columbus Blue Jackets | 1.5% | 15 | | St. Louis Blues (from DET) | 0.5% | 5 | | Washington Capitals | 0.5% | 5 | If the Toronto pick ends up outside the top five, it will be transferred to Boston. ### First Draw A four-number combination is drawn. If one of the top 11 teams has that number combination, they get the first-overall pick. If the winning team is outside the top 11, they move up 10 slots, and the first overall selection goes to the top-seeded team - the Canucks. The winning team in this case is then locked into position and cannot move up in the second draw. The Canucks are then locked into the first overall in that case. If the winning team is within the top 11, they are locked into the first-overall position. All the number combinations held by the winning team become "re-draw combinations" for the second draw. The number combinations held by the Canucks stay in the second draw if they are locked into first overall because a team outside the top 11 won the first draw, but not if they won it themselves. ### Second Draw Once the second number combination is drawn, several potential scenarios result. If the Canucks have the first-overall-pick because the winner of the first draw was outside the top 11, and the Canucks win the second draw, they stay in the first-overall position and the remainder of the draft order defaults to the seeding of the 16 teams in the table above. Teams slot in around the locked-in winner of the first draw. If the first draw locked a team into the second-overall position, then the winner of the second draw moves up to the best "unlocked" position they can get to, capped at 10 places. And then all other teams are slotted in around these locked in teams. If the second-overall position is open, then the winner of the second draw gets that spot if they are in the top 12 seeds, otherwise, they move up 10 spots, and the teams slot into unlocked locations as per the seeding order. All of that actually makes more sense when you watch the on-screen graphic on the draft broadcast. ### Odds This more complex lottery system was adopted in 2021 to increase the odds that the top seeded teams got the top picks. The Leafs' odds of getting a top-five pick are higher in this format than any prior lottery format. No matter how many times a four-number combination has to be drawn, and with re-draw scenarios, it can be more than twice, the chance of the Leafs holding the winning combination stays at 8.5% every time. The path to the desired outcome – Toronto maintaining the pick by coming somewhere in the top five after both draws – is the following: 1. In the first draw, one of six teams must win, one of the top five or the Washington Capitals at 16th. If any of those teams win, Toronto stays at either fifth or wins it and is first. If any other team wins the first draw, it's (almost) over, and Boston gets the pick. If this happens, the Leafs have to win the second draw to keep the pick. \[fixed now because I failed to imagine them really winning a draw\] 2. The best-to-worst case scenarios for the second draw if one of those six teams wins the first draw are: 1. Toronto wins the first draw and we turn the broadcast off. 2. Washington wins the first draw and the five teams with the highest odds of winning remain in the second lottery. 3. Calgary wins the first draw and the four highest odds holders are still in. 4. New York, then Chicago then Vancouver in order from best case to worst round out the order. 3. If any team from Seattle at sixth to St. Louis at 15th (the pick they have from Detroit) wins the second lottery it's over and Boston gets the pick. Just a note, Toronto cannot come fourth, but there is a tiny chance of coming third if the right combination of draws occurs. Two weeks from today, we'll have the answer. ### Tuesday's FTB: Marlies get sorted ahead of the playoffs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-marlies-get-sorted-ahead-of-the-playoffs/ Last updated: 2026-04-21T10:00:16.000Z Yesterday the Marlies released most of the juniors and the newly signed players that will be joining next year from their try-out agreements. The Cincinnati Cyclones did not make the ECHL playoffs so a number of Cyclones have been recalled including Ken Appleby, giving the Marlies a very deep crease. > The Marlies have recalled the following players from the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL): > · G Ken Appleby > · F Ben King > · F Ryan Kirwan > · D Rhett Parsons > · F Nick Rhéaume > · F Marko Sikic > · F Sam Stevens > > — Toronto Marlies PR (@AHLMarliesPR) [April 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/AHLMarliesPR/status/2046347585229590642?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Jacob Quillan scores game-winner, Toronto Marlies finish regular season with weekend sweep of Laval“What I like most about \[the performance\] is the way we played in the second and third periods. I think that should be our standard. You can see a different pace coming out after that first period, and we got the results to show for it. At the end of the day, you can’t control \[…\]![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Maple Leafs HotstoveMark Rackham![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/55219314401_190cbc801c_k.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/04/21/jacob-quillan-scores-game-winner-toronto-marlies-finish-regular-season-with-weekend-sweep-of-laval/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies have a three-game series with the Rochester Americans to contend with before facing the Laval Rocket in the round of 16\. Toronto has home ice for these three games that'll be played on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday if necessary. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/image-3.png) 2026 Calder Cup Bracket The Sceptres sit two points back of the Ottawa Charge for the final playoff spot and only two games left in the season, so it's all to play for. Tonight is the Pride game at the Coliseum for the Sceptres as they play the Sirens in their penultimate game. In their most recent contest against New York, they heartbreakingly lost the lead and the game in regulation, gaining no points. But, a good win on Sunday against Minnesota tees up what's looking like a final game vs Ottawa on Saturday afternoon for all the marbles. > THE FIRST TO EVER DO IT 🙂‍↕️ > > Daryl Watts becomes the first player in PWHL history to score 10 goals or more in all three seasons! [pic.twitter.com/tl3iLjNrrT](https://t.co/tl3iLjNrrT?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Sceptres (@PWHL\_Toronto) [April 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5FToronto/status/2046239532073570518?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Peter Laviolette is the latest contestant on "talk about analytics" a remake of a show from 2016 that is taking the NHL by storm! > Peter Laviolette gives his take on whether or not analytics are as important as the eye test. 👀📊 [#Overdrive](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Overdrive?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [@OverDrive1050](https://twitter.com/OverDrive1050?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/TG6MwtjRzA](https://t.co/TG6MwtjRzA?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [April 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2046365197237927983?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) He does a really good job of showing what "your eyes can't count" means, but what he's talking about directly here is using something other than points to measure performance. He's not really talking about using analysis of data. He alludes to it when he talks about teams making changes even in the playoffs, but like most people in his position, he's not really being upfront about the use of data and analysis. His position being he doesn't have a position. [Mammoth’s Durzi fined $5,000 for head-butting Golden Knights D AnderssonThe NHL Department of Player Safety has fined Utah Mammoth defenceman Sean Durzi $5,000, the maximum under the CBA, for head-butting Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Rasmus Andersson in Game 1.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/BJBKCYT6WRGKFC5VL2BWJOEJBU.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/mammoths-durzi-fined-5000-for-head-butting-golden-knights-d-andersson/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > As we head to the first playoff overtime of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, here's a quick refresher on the playoff rulebook, from a piece we did for Rob Vollman's book a few years back... [pic.twitter.com/3PX2SDJauz](https://t.co/3PX2SDJauz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Scouting The Refs (@ScoutingTheRefs) [April 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/ScoutingTheRefs/status/2046030921506181346?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [2026 NHL Draft prospects with the most to prove at the IIHF U18 World ChampionshipThe 2026 NHL Draft season came and went, and we’re back in Slovakia where top draft-eligibles get one final chance to show scouts what they’ve got.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Elite ProspectsJanik Beichler and David Phillips![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/u18-towatch.webp)](https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/2026-nhl-draft/2026-nhl-draft-prospects-with-the-most-to-prove-at-the-iihf-u18-world-championship?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Sabres have been fun to watch, not just because they're beating the Boston Briuns, but mostly because their fans deserve this. > After a fifteen-year wait, the Buffalo Sabres made NHL history with a four-goal third-period explosion to stun the Bruins and ignite a city-wide frenzy. > > Story by: [@davidalter](https://twitter.com/davidalter?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/dxtMM7fuC3](https://t.co/dxtMM7fuC3?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) [April 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheHockeyNews/status/2046244502000562509?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ICYMI. It's always possible for people to interview and us not know about it, but so far the only experienced candidates who've done a job like GM or POHO before have been Gillis and John Chayka. That can't be it, right? [The Maple Leafs’ top job is too big for “learn as you go” candidatesOver the past few weeks, as the Maple Leafs’ 2025-26 season painfully wound down, all the attention shifted to who will take control of the franchise. We looked at the Leafs six (!) AGMs at a high level (most of whom should probably go), as well as who the Leafs should try to emulate (hint: \[…\]![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Maple Leafs HotstoveAnthony Petrielli![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/mike-gillis-maple-leafs.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/04/19/the-maple-leafs-top-job-is-too-big-for-learn-as-you-go-candidates/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In the NHL playoffs, The Flyers blanked the Penguins 3-0 to go up 2-0\. Rookie Porter Martone scored his second goal in as many games. He's currently maintaining above a point-per-game pace in his 11-game career. The Sens took the Hurricanes to double overtime, but Jordan Martinook won the game. Canes lead the series 2-0 now (lolsens). The Dallas Stars made up for a game 1 home loss with a somewhat more comfortable 4-2 win against Minnesota as they were able to keep the Wild at arm's reach in the 2nd and 3rd. Their series is now tied 1-1\. The Ducks scared the Oilers with three goals in the second to almost steal a game 1 win on the road. But a late goal from Kasperi Kapanen in the third gave Edmonton the first win in the series. [Oilers rally past Ducks to take Game 1The Edmonton Oilers let an early lead slip away and now trail their first-round series with the Anaheim Ducks.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caCanadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Anaheim-Ducks-Cutter-Gauthier-61-battles-against-Edmonton-Oilers-Leon-Draisaitl-29.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/oilers-rally-past-ducks-to-take-game-1/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Monday's FTB: Marlies end on a high URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-marlies-end-on-a-high/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T10:00:23.000Z The Marlies won their final regular season game over Laval with goals from Dakota Mermis, in his second game back after an injury, Vinni Lettieri, Jacob Quillan and an ENG capper from Michael Pezzetta. > YAAAAAAAAA Q! 🚨 > > Jacob Quillan makes it a two-goal lead with the wrap-around [pic.twitter.com/3hbHFJcVGS](https://t.co/3hbHFJcVGS?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [April 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2045988547774095747?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > IT ALL STARTS WEDNESDAY! > > The Toronto Marlies will officially take on the Rochester Americans in Round 1 of the Calder Cup Playoffs. > > 🎟️ Grab tickets now: [https://t.co/nBrvc9L0Gz](https://t.co/nBrvc9L0Gz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/GhIVkuvoqI](https://t.co/GhIVkuvoqI?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [April 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2046001187254673731?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Sceptres turned power play success into a win over the Frost yesterday to give them three very important points. They play the Sirens tomorrow in the Pride game at home. Another win is what they need as they are two points behind Ottawa and three in front of New York. They hold the tiebreaker over both right now. Canada is gearing up for the U18: > FINAL | Tynan Lawrence scored a 🧢🧢🧢 to help 🇨🇦 beat 🇨🇿 6-2 in its pre-[#U18MensWorlds](https://twitter.com/hashtag/U18MensWorlds?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) finale. > > FINAL | Lawrence inscrit un 🧢🧢🧢, et le 🇨🇦 a battu la 🇨🇿 6-2 à son dernier match préparatoire du [#MondialMasculinM18](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MondialMasculinM18?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). > > 📊 [https://t.co/6uy4KBg7yW](https://t.co/6uy4KBg7yW?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > 📊 [https://t.co/w8Wom6p3qw](https://t.co/w8Wom6p3qw?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/VK2l6qwqmB](https://t.co/VK2l6qwqmB?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) [April 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/HockeyCanada/status/2045910011050652127?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I'm mostly team meteor on this matchup, but that's one hell of a playoff performance: > PLAYOFF HAT TRICK FOR THE WIN 💥 > > Juraj Slafkovský’s third of the game is the Subway Canada OT winner in Game One! [pic.twitter.com/NscfMeQWQB](https://t.co/NscfMeQWQB?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [April 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2046034004131078637?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Ditto: > Amazing 3rd period by the Sabres. Now over 10% to win the Cup. [https://t.co/sraEt2p9f0](https://t.co/sraEt2p9f0?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/8Kb29XcrWf](https://t.co/8Kb29XcrWf?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — MoneyPuck.com (@MoneyPuckdotcom) [April 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/MoneyPuckdotcom/status/2046052985914978585?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's all for now, have a great Monday. ### Sceptres Gameday: The road leads to St. Paul URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-frost-warning/ Last updated: 2026-04-19T16:41:42.000Z ## Toronto Sceptres @ Minnesota Frost 1:30 PM ET @Grand Casino Arena, St. Paul, MN **Watch in Minnesota:** FanDuel Sports Network North, FOX 9+ **Watch in Canada:** TSN #### **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com #### The Ottawa Charge are trying to write their own ticket to the playoffs, and they soundly beat the Sirens yesterday to sit five points ahead of both New York and Toronto. Vancouver has been eliminated, and the Sceptres are now teetering on the edge. A loss today does not mean elimination – they still have two other games to play, but it's a near thing, and if they lose, they no longer control their own destiny, they have to have other teams lose to order for them. Meanwhile, the Frost, nine points behind the Fleet and stuck in third place, actually can overtake them if they win out their three games, and Boston loses theirs. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/HGSB8ZKWQAAabFB-1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/HGRiE2QXsAA03Za-1-.jpg) ### Maple Leafs status report URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-status-report/ Last updated: 2026-04-18T12:00:03.000Z Years ago, I stole an idea from another SBNation site and starting doing "Who has played their last game as a Maple Leaf" articles. This year? Who knows. Seriously, I can't guess on almost anyone. So in the spirit of just waiting until the future arrives in its own time, this is where they are at right now, beginning with the players who spoke at locker cleanout where some discussed their state of health. **Auston Matthews** \- just got off his crutches, and will rehab this offseason. Timelines for injuries are guesses, and we aren't guessing today. He's under contract for two more years, has a full NMC, and will be discussing his future with whoever is hired to run the team. **William Nylander** \- Seems healthy, but hasn't said anything about playing at Worlds. Is under contract for four more years with a full NMC, and has said he's up for a retool, but not a full teardown. **Matthew Knies** \- Would not disclose the nature of his injury that he had all year, but says the impact was overblown by people. Expects to train after some rest. He is under contract for five more years with no trade protection until the final year. **John Tavares** \- played every game, is healthy, is going to play at Worlds. He is under contract for three more years with a full NMC for next year and trad protection in the final two. **Morgan Rielly** \- is healthy, would like to play at Worlds, is under contract for four more years with an NMC. **Chris Tanev** \- is still rehabbing from surgery, but expects to be ready for next season. Is under contract for four more year with a full NMC. **Anthony Stolarz** \- does not need surgery for a groin strain. Is under contract for four more years with varying trade protection over each season. **Joe Woll** \- Healthy, is under contract for two years with some trade protection in the final year only. **Jake McCabe** \- Is healthy as far as we know, and is under contract for four years with some kind of trade protection each season. **Oliver Ekman-Larsson** \- Has been intermittently mildly injured this season, but appears healthy right now. Is under contract for two more years with some trade protection. **Brandon Carlo** \- Missed the final few games with an undisclosed lower body injury. Is under contract for one more season with a three team no-trade list. That list is currently at eight teams, and likely changes over on July 1. **Max Domi** \- Played down the stretch with no sign of injury. He is under contract for two more years with a 13 team no-trade list. **Matias Maccelli** \- Is an RFA with a QO of $4.11 million and arbitration rights. **Dakota Joshua** \- Is injured but not serious enough for surgery and is under contract for two more years with an unchanging 12 team no-trade list. **Calle Järnkrok** \- UFA **Nick Robertson** \- RFA with a QO of $1.825 million and arbitration rights. **Steven Lorentz** \- Under contract for two years with no trade protection. **Jacob Quillan** \- RFA with a QO of $826,875 and arbitration rights. He has 23 NHL games played for any sort of argument in arbitration. **Easton Cowan** \- Has two more years on his ELC, is healthy and has been loaned to the Marlies for the playoffs. **Simon Benoit** \- Healthy, is under contract for one more year with no trade protection. **Phil Myers** \- Healthy, is under contract for one more year with no trade protection. **Troy Stecher** \- UFA **Dennis Hildeby** \- Healthy, will return to the Marlies and is under contract for two more years. There are a host of expiring RFAs on the Marlies as well as some UFAs, but that is an issue we can delve into later in the offseason when the signing and QO deadlines are approaching. ### Weekend FTB: The Marlies playoff ranking hinges on winning this weekend URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/weekend-ftb-the-marlies-playoff-ranking-hinges-on-winning-this-weekend/ Last updated: 2026-04-18T08:06:52.000Z It's a big weekend to end the Toronto Marlies regular season with two back-to-back games here in Toronto at the Coliseum against the Laval Rocket, the top team in the AHL North Division. While the Marlies have clinched a playoff spot, they are presently fourth place in the division and ideally need to win both games so they avoid the dreaded play-in tournament which is where they were knocked out last season. The Marlies are chasing the Cleveland Monsters for that third place spot, and unfortunately the Monsters won last night putting them three standings points ahead of the Marlies, but the Marlies have two games left to Cleveland's one, and the Marlies will own the first tie breaker, so it's possible to get up to third place with only a win and an overtime loss, however that still depends on the Monsters losing their final game, but that final game for the Monsters is against the Grand Rapids Griffins which are the blow-out best team in the whole AHL this season with a record of 51 wins in 71 games, so there is still hope the Marlies can do it. The Rocket love to be antagonists though, and they have nothing to lose as they have already locked down first in the division, so expect the likes of Florian Xhekaj being as big a jerk as possible on the ice. But, again, even if the Marlies don't win, they are in. Playoff schedule details to be determined after this weekend. Where the Sceptres will land is still unknown. They still have three regular season games left and the first of those is on Sunday against the reigning PWHL champions the Minnesota Frost. They sit at sixth in the league, so they haven't been eliminated yet, but it is scary how close they are cutting it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/image-1.png) The Maple Leafs had their season ending interviews yesterday and you can watch them here: But here's something more interesting to watch this weekend, as it's free of cliches, non-answers, and dumb questions that are only for attempting to craft a narrative about WHY LEAFS BAD?? It's a live stream of two baby owls in a box. Note there are key shutdowns of GO Transit train service this weekend. Both the Barrie and Kitchener lines will operate only for a part of their routes; the Kitchener line won't go west of Bramalea and the Barrie line won't go south of Downsview. On top of that there's a gigantic blob of rain heading this way which will hit Southern Ontario this Saturday morning. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/image-2.png) Oh, and there's also that whole NHL playoffs thing that starts today. Not sure what that's about, but apparently it begins with the Senators @ Hurricanes at 3:00 p.m. Have a good one, kittens. ### Maple Leafs Candidates for "the job" URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-candidates-for-the-job/ Last updated: 2026-04-17T15:05:15.000Z Since the list of names the Maple Leafs have shown some interest in for the job of running Hockey Operations is getting long, this is a collection of short bios of the people mentioned. Some of this has been in various daily posts or in comments, so skip the Mike Gillis part if you've already read it. The order is not indicative of levels of interest since no one at all knows what that is: ### Mike Gillis Did you know Adam Pelech is his nephew? Me neither. Gillis is 67, from Sudbury, but he played junior hockey in Kingston. He was drafted fifth overall in 1978 by the Colorado Rockies, and he had a six-year NHL career in Colorado and Boston, with some AHL time mixed in. He retired at age 26\. After hockey he coached at Queen's University, where he also went on to get a law degree. In 1990, he became a player agent working alone and largely out of his home in Kingston. Gillis successfully sued the NHLPA's corrupt head Alan Eagleson for stealing part of his disability insurance. We know today the full extent of Eagleson's crimes, but when Gillis sued, he was taking a bold and unprecedented step that got him counter-sued by Eagleson, and made no friends of the NHL establishment. This, from 2012, is a fantastic look at who Gillis was at the mid-point of his job in Vancouver. [Inside the Mind of Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis - Vancouver MagazineLike Billy Beane of Moneyball fame, Canucks GM Mike Gillis has taken an unconventional approach to creating a model sports franchise![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/vanmag-favicon-2.png)Vancouver MagazineBruce Dowbiggin![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/vanmag-archive.jpeg)](https://vanmag.com/city/arts-and-culture/inside-the-mind-of-vancouver-canucks-gm-mike-gillis/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There's some unfortunate formatting loss, but it's still worth it. He instituted a host of player-focused reforms in Vancouver, and also changed the focus on finding players – looking for undrafted talent – and emphasizing skill. All of these things, down to the money spent outside the salary cap on the environment the players work and train in are the things we now consider the strengths of the Leafs. In 2014, just as the Canucks failed to make the playoffs, [Gillis was fired](https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/canucks-fire-general-manager-mike-gillis-1.2602929?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). > Gillis signed a contract extension after the 2011-12 season. There were indications last week he and first-year head coach John Tortorella weren't communicating. Gillis seemed to criticize Tortorella's style in a radio interview, saying he wanted the team to get back to the type of game that got it to the 2011 Cup finals. > "I want us to play upbeat, puck possession, move the puck quickly, force teams into mistakes, high-transition game," Gillis said in an interview with the Team 1040\. "I think we have the personnel to do it. If we don't have the personnel to do it, they'll be changed. > "That's my vision, that's how I believe you are going to win in the Western Conference and the National Hockey League. If you look at the top teams in the West, there isn't a lot that separates any of the teams in the West, but the top teams play that way. That's the way we played." What people will remember is that he hired John Tortorella and traded Roberto Luongo and his massive contract while much controversy surrounded both of those situations. Gillis was consulting with the NHLPA and was in the running to become the new head when current head Marty Walsh was ultimately hired. Gillis left the PA in December of 2023 when his contract was up. So what stands out to me about Gillis is that he has had an excitingly varied career, even if all of it, or most of it, revolves around hockey. In many ways, he's been defined by the curveballs life has dealt him starting with his early exit from hockey. But he rolled with it, and that's very impressive. The description of what Gillis was doing to modernize and professionalize the Canucks in 2012 is precisely what Brendan Shanahan brought to the Leafs two years later. I see a lot of similarities between those two men – hockey guys with some maverick traits. Gillis, though, has that reputation as the guy on the wrong side of the argument that hangs over player agents. Right down to claims he caused the 2005 lockout (personally!) because of the contract he negotiated for Bobby Holik. LeBrun reports that Gillis has said in the past, he wouldn't want a GM job, more of a president's role. Brendan Shanahan's old job, in other words. I don't think that's where this is headed. I did at first, I thought we'd get a Hockey Man - Nerd Man - Hybrid Coach sort of arrangement, but now I'm not so sure that's a given. Gillis is a guy who is open to change, to new ways of thinking, and will always be a player-first thinker. Chris Tanev, who was signed out of college by Gillis, called him intense in his post-season interview. He said he had a lot of respect for him, and that with Gillis there is no nonsense. ### Brandon Pridham Pridham, now 52, was promoted to [AGM of the Leafs in 2018](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/leafs-promote-brandon-pridham-to-assistant-general-manager-298759680?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) under Kyle Dubas after four years with the team and a prior career with the league: > Pridham joined the Leafs from the National Hockey League where he most recently served as Senior Director, Central Registry and Senior Advisor, Central Scouting. He began his career at the NHL in 1999 as a coordinator in NHL Central Scouting. In 15 years with the League, he served in a number of capacities in the Central Scouting and Central Registry departments with duties that included serving as the contact person for NHL General Managers, Assistant General Managers and NHL Executives on issues involving the CBA, salary cap and NHL Central Scouting department. He is serving now as interim co-GM with Ryan Hardy, and he is originally from Stouffville. The meme that Brandon Pridham is the only person on earth who can do arithmetic and is a special salary cap genius is a little overblown. His experience with the league is extensive, and his job at the Leafs has been more than "human Cap Friendly". There were stories that Kyle Dubas wanted to hire him as the GM in Pittsburgh, and also that he interviewed with the Flames. He knows the team, the contracts, the people and he should be considered a serious contender for the job. ### Ryan Hardy Hardy, 40, is from Connecticut and played hockey in the youth system there. He joined the Leafs in 2021 under Kyle Dubas as the Senior Director of Minor League Operations with meant he was the GM of the Marlies and the Newfoundland Growlers. He's currently an AGM as well, and is co-acting GM. Hardy began his hockey career as an assistant coach at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut when he was 23, but he never played hockey past high school. He worked for the USNTDP team starting in 2013, and after a short stint as a scout with the Bruins became the GM of Chicago Steel in the USHL. Chicago Steel was at the forefront of a push that continues today to make the USHL a league that really competes with Canadian junior hockey. Kyle Dubas was known to scout that team for players to draft or to sign as undrafted free agents. In 2022 he was named as AGM and GM of the Marlies. This conversation from his pre-Toronto days gives you a feel for who he is: Hardy starts 15 minutes in. The emphasis on Hardy wanting to always learn and always advance is interesting, considering how much he has done that since this conversation. ### John Chayka Chayka is a difficult person to discuss since he's been thoroughly memefied by social media discourse. Someone needs to explain to me why owning some fast food franchises is funny. How dare he run a business! What a loser! Chayka is also difficult to discuss because he was the guy that tried to moneyball the Arizona Coyotes and ended up [cast out of the NHL world](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhl-suspends-john-chayka-rest-year-dispute-coyotes/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) after being fired by the Coyotes. > At issue appeared to be whether the team allowed Chayka to pursue another opportunity. Friedman reported that about one month before the divorce, another NHL team reached out to the Coyotes asking for permission to speak to Chayka about a job. The request was initially denied but later permitted, and an offer Chayka couldn’t refuse was made. Friedman reported the Coyotes made it clear the titles “general manager” and/or “president of hockey operations” could not be involved, to prove that Chayka was not making a lateral move. > Chayka’s tenure with the club came under further scrutiny after a hearing on Aug. 6, when the Coyotes acknowledged they had violated the league’s combine testing policy during the 2019-20 season by conducting physical testing on draft-eligible players prior to the event. > At the end of the month, the organization was forced to forfeit its 2020 second-round pick and 2021 first-round selection for its actions. No discipline was handed down on any specific individuals involved in the case. Chayka lost out on a job with the Devils due to this issue. His ideas about using biometric data to evaluate draft-eligible players are commonplace now in other leagues, but the NHL still imposes its own regime on what can and cannot be tested for at the Combine. It seems clear now after the dissolution of the Coyotes and the move to Utah that ownership of that team presented some pretty extreme challenges for any GM. But it is Chayka's replacement Bill Armstrong, who is taking the team to the playoffs. Chayka has always been associated with the so-called analytics movement. This is him back in the day at Sloan: Of note, the company Stathletes is a project of Meghan Chayka, John's sister, and has been her project with Neil Lane since they were in university. I find it difficult to separate Chayka the person from all the mythology around him. As an early name in hockey who was interested in evidence-based thinking, he bore the brunt of a lot of boundary policing by the hockey lifers. It is certainly true that the Coyotes were for many years the least successful team – measured however you like – in the NHL. I know this, he's not in it for the salary. ### Ryan Bowness Bowness, the son of Columbus coach Rick Bowness, is 42, and played in the OHL and Canadian university hockey. He joined the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009 as Team Manager right after he retired from playing. He moved to Winnipeg with the team but took on the role of pro scout. He has worked for the Penguins as Director of Scouting, the Ottawa Senators as AGM and GM of the AHL team and spent last year with the Islanders as AGM and Director of Player Personnel. ### Chris Pronger Former NHL star, Pronger owned an OHL team for a few years, and acted as advisor (like Shane Doan in Toronto) to the Panthers up to 2020 where he was briefly a VP of Hockey Operations. That is his only managerial experience in hockey. I don't consider him a serious candidate. For reference, it's interesting to compare his post-playing activities to fellow Flyers player Danny Briere. Briere immediately entered into a mentorship arrangement with the Flyers ownership after he retired and served as a GM of an ECHL team before the Flyers named him their GM. In other words, he went out and learned the job before he had the job. Pronger is active on social media. ### Three Names Mentioned Three names were mentioned by Elliotte Friedman as people is not sure have been interviewed or will be, but might be. Gregory Campbell, who has the same role in Florida that Hardy does in Toronto; Ryan Martin, who has that role with the Rangers after a very long career in Detroit; and Ross Mahoney, who has been with the Capitals for over 25 years and is currently an AGM – he came up through the scouting department and his role is draft, prospects, and amateur scouting focused. --- That's all for now, if more names come up, I'll try to find out something about them. ### Friday's FTB: The things you need to know now URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-the-things-you-need-to-know-now/ Last updated: 2026-04-17T10:00:33.000Z First up, the draft lottery is May 5\. When the NHL releases their full set of rules for this year's lottery, I'll put up a longer explainer. Until then, go play: [Tankathon | 2026 NHL Draft Order & Lottery Simulator2026 NHL Draft order tracker updated after every game. NHL lottery simulator to determine the top overall pick. View traded picks and playoff matchups.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/tank_180-f415af3bc3fcfa63c7a9e2ead79814932b56eb5099d80d53ece0d8bf77872b9d.png)Tankathon![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/tank_nhl_210-1a7364f7ccc60f9927a06cc0e8542af54424d969272bdf1dd75ee3c4c61707a8.png)](https://www.tankathon.com/nhl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This Reddit thread digs into it, and I'm not qualified to judge the person's take, also I got bored halfway through and quit reading. The future comes when it comes. > [Breaking down the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery from a Leafs perspective](https://www.reddit.com/r/leafs/comments/1sn95ps/breaking%5Fdown%5Fthe%5F2026%5Fnhl%5Fdraft%5Flottery%5Ffrom%5Fa/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > by [u/drowsywizard](https://www.reddit.com/user/drowsywizard/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) in [leafs](https://www.reddit.com/r/leafs/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The NHL playoffs begin on Saturday and we are not playoff central here, we aren't "covering" the playoff rounds or anything, but anyone who is watching is welcome to talk about it. I usually tune back in by the final round. The Sceptres have three more games and sit two points out of a playoff spot, tied with New York. Their next game is Sunday afternoon. Their Pride game is Tuesday, April 21. If you're an undrafted prospect watcher, the IIHF U18 begins on Wednesday of next week. Men's Worlds starts on May 15 this year, and John Tavares will play, and Morgan Rielly indicated he's always willing. Other names will come to light in the next few weeks. Until the Leafs make their first hire, nothing at all is certain, and there's no way of knowing what they will do with RFAs, UFAs or any other player. No decisions have to be made before mid-June, though. The Leafs don't have any drafted prospects whose rights expire before August this year. We'll turn our focus to the draft after the lottery and on into June. In the interim, I plan to turn my attention to some interesting things from the HALO conference, which ties in with the Leafs hiring process. And as of this weekend, we're going back to one FTB on the weekend. And we'll have a bit of an overall news lull, I would expect, until the draft lottery. But some news broke last night: > Nothing but blue skies and Sunny days ahead. > > Jersey, we brought Sunny home. > > 📰: [https://t.co/wpT2ELjjhg](https://t.co/wpT2ELjjhg?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/OqtxOnMgNL](https://t.co/OqtxOnMgNL?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) [April 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/2044917688246423580?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Chase your dream, Sunny. That's the way to play the game. ### Thursday's FTB: Do you see this as the end of the universe, or the beginning of it? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-do-you-see-this-as-the-end-of-the-universe-or-the-beginning-of-it/ Last updated: 2026-04-16T11:40:11.000Z It's over. What more to say? It ended with a humiliating seven straight losses with the final one against the Senators last night. So what next? Is this the end of an era, or the start of a new one. Or do the Leafs wind up back in that mushy middle of mediocrity. The Leafs players will have a locker clean out day today where there will be some more blabber before they they are off to tropical island golf vacations. Here's what some had to say last night. We're not done here though. We have draft content coming, more analysis from the podcast crew, and one thing we know for certain is the Marlies are making the AHL Calder Cup playoffs. Their final regular season games are this weekend on Saturday and Sunday at 4:00 p.m. against the Laval Rocket at the Coliseum. The Marlies really want to win these games out to have the chance to jump up to third place in the division and not have to face either the Amerks or Comets (mathematically unlikely, but still possible the Comets could do this with three straight regulation wins) in the play-in round, and instead skip that and go straight to facing the Syracuse Crunch in the playoffs, and also getting a few extra days off in that scenario. The Marlies are only one point back of the Monsters with both teams having only two games remaining. Here are the current North Division Standings. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/image.png) The Sceptres have three games left in their season and their loss to the New York Sirens last night hurt their chances of making the playoffs, but only a bit. They are two standings points behind the Sirens which means they are still in the mix, but putting together three wins here would be ideal. Their next game is Sunday in Minnesota. There was one era that did come to an end last night. > Joe Bowen’s Final Message as he signs off for the last time > > 🔊​​ [@Bonsie1951](https://twitter.com/Bonsie1951?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [@Jim\_Ralph](https://twitter.com/Jim%5FRalph?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/UaClcBxExs](https://t.co/UaClcBxExs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — LeafsJellyHD (@LeafsJelly) [April 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsJelly/status/2044601090247651647?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's all for this morning. ### Sceptres Gameday: Toronto is in New York URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-toronto-is-in-new-york/ Last updated: 2026-04-15T22:06:24.000Z ## Toronto Sceptres @ New York Sirens 7:00 PM ET @ Prudential Center, Newark **Watch in Toronto:** TSN **Watch in New York:** MSG #### **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com #### Ottawa has 36 points and three games remaining. Toronto has 34 points and four games remaining. New York has 31 points and four games remaining. Vancouver has 30 points and three games remaining. Seattle has been eliminated, and they have three games to play the Gold drafting game of adding draft points to ensure they are really last and therefore first at the draft. Toronto has more regulation wins than any other team in the running for the last playoff spot, so if they can keep that ratio up, they will win any tie. --- Today is the [New York Sirens Pride game](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/teams/new-york-sirens/community/pride-celebration/2026?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). > New York’s Pride Unity Game will feature programming integrated throughout the full game experience, including: > Live musical performances and ceremonial moments highlighting LGBTQ+ voices > Community organization presence and engagement on the concourse > In-game recognition and storytelling celebrating LGBTQ+ impact in sport and society ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/HF5XWCdasAEfXTe-1-.jpg) New York lines not yet revealed. Kristin Della Rovere is with team Italy at their IIHF event. ### Gameday: Leafs @ Senators URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gameday-leafs-senators/ Last updated: 2026-04-15T17:00:21.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Ottawa Senators 07:30 PM at Canadian Tire Centre Watch on: SN, TVAS The Leafs will finish fifth last if they lose this game in any fashion. A gain of one point to 79 and a temporary tie with Seattle puts the Kraken higher in the standings no matter what they do in their last game tomorrow since they hold the tie-breaker in RW. A win by the Leafs puts their final standings location in the hands of the Kraken. ### Them They're playing the Hurricanes in the first round no matter what happens today. #### Lines Graeme Nichols via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/ottawa-senators/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice, but subject to change. Drake Batherson - Tim Stützle - Claude Giroux Brady Tkachuk - Dylan Cozens - Ridly Greig Nick Cousins - Shane Pinto - Michael Amadio Warren Foegele - Lars Eller - Fabian Zetterlund Jordan Spence - Artem Zub Thomas Chabot - Jordan Spence Lassi Thomson - Nikolas Matinpalo Limus Ullmark James Reimer - starter ### Us The Leafs are cleaning out their lockers tomorrow no matter what happens today. #### Lines Last Game (2026-04-13) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Michael Pezzetta draws in tonight for the injured Järnkrok Easton Cowan - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Max Domi - Nicholas Robertson Matias Maccelli - Luke Haymes - ~~Calle Järnkrok~~ Steven Lorentz - Jacob Quillan - Ryan Tverberg Morgan Rielly - Troy Stecher Simon Benoit - Jake McCabe Oliver Ekman-Larsson - William Villeneuve Joe Woll Dennis Hildeby - starter ### The Game This is, in many ways a very sad occasion. No one set out to create this disaster, but then people rarely fail on purpose. Tomorrow is the start of the future, and this season might teach some lessons to people, but they won't often speak of them, and they might join Brad Treliving in leaving the team as well. Tonight, though, I want to toast the Leafs, the team, the players, all the staff who weren't trying to lose and who did what they thought was their best. It's all any of us can ever do, which is maybe why watching this team fall apart stirred up such extreme emotion. For the toast: Did you know there is a cocktail called the Toronto? [It is an old one from the 20s, er, the 1920s, but it was given its name in a book from 1948](https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/3442/toronto?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). I like the Difford's guide version because they cleverly replaced the sugar syrup, which only cocktail nerds have hanging around, with maple syrup, a thing readily available in your average refrigerator. That recipe is: 1¾ oz Canadian whisky ¼ oz Fernet Branca ¼ oz maple syrup 1 dash Agnostura Bitters Stir it with ice, strain into a chilled glass (I never do this) and express orange zest over the top and then garnish it with orange and a cherry. (I never do that either.) This is really tasty, and very not maple forward, but you can still get a hint of it. The bizarre bitterness of the Fernet Branca is very fitting for toasting the Leafs. I have my own variation, beyond ignoring the fiddle-faddle, because we ended up with, mostly by accident, a bottle of this: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/250134.jpg.thumb.1280.1280-1-.jpg) If you mix that with actual whisky you save the step of prying open the maple syrup which has seized closed. This drink is sweeter, but kinda fun. Less bitter and more maple. Maybe next year's team? If you want someone else's choice: > Not sure who with [@MapleLeafs](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I need to thank for this but very thoughtful!!! Road trip starting off with a bang!!! [pic.twitter.com/EpoMnksbaq](https://t.co/EpoMnksbaq?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Joe Bowen (@Bonsie1951) [April 14, 2026](https://twitter.com/Bonsie1951/status/2044162266619056145?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Anyway the toast is: to the future, Leafs, it arrives whether you like it or not. ### Wednesday's FTB: Last game URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-last-game/ Last updated: 2026-04-15T10:00:59.000Z The only game relevant to the faint hope that the Leafs drop to fourth overall – the lowest they can go – was Colorado vs Calgary, and it was a late start, so you already know the answer to what happened. The Leafs are doing locker cleanout and media availabilities tomorrow, the actual final day of the NHL regular season, a sign the team doesn't care about anything but the future. But before all of that, we have today, the last day, the last game in Ottawa. > G Artur Akhtyamov has been assigned to the Toronto Marlies (AHL). > > G Dennis Hildeby has been recalled from the Marlies. > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [April 14, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2044114234800214054?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Speaking of Ottawa... > Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney mixed diplomacy with hockey, taking the ice with players from the Ottawa Charge during Stubb’s first formal bilateral visit to Canada [pic.twitter.com/Gj5TMibvEV](https://t.co/Gj5TMibvEV?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Reuters (@Reuters) [April 14, 2026](https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/2044143658174402986?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Yesterday the Leafs signed Landon Sim to an NHL contract, likely a sign that some of the RFAs will go unqualified. [Maple Leafs sign Marlie Landon Sim to an ELCGood luck in the playoffs this year!![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1592111332908-f8f7fe1bb041)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-landon-sim/) Of course any organizational opinion on who will stay or go has to be on hold because opinions on a lot of things are likely to change. > The Toronto Marlies are proud to announce that William Villeneuve has been named the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Toronto community during the 2025-26 season. [pic.twitter.com/RjXS9Kd1W8](https://t.co/RjXS9Kd1W8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [April 14, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2044128556129890540?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Now we know what Peter DeBoer was doing while he was waiting for a coaching job to open up: > This is amazing. According to great Montreal-based music guy and hockey fan Mitch, Rick Tocchet said tonight on RDS that he’s grateful to a pal for fixing the Flyers’ defense as a consultant and helping them get in the playoffs. > > That friend is [#Isles](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Isles?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) coach Peter DeBoer. [https://t.co/1PkPwk94rG](https://t.co/1PkPwk94rG?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Chris Botta (@ChrisBottaNHL) [April 15, 2026](https://twitter.com/ChrisBottaNHL/status/2044214250277581085?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) With the offseason here for half the NHL, this article might be a nice break from the relentless focus on Canadian teams: [NHL teams’ offseason keys, including free agency, draft needsWe explore the next moves each team should make this summer and forecast expectations for 2026-27.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)ESPNRyan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton![](https://a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2026%2F0413%2Fr1643014_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg)](https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/%5F/id/48475221/nhl-2026-offseason-schedule-keys-draft-picks-trades-free-agency-cap-space?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) As for the Leafs, I agree with that article's summation: > **Realistic expectation for 2026-27:** It's too early to say what the Leafs can reasonably accomplish next season. There are too many variables with the front office in a state of flux. There's so much presumptive takery going on. What Matthews will say, what he should say, his body language, some people are sure of that! What the team will do, how they'll just hire someone who will be bad. They won't fire Craig Berube, or they will, but they'll just get someone the same, or they won't but it will be bad some other way. It's all yet to be. *Are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of things that May be, only?* In a lot of cases they are the shadows of thing that are very unlikely to be. Just wait for it. The game is tonight, tomorrow is talking, and then the real work begins. There is no way to even imagine where the team will be come September. Just like an odds table can't tell you who will win a draft lottery. The preview will be out later, and the Sceptres are in action again, so we'll have two GDT! Oh the humanity! ### Maple Leafs sign Marlie Landon Sim to an ELC URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-landon-sim/ Last updated: 2026-04-14T17:48:33.000Z [Maple Leafs Sign Landon Sim To A Two-year, Entry-level Contract | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed forward Landon Sim to a two-year, entry-level contract beginning in the 2026-27 season. Sim, 21, skated in 13 games for the Toronto Marlies (AHL) this season, registering three goals and 31 penalty minutes, and appeared in 18 games![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/de0sxbgx9zcmruhcmvda.png)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-landon-sim-to-a-two-year-entry-level-contract?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Landon Sim, currently with the Marlies on a one-year deal has been signed to a two-year ELC that begins next season. Originally drafted by St. Louis, they did not qualify him. > Sim, 21, skated in 13 games for the Toronto Marlies (AHL) this season, registering three goals and 31 penalty minutes, and appeared in 18 games with the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL), recording six points (two goals, four assists) and 44 penalty minutes. Prior to joining the Maple Leafs organization, Sim won the Memorial Cup with the London Knights. The New Glasgow, NS native skated in 213 career regular-season OHL games with London, posting 124 points (66 goals, 58 assists), while adding 23 points (16 goals, seven assists) in 30 career playoff games, along with two OHL championships (2024, 2025). Last fall at the prospect tournament, there were two players trying to occupy the same niche, Sim and drafted junior Sam McCue. I thought Sim rendered McCue totally redundant. Brian, meanwhile said this: > Before I get to the main standouts, I'll give an honourary mention to Landon Sim for being a pleasant surprise, mostly because I was expecting basically nothing but he looks like he gets his role and knows how to grind. So that's who he is, tough, grinder, energy player who likely gets called a spark plug. Oh, and his father was a tough guy in the NHL, and whenever Sim gets in a fight the camera swings to his dad in the stands. It was a Knights tradition, and it happened at the rookie event too. Don't let that colour your perception of him too much. He's also zippy little winger size. There is some there, there, and he is only 21... we'll argue about his NHL upside in August because he's now on the T25 list. PuckPedia has the contract at $955.000 AAV, two-way both years with $80,000 is signing bonus. Minors salary is capped at $85,000\. ### Tuesday's FTB: Leafs flirted with winning, but gave in in the end URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-10/ Last updated: 2026-04-14T11:56:32.000Z Last night, as I sat down to kinda watch the Leafs play Dallas at home, the windows were wide open, and it was still 23 degrees out. This is your global warming hockey fashion: > Ring camera said motion detected [pic.twitter.com/NAS08emvK4](https://t.co/NAS08emvK4?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [April 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2043815274583851403?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs lost in a game of 11 goals scored and one that was actually a little fun. It means nothing. The standings have the Leafs maintaining at fifth last as the Rangers lost to the Panthers last night. The Kraken were losing to the Kings in the second, and if that score held, the Kings have clinched a playoff spot, and the Ducks have as well, alas. The Flyers clinched their spot with a win, the Blues also won, giving the Leafs some breathing room. And San Jose beat the Predators, knocking them below the Kings and unable to catch them. Very good set of results for our interests. > Welcome to the club, Jay Quellin [pic.twitter.com/fZd4BrHOj7](https://t.co/fZd4BrHOj7?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [April 14, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2043884605095186935?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) --- When we were talking about Mike Gillis and the Canucks, one thing I noticed about him was he innovated the idea of travel as an impact on players. The Goldeneyes also want data to address this. > Goldeneyes HC Brian Idalski said he’d like to see some better training and data around sleep and travel as the league moves forward, so they can actually see any impact on players. > > Said he created a bit of a stir in his last avail about this (I’d agree) [pic.twitter.com/crwh6dSS0z](https://t.co/crwh6dSS0z?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Maya 🫶 (@mayaxeverysport) [April 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/mayaxeverysport/status/2043773178296840419?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) My dear PWHL, get out of the dark ages, and produce real shot data. Please. For this and so many other reasons. [Rangers G Quick retiring after season, will make final NHL start Monday vs. PanthersVeteran goaltender Jonathan Quick announced Monday that he will make his last-ever start as the New York Rangers take on the Florida Panthers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-259.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/MS5GEQUBRVGV5PYJ3FJPKQX4PU.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/rangers-g-quick-to-make-last-ever-nhl-start-monday-vs-panthers/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Michael Bunting caught up with Rielly this morning > > "Mo was such a big part of this team when I was here. He’s such a good leader on & off the ice. I can say confidently everyone in that room absolutely loves Mo ... I hope for the Leafs sake that that’s not his last \[home\] game" > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [April 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2043801319828312311?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) As award season draws near, it's heartwarming to see even the bespoke fancy stats crowd using stats to judge players that are heavily team-driven. > Norris this. Norris that. > Possession time 5 on 5 👩‍💻 [pic.twitter.com/zycUtiUp9K](https://t.co/zycUtiUp9K?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Meghan Chayka (@MeghanChayka) [April 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/MeghanChayka/status/2043755526333362651?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This was my special stat I evented a few years ago, so let's see how close... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-13-194449.png) There's a few differences. See if you can guess (or god help you, remember this) what the stat is. But what my special stat does is very bluntly sort the defenders into guys who play a lot from those who don't, and those who are on better teams in terms of shotshare and those who aren't, and those who are offensively minded and those who aren't. The question data can answer, however, is who is good at various different roles on defence. And that's a valuable answer. Who plays a lot on good teams is what you give out awards for. As for this award. I apologize to all, but if I had a vote for this award as constructed, I'd vote for Lane Hutson (not because of my stat, though). If you wanted me to vote for the best defender, though, I'd annoy you by asking: best at what? And that's all for now. Today we want the Flames to beat the Avalanche because if the Flames win their last too, Toronto can come fourth last. They can't now get below the Rangers. ### Penultimate Gameday: Leafs host the Stars URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/penultimate-gameday-leafs-host-the-stars/ Last updated: 2026-04-13T17:37:35.000Z ### Dallas Stars @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:30 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: Prime, Victory+ ### The Leafs last game was at home on April 11 against the Florida Panthers, which Toronto lost by a score of 6-2 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 32-34-14 for a 0.487 Points %. The Dallas Stars last played at home on April 11 against the New York Rangers. The Stars won by a score of 2-0 in regulation, and their current league record is 48-20-12 for a 0.675 Points %. As you know, the Leafs are now fifth last by points. To safeguard that spot they need to just lose. What fun! The Kings are in the last wild card spot, but they are only one point ahead of Nashville. They have a game in hand, and need to win. Lucky them! The Kings play the Kraken tonight, while the Sharks play Nashville. ### Them Tyler Seguin is done for the season and playoffs, Radek Faksa was hurt at the Olympics and might be ready to play before the playoffs, he hasn't yet. Roope Hintz is in a similar situation. Miro Heiskanen has been shut down following an injury this week. Various lower-level players are somewhat hurt and have missed some time. A group of 18 skaters will play tonight, though. Cameron Hughes has been returned to the AHL, so some addition will happen to their last lineup. #### Lines Last Game (2026-04-11) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/dallas-stars/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Justin Hryckowian - Wyatt Johnston - Mikko Rantanen Jason Robertson - Matt Duchene - Mavrik Bourque Adam Erne - Arttu Hyry - Jamie Benn Cameron Hughes - Oskar Back - Colin Blackwell Esa Lindell - Ilya Lyubushkin Thomas Harley - Tyler Myers Lian Bichsel - Alex Petrovic Casey DeSmith - confirmed starter Jake Oettinger ### Us The Leafs don't have many lineup options left, but they are taking the opportunity to give Ryan Tverberg his NHL debut. #### Lines Mark Masters via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Easton Cowan - John Tavares - William Nylander Matias Maccelli - Max Domi - Matthew Knies Steven Lorentz - Luke Haymes - Nicholas Robertson Ryan Tverberg - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Troy Stecher Simon Benoit - Jake McCabe Oliver Ekman-Larsson - William Villeneuve Artur Akhtyamov - presumed starter Joe Woll ### The Game This is the last Prime game of the season. After two years of Prime, I can say I like their quality of filming and broadcast, but I don't think the commentary or panels are very good. Not that the other channels are massively better. I don't like the start time or the very long delay before puck drop. I think they're worse than Sportsnet for that. However, if Prime in Canada adopts the Prime Video Ultra system launched in the US, it will require additional payment to get a 4k broadcast. That's cheery, isn't it? Okay, here's how it is. I think any form of tanking is bad for the sport, bad for the fans of the team as fans and a bad way to go about the business of living. But it is simply the truth that a huge dose of bad luck on top of everything else the team has gone through has led them to this spot. Having that top five pick right now would be useful. It's hard not to be cheering for them to lose. My advice is to make sure you don't fall into the habit of always wanting the Leafs to lose, to prove they're inherently bad and cursed forevermore, so you can be angry about that. That pit has slippery sides, and it's a lot harder to climb out of it than it is to land on your ass in the darkness at the bottom of it. ### Monday's FTB: Say hello to Dallas, everyone URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-dallas/ Last updated: 2026-04-13T12:08:51.000Z There was only one meaningful game last night in terms of the bottom of the standings, and the Leafs' quest for a second round pick from LA. It's so esoterically barely related: Calgary was in action vs the Mammoth and could have gained some points which they were on their way to doing late in the evening. They'd have to keep gaining points for that to matter though. I've decided, though, that LA just making the playoffs isn't enough. I want them to knock the Ducks right out of the Pacific top three. And hopefully right out on their cloacae. The Ducks only got one point last night in an OT loss to the Canucks. The Canucks! So they haven't clinched yet. What's standing in LA's way is their very low RW number. They would have to beat the Ducks outright, as they'd lose a tiebreaker. The Islanders are now eliminated, so that new coach bounce didn't quite do the trick. But the Blue Jackets and the Capitals could knock out the Flyers. Tonight's meaningful games, therefore, we have the Flyers vs the Hurricanes (the Flyers need a win to clinch), the Blues at the Wild (the Blues need to win), the Sharks vs the Predators (go for the Sharks here) and most importantly the Kings vs the Kraken. In other news, there isn't much. We've reached the lull in the action where Sundays become almost days off again and no one does much. [Avalanche coach Bednar taken to hospital after being hit in his face with a puckColorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar was taken to a hospital after being hit with a puck on his right cheek during a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-258.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/PESM4INS5SHDRVTKHOUJP5Y2JA.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/avalanche-coach-bednar-taken-to-hospital-after-being-hit-in-his-face-with-a-puck/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Sometimes we set aside our emotions and cheer the Boston fans. > going from no girls locker rooms and putting on hockey gear in a random bathroom or storage closet as a kid to watching womens hockey sellout the td garden… > > what a special moment. [pic.twitter.com/7sMWt8Drzl](https://t.co/7sMWt8Drzl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Lauren (@BOSBruinsHC) [April 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/BOSBruinsHC/status/2043155893458485689?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Remember the Leafs have no prospects because everything the Leafs do is so Leafy and "this team" is just so bad. > BEN DANFORD IN OVERTIME 🚨 [#BFD](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BFD?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/mbiR2kj5tp](https://t.co/mbiR2kj5tp?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/FRNs0BTleu](https://t.co/FRNs0BTleu?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Brantford Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) [April 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/BulldogsOHL/status/2043451100552945954?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Miro’s Belt 💙 [pic.twitter.com/VXLRZOihKt](https://t.co/VXLRZOihKt?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [April 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2043461597591421339?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's all for now. A Preview of some description will be out later so we can all cheer for the Leafs to lose, because that's so much fun. ### Sunday's FTB: The morning after the last Saturday game of the year URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sundays-ftb-the-morning-after-the-last-saturday-game-of-the-year/ Last updated: 2026-04-12T10:00:42.000Z Last night several things of interest happened: The LA Kings beat the Oilers to hold onto the second wild card in the west. This was LA's last home game and an emotional game for Anze Kopitar. Nashville beat the Wild, however, to maintain their one point deficit. St. Louis beat Chicago, so that helps with The Quest for the Pick starring Liam Helmsworth coming up on Prime Video. Seattle beat Calgary to give up their spot to the Leafs. And San Jose did something in the wee small hours that might matter to either issue. So that means the LA pick is still a second rounder for now, and the race for fifth last is still really tight but the Leafs are holding it. All they can do is not win the final two games. The Panthers' first has been traded for Seth Jones, but is top-10 protected, so they were under a lot less pressure to lose. Thanks to Bill Zito for doing better conditions on picks. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-11-214935.png) --- In other news, Miroslav Holinka has joined the Marlies, and they play in Syracuse today. They've clinched, but it would be awesome if they got into third place and avoided the play-in. They have playoff tickets up for sale if you are interested. Speaking of, the Sceptres lost a game they should have won (they got goalied) and they are in a tough fight to take that last playoff spot back from Ottawa. They don't play again until Wednesday. [‘Everything he touches turns to gold’: Panthers praise rising management star MehtaFlorida assistant general manager and head of analytics Sunny Mehta is a hot commodity in the NHL these days and the Panthers understand why.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-257.ico)TSNMark Masters![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/O2RUPRD3M5DEPIURL5L53EOYPY-1.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/everything-he-touches-turns-to-gold-panthers-praise-rising-management-star-mehta/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Denver won the Frozen Four, and the rumours about coach David Carle will start up again. The Senators clinched a playoff spot yesterday with a win over the Islanders. The only open spot in the east is now the third spot in the Metro. The Flyers 7-1 win over the Jets might help them keep it. The HNIC Headlines feature has some bits on various executive searches. As of now the Leafs, who are not in a rush, are looking at one main hire. This isn't news, but it seems to be taking a long time to get through to people. They might change their minds, but everything reported says one head of hockey operations is the goal, not a President and a GM. However, Elliotte Friedman also said several people other than Sunny Mehta will be sought for interview from Florida. That seems to imply either the other Florida AGMs or staff at other positions below the main person are to be hired. This fits with the various reports that the new head may be tasked with some sweeping changes in various departments. > Welcome to this week's Saturday Headlines with[@FriedgeHNIC](https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 📰 [pic.twitter.com/lfq4DAfvpb](https://t.co/lfq4DAfvpb?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [April 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2043133048720355576?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Gameday: Panthers @ Leafs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gameday-panthers-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-04-11T20:00:32.000Z ### Florida Panthers @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: SN, CBC, SCRIPPS ### The Leafs last game was away on April 9 against the New York Islanders, which Toronto lost by a score of 5-3 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 32-33-14 for a 0.494 Points %. The Florida Panthers last played away on April 9 against the Ottawa Senators. The Panthers lost by a score of 5-1 in regulation, and their current league record is 37-38-4 for a 0.494 Points %. So that's interesting. These two teams are tied in Points %, which means the Leafs getting to fifth last isn't just a matter of out-losing the Seattle Kraken. The Kraken are at 77 points, with four games left, and Toronto is tied with Florida and St. Louis at 78\. Way too close to call. Of note, Calgary at third last have 73 points, and unless they go on a very unlikely winning streak, that spot cannot be taken by anyone, likely not even the Rangers at 75 points. The slugfest to get a playoff spot in the west has LA holding the card with 85 points, and Nashville at 84\. LA plays the Oilers today at 4 pm ET and Nashville plays the Wild at 5 pm ET. ### Them Plagued by injuries, and now with nothing to gain from the season by anyone playing hurt, the Panthers have been calling up some AHLers. Wilmer Skoog has been recalled by Florida today. #### Lines Last Game (2026-04-09) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/florida-panthers/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Carter Verhaeghe - Sam Bennett - Mackie Samoskevich Jesper Boqvist - Eetu Luostarinen - A.J. Greer Cole Schwindt - Tomas Nosek - Noah Gregor Nolan Foote - Luke Kunin - Vinnie Hinostroza Gustav Forsling - Ludvig Jansson Tobias Bjornfot - Michael Benning Marek Alscher - Donovan Sebrango Daniil Tarasov - presumed starter Sergei Bobrovsky ### Us William Villeneuve will play today. Joe Woll starts. All of Dakota Joshua, Brandon Carlo and Anthony Stolarz are done for the season, none require surgery. Stolarz injury is the most serious, but as of now, no details have been provided. #### Lines Mark Masters via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Easton Cowan - Max Domi - Matthew Knies Steven Lorentz - Luke Haymes - Nicholas Robertson Michael Pezzetta - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Jake McCabe - Troy Stecher Simon Benoit - William Villeneuve Joe Woll - starter Artur Akhtyamov ### The Game Catch William Villeneuve's NHL debut and try to decide which team of fill-in players is better. ### Sceptres Gameday: A very important match against Ottawa URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-a-very-important-match-against-ottawa/ Last updated: 2026-04-11T16:38:49.000Z ## Ottawa Charge @ Toronto Sceptres 2:00 PM ET @Coca-Cola Coliseum **Watch in Canada:** CBC #### **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com #### Toronto's last game before their break was a 2-1 regulation win over the Charge in the takeover tour game in Calgary. Since then a few things have happened in the PWHL. All three teams at the top have now clinched a playoff spot, leaving the fourth seat open. It's still technically possible for one of Toronto or Ottawa to overtake the Frost for third, but that's so implausible as to be considered out of the question. Toronto has 34 points and Ottawa, who have played two games in the past 10 days and lost them both, are at 33\. Toronto has five games left, Ottawa four. Meanwhile the Sirens are hanging on with 31 points and five games left, two of them against the Sceptres. Toronto has to start putting light between themselves and these two teams, and today is a good day for a regulation win. I haven't seen anything official yet, but Kristin Della Rovere may have been released to play for Italy in the Division 1A tournament in Budapest. The top two teams advance to next season's Women's Worlds. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/HFljcR3bsAAwNk8-1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/04/HFoWzIfaQAA3vMf-1-.jpg) ### Ways of Thinking: When Affect and Effect collide URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ways-of-thinking-when-affect-and-effect-collide/ Last updated: 2026-04-11T14:50:03.000Z Do I have to put in a spoiler warning for a film that's 15 years old? Moneyball, the film, is a simplified and narrativized version of the reality of Billy Beane's fist toe-dip into evidence-based baseball. One of the narrative tricks is that the emotional crescendo of the film is a winning streak that any savvy viewer knows is not the judgement of god upon Beane or even the universe proving him right, it's shit happens (or rather, shit happened, since its a real event) and influences events along with his choices, good and bad. The film tries to subvert its own use of this soaring dramatic moment of glorious winning, but it doesn't try very hard. It is a film after all. You're supposed to have fun watching it, feel things, not just think things. Affect. Effect. The simplification in the film is that Beane and his henchman have identified a baseball system that leads to wins, and they use evidence-based evaluation of players to put the ones who can perform the system in place. This is the order in which information is used by decision makers that is key, and yet a lot of fans of sports would rather they didn't do it in this order. It's okay to measure the player, but it's not okay to measure the game. You see, if you do, you might change the way the game is played and if you do that, you might change the way the game makes people feel. Moneyball, either by accident or design, shows that examining the game itself led to changing it forever, throwing away a whole host of sacred beliefs along the way. In the film the key to the system Beane wants is to get on base. Doesn't matter how. But in the how is where the affect resides. If a player like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. walks a lot, it's a sign of his prowess. His plakata making the knees clack on the pitcher fearful of all that Vladdy is and he is not. A tiny little drama unfolds about power and masculinity and physical dominance every time Guerrero, or a player like him, strolls insolently or happily or cheekily to first base and jokes around with the other team's first baseman. But for other players, the story is different. If I knew more about baseball, I'd be able to talk confidently about how the commentary has changed as the things that were revolutionary in Moneyball are now "how we've always done it", but at some point there had to be a reckoning so that a player who gets on base a lot by reading the pitches, controlling his desire to hit big, and by subverting his power and masculinity to his intellect in order to do the thing that will lead to winning is not derided right out of the game. Controlled carry vs dump ins with hard forechecking. This is the "just get on base" of hockey. Because in baseball, you do have to hit the ball. *It's a run scoring competition*, I imagine the sneer goes. No shit, buddy. In hockey you do have to shoot it. But you have to get you and the puck into shooting position first. Leafs fans have had an invaluable two-year lesson in how the discourse around this choice of system goes. And the lesson here is that the while the "way we've always done it" has changed in hockey a lot in the last decade, it's still very easy to find fans, coaches, GMs, commentators and pundits who would rather it hadn't changed and all. They want the Florida Panthers to be some relic resurrected to teach the nerds the error of their ways. They want them to have toughed their way to those Cups. What isn't up for debate (and is endlessly debated) is that controlled carry into the offensive zone leads to more shots which leads to more goals. Period. However, just like "just get on base" really isn't the one simple trick to baseball, the reality is more complicated than that. The nerdosphere came up with the idea about 15 years ago that if you hit a lot, you're bad because you don't have the puck. This is actually not true, and many excellent teams hit a lot, and many hit almost never or anywhere in between. This truism, that is a falsism, exists because fans who wanted to see a puck possession game needed an argument against the fans who like hits. Well, they didn't need an argument, really, they wanted one, and they wanted it to contain a nice dose of moralizing about the right affect a hockey player should have. Dumping in the puck and then forechecking hard in the offensive zone is a little drama about power and masculinity and physical dominance. Controlled carries are described in terms of slickness and sneakiness, like it's a trick. The lithe and slippery player "broke the ankles" of the big tough guy. It's an endless culture war of duelling fables. And if you think only one side in this war is picking their preferred hockey players and styles on affect, well, that's why we're here talking about ways of thinking. Not because Craig Berube is a "dinosaur" and so wrong, so very wrong, but because everything in the game that is "the way we've always done it" needs to come under the neutral examination of someone who does not have a side in the masculinity debate. Affect doesn't have an effect on them in their quest for effectiveness. Or that's the ideal, anyway. Sunny Mehta is a the sort of person who can cut through this debate with the real story of what the Panthers do, how they do it, and more importantly, why they do it. And for all the posturing poses of the Panthers, their success isn't a drama about the performance of masculinity. If anything, Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett have proved you can paste that stuff onto just about any hockey style. Someone, and my faulty human memory wants this to be Mike Johnson but I'm not sure it was, in making a point about the Leafs faffing around looking for an identity, described the Panthers as a team that just is who they are and says to their opponents, try and stop us. No one can. Well, injuries can, it turns out. The point was vividly made, but that's an affect story to describe the effect of their system, their whys and hows, as performed by the players under the direction of the coach. And what it says is that the affect that is easy to adopt, that is dramatic and powerful and tough and masculine and more than a little "fuck you" actually augments the effect of what they're doing. Let's go back a bit to the imaginary neutral and cold, emotionless thinker looking at every aspect of the game and asking what leads to scoring a goal, more than them, do it again tomorrow. There is a pretty understandable impulse in a lot of people to want to pump the brakes on that. Emotionless seems antithetical to what they want sports to be. There can be a visceral and squirming discomfort at ideas that chip away at the emotive aspects of a sport. If you watch baseball now, you're likely used to seeing batters brain their way to first base. But one thing Moneyball does very well is show the conflict between Beane and his manager while Beane exudes his attitude of never explain yourself. The film shows you plainly that braining your way to something is not a popular thing in the culture of sports. It's too much of a challenge to beloved mysticism. Sports, hockey, the NHL is the entertainment business. The richest team in the NHL can't ignore that entirely, and a team like Florida absolutely can't. What the Panthers built was a team that you can look at from the stands and see all that affect, all the drama, the emotion, the style and culture and identity and you can remain blissfully unaware about how it all works backstage. This is a perfect showbiz team because it suits their audience, and that's why it grew that audience dramatically. There's a pretty big contrast between Florida and Carolina when you sit in the stands and watch how they play, and also how they behave while playing. Since 2020, the top five-on-five Expected Goals teams in the NHL are Carolina, Colorado and Florida. And if you don't know who Arik Parnass is, maybe you should look him up. You can use evidence to find the things that lead to winning, and also do it in a way that's right for your team, your players, your business, your fans, and your goals for the future. But you can't do that without the basic understanding that effect comes before affect flowing through the entire team at all levels. The head coach, and particularly the coaching staff, have to be in on this mode of thinking. You can build a data science team, analyze all that NHL data, build out actionable ideas on how an NHL team can get wins but if the coach wants to go with his gut and focus on how the players emote or how tough they look or how fast they skate or how happy and creative they are, you aren't going to get there. If the hockey operations department believes in evidence right up until it conflicts with what they want to be true – their mysticism – then you might as well just close down the evidence-producing departments and spend the money on more inspirational posters. Moneyball shows a system created by Beane and his staff stymied by the manager Art Howe. He has to be manipulated into playing the players in the way Beane wants him to. Unsurprisingly Howe did not return to the job the next year. What the Leafs did this year could have easily got them in the playoffs with better luck on injuries, but they would never have been utilizing their players to anything like their maximum because that plan to get more goals than them just doesn't work in the long term. And in the NHL, you can only luck your way to glory if your basic game can't carry you through the long, cold winter. Moneyball also shows scenes of baseball players sitting in front of those quaint early 2000s computers and being instructed on how to take pitches, how to just get on base. This rang really false to me, even though the players had to be instructed in this radical new thinking in some way. If the fans can sit and watch the game and never even see the ideas behind the game, I think the players can too. I think they need to. I've recently come upon some ideas that oppose this, that I find deeply intriguing, so expect some investigation into that idea soon. Players, and sure, there's going to be some exceptions, but most of them aren't putting on an affect as a gloss on a well designed system of play. They are being themselves, or that version of themselves that performs on the ice. They're method actors. The coach needs to be communicating the system to them, and he has to play the players in the way that works in the general sense, not what he wishes would win in a special world built just for him, but also how they as individuals can succeed. But he doesn't need to pull back the curtain on the whys and the evidence and the theory of that with the players themselves. You can if you like think up a carefully delineated area of responsibility org chart for a hockey team that has the GM take the scouting advice and the contract advice from various assistants which he uses to assemble a team which he then turns over to the coach, who he barely ever talks to. The coach assembles the system and tells the players how to play and I would bet that happens a lot, and it's why a lot of teams with good players fail. Or fail to succeed as much as they should. This interface in the system between getting the players and using the players, this is the layer in the cake where the structures have to mingle. The player evaluation should involve the entire operations and coaching departments. The acquisition of players, the choice of who to recall, who to play, and how to play them has to be, by some process tolerable to everyone, collaborative. This is going to be the failure point on teams when teams are structured like military chains of command. All the terminology of strategy and objectives and tactics and win-conditions is all militaristic. It's not an accident that many sports teams are named after various military units or groups. And it's also not an accident that the century-old NHL has some traditions that don't hold up under real scrutiny today. NHL coaching is so often performed with an authoritarian affect. And all too often, under the affect is an authoritarian thinker. If a GM can nullify the data science team just by dumping their memos in the trash, the coach can do it too by nodding along in the meeting and then doing one of those "stats aren't the be all and end all of the game" speeches that basically says, my gut is smarter than your brains all put together. Making this complicated is that humans are not without innate abilities to see patterns in an effective way. Our evolutionary gifts for filling in the gaps don't always lead to "that cloud looks like a bunny", they often lead to correct understandings of cause and effect. In other words, a coach that has never engaged with data-driven systems isn't by default stupid. But he's not as smart as he can be, and if he hasn't got the humility to know that, none of this stuff going on above him matters. The coach is the point at which the gatekeeping has to happen between a world ruled by rationality and one that turns into war on ice. He has to have a foot in both worlds. The players need to believe that how hard they try, how much they care, how much heart and grit and determination they have matters. Because it does. Once the cameras roll and the show is on, affect is the star of the show and their affect has an effect on their effectiveness. You just can't ever forget, if you're in charge of all this, that affect alone doesn't win. ### Saturday's FTB: Last HNIC game of the year URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/saturdays-ftb-last-hnic-game-of-the-year/ Last updated: 2026-04-11T10:00:22.000Z I had trouble today coming up with something to post considering what we're doing here this next week is marking tine until the season is over, we know the Leafs place in the standings and we can start making up fanciful tales based on lottery odds. One note on that, there are no official odds for this year's lottery yet, not least because they have to figure out what they're doing if Ottawa – set at pick 32 – don't make the playoffs. We'll have the exact figures and process sometime between next week and May 5, the date of the lottery. I decided to post some stories on topics I don't care about at all. [Playoff team tiers: What is the outlook for everyone in the race?As the NHL regular season heads into its final weekend, Justin Bourne puts everyone still alive into a tier based on their Stanley Cup outlook.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CP176093995-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/playoff-team-tiers-what-is-the-outlook-for-everyone-in-the-race/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Playoff format under scrutiny once again as high-end clashes loom in Central, Atlantic DivisionsThe NHL playoff format is once again in focus, as some of best teams in the league will meet in the first-round of the postseason.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-256.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/RTPSQC7M4VAAZJTKMZZVIMEBRU.JPG)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/playoff-format-under-scrutiny-once-again-as-high-end-clashes-loom-in-central-atlantic-divisions/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Road to the Playoffs: What teams are playing for this weekendWhile Friday is a rare quiet night in the NHL without any games scheduled, that allowed Rory Boylen to take a step back and look at what’s at stake as we get set for a huge weekend of games ahead, filled with playoff implications.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caRory Boylen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-45.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/road-to-the-playoffs-what-teams-are-playing-for-this-weekend/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Caufield’s 50th goal put him in exclusive club with Canadiens legends | NHL.comForward latest to hit milestone, following Richard’s lead![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-226.png)NHL logoDave Stubbs![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/cno82u6xbje4cbx68ecy.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/cole-caufield-joins-montreal-canadiens-greats-in-50-goal-club?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Verbeek signs multiyear contract to remain Ducks GM | NHL.comHas built core that can clinch Anaheim’s 1st playoff berth since 2018 on Saturday![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-227.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/rmz73k0kzzzdpnvosjvc.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/pat-verbeek-signs-multiyear-contract-to-remain-anaheim-gm?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Max Plante ([@UMDMensHockey](https://twitter.com/UMDMensHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [@DetroitRedWings](https://twitter.com/DetroitRedWings?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)) is the winner of the 2026 [@HobeyBakerAward](https://twitter.com/HobeyBakerAward?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)! [https://t.co/vpkO3QIeKT](https://t.co/vpkO3QIeKT?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/JxGaNuEvJi](https://t.co/JxGaNuEvJi?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL Media (@NHLMedia) [April 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHLMedia/status/2042770146347905185?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And finally, I bet they thought this would play better when they arranged it... > The Maple Leafs joined BP with the Blue Jays ahead of tonight's game vs. the Twins 🤝 [pic.twitter.com/W5YPjmtyXk](https://t.co/W5YPjmtyXk?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [April 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2042752561476780489?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) But this was fun to watch: > Welcome home Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy! 🫶 > > The Artemis II astronauts have splashed down at 8:07pm ET (0007 UTC April 11), bringing their historic 10-day mission around the Moon to an end. [pic.twitter.com/1yjAgHEOYl](https://t.co/1yjAgHEOYl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NASA (@NASA) [April 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/NASA/status/2042756933686337713?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) More later on the standings, the Panthers and who is playing tonight. ### Ways of Failing: 'We didn't see the train coming' URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/we-didnt-see-the-train-coming/ Last updated: 2026-04-10T12:38:24.000Z When I talked about the basement crew and their interactions with Brad Treliving and the hockey operations department, I said there were some obvious signs of a disconnect. I didn't believe they would have been cool with many of Treliving's choices. Some of them, you bet, not all. But the big one, the one that now stands out as shocking is that they didn't see the train comin in the Atlantic Division with the rise of several teams who used to be reliably horrible. I bet the basement crew did. I'm in a unique position because I write about the other team for every game the Leafs play, and I have been doing this for years. It's a very valuable way to look at the NHL because you see a team starting to put it together before it's obvious in the standings. Normal fan interaction with teams is trash talk. Childish stuff that runs down the other teams, and like anything that isn't true, you repeat it often enough and you start to believe it yourself. So for fans, the more casual the better, the Habs are that joke of a team that doesn't have any forwards and the Sabres are where they go to watch the Leafs play after going to the outlet mall. The Senators are out in the suburbs, and they're run by silly people who don't know what they're doing. That last one might actually be still true. It's okay for fans to think this still holds true. It's really not okay if the GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs does nor if he told the CEO of MLSE that it's all cool, they're a buncha losers, we can half ass our way to glory. How easy is it to have seen this train coming? ### 2021-2022 #### Standings 1. Florida: 122 points 2. Toronto: 115 3. Tampa Bay: 110 4. Boston: 107 5. Buffalo: 75 6. Detroit: 74 7. Ottawa: 73 8. Montréal: 55 Tampa lost in the SCF to Colorado after beating the Leafs in the first round. #### Five-on-five Expected Goals % 1. Boston: 58 (first in the league) 2. Florida: 56 (second) 3. Toronto: 56 (third) 4. Tampa Bay: 53 (10th) 5. Ottawa: 47 (25th) 6. Buffalo: 46 (27th) 7. Detroit: 46 (29th) 8. Montréal: 45 (30th) The first clue is actually here. Ottawa at 47% is only one percentage point away from the Blues at 19th. They are just floating there in the soup right below the big leviathan that is the middle rank of NHL teams every year. At the time, though, this was not all that obvious, and no one could absolutely know which way they would float – up or back down. ### 2022-2023 #### Standings - xG - xG Ranking 1. Boston: 135 - 54 - sixth 2. Toronto: 111 - 54 - fifth 3. Tampa Bay: 98 - 51 - 15th 4. Florida: 92 - 54 - seventh 5. Buffalo: 91 - 49 - 21st 6. Ottawa: 86 - 51 - 16th 7. Detroit: 80 - 46 - 26th 8. Montréal: 68 - 43 - 29th If you bet the Panthers were bad because of their standings points, you'd have been surprised to find them in the SCF, losing to Vegas. After beating the Leafs in the second round. This is the point at which anyone should start noticing the Senators. At 16th in xG%, they are smack dab in the middle of the league. In this season, there was a tranche of teams below the top performers that was quite large and included the Leafs, the Panthers and also Vegas, a group that has dwindled this season to about four teams (one of which is Vegas). A glance at the Sabres here should make you intrigued because they are over 50% in Corsi, and with some tweaking around the periphery in special teams and particularly goaltending, they'd be well up the standings, in any other division, that is. ### 2023-2024 #### Standings - xG - xG Ranking 1. Florida: 110 - 54 - fifth 2. Boston: 109 - 51 - 17th 3. Toronto: 102 - 52 - ninth 4. Tampa Bay: 98 - 49 - 21st 5. Detroit: 91 - 46 - 26th 6. Buffalo: 84 - 47 - 25th 7. Ottawa: 78 - 49 - 19th 8. Montréal: 76 - 46 - 27th Florida won their first Cup over the Oilers. Toronto lost to Boston in the first round. This was Detroit's first paper tiger season where they seemed like a playoff team for a while based on the fourth highest team Shooting % in the league. Believers in the sanctity of the standings will have come away from this season with a host of wrong ideas about the teams in the Atlantic. Ottawa had the second-worst team Save %, but was fairly clearly on par with Tampa and Boston in their basic gameplay that year. Buffalo struggled in a lot of areas and you'd be forgiven for thinking they'd peaked at almost mediocre. ### 2024-2025 #### Standings - xG - xG Ranking 1. Toronto: 108 - 49 - 19th 2. Tampa Bay: 102 - 52 - 10th 3. Florida: 98 - 55 - second 4. Ottawa: 97 - 50 - 14th 5. Montréal: 91 -47 - 27th 6. Detroit: 86 - 47 - 26th 7. Buffalo: 79 - 47 - 28th 8. Boston: 76 - 48 - 24th Florida won their second Cup after beating the Leafs in the second round. The Leafs, as you may recall, scrapped hard to beat the Senators in the first round. And that was not just because of the way each team had a game that was built to beat the other. It was also because they were pretty even in all ways save goaltending. No one ever needed to look at a number of any kind to see that. Watching the games was enough. The rest of the division all looked equally bad, but if you pull back and look at the whole league, you would have seen the start of the situation we have now in this season of a mass of 50/50 teams. Last year there were four legitimately bad teams. The jump from them to the Sabres on the xG scale is significant. The top of the league (the Hurricanes, naturally) dwindles down through the top eight, and then the giant chunk of not good enough all the way down to almost okay is most of the NHL. If all you look at is the ranking in the division, all those teams other than Ottawa are super bad. Many, many fans thought this, but there's no excuse for someone who is tuned into the NHL 24/7 to not have some clue about what was going on. The performance of the Habs last year is something anyone running a team in the Atlantic should have been focused on. It would have been easy to do, the media coverage was intense. They were fun! They score! They're young, and the NHL is getting younger and younger went the falsehood. St. Marty is a genius! The Habs had pretty awful goaltending, not Sabres bad or Bruins bad, but unhelpful. Hey, what if those other teams weren't sewered by their goalies – no, no ignore that, the light is definitely the glimmering dawn of a new day. ### 2025-2026 I'm not going to list off the numbers, but the quality of the Senators is obvious, they are third in the league in xG% and up there with the Hurricanes and the Avalanche. Their goaltending is appalling, and if they don't make the playoffs, I'd fire the entire management team for malpractice. I don't like them and I'm incensed on their fans' behalf. If you're really so fucking stupid that you can't see who Ottawa is just by looking, you should have quit as GM, buddy. If you're shocked the Lightning have had a resurgence in the longest retool in history – the one we just never mention because it debunks the common wisdom about "windows" – well, also, you deserve what you got. The Canadiens, the Sabres, the Red Wings, the hungover and injured Panthers, they're all just okay. The Sabres have ridden the goalie to a lot of points, and there's no law that says they won't keep doing that in the playoffs, but getting to okay, getting to the point the goalie can vault you up the standings was there to be seen. The Red Wings, I'm not sure I take them seriously yet. The train was inevitable is the other thing that should have been understood. I think you could tell this story in "scout talk" and get to the same place. Look at their rosters, their prospects about to break through over the last five years, and that's where these numbers came from. So it's doubly appalling that this statement was ever made. What were the pro scouting department doing? One final note: Don't look at the bounce-back Bruins for solace. They are actually pretty shitty. I hear the train a comin.... ### Friday's FTB: Two Potential Leafs Hires URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-two-potential-leafs-hires/ Last updated: 2026-04-10T10:00:42.000Z The Leafs lost last night! Shocking! Such an indictment of the coaching and all the things. Luke Haymes got an assist on a goal actually scored by an Islanders' player on his own net, though. There is no lesson here in these games. Nothing to learn, nothing to understand. If you're looking at the playing roster right now and doing anything but laughing, you are seriously doing it wrong. Now, the newsish things, and then I did a quick look at the two names in circulation for the Leafs yet to be named job opening. [Insider Trading: Leafs, Devils get permission to speak to MehtaGino Reda is joined by TSN Hockey Insiders Pierre LeBrun and Darren Dreger to discuss the competition surrounding GM jobs between the Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, and Nashville Predators, the status of the front office in Vancouver and Detroit, and more on Insider Trading.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-255.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/O2RUPRD3M5DEPIURL5L53EOYPY.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/insider-trading-leafs-devils-get-permission-to-speak-to-mehta/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Text version, so you can read it. > [Manny Malhotra](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/player/manny-malhotra/8467334?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), the head coach of the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, is NHL-ready. So, we could see a coaching change in the off-season in Vancouver. > But again, no decisions have been made by the brass of the Canucks. They’re just continuing to evaluate. [Five notes for the Maple Leafs’ next front officeEverybody has a plan for how to fix the Toronto Maple Leafs, but not all of them are good. Justin Bourne writes about five things Toronto’s next front office should keep in mind when it comes to taking this organization into its next era.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/berube-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/five-notes-for-the-maple-leafs-next-front-office/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And now a couple of profiles on prospective hires. ### Sunny Mehta Since we have reporting from Pierre LeBrun that the Leafs and the Devils have asked for and been given permission to talk to Panther's AGM Sunny Mehta, it's a good time for a quick rundown on who he is. Mehta is 47, and was born in Michigan but grew up in New Jersey. He has a complex and diverse educational background, and after high school, where he played hockey, he went to the University of Miami to study music, and then he moved to New Orleans to play jazz guitar which naturaly led to his transition to a derivatives trader at the Chicago Board of Trade. Checking again, yes, he's just 47\. In between those career poles, he turned his interest in poker into a sojourn in Vegas as a professional player where he met two partners who collaborated on two best-selling books on poker. His interest in hockey statistics and analysis of game play started as a hobby that involved publishing articles and contributing to the blogsphere of the day. He worked with the Coyotes in 2010 and joined the Devils in 2014 as an analyst for what Wikipedia names the first full time analytics department in the NHL. He worked for the Devils for four seasons. In 2020, Mehta joined the Panthers as Vice President of Hockey Strategy and Intelligence. Three years later, he was promoted to his current AGM role. He also holds the title of Director of Analytics. A few things about this resumé stand out to me. First, it's clear that Mehta plays an aggressive game, and he isn't shy about driving the net or going to the dirty areas to get what he wants. But also throughout his career where numbers intersect playing, he's been moved to explain all this, to communicate it, to collaborate with others who want to communicate what they understand. And the other thing that stands out is that if Mehta wants another try at bringing the Cup to his hometown team, the Leafs don't stand a chance. I wonder if somewhere there is a blog under some pseudonym where the talks about music? ### Mike Gillis Did you know Adam Pelech is his nephew? Me neither. LeBrun is also reporting that Mike Gillis is definitely on the list of people the Leafs are talking too. Gillis is 67, from Sudbury, but he played junior hockey in Kingston. He was drafted fifth overall in 1978 by the Colorado Rockies, and he had a six-year NHL career in Colorado and Boston, with some AHL time mixed in. He retired at age 26\. After hockey he coached at Queen's University, where he also went on to get a law degree. In 1990, he became a player agent working alone and largely out of his home in Kingston. Gillis successfully sued the NHLPA's corrupt head Alan Eagleson for stealing part of his disability insurance. We know today the full extent of Eagleson's crimes, but when Gillis sued, he was taking a bold and unprecedented step that got him counter-sued by Eagleson, and made no friends of the NHL establishment. This, from 2012, is a fantastic look at who Gillis was at the mid-point of his job in Vancouver. [Inside the Mind of Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis - Vancouver MagazineLike Billy Beane of Moneyball fame, Canucks GM Mike Gillis has taken an unconventional approach to creating a model sports franchise![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/vanmag-favicon-2.png)Vancouver MagazineBruce Dowbiggin![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/vanmag-archive.jpeg)](https://vanmag.com/city/arts-and-culture/inside-the-mind-of-vancouver-canucks-gm-mike-gillis/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There's some unfortunate formatting loss, but it's still worth it. He instituted a host of player-focused reforms in Vancouver, and also changed the focus on finding players – looking for undrafted talent – and emphasizing skill. All of these things, down to the money spent outside the salary cap on the environment the players work and train in are the things we now consider the strengths of the Leafs. In 2014, just as the Canucks failed to make the playoffs, [Gillis was fired](https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/canucks-fire-general-manager-mike-gillis-1.2602929?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). > Gillis signed a contract extension after the 2011-12 season. There were indications last week he and first-year head coach John Tortorella weren't communicating. Gillis seemed to criticize Tortorella's style in a radio interview, saying he wanted the team to get back to the type of game that got it to the 2011 Cup finals. > "I want us to play upbeat, puck possession, move the puck quickly, force teams into mistakes, high-transition game," Gillis said in an interview with the Team 1040\. "I think we have the personnel to do it. If we don't have the personnel to do it, they'll be changed. > "That's my vision, that's how I believe you are going to win in the Western Conference and the National Hockey League. If you look at the top teams in the West, there isn't a lot that separates any of the teams in the West, but the top teams play that way. That's the way we played." What people will remember is that he hired John Tortorella and traded Roberto Luongo and his massive contract while much controversy surrounded both of those situations. Gillis was consulting with the NHLPA and was in the running to become the new head when current head Marty Walsh was ultimately hired. Gillis left the PA in December of 2023 when his contract was up. So what stands out to me about Gillis is that he has had an excitingly varied career, even if all of it, or most of it, revolves around hockey. In many ways, he's been defined by the curveballs life has dealt him starting with his early exit from hockey. But he rolled with it, and that's very impressive. The description of what Gillis was doing to modernize and professionalize the Canucks in 2012 is precisely what Brendan Shanahan brought to the Leafs two years later. I see a lot of similarities between those two men – hockey guys with some maverick traits. Gillis, though, has that reputation as the guy on the wrong side of the argument that hangs over player agents. Right down to claims he caused the 2005 lockout (personally!) because of the contract he negotiated for Bobby Holik. LeBrun reports that Gillis has said in the past, he wouldn't want a GM job, more of a president's role. Brendan Shanahan's old job, in other words. I don't think that's where this is headed. I did at first, I thought we'd get a Hockey Man - Nerd Man - Hybrid Coach sort of arrangement, but now I'm not so sure that's a given. Gillis is a guy who is open to change, to new ways of thinking, and will always be a player-first thinker. --- And that's all the speculation we have on potential hires so far. There will be more, that seems certain. Later today is more superficial (aka me being angry) take on Ways of Thinking. And tomorrow is the last HNIC game of the season. ### Gameday: Leafs vs the Islanders URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gameday-leafs-vs-the-islanders/ Last updated: 2026-04-09T15:39:52.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ New York Islanders 06:45 PM at UBS Arena Watch on: ESPN+, HULU, TSN4 ### The Leafs last game was at home on April 8 against the Washington Capitals, which Toronto lost by a score of 4-0 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 32-32-14 for a 0.500 Points %. The New York Islanders last played away on April 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Islanders lost by a score of 4-3 in regulation, and their current league record is 42-31-5 for a 0.571 Points %. With the Leafs dropping back to 0.500, an 82 points pace, you'd figure that bottom five spot is easier to get now. Nope. Seattle is still holding fifth last, and Florida is right there too. Seattle only has 75 points, the Leafs, the Panthers and the Blues all have 78\. Sure the Leafs can lose all four of their remaining games, but so can Seattle or Florida or the Blues. That quest to turn the Los Angeles pick into a second rounder is at least very possible. Edmonton helpfully beat the Sharks last night, so LA at 83 points with five games to play and Nashville at 84 with four look to be in a duel to the last day. LA has the easier schedule, though. ### Them New coach bounce, bounce, bounce. At 0.571, the Islanders are in fourth place, but tied with Detroit for the eastern wild card spot. They have 89 points with four games left. They have two ways to make the playoffs. They can leap over the Flyers, who have 92 points and four games left or they can catch the Ottawa Senators who are in the second wild card spot with 92 points and four games left. They play the Senators on Saturday. Obviously, they are a tiny bit more motivated to win this game than the Leafs are. #### Lines Stefen Rosner via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/new-york-islanders/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice Anders Lee - Bo Horvat - Simon Holmstrom Brayden Schenn - Mathew Barzal - Calum Ritchie Maxim Shabanov - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Emil Heineman Ondrej Palat - Kyle MacLean - Marc Gatcomb Matthew Schaefer - Ryan Pulock Adam Pelech - Tony DeAngelo Carson Soucy - Scott Mayfield Ilya Sorokin - confirmed starter David Rittich ### Us Ow! That's the theme of the Leafs right now. Anthony Stolarz is hurt, almost certainly for the rest of the four games remaining. Artur Akhtyamov has been recalled. Brandon Carlo is hurt, after he left last night's game. William Villeneuve has been recalled. Dakota Joshua is hurt, and this was a visible injury after a hit, and Luke Haymes has been recalled. This was already a planned swap with Bo Groulx, because of those waivers issues again. Look, they said Groulx was on emergency recall, and I have no idea how they're doing this, as usual, they just are. To guess at some lines – we'll have the real thing at game time (note the time) – Haymes is likely coming in on the fourth line, and Calle Järnkrok is likely to move up to the third line. There's no reason to touch the top six. Troy Stecher could come back in on defence, so I don't know what's going on there as there was no firm statement that Villeneuve is playing. #### Lines Projected lines. Easton Cowan - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Max Domi - Matias Maccelli Nicholas Robertson - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Steven Lorentz - Luke Haymes - Michael Pezzetta Morgan Rielly - Jake McCabe Philippe Myers - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - William Villeneuve/Troy Stecher Artur Akhtyamov - confirmed starter Joe Woll ### The Game The point here is to see how Double A does. This is also the last TSN game of the years, so it's farewell for this year to Mike Johnson and Gord Miller. ### Thursday's FTB: Stolarz hurt URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-stolarz-hurt/ Last updated: 2026-04-09T11:43:46.000Z Less than four minutes into last night's game, Anthony Stolarz left the ice without putting weight on his left foot. The cause of the injury wasn't obvious, but in that case it makes you think a groin injury. > Anthony Stolarz goes down the tunnel after an apparent injury. [pic.twitter.com/0MGc1Pt9MB](https://t.co/0MGc1Pt9MB?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [April 8, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2042028383337406680?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Dennis Hildeby played yesterday morning in the Marlies' clinching win over Utica, and they are set to travel to Utica for the return match tomorrow. It seems likely Hildeby will be joining the Leafs and heading to play the Islanders tonight. The only other option is Artur Akhtyamov who has played 10 minutes of NHL hockey. The Marlies are in fourth place in their division with a chance to move into third with four games left. They will still be playing when the Leafs are done. The Marlies also enjoyed the return of William Villeneuve and Luke Haymes yesterday, but Craig Berube has expressed some intention to get them back in action and that might be today. Two others left the game in the second: > D Brandon Carlo (lower body) and F Dakota Joshua (upper body) will not return to tonight’s game. > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [April 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2042053958219264462?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Dakota Joshua made a beeline for the dressing room after hitting his back hard into the boards in a collision with Rasmus Sandin. > > — Lance Hornby 🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@sunhornby) [April 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/sunhornby/status/2042046842733522947?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs had no solution for one of the best goalies in the league and lost 4-0, getting shut out the second time this season. Neither team was what you'd call good. It was a dance between two drunks at 2 am when they've both started to sober up. > 🎙️ | Craig Berube | Post Game vs. Washington Capitals | April 8 [pic.twitter.com/l7oBnWLgSB](https://t.co/l7oBnWLgSB?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [April 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2042107294285275551?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Craig Berube says he doesn’t know if Anthony Stolarz will play this season. Dakota Joshua and Brandon Carlo are out for tomorrow, Luke Haymes and William Villeneuve will play tomorrow vs. Islanders. > > Leafs will call up Artur Akhtyamov. > > — Arun Srinivasan (@Arunthings) [April 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/Arunthings/status/2042069300404473903?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In other news-like things: > "You want to end with a bang" > > Whether he's dropping the gloves or pulling off a Michigan🥍, [@Ottawa67sHockey](https://twitter.com/Ottawa67sHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) forward Sam McCue is doing whatever he can to make his final [@OHLHockey](https://twitter.com/OHLHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) playoff run a special one > > 1-on-1 with the [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) prospect 👇[https://t.co/A9khe4yZaT](https://t.co/A9khe4yZaT?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [April 8, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2041994850254434694?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [PHWA announces 2026 Masterton Trophy nominees – Professional Hockey Writers Association![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/cropped-imageedit_1_2681160963-270x270.png)Stephen Whyno![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/masterton.jpg)](https://www.thephwa.com/2026/04/08/phwa-announces-2026-masterton-trophy-nominees/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Kraken President Ron Francis Is Stepping Down | Seattle KrakenThe Kraken announced Wednesday that team president Ron Francis, the franchise’s very first general manager, will step down from his position.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-225.png)Founding Partner - AlaskaGeoff Baker /![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/mylwwvjfhr0bfqrbitvb.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/kraken/news/kraken-president-ron-francis-is-stepping-down-bn?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Frozen Four semis are today with Wisconsin playing North Dakota at 5 pm, and Michigan against Denver at 8:30 pm. The final is Saturday at 5:30 pm. [Ten players to watch in the NCAA men’s Frozen Four on TSN+NCAA men’s hockey’s biggest stage is about to get underway as some of the best prospects outside of the NHL get set to take part in the Frozen Four tournament on TSN+.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-254.ico)TSNAdam Kirshenblatt![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ZLWWB5GTCBHMLMTLSKKEKXRDGU.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/ncaa/hockey/article/ten-players-to-watch-in-the-ncaa-mens-frozen-four-on-tsn/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Michigan forward T.J. Hughes is the free agent everyone is looking at to sign somewhere as soon as he's done his quest for the championship. That's all for now, a preview of tonight's game will be out later today. ### Gameday: Leafs host Capitals on the first of a back-to-back URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gameday-leafs-host-capitals-on-the-first-of-a-back-to-back/ Last updated: 2026-04-08T17:00:45.000Z ### Washington Capitals @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:30 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: SN, TVAS, MNMT ### The Leafs last game was away on April 4 against the Los Angeles Kings, which Toronto lost by a score of 7-6 in overtime. The Leafs have a record of 32-31-14 for a 0.506 Points %. The Washington Capitals last played away on April 5 against the New York Rangers. The Capitals lost by a score of 8-1 in regulation, and their current league record is 39-30-9 for a 0.558 Points %. The fifth-last team by Points % is Seattle, who have dropped out of the wild card race and are at 0.487\. Toronto is eighth last, tied with St. Louis. By points, the Rangers and Seattle are tied for fourth last with 75\. Toronto, St. Louis and Florida all have 78\. It's as improbable that Toronto drops farther in the standings as it is that Washington will make the playoffs. Los Angeles holds the second wild card in the west by Points %, and Nashville has it by points. They are at 83 and 84 points, respectively. San Jose is lurking like, huh, some metaphor of a predator that circles around, can't think of one. Anyway, they're at 81 points, but have two games in hand on Nashville, and one on LA. ### Them The Capitals are five points back of Ottawa for the second eastern wild card, and they have three other teams between them. This is their 79th game. They aren't eliminated, but they are out. They don't act like it though, they have guys taking maintenance days like they're getting ready to make a deep run. Logan Thompson is a serious contender for the Vezina, and that's why they're even sorta close. > Late add, Charlie did come out a little late to participate. Good sign for him. [https://t.co/V4oLIKG8lW](https://t.co/V4oLIKG8lW?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — John Walton (@JohnWaltonPxP) [April 8, 2026](https://twitter.com/JohnWaltonPxP/status/2041904806143652006?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) #### Lines Sammi Silber via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/washington-capitals/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice. Alex Ovechkin - Dylan Strome - Anthony Beauvillier Aliaksei Protas - Ilya Protas - Tom Wilson Connor McMichael - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Ryan Leonard Brandon Duhaime - Justin Sourdif - Ivan Miroshnichenko Martin Fehervary - Rasmus Sandin Jakob Chychrun - Trevor van Riemsdyk Cole Hutson - Matt Roy Logan Thompson - starter Mitch Gibson ### Us The Leafs returned William Villeneuve and Luke Haymes to the Marlies today. As Craig Berube said yesterday, the purpose for this recall was to get them a taste of the NHL processes. They are both in the Marlies lineup today and could return to the NHL for extras on the trip to face the Islanders tomorrow. They may play before the season is out. Oliver Ekman-Larsson was not certain to play yesterday, but it will play today with Troy Stecher scratched. Anthony Stolarz gets the start, and Joe Woll will face the Islanders tomorrow. #### Lines Mark Masters via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice, with the defence changes. Easton Cowan - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Max Domi - Matias Maccelli Dakota Joshua - Bo Groulx - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Jake McCabe - Brandon Carlo Morgan Rielly - Philippe Myers Simon Benoit - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Anthony Stolarz - confirmed starter Joe Woll ### The Game Have some fun out there. Don't get hurt. ### Wednesday's FTB: Everyone is doing offseason work now URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-everyone-is-doing-offseason-work-now/ Last updated: 2026-04-08T10:00:27.000Z First the Leafs and their executive search: [What to make of buzzy Maple Leafs GM target Sunny MehtaSunny Mehta is a hot name that’s popped up among the Maple Leafs general manager search. Luke Fox dives in to see what he could potentially bring to Toronto.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/mehta_sunny1280.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/what-to-make-of-buzzy-maple-leafs-gm-target-sunny-mehta/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Hearing Maple Leafs using Neil Glasberg and PBI Sports to search for Leafs new head of hockey operations. > > PBI was used to find execs in Vancouver, Anaheim and Philadelphia. > > — luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) [April 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/lukefoxjukebox/status/2041516079780933914?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Of note: [Potential conflict of interest surfaces in Philadelphia Flyers’ executive searchShould someone who represents coaches and executives as an agent also be tasked with consulting on searches to fill those…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-343.png)Daily FaceoffFrank Seravalli![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-87)](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/potential-conflict-of-interest-surfaces-in-philadelphia-flyers-executive-search?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) PBI Sports details their representation services on their About page. Digging further there is a page on their executive and coaching search services, run under a different name. [NCAA Coach Search | North America | PBI Sports & EntertainmentPBI Sports is a boutique representation agency working with Pro Coaches in the NHL, NFL, NBA and NCAA. We also work diligently on personal brands.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/pfavico.ico)pbisports![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a099f2_06d2c1c1f41a4ac8853eaf33fc5e1ed3~mv2.gif)](https://www.pbisports.com/careers?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > While "Executive Search" firms tend to offer services in coaching and sports team management searches as an add-on to corporate Management jobs, we have consistently found that sourcing and hiring a coach or team manager does not mirror the typical executive or management level search process. > Coaches need to be motivators, proven performers, fantastic recruiters, and most importantly, fit properly within each school or professional programs' priorities. Team management talent needs to be properly sourced, properly vetted, and evaluated based on competencies, qualifications and accomplishments, rather than by the breadth of their network of contacts. In other words, "who you know" and "hire a friend" mentalities should be a thing of the past. Working with amateur and pro Coaches, as well as team management personnel on a daily basis as an area of specialization and focus, is the key differentiator for The Coaches Agency. Someone needs to tell them it's "bro you know" in hockey. Enough of corporate speak! Onto the sudden interest in what is usually an offseason sort of topic – weird things in the NHL season stats. First of all, this tweet came to my attention, and what he's saying a little unclearly is that the process of scoring shots, and here this is entirely Shots on Goal, has changed, and there are fewer of them this season because they used to just call stuff shots that weren't. > One reason save percentages are down is because the NHL finally came up with a uniform system for shots, and it's essentially not tracked on-site with off-ice officials anymore. Like in the Olympics, basically anything directed at the net was a shot -- wide, over the net, or not.… [https://t.co/5eUl7HX441](https://t.co/5eUl7HX441?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) [April 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/RussoHockey/status/2040785233608384962?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Still tracked by off-ice officials. There is a chip in puck and jersey. Automated shots are generated. OIOs validate and adjust any missed by automation. Auditors double check via video review. Has to be perfect due to betting. That’s why shot totals change during games. > > — Mike D'Amico (@MikeDAmico77) [April 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/MikeDAmico77/status/2040814105116762280?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This second person is an off-ice official, and they go on to confirm that all SOG numbers are signed off on by hockey operations (at the NHL level). It is true that SOG have declined, and here we have Travis Yost to show that in his article, and also to discuss goaltending. [NHL save percentages hit lowest level in 30 yearsThe league-average save percentage is below 90 per cent with a week left in the regular season, challenging a mark that hasn’t happened since 1993-94, Travis Yost writes.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-253.ico)TSNTravis Yost![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/D47P5H7F7JBQXFUBM4Y7XXN3SE.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/nhl-save-percentages-hit-lowest-level-in-30-years/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) To go back to what Russo is saying is that if there are fewer SOG, a given number of goals scored then gives the goalie a smaller Sv%. But Russo says this is a classification change, not a change in player behaviour, goalie skill or what have you. Meanwhile, Yost asserts that player shooting skill is easier to find due to more places hockey players come from. This isn't anything more than an assertion in his piece, and I'm very wary of these statements. Two years ago, Bill Daly made a similar assertion: [Skill is off the chartsBill Daly commissions some more research.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-417.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1543286386-2e659306cd6c)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/skill-is-off-the-charts-nhl/) That piece looked at the idea of rising player skill and found some evidence for very small increases in minimum levels of ability and the number of players in the good but not great group. But it covers pretty well the ideas of all the inputs into the equation that solves for how many goals are there. So while I won't take Yost's assertion seriously on its face, it might be a factor. Now, what did strike me as interesting is that Yost compares 2015-2016 Sv% to this season and sees as really strong difference between then and now. Look at his chart and you'll see what he's talking about in stark terms. But put that together with Russo's comments, and the question has to be asked, is some of this change just the classification issue? To answer that I took a similar set of goalies (I included more because we have three per team most of the time now) and I took out the unimportant GSAX and substituted Fenwick Sv%. That's just Sv% calculated on all unblocked shots. If some of those unblocked shots were erroneously marked as SOG in the past in significant numbers, then sorting this list by FSv% should offset the pattern that we see with just Sv%. And it's a long, long table, but I think if you click between sorting, you will see what happens. Is the "the answer"? Is there just one thing that's making SOG lower and Sv% seem bad? Nope. Some other effect is going on, but it's not at all clear from a chart of Sv% of any kind if that's team systems, defence, player skill, parity in the league or all of the above and some other stuff I haven't thought of. But I'm pretty sure Russo is right that some shots are now classified differently. This will be a fun investigation for the real offseason when the sun is hot and the air conditioning and R Studio beckon. Bottom line: Sv% is a team stat and the number a goalie achieves has no inherent meaning outside of the context of the whole league. This is a good lesson as prospect season comes along and people start getting exited by goalie stats in other leagues. Now the big long table. Have a great day, everyone, the preview will be later today. | Player | Season | TOI | Sv% | FSv% | | -------------------- | ------ | ------- | ----- | ----- | | Brian Elliott | 15-16 | 2263.00 | 92.89 | 94.89 | | Ben Bishop | 15-16 | 3584.63 | 92.63 | 94.74 | | Scott Wedgewood | 25-26 | 2364.08 | 91.61 | 94.59 | | Calvin Pickard | 15-16 | 985.43 | 92.40 | 94.53 | | Jhonas Enroth | 15-16 | 856.30 | 92.41 | 94.48 | | Thomas Greiss | 15-16 | 2287.32 | 92.47 | 94.46 | | Michal Neuvirth | 15-16 | 1825.52 | 92.42 | 94.45 | | Reto Berra | 15-16 | 720.72 | 92.26 | 94.45 | | Braden Holtby | 15-16 | 3841.18 | 92.11 | 94.44 | | John Gibson | 15-16 | 2294.67 | 92.05 | 94.41 | | Robin Lehner | 15-16 | 1164.08 | 92.41 | 94.40 | | Chad Johnson | 15-16 | 2591.08 | 92.06 | 94.39 | | Al Montoya | 15-16 | 1351.23 | 92.00 | 94.38 | | Philipp Grubauer | 15-16 | 1111.03 | 91.86 | 94.38 | | Dennis Hildeby | 25-26 | 950.60 | 91.17 | 94.36 | | Carter Hutton | 15-16 | 978.93 | 91.92 | 94.31 | | Corey Crawford | 15-16 | 3322.65 | 92.38 | 94.30 | | Devin Cooley | 25-26 | 1595.55 | 91.32 | 94.29 | | Frederik Andersen | 15-16 | 2297.93 | 91.93 | 94.29 | | James Reimer | 15-16 | 1809.02 | 91.94 | 94.28 | | Cory Schneider | 15-16 | 3412.47 | 92.35 | 94.26 | | Devan Dubnyk | 15-16 | 3856.67 | 91.82 | 94.26 | | Henrik Lundqvist | 15-16 | 3772.37 | 91.91 | 94.25 | | Joonas Korpisalo | 15-16 | 1803.05 | 91.97 | 94.24 | | Antti Raanta | 15-16 | 1150.35 | 91.86 | 94.20 | | Logan Thompson | 25-26 | 3265.68 | 91.06 | 94.18 | | Marc-Andre Fleury | 15-16 | 3462.55 | 92.01 | 94.18 | | Petr Mrazek | 15-16 | 2960.22 | 92.08 | 94.18 | | Joel Hofer | 25-26 | 2388.97 | 90.86 | 94.17 | | Igor Shesterkin | 25-26 | 2906.23 | 91.18 | 94.16 | | Jaroslav Halak | 15-16 | 2091.18 | 91.89 | 94.14 | | Jonathan Quick | 15-16 | 4034.48 | 91.69 | 94.14 | | Philipp Grubauer | 25-26 | 1791.10 | 90.95 | 94.14 | | Roberto Luongo | 15-16 | 3601.83 | 92.03 | 94.09 | | Jesper Wallstedt | 25-26 | 1819.55 | 91.23 | 94.07 | | Jet Greaves | 25-26 | 2977.23 | 90.78 | 94.07 | | Mike Smith | 15-16 | 1753.50 | 91.50 | 94.07 | | Casey Desmith | 25-26 | 1695.00 | 90.85 | 94.06 | | Darcy Kuemper | 15-16 | 1053.50 | 91.45 | 94.06 | | Martin Jones | 15-16 | 3785.87 | 91.65 | 94.05 | | Jake Allen | 15-16 | 2583.37 | 91.98 | 94.02 | | Jeremy Swayman | 25-26 | 3088.17 | 90.70 | 94.02 | | Filip Gustavsson | 25-26 | 2850.85 | 90.74 | 94.01 | | Tuukka Rask | 15-16 | 3678.05 | 91.44 | 93.99 | | Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | 25-26 | 1907.77 | 90.77 | 93.97 | | Dan Vladar | 25-26 | 2785.37 | 90.53 | 93.95 | | Spencer Knight | 25-26 | 3113.65 | 90.75 | 93.95 | | Steve Mason | 15-16 | 3150.43 | 91.84 | 93.94 | | Tristan Jarry | 25-26 | 810.75 | 90.83 | 93.92 | | Andrei Vasilevskiy | 25-26 | 3252.10 | 90.89 | 93.91 | | Ilya Sorokin | 25-26 | 3052.73 | 90.84 | 93.91 | | Louis Domingue | 15-16 | 2206.07 | 91.22 | 93.91 | | Connor Hellebuyck | 15-16 | 1433.47 | 91.53 | 93.87 | | Alex Lyon | 25-26 | 1992.02 | 90.55 | 93.85 | | Craig Anderson | 15-16 | 3477.13 | 91.65 | 93.85 | | Cam Talbot | 15-16 | 3213.17 | 91.53 | 93.84 | | Andrew Hammond | 15-16 | 1382.32 | 91.44 | 93.82 | | Jacob Markstrom | 15-16 | 1847.43 | 91.53 | 93.80 | | Linus Ullmark | 15-16 | 1130.67 | 91.38 | 93.80 | | Anton Forsberg | 25-26 | 1793.52 | 90.50 | 93.78 | | Jake Allen | 25-26 | 2067.32 | 90.48 | 93.77 | | Scott Darling | 15-16 | 1560.02 | 91.50 | 93.77 | | Ryan Miller | 15-16 | 3043.45 | 91.63 | 93.76 | | Semyon Varlamov | 15-16 | 3159.28 | 91.28 | 93.76 | | Jeff Zatkoff | 15-16 | 732.05 | 91.80 | 93.74 | | John Gibson | 25-26 | 2994.92 | 90.19 | 93.74 | | Jakub Dobes | 25-26 | 2285.92 | 90.25 | 93.70 | | Cam Ward | 15-16 | 3037.83 | 90.88 | 93.61 | | Andrei Vasilevskiy | 15-16 | 1258.63 | 91.05 | 93.58 | | Jacob Fowler | 25-26 | 950.82 | 90.29 | 93.57 | | Karri Ramo | 15-16 | 2144.63 | 90.95 | 93.54 | | Justus Annunen | 25-26 | 1322.68 | 89.85 | 93.50 | | David Rittich | 25-26 | 1594.87 | 89.39 | 93.49 | | Akira Schmid | 25-26 | 1965.78 | 89.36 | 93.48 | | Kari Lehtonen | 15-16 | 2279.18 | 90.58 | 93.48 | | Antti Niemi | 15-16 | 2654.38 | 90.53 | 93.47 | | Jonathan Bernier | 15-16 | 2146.77 | 90.79 | 93.45 | | Joey Daccord | 25-26 | 2570.08 | 89.58 | 93.44 | | Joseph Woll | 25-26 | 2115.07 | 90.14 | 93.42 | | Jonas Gustavsson | 15-16 | 1258.47 | 90.82 | 93.38 | | Connor Hellebuyck | 25-26 | 3241.45 | 89.82 | 93.36 | | Mackenzie Blackwood | 25-26 | 1974.77 | 89.66 | 93.31 | | Eric Comrie | 25-26 | 1242.07 | 89.56 | 93.30 | | Jake Oettinger | 25-26 | 2945.55 | 89.90 | 93.30 | | Karel Vejmelka | 25-26 | 3415.85 | 89.61 | 93.30 | | Jonathan Quick | 25-26 | 1359.72 | 89.49 | 93.28 | | Ondrej Pavelec | 15-16 | 1899.02 | 90.59 | 93.27 | | Thatcher Demko | 25-26 | 1115.87 | 89.43 | 93.27 | | Michael Hutchinson | 15-16 | 1585.95 | 90.93 | 93.26 | | Joni Ortio | 15-16 | 1196.75 | 90.18 | 93.21 | | Ben Scrivens | 15-16 | 821.97 | 90.92 | 93.20 | | Eddie Lack | 15-16 | 1920.10 | 90.11 | 93.17 | | Sergei Bobrovsky | 15-16 | 2116.35 | 90.60 | 93.13 | | Jimmy Howard | 15-16 | 1973.88 | 90.63 | 93.12 | | Keith Kinkaid | 15-16 | 1240.75 | 90.48 | 93.11 | | Stuart Skinner | 25-26 | 1446.15 | 88.43 | 93.09 | | Stuart Skinner | 25-26 | 1316.65 | 88.90 | 93.08 | | Lukas Dostal | 25-26 | 3026.22 | 89.07 | 93.02 | | Mike Condon | 15-16 | 3122.73 | 90.31 | 93.02 | | Pekka Rinne | 15-16 | 3895.37 | 90.67 | 93.02 | | Connor Ingram | 25-26 | 1556.32 | 89.20 | 93.00 | | Dustin Wolf | 25-26 | 2972.20 | 89.54 | 92.99 | | Anders Nilsson | 15-16 | 1413.28 | 90.25 | 92.98 | | Alex Nedeljkovic | 25-26 | 2098.18 | 89.55 | 92.95 | | Darcy Kuemper | 25-26 | 2825.33 | 89.24 | 92.95 | | Colten Ellis | 25-26 | 786.33 | 89.56 | 92.91 | | Anthony Stolarz | 25-26 | 1386.68 | 89.37 | 92.90 | | Daniil Tarasov (G) | 25-26 | 1660.67 | 89.31 | 92.85 | | Juuse Saros | 25-26 | 3313.43 | 89.52 | 92.81 | | Cam Talbot | 25-26 | 1632.30 | 88.79 | 92.78 | | Arturs Silovs | 25-26 | 2169.95 | 88.87 | 92.77 | | Brandon Bussi | 25-26 | 2174.75 | 89.15 | 92.74 | | Ville Husso | 25-26 | 1078.87 | 88.77 | 92.65 | | Joonas Korpisalo | 25-26 | 1620.42 | 89.11 | 92.59 | | Anders Lindback | 15-16 | 906.13 | 89.56 | 92.52 | | Curtis McElhinney | 15-16 | 835.43 | 89.43 | 92.52 | | Vitek Vanecek | 25-26 | 1127.97 | 88.76 | 92.52 | | Jacob Markstrom | 25-26 | 2485.95 | 88.55 | 92.47 | | Garret Sparks | 15-16 | 974.95 | 89.39 | 92.46 | | Linus Ullmark | 25-26 | 2703.47 | 88.56 | 92.41 | | Elvis Merzlikins | 25-26 | 1678.62 | 88.25 | 92.37 | | Nikita Tolopilo | 25-26 | 966.23 | 88.23 | 92.35 | | Jonas Johansson | 25-26 | 1364.75 | 88.61 | 92.32 | | Yaroslav Askarov | 25-26 | 2411.83 | 88.54 | 92.30 | | Arvid Soderblom | 25-26 | 1411.15 | 88.25 | 92.24 | | Charlie Lindgren | 25-26 | 1246.03 | 87.95 | 92.12 | | Sergei Bobrovsky | 25-26 | 2950.45 | 87.65 | 92.10 | | Carter Hart | 25-26 | 779.20 | 87.87 | 92.08 | | Samuel Ersson | 25-26 | 1771.72 | 86.75 | 92.01 | | Kevin Lankinen | 25-26 | 2404.45 | 87.57 | 91.83 | | Adin Hill | 25-26 | 1432.82 | 86.90 | 91.76 | | Jonas Hiller | 15-16 | 1350.87 | 88.07 | 91.75 | | Jordan Binnington | 25-26 | 2189.25 | 87.53 | 91.59 | | Sam Montembeault | 25-26 | 1418.20 | 87.17 | 91.56 | | Frederik Andersen | 25-26 | 1981.87 | 86.81 | 91.42 | | Calvin Pickard | 25-26 | 864.13 | 87.09 | 91.35 | | Tristan Jarry | 25-26 | 882.32 | 86.00 | 91.25 | | Leevi Merilainen | 25-26 | 1094.48 | 86.02 | 90.47 | ### Ways of Building: More layers than a cake URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ways-of-building-more-layers-than-a-cake/ Last updated: 2026-04-07T12:02:06.000Z We mostly look at the inner chamber of NHL hockey, the centre of the whole complex system, and we look so close the rest becomes invisible, like trying to see a snow drift by looking at a snowflake close up. Who scored, how much, who won. But a thing you can see watching this innermost central bit of hockey is that no one can just choose to score goals or make saves. You hear that so much – he's gotta make that save, he's gotta score that – that you can start believing in the idea that you pick which times the puck goes in in all cases. But you can't. You get to choose the things that make scoring happen or not happen depending on where you are on the ice. There are a lot of those things, though, so it's not weird that we all fixate on the end result, the output not the input, because the input is too complex to really process. Micah Blake McCurdy has said that the key choice in hockey is when a player decides to give away the puck by taking a shot. I think that's where we should start, when we seek out who makes things happen in hockey. What goes into that choice? It's not just that he ended up with the puck by some means, so he shoots in a random way. He makes a risk assessment. Remember, he's giving the puck away here, investing the puck he has in the opportunity to get a goal. Start here with the player shooting, but go backwards in time. We're not shooting, we're risk assessing. How risky? How dangerous is it to give that puck away, what are the chances it becomes a goal given the shooter, the goalie, the people in between, the spot on the ice? Now we're not shooting we're picking our spot on the ice. How did we get there? What was our expectation in how we moved around the offensive zone? Who gave us the puck, and when? Did we get it ourselves? Now we don't have the puck, we're moving into a place to take a pass. How are we moving? Screamingly fast, laterally, deceptively, right for the net front? Now we aren't in the offensive zone yet, we're on the way. How to we get there? Who carries the puck, or is it acquired in-zone? Now we are just going over the boards to take a shift. Why were we going? Was it the mindless roll of lines or do we always go when the play is headed north? Now we're the coach, making that choice in-game. Now we're at practice, in the locker room, in the office, in the parking lot, shaking hands getting hired, and now we're the GM hiring a coach, and back and back and back and up and up and up. Up through layer after layer to the highest point. Each layer has the same form, though, did you notice that on the trip? The player makes his choices from his own ability and inclinations, but within his understanding of how to play hockey. That's tactics. How you shoot or move or skate. Do you hit the puck away from the other guy or do you strip it off his stick? Do you lurk like a patient predator for him to pass and then steal it or do you make him cough it up? Now the edge between tactics and strategy is blurring, and soon we're in the higher level of how to get that goal. The overall process how, not the individual procedure how. The coach has to set that process. And he has to set that in a way that the players are able to do, and it has to be a process that begets procedures that can lead to winning. The coach has to know what those are. The player executes, and part of execution is making choices in tune with the strategy, while also executing tactics that can succeed. The GM does two layers of this repeating pattern. He chooses the players and he chooses the coach, and he has some control over the strategic choices of the coach. This is the first very blurry and messy nexus in a hockey team's structure, the one you can't really chain of command your way out of. The thing we call culture and identity or who a team is, which is how they play and how they behave while playing distilled down a bit too much, is decided at all these layers. And no two teams are the same in terms of how much the GM draws up the high level concept of a team's play and how much the coach does. Who they are in the culture sense, though, informs the processes and procedures the coach designs, and who they are as individuals informs the way the procedures they are capable of fit into the process. However this is done, the team-level strategy has to be one that causes the players to do the things that lead to winning. And then go up another level and the team ownership has goals they want to meet. These aren't always as simple as: Get a goal, one more than them, do it again tomorrow. The culture, the higher level strategy of a team can be about selling an idea of who the team is because they want to make more money or because that's the kind of idea they want to be associated with. Or because they just feel like that's the right way to be and haven't ever examined why. To use the most extreme example, first the New Jersey Devils had to be okay with everyone calling them boring, to be willing to be dull, then they became who they were in a way that could win games. Then they won the Cup. So these things go down and down, multiplying out and out as more people are doing procedures from their understanding of processes bounded by their own proclivities. This does make it hard to do the blame game. Because the fault and the credit filters up and down through this system. So instead we need to look at responsibility. Rogers essentially owns MLSE outright. It's not done yet, signed off on, but it will be. They have to set their conditions first. Who are they? What do they want? What methods and processes are they comfortable with? Are they selling an idea or do they just want wins of any kind? Is cost an issue or not? If they just want wins, then they are by default handing the decision to Keith Pelley, and then we ask the same questions of him, who does he want the team to be, is this a narrow definition? If you are error testing some code, you have to decide what success is first, so what's his non-error outcome? If he has a really wide and nonspecific answer, which is what he gave at his pressor to explain the top-level vision, then he is by default handing the ball to the head of hockey ops (he won't use the word GM) who he is about to hire. He could be very generalist about it. Interview some candidates and pick one based on their overall quality, not their specific fitness to build processes to fulfill the particular strategy Pelley wants. Just the ability to build processes in general. Maybe Pelley wants his head of hockey ops candidates to bring the strategy with them. This is the real decision to be made, and it's not clear, beyond the obvious fact that Rogers would rather the Leafs win a lot, how much that vision has been translated into a strategy already. Datacentric is part of the picture, but it's a way of thinking, not a particular thought. The question is who is setting the strategy at the macro level for the actual hockey part of the hockey? If Pelley is there to set strategies for each MLSE property in a very generalist way, then he's going to let whoever he hires set the strategy for the team. MLSE owns a bunch of teams. Each one full of layers of identical shape that go down and down into the mind of a basketball player of a football player, and eventually, a baseball player. How is he setting the higher level strategy for the Leafs and all of that too? But there is some indication he's taken a more hands-on approach to TFC. This is why you get so much speculation about hiring a President of Hockey Operations and a GM. We have also seen some ideas that the GM-like person will have someone below them in the chain who communicates up to Pelley and MLSE avoiding the need for the President role. There isn't anyone above General Manager on the Raptors or TFC now. So, we shouldn't expect anything different with the Leafs by default. This puts Pelley right now in the position of handing the ship over to the new captain and telling him to pick where to go and how to get there. *Note: this bit has been added after the fact in response to comments yesterday.* *What I haven't considered before now is that without a President overseeing the GM, there isn't anyone assessing success or failure. This could be why we have the dichotomy of Pelley supposedly talking with Treliving about an extension and then firing him a month later. But if Pelley is not interested in a President in the Maple Leafs offices, someone still has to do more than just communicate up, they have to assess. So this might be the simple answer to why he wants a "head of hockey operations" in the singular. He's reserving control over assessment to himself.* I think Brad Treliving's biggest failure was in setting an identity and culture as a concept in his mind, getting a lot of players who could do the identity actions that would entail, along with some who were odd fits, but then getting a coach who understood the goal, understood the ideology of how they were supposed to get to the "score a goal, one more than them" point, but could not actually produce a process and a set of procedures at ice level that would take anyone there. Which is now obvious in hindsight. I think that shows the danger of the strategy setter at one level having an imperfect understanding of how the goals can be achieved by the actors below him or even if it can. Treliving had one type of how they should play firmly in his mind, but not the hard part – the actual processes themselves. Affect and effect again. Some of his choices hit the levels below him in ways that fractured the idea of who the team is and how and what they would do. The biggest example of this is his first player signing, Ryan Reaves. But there were more. Some of his player choices made the processes going on at team level more plausible, like Oliver Ekman-Larsson. This comes right back to Justin Bourne's article of a few weeks ago where he said in frustration that it doesn't even matter what plan they have, they just have to pick one and then work to it. And this is the interesting thing about hockey, with its layers and layers and layers. You can actually have all sorts of different hows and whys and cultures and win the Cup. There is no one true way. But you do have to pick a direction that can lead to winning. Rogers has a bigger set of ideas they grapple with than just who are the Leafs: How to be a successful business, make money, build a brand identity and make out like a bandit on the IPO. I think Rogers should be setting a highest level ideological strategy with that in mind. Basically, win, and don't be boring while you do it. So a little more than what Pelley has communicated so far. Pelley then needs to refine that a little more and pick a boss who can win, not be boring, and also reflects some values that are appropriate for a team that is in Toronto which is in Canada in this day and age. Datacentric makes me happy, but it's not a very full picture. I want the team to be flashy and obviously soaked in money, but not trashy. They should be expensive, but not gauche, and serious but not dull. The best of everything, but not without humility. Tough but fair. A collective who values everyone, but elitist about it all at the same time. Capable of having fun without it being try-hard cringe. If that sounds a little bit uptight, well it should be, this is Upper Canada. But much like John Tavares has all the time in the world for William Nylander, a team like that will too. And they'll also fight that guy if they need to. I'm not asking them to be all things to all people. Rather, the baseline should be serious and professional and focused on the team's success, but the affect can be a lot more flexible. And, frankly, the boss should care a whole lot less about affect and more about having a team that can and will do the things that lead to get a goal, one more than them, do it again tomorrow. And then a coach. This imaginary head of hockey operations has to hire a coach. But by that point, if the colouring in of the vision, strategy and tactics at every level has been done right, the choice should be easier than you'd expect, maybe even obvious. Because the coach has to understand that his strategy can't just be his personal taste, it has to work, and the evidence has to exist for his processes to be the right ones. His performance has to stand up to real measuring and assessing. You have to believe in something. Even if you're Rogers, you have to believe in more than just oligopolies and share prices. If you're the Leafs, you have to believe in more than "gosh we're rich." If you're the coach, you have to have more than an aphorism about work ethic. The lesson of Treliving's tenure is that what you believe in has to be grounded in the reality of your people and what they can do and what that can accomplish. Not what you'd like them to be. Identity and culture cannot be imposed top-down and they aren't substitutes for what works. ### Tuesday's FTB: Every team gets a new coach and GM! URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-every-team-gets-a-new-coach-and-gm/ Last updated: 2026-04-07T11:48:50.000Z Are you an NHL coach? Do you still have a job, or have you been fired? We don't really know as you are all in a state of quantum superposition. Yesterday, the Devils fired their General Manager Tom Fitzgerald. [Fitzgerald fired as Devils general manager | NHL.comNew Jersey is 7th in Metropolitan Division, on pace to miss playoffs for 2nd time in 3 seasons![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-223.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ss9pap0qc3xn05zhgczf.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/new-jersey-devils-fire-general-manager-tom-fitzgerald?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That came after the shock firing of Patrick Roy on Sunday by the New York Islanders, presently battling for a playoff spot and with only four regular season games left, to hire Peter DeBoer, which in-turn came after the Vegas Golden Knights fired head coach Bruce Cassidy and replaced him on an interim basis with John Tortorella. Is this all the baseball equivalent to bringing out a closer to pitch in the 9th, or is this simply a case where the coaches and GMs are both simultaneously dead and alive. It's Schrödinger's Management out there right now. Anyone could be the living cat, or the dead cat, and when the team owner opens up the box to look we find out. ### Toronto Marlies After a disappointing weekend where the Marlies lost two straight games to the Charlotte Checkers, and other teams in the playoff race won or lost games that adversely affected the Marlies chances, there was a pile-on last night with the Rochester Americans, the team behind the Marlies in the standings winning in a shootout against the Cleveland Monsters, meaning the Amerks got two standings points to close in on the Marlies and the Monsters got one to stay above them, further dimming the hope of the Marlies getting into the playoffs without having to go through the play-in round and opening up the possibility they wind up without home-ice advantage too. Alex Nylander noted that the Checkers won the board battles consistently because "they just had more of a push than we did," adding "we have to take a page from that book, and we've done it before, and we have to get back to that mentality, we've done it before." The Marlies next game is tomorrow, a school day event at 10:45 a.m. at the Coliseum against the Utica Comets. A win in that game, or even an OT loss, will clinch the Marlies a playoff spot, but Utica has been on fire lately, and they actually knocked the Belleville Senators back to last place in the division. LOLSNES. The Marlies also made some moves yesterday, signing two Maple Leafs draft picks to Amateur try-out contracts, Tyler Hopkins from the OHL Guelph Storm, and Harry Nansi from the Owen Sound attack. > The Toronto Marlies have signed forwards Tyler Hopkins and Harry Nansi to amateur tryouts for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [April 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2041157779964997967?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Don't expect them to appear in games immediately, as usually players on ATOs take some time to transition. If you want to know more, Brian made a deep dive into Harry Nansi's development last November. [Maple Leafs Prospect Report: Harry Nansi’s Breakout Is BeginningOne of Toronto’s more exciting late round picks has been showing signs of the breakout that I had been expecting/hoping for.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-416.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1689479665403-a41f8c04f5ab-3)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-prospect-report-harry-nansis-breakout-is-beginning/) Here's some highlights and further information for you. > Fancy Nansi 🪄[@MapleLeafs](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) prospect Harry Nansi went behind the back to set up an [@AttackOHL](https://twitter.com/AttackOHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) goal and earn the [@deltabingo\_](https://twitter.com/deltabingo%5F?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Play of the Night.[#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/JU6v559AFE](https://t.co/JU6v559AFE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) [February 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/OHLHockey/status/2021932302398308444?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > That's not one but 2⃣ for Tyler Hopkins tonight![#IoftheStorm](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IoftheStorm?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/G9BS2tVpIY](https://t.co/G9BS2tVpIY?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Guelph Storm (@Storm\_City) [February 23, 2026](https://twitter.com/Storm%5FCity/status/2025730666940277198?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) signs Tyler Hopkins to an ATO > > Hopkins showed some growth in his D+1 and is a player I could see potentially developing into a 3C someday > > His [@T2TProspects](https://twitter.com/T2TProspects?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) OHL Comps?[#NYR](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYR?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) McConnell-Barker[#SeaKraken](https://twitter.com/hashtag/SeaKraken?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Villeneuve[#MNWild](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MNWild?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Haight[#GoHabsGo](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoHabsGo?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Guindon[#UDFA](https://twitter.com/hashtag/UDFA?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Fimis [https://t.co/Fetsxm8CPh](https://t.co/Fetsxm8CPh?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/Nkk4iqCFLy](https://t.co/Nkk4iqCFLy?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Ryan Ma 📊 (@RyanMaScouting) [April 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/RyanMaScouting/status/2041182362613035292?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) LOLOILERS [Draisaitl may not be ready by start of playoffs for Oilers | NHL.comForward out since March 15 with lower-body injury; Hyman could play before regular season ends![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-224.png)NHL logoDerek Van Diest![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/haiddcfy7xsvonstutol.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/leon-draisaitl-may-not-be-ready-for-start-of-playoffs-for-edmonton-oilers?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, "you must construct additional pylons." [Capitals call for Protas![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/AHL90_500-300x300-2.png)The American Hockey League\>> Patrick Williams archive![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/protas_ilya260406-1024x576.jpg)](https://theahl.com/news/capitals-call-for-protas?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Ways of Thinking: What does it mean to be datacentric? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ways-of-thinking-what-does-it-mean-to-be-datacentric/ Last updated: 2026-04-06T12:00:36.000Z Keith Pelley said the new head of hockey operations for the Maple Leafs needs to be datacentric. Much confusion, some deliberate, has resulted from this term. The presser where Pelley spoke was not about specifics, and he wasn't reading out the skills and experience required to apply from a job ad, but what he was talking about was not skill-specific. Datacentric doesn't mean having a degree in statistics or a related field. It doesn't mean a direct and personal involvement with what is called the analytics movement. It doesn't mean you're a hacker, a theoretician, or the person who directly collects or analyzes data. It's not about understanding the chart the data science team makes without the explanation that comes with it. It's about how you think. Evidence-based decision making was really the key term used by Pelley, which is part of the answer to what datacentric means, one of the most important parts, but it's not the whole story. You can go a long way towards effective evidence-based decisions just by memorizing the standard list of errors in reasoning, and committing yourself to not doing them. Throw in an understanding of some of the basic ideas like regression, how variance makes small amounts of data unreliable, how predictivity falls away when the target group gets smaller (this is the same thing said twice) and you're better than a guy who just shouts out confidently what is just obvious common sense. One thing I think is critical, you need to listen to Craig Simpson more. I'll explain that in a bit. This is how I can play the piano. I spent a lot of time learning the language of music, memorizing songs in this instructional book I had, and practicing playing them. However, like Data, I have no innate musical skill or ear for the sounds. And all I could ever do was just perform these learned steps. I was never a musician. I can never be that. But I could play Let It Be and you'd recognize it. I'm not sure, because humans are diverse and unknowable in many ways, but maybe some or many or a lot of people can't ever think the way that makes memorizing all those fallacies beside the point. A genuine and sincere belief in the supernatural is a big barrier. It feels like a choice to me, but I'm not the oracle of all knowing here. My feelings on this could be wrong. Let's talk baseball for a second. I used to watch the Blue Jays back when they won the World Series, and they were fun. Baseball itself was pleasant, but I do not know how anyone who does not knit becomes a baseball fan – that's human diversity again. I cared not at all about stats. Not even the ones ~~your mother~~ Buck Martinez gives you that don't do anything at all. I didn't need that to enjoy the games. Eventually, I stopped caring about the Jays for a long time. I watched them in the playoffs last fall because they were fun. I enjoyed myself and also fell asleep halfway through several games. I ignored all discussion of anything beyond the score of the game, and who was doing what cool thing. I picked out who I liked mostly based on unexamined gut reactions and I cheered for my favourites. You can watch hockey this way, and if you like doing that, if it's what makes you happy, keep it up. But you should understand something: I am so very not debating with you the ideas of evidence based decision making and datacentric approaches as the one and only correct way to run a hockey team. This is the only way you can win without just getting lucky. If you want to passionately talk at me about the intangible wonder of Vladdy or Springer and how deeply important that is, how much their emotions and affect matters, how inspiring they are, and how Springer's hockey dude ability to play on a crapped out knee was what gave the team the edge – can you hear the soaring orchestra? I mean, you bet, this is evocative stuff. But if Springer ain't hitting no dingers, he ain't never going to be there to be an example of fortitude and commitment. And finding the guy who is going to keep hitting dingers is what evidence based decisions lead you to. You're allowed to have emotions while you're building a hockey team from data and evidence. You're allowed to use your judgement and consider all those human intangibles. This is really important, actually, and because all that stuff is important, that's doubly the reason why the boss needs to think in a certain way, not just have memorized what the sunk cost fallacy is. The basis of this way of thinking really is a full and complete commitment to the idea that the universe is not interested in your hockey game. It is not a sentient being. You must understand, and stop kicking against forevermore the fact that hockey is the most random professional team sport. Reductionist thinkers and people who like to argue recreationally will come up with retorts about how the outcome of a game is not "just luck" which, no shit. This is a key reason why the boss of the whole show has to be the right kind of thinker. They can't be the person making that stupid argumentative taunt all the damn time. They have to know without being told what it means to be making decisions that lead to winning in a sport where the margin for error is so very, very tight. This is what the stakes of the whole game are, and if you don't even get that, you should get out of the way. If you start with the correct basic mode of thinking about hockey, you're ready to take that meeting with the data science team. What that team is doing is nothing even remotely similar to what fans do with a list of on-ice Corsi numbers, an isolated impact chart or a ranking on a team list of Expected Goals %. That's all about looking for some evidence to decide how to feel. Or more likely to decide how stupid the team is for not doing what the purple bar says they should do. What the real thing is all about is trying to describe a hockey game, its players and its play in simple enough terms that you can talk about it to each other and get smarter by turning your brains to the task of optimizing the efforts at winning. We do this simplification and have done this for thousands of years, and some people believe there was some kind of cognitive spark we lit in our minds deep in the past that allowed us to do a thing we think other animals don't do: think in the abstract. An abstraction is a lie. Or maybe more properly a false thing that's close enough to true to be useful. We use them all the time. There are so many of them that have been created by humans over decades that were used to put these words on a screen for you to read that it boggles the mind to think of them all. Abstractions are how we create things that we use to make a computer do a thing. What gets called analytics or advanced stats (two stupid terms) is a pile of abstractions of a hockey game. It's a bunch of bits, each one a picture of something that we fit together like Lego until the result is what we want – a better chance to win. Over and over until we know what's more likely to work and what isn't. Every team in the NHL now has years of puck and player tracking data. Masses of it. And they've had time to begin to analyze it and try to find abstractions made from that data that can tell you how to play, who to play, when to play, and where to spend and where not to. It's not even the hockey ops boss's job to decide which method of drawing abstractions they use. What's important is that the boss is in a position to approach them with a full understanding of how you decide if they are useful as evidence, and how you know what to do with that evidence once you have it. Pelley said that evidence-based decisions are always right, and this, alas, is simply not true. They are the right ones to make, but they can still give you the wrong answer, and understanding the weaknesses of what hockey data can tell you, or at the very least, knowing that there will be weaknesses but that your gut feelings won't suss them out is key. These abstractions of a player or of game concepts are like a snapshot. They exist outside of time, they have no movement, no context, and that's good in many ways. The emotional response to the player is removed, so the understanding is not coloured by that. That is a dangerous thing, though, because it dehumanizes the player. The context gets supplied by the viewer, and a very good datacentric approach is self aware of these limitations in the information and in their own response to them. Craig Simpson is here, let's listen to him for a second... "Expected Goals! Ha ha, expected by who?" The boss has to know the answer to that one. This is more complex that just knowing what correlation is not. The answer to that one comes first from an understanding that it's not entirely a stupid question. Because expecting Expected Goals in a given game or set of games or in a given instance is not what those model outputs are telling you to do. They aren't telling you who was good or bad in the game last night either. What is description, what's the difference between a thing the player did and who the player is, what is repeatable, predictable, all of these concepts need to be there in the boss who is given the snapshot to look at by the data science team. You and I, here right now, we don't know what's been going on in the Leafs basement (done up just like their mom's house, so them nerds feel at home – go away, Craig, we're done with you) but the vehemence with which Pelley emphasized this aspect of a new hire, and his talk about the other MLSE teams being ahead of the Leafs, make me think they've let that side of things backslide a little. Or more properly, the rest of the league has caught up to their early innovation. The current man in charge, [Daryl Metcalf](https://www.queensu.ca/alumnireview/articles/2021-04-16/daryl-metcalf-analytics-hockey?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), has a stellar reputation, but I can't believe that Leafs roster, that coaching hire, that system, those trades were made by someone who consistently took in what Metcalf's crew had to say. You have to think a certain way about those human intangibles and the context you're bringing to your decision making to not end up doing something stupid by ignoring the evidence in favour of what you're just so sure is the right way to play the game. Part of the way of thinking that's required is knowing your own fallibility. It's also knowing in your gut, not just your head, that you need to be most skeptical of the things you want to be true. Particularly those cultural things not actually related to winning. Look, let's be clear here. I haven't got one single clue how effective any team has been at using all that NHL data. For all I know half the analytics departments are doing "that cloud looks like a bunny" stuff, making spurious correlations graphs, or worse, retroactively constructing evidence for the choice the boss wants to make. Managing up happens everywhere. There are some failsafes to the use of data-based evidence that have to be inside the brain of the boss. No memo with six charts from the basement crew is going to be enough if the mind that's receiving it has an Outlook folder labelled "Critical" where he puts all the stuff he's never going to read. At the same time, the boss has to be aware of the fallibility of the information he's getting, and the risks of imperfect abstractions, because make no mistake, they are all imperfect. One of the ways of thinking that's very particular to hockey is the idea of the process vs the results. It's like going back in time to talk about this stuff because Sheldon Keefe, not Kyle Dubas, was the guy who really, really got this. He got this so well he was open about his own hesitation over how far you let something play out. An example. Let's do a five-forward power play. First try, the puck gets past the forward covering the blue line and the other team gets a scoring chance. Response: oh, that'll never work. Congrats, you are not datacentric and cannot have this job. No, but you see, it's obvious, the forward can't defend, you can't do this dumb idea because it will never work, stop now. Congrats, you also don't make evidence-based decisions. Let's try it for a few games, and whoops, someone scored a shorty. Result: that's the last time we'll do of that. You can't be giving up goals on the PP. Congrats, not only should you never run or coach a hockey team, you actually created artificial reasons for your decision that you know are false. Now, hold onto your hats because I'm going to talk about sexism. In my experience a well-socialized man, even today in the 21st century, has been at least partially convinced that the way you have to go about things is exuding confidence and just being sure of yourself. Making up some bullshit you would know is bullshit if someone else said it and saying it with confidence so real maybe you really believe it is often considered the sign of a good leader. And leadership is important and intangibles and blah, blah blah. The right answer from the boss of the team running the five-forward PP is this: we don't know if this is working or not, why the hell are we test piloting this in the damn NHL? What the hell is wrong with you? Get the fucking AHL team to do it for a whole fucking season and then maybe we'll know. Better yet, bribe some fucking league to have half the teams do it and half use the normal one. See, you can be decisive and sure of yourself while making only evidence based decisions! It takes practice, and it takes the way of thinking to be innate, so that when you bust out in frustration your reasoning process stays cold. It can't be a coat you put on or off. It has to be who you are. Where this becomes crucial is when the thing clouding the mind of the boss is hate or love. If the boss hates a player or really loves them, and they don't have the ability to see that weakness, than it can override their commitment to the hard cold truth, and they will make crucial mistakes. I'm not sure which is worse, love or hate, for leading you astray from the path of logic and rationality. Actually maybe it's fear. This sounds like this way of thinking is emotionless, but it isn't. It's balanced and tempered, maybe even constrained. And that's hardly a new concept for the NHL, where "it's a business" is the all-purpose explanation for hard cold decisions that players don't like. You can actually make those tough calls about things other than money. The NHL, and sports in general, are an odd place to find someone who has the way of thinking to be a really great head of hockey operations and also be all the other things the job demands. Sporty Spice but mathy usually ends up working for the business side of a team or a gambling company because the operations department is where "I just think" analysis has reigned supreme for a century. Anyhow, that's what I think datacentric means and why it's not a nice to have, it's a must have if you want to win and keep winning in an unfair world. ### Monday's FTB: Inseason offseason URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-global-warming-hits-the-nhl/ Last updated: 2026-04-06T10:00:03.000Z It's not just the Leafs who are starting their offseason early. After the big Vegas shocker, it's hardly even news now that Patrick Roy is out and Peter DeBoer is in. [Islanders relieve Roy of duties, hire DeBoer as new head coachThe New York Islanders have relieved Patrick Roy of his duties and have hired Peter DeBoer as the team’s new head coach, general manager Mathieu Darche announced on Sunday.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-252.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/GPU2XJSBWQKYB7DYHJJ3JAJBNY.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/islanders-relieve-roy-of-coaching-duties-hire-deboer/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Meanwhile Porter Martone and the Flyers knocked the Islanders out of a playoff spot, at least for now. [Martone’s OT goal lifts Flyers past Bruins, keeps playoff push alive![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caAssociated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CP176090847.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/martones-ot-goal-lifts-flyers-past-bruins-keeps-playoff-push-alive/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Both playoff races are too close to call with only 11 days left in the regular season. For teams already out, it's like it's June already: [Panthers’ Mehta expected to be among Maple Leafs’ GM targetsAccording to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Florida Panthers assistant general manager Sunny Mehta is expected to be among the Maple Leafs’ targets to step into the vacant GM job.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Pelley.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/panthers-mehta-expected-to-be-among-maple-leafs-gm-targets/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [‘That’d be awesome’: Why Maple Leafs should bring back Scott LaughtonHow much do the Toronto Maple Leafs miss Scotty? Laughts. Luke Fox lets the Leafs and Scott Laughton himself make the case as to why the glue-guy centre deserves another shot.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/laughton.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/thatd-be-awesome-why-maple-leafs-should-bring-back-scott-laughton/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I am not on board with the idea that Scott Laughton was terribly underused, but also, yes, yes they should bring him back. The Leafs should be back in practice action today ahead of a tough set of games that starts on Wednesday with the first of the last back-to-back set. After the weekend action, the Leafs, at 0.506, are seventh back with Florida and Seattle at 0.500 closer to the bottom of the NHL. The Leafs have more points and fewer games left than both of those teams, so we'll see where it stands on Wednesday, but it's looking like a tough job to win less in these conditions. Today marks the start of some offseason style features. It's my hope that this shall continue on through the playoffs as we wait for a new head of the hockey ops department and the prophesied bigger changes. There's not been much to say about the Leafs this season. They were never really in it, they have multiple problems, looking at their results is not going to tell you who they are in this moment and the problems keeping those results from having meaning are all too well understood. The future is the only thing worth talking about, in my book. So that's what I plan on doing. That's all for now, have a great Monday. ### Sunday's FTB: Let's pretend the Leafs get a top-five pick URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sundays-ftb-lets-pretend-the-leafs-get-a-top-five-pick/ Last updated: 2026-04-05T10:00:40.000Z I looked at the news, such as it is, and it was annoying. I don't care what the Habs are doing. I don't care if the Sens crash and burn, and any words that start with "re" are starting to annoy me. The Leafs did the decent thing and lost in OT last night to the Kings. It was a trippy game, but not really worth a Sunday morning look back. You had to be there, and be drinking. So let's just pretend the Leafs pull off the very difficult task of being worse than about six contestants for badness in the final 10 days of the season. First up, the NHL's Central Scouting list should be out on April 16, and the draft pick talk will heat up. [Craig’s List: McKenna reigns at No. 1, Ruck twins make rapid riseFor Gavin McKenna, who continues his reign as TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button’s No. 1 prospect on his March draft ranking, it has been a tale of two seasons as a freshman in the NCAA.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-251.ico)TSNBrianne Spiker![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/G5DPIVOWH2AN2PHALANJ3YDFEQ.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/craigs-list-mckenna-reigns-at-no-1-ruck-twins-make-rapid-rise/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Brian looked at this a while back, so have a look at that now if you like: [2026 NHL Draft: What If Toronto Has A Top 5 Pick?Looking at potential top 5 prospects in this year’s draft who Toronto could pick IF they miss the playoffs, IF they win the lottery and get a top 5 pick, and IF they don’t trade it instead of using it. That’s a lot of ifs…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-415.png)PPP LeafsBrian S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1589935447067-5531094415d1)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-january-watch-list-for-a-top-5-pick/) > "Caleb Malhotra is not a reach at 3rd overall. > Jett Luchanko is his winger, not the other way around."[#canucks](https://twitter.com/hashtag/canucks?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#letsgoflyers](https://twitter.com/hashtag/letsgoflyers?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)[@mattsekeres](https://twitter.com/mattsekeres?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [@justBlakePrice](https://twitter.com/justBlakePrice?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [@JeffMarek](https://twitter.com/JeffMarek?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > Presented by [@bet365ca](https://twitter.com/bet365ca?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#bet365](https://twitter.com/hashtag/bet365?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/lf8TDXcsyt](https://t.co/lf8TDXcsyt?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sekeres and Price (@sekeresandprice) [April 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/sekeresandprice/status/2040500285488136459?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Scout’s Analysis: Latest ranking of NHL’s 2026 draft classJason Bukala’s draft rankings continue to take shape, but with big playoff games and tournaments on the horizon, there is still time for things to change. Today, Jason shares his top 32 prospects and four others he’s keeping a close eye on.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJason Bukala![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-23.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/scouts-analysis-latest-ranking-of-nhls-2026-draft-class/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Upside Hockey’s Updated Top 70 2026 NHL Draft Consolidated RankingsThe Top 70 prospects from amalgamated draft rankings updated March 20, 2026![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F03c4e373-b68d-4df7-a5b2-ae68c91158ca-2Fapple-touch-icon-180x180.png)Upside HockeyChris Ralph Shankara![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com-2Fpublic-2Fimages-2F4c38e97d-47ac-41c2-9442-1dd242f32eb8_1220x1306.png)](https://upsidehockey.substack.com/p/upside-hockeys-updated-top-70-2026) [Midseason 2026 NHL Draft RankingsDiscover Smaht Scouting’s 2026 NHL Draft Midseason Top 64 — detailed player evaluations, updated rankings, and analysis of the draft’s top prospects.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/cropped-SmahtScouting_SiteIcon.png)Smaht ScoutingJosh Tessler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/cropped-PrimaryLogo_WhiteBackground.png)](https://smahtscouting.com/2026/02/27/midseason-2026-nhl-draft-rankings/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Okay, study up, who do you want? ### Gameday: Leafs in LA URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gameday-leafs-in-la/ Last updated: 2026-04-04T20:04:03.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Los Angeles Kings 07:00 PM at Crypto.com Arena Watch on: SNO, CBC, FDSNSC ### The Leafs last game was away on April 2 against the San Jose Sharks, which Toronto lost by a score of 4-1 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 32-31-13 for a 0.507 Points %. The Los Angeles Kings last played at home on April 2 against the Nashville Predators. The Kings lost by a score of 5-4 in a shootout, and their current league record is 30-26-19 for a 0.527 Points %. There are four teams today tied for fifth last in Points %, one of the Toronto. The other three are St. Louis, Winnipeg and Seattle. Every one of those teams is at least publicly claiming they can totally make the playoffs. Depending on how you look at it, Toronto, who have played 76 games, to the others' 75 and 74, is the leader for last in this group. All these teams have 75 to 77 points, with Toronto the most so you can call the team with the most opportunity to lose more, Seattle, the real leader. Florida also has 77 points and 0.513 Points %. And they know they aren't making the playoffs. Now let's look at this another way. New York and Calgary both are at 0.467\. That pace gets them 77 points on the season – and the Leafs are already there. They both, however, have been playing over 0.500 hockey since the Olympics, meaning they could conceivably and realistically finish with more points than that. The glass is half full or half empty depending on how you look at it. The Leafs are at 0.368 since the break which would add four more points if they continue like that. The wild card race is knotted up at 79 points for Nashville, LA and San Jose. Next are the Blues the team in the running for bottom five or the playoffs both with 76 points. LA plucked a loser point from Nashville, tonight they could really use two points. ### Them LA is a better team than Toronto by a very small amount, mostly their five-on-five game and a good season from Anton Forsberg. They are so far away from the Colorado Avalanche, it really does seem like the most unusual season in a long time. #### Lines Last Game (2026-04-02) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/los-angeles-kings/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Artemi Panarin - Anze Kopitar - Adrian Kempe Trevor Moore - Quinton Byfield - Alex Laferriere Jared Wright - Scott Laughton - Joel Armia Mathieu Joseph - Samuel Helenius - Taylor Ward Brian Dumoulin - Drew Doughty Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke Mikey Anderson - Cody Ceci Anton Forsberg - likely starter Darcy Kuemper ### Us Oliver Ekman-Larsson is out with a minor lower body injury, and it's Joe Woll's turn to have lots of opportunity for big saves. The lineup is in flux as some other players are banged up. The Leafs recalled William Villeneuve from the AHL on an emergency basis for this game, so perhaps one of those other injured is a defenceman. No word on if he plays what would be his first ever NHL game. He was recalled during the Olympic break for some practices, but after four years on the Marlies, he's never played on the Leafs outside of preseason. Yesterday, newly signed defender Frank Djurasevic dressed and took part in the warm up for the Marlies, but did not play. They were just easing him in to his pro debut today. #### Lines Last Game (2026-04-02) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Easton Cowan - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Bo Groulx - Matias Maccelli Dakota Joshua - Max Domi - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Philippe Myers Jake McCabe - Brandon Carlo Simon Benoit - ?? Joe Woll - likely starter Anthony Stolarz ### The Game Seriously, lose this one. There is at least some measurable difference between the picks the Leafs might get from LA in the Scott Laughton trade. If LA makes the playoffs, they get Buffalo's second rounder. How close that is to the 64th pick will depend on the outcome of the playoffs, but it's at least as bad as 49th. If LA does not make the playoffs the pick is either Ottawa's or Washington's third. Which depends on those teams' finishes in the regular season and/or playoffs. The best case scenario is the second rounder and an early Buffalo exit from the playoffs. A win-win. The next best is, unfortunately, Ottawa making the playoffs and then the better of the two thirds comes to the Leafs. Otherwise it's the worse one. This difference isn't significant, and this pick will be around 80th overall. What you actually can expect from the best case scenario second-rounder is about the same chance at getting an NHL player out of the pick – very low – as the third rounder, but when you factor in the distribution of the value of this imaginary NHL player, the second gives you slightly better chances at better players. 80 vs 50 the year Auston Matthews was drafted is Brandon Gignac vs Artur Kayumov. ### Saturday's FTB: Last day in California URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/saturdays-ftb-last-day-in-california/ Last updated: 2026-04-04T10:00:06.000Z The Leafs are meddling in the western wild card race some more tonight as they play the Kings on HNIC. Meanwhile the Thursday game that they were supposed to win eliminated them from the playoffs. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is doubtful for today, and will be a couple of days getting back in the lineup. The Leafs have an extra defender with them, so they don't have to make a move before they come home. We have a rare three days off after this game tonight, and then the schedule slams hard. If the Leafs were in the playoffs, this would be a very tough period to negotiate, and yes, this schedule is still very bad. The final five games start on Wednesday and are crammed into eight days. Miroslav Holinka played last night: > HOLI-MOLY! 😳👏 > > Miroslav Holinka scores his SIXTH goal of the [#WHLPlayoffs](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHLPlayoffs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) off a turnover to get the [@EdmOilKings](https://twitter.com/EdmOilKings?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) on the board first![@MapleLeafs](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#FeedingtheFuture](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FeedingtheFuture?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/NusIE8ZzLu](https://t.co/NusIE8ZzLu?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [April 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2040226491406098503?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Ben Danford won't start playing until sometime towards the end of next week. Some predictable things here with every example relating directly to the Leafs in some way: [Friday Four: What can Maple Leafs learn from recent retools?With the Maple Leafs declaring they are not rebuilding, Michael Amato takes a look at a few teams who have retooled recently and what elements or strategies they used to make it successful.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caMichael Amato![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/leafs1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/friday-four-what-can-maple-leafs-learn-from-recent-retools/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is worth a listen instead of just going on what other people fixed on: [32 Thoughts: The PodcastHockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman & Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_logo_180x180_bg_white-6.png)Sportsnet.ca![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/32-THOUGHTS_640X360_TOYOTA.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/podcasts/32-thoughts/talking-to-ownership-in-their-language/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Gotta say though, it is weird, weird, weird to look up and see PPP at the top of the page and have a management change that includes serious talk of data use, evidence-based decisions, gushing about Tulsky and, in the above, a lot of interest in Haley Wickenheiser taking a bigger role, and have that be a hard sell. One thing hasn't changed though, we are about to get a whole hell of a lot of let's trade Nylander articles. Buddy up there looking at "retools" thinks he's polarizing. Which is an interesting part of 32 Thoughts. Elliotte Friedman talks about teams not being afraid of their fans, and he's talking about making big deals, but it's a good point to consider particularly with someone who is allegedly polarizing. Part of evidence-based decision making is to tune all of that out, media, pundits, fans. Like Kypreos – go find it if you want to – thinking Morgan Rielly is going to get traded with 50% retained salary, the Leafs need to ignore this and Kypreos needs new material. Which isn't to say they are not going to make any trades. It seems likely they will, but that's well down the road. Let's just wait for who blows out of the playoffs like a hurricane hit them and might be rethinking their own status before we decide which deals must be made and who is or is not available. By my reckoning it's minimum one month before the earliest possible hiring date, and that's a lot of time for "names that are out there" stories, fantasy trades of guys with NMCs and pretty soon, no hockey in Canada but the Habs and the Oilers. And before then there are six more games. Go out there and lose, tonight, guys, we know you can. Some sort of preview will be out later. ### Friday's FTB: Good time to take a day off URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-good-time-to-take-a-day-off/ Last updated: 2026-04-03T10:00:04.000Z Details on the Leafs quest for someone to run the hockey operations department: [Insider Trading: Latest on Leafs’ GM searchTSN’s Hockey Insiders on Toronto’s hope to have a search firm hired by the end of next week, how the Leafs hope to copy Carolina with a data-driven hire, the next phase of Nashville’s general manager search and GM Patrik Allvin remaining a big part of the Canucks’ future.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-250.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/J5REWBTCWZECDLGOHWTZEWBO2A.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/insider-trading-latest-on-leafs-gm-search/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is the text version, so you can read it instead of just reacting to the blurb. The search firm is to be in place by next week, someone in place by the end of May. Opinions seem to vary on if that's one someone or more. While I think this was a month too late to begin, it's a lot better than the hiring process for Treliving. Kyle Dubas left the Leafs on May 19, leaving the team just barely over a month before the draft. Brad Treliving was hired on May 31, a hiring process that played out over 11 days, and I think now that looks like acting in haste and repenting at leisure to just about everyone. This time, the Leafs have a lot of time to do a real search, interview more than the three people who have ever been named as part of the last process and decide exactly who is the right fit. There are some dates of concern, but none of them before the playoffs end, and that can be any time in the final two weeks ending on June 21\. But the goal here is to have a team in place by the Combine which begins May 31\. There is no need for haste, there is no worry about being too late for the draft. --- > The McCue brothers love playoff Michigan's! > > Sam McCue takes a page out of Max's book and hits the Michigan to give the [@Ottawa67sHockey](https://twitter.com/Ottawa67sHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) the lead in game 4![#OTTvsKGN](https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTTvsKGN?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#OHLPlayoffs](https://twitter.com/hashtag/OHLPlayoffs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/IzcZjMshb1](https://t.co/IzcZjMshb1?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) [April 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/OHLHockey/status/2039844100078215676?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Minnesota beat the Canucks last night in a rare double-clinch game. The Wild are in the playoffs and the Canucks cannot be knocked out of last place. At least not before May 5, that is. [Max Plante among top three for 2026 Hobey Baker Memorial AwardHermantown’s Max Plante has moved one step closer to being lucky No. 7 for Minnesota Duluth. The sophomore wing will be part of the Hobey Hat Trick next week at the NCAA Frozen Four in Las Vegas.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-342.png)Duluth News TribuneMatt Wellens![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/90-14)](https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/sports/bulldogs-hockey/max-plante-among-top-three-for-2026-hobey-baker-memorial-award?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Ben Danford has advanced in the OHL finals: [Brantford Bulldogs advance to second round of OHL playoffsBrantford Bulldogs advance to second round of OHL playoffs![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/icon-16.png)Brantford ExpositorBrian Smiley![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Bulldogspaw2.jpg)](https://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/sports/local-sports/brantford-bulldogs-ohl-junor-hockey?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) His suspension for an illegal check from behind has been served and he can resume playing. Tyler Hopkins is done for the season, as Guelph was, er, what's the right word, hmmm, obliterated 11-3 by Windsor in game four of the first round sweep. Hopkins had two of those three goals. Harry Nansi is also done as Owen Sound was easily swept aside by Flint yesterday. Miroslav Holinka's first round series in the WHL is tied up at two games all. Oh, yeah, and the Leafs did not beat the Sharks as instructed. It was a wild game that had a few moments of fun. Simon Benoit almost had the time of his life. First this: > SIMON BENOIT SAVES A GOAL 😱 [pic.twitter.com/0HNdrYqAas](https://t.co/0HNdrYqAas?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [April 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2039918457160872196?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And then a couple of really good chances to score. Oliver Ekman-Larsson left the game halfway through with an LBI, nothing that was obvious as the cause, though. Final score was 4-1 San Jose. Leafs are back in action on Saturday as the face the Kings in LA. It's a regular HNIC start time. See you then. ### PPP After Dark: A strange erotic journey from Anaheim to San Jose URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ppp-after-dark-a-strange-erotic-journey-form-anaheim-to-san-jose/ Last updated: 2026-04-03T03:44:05.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ San Jose Sharks 10:00 PM at SAP Center at San Jose Watch on: TSN4, NBCSCA Our preview of the game is here: [Preview: Leafs at SharksThe last late game of the year.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-414.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1605435010177-8e96475610a4-1)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-at-sharks/) And, well, there's little more to say this season. Enjoy the game and welcome to the long weekend. ### Preview: Leafs at Sharks URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-at-sharks/ Last updated: 2026-04-02T22:04:06.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ San Jose Sharks 10:00 PM at SAP Center at San Jose Watch on: TSN4, NBCSCA ### The Leafs last game was away on March 30 against the Anaheim Ducks, which Toronto won by a score of 5-4 in overtime. The Leafs have a record of 32-30-13 for a 0.513 Points %. The San Jose Sharks last played at home on April 1 against the Anaheim Ducks. The Sharks won by a score of 4-3 in regulation, and their current league record is 35-31-7 for a 0.527 Points %. The Sharks snuck right back into the tight race for the last playoff spot in the west on the strength of some wins, but LA holds position there today with a matching Points % of 0.527 and a one-point lead. The Jets are now only two points behind. That's a gap that can be crossed, and so is Seattle's three points. Whoever can get that one or two unexpected wins might just get to play the Avalanche in the first round. The interesting part of tracking the race for the worst playoff spot in the NHL and the one for fifth last by the Leafs is how close all the teams are together. It's the same group playing at about the same pace. St. Louis is still in fifth last with 0.500, so an 82 point season. Toronto has 77 points, so to get no more than 81, they have to play at 0.250\. They are 0.389 since the Olympics. Turning that LA pick into a second rounder can be helped along by a Leafs win tonight. ### Them The difference between the Sharks results and the Leafs is how many Pacific teams the Sharks have played. They aren't the last-place team of recent years, but they aren't very far off, and it would be more obvious in a different division. The difference between them and the post-deadline Leafs is which goalie is better on the night. Igor Chernyshov is a game time decision, and his replacement would be Philipp Kurashev. Ryan Reaves injured his finger in a fight about a week ago. #### Lines Last game plus [potential changes. ](https://x.com/Real%5FMax%5FMiller/status/2039770728971579425?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Igor Chernyshov - Macklin Celebrini - Will Smith William Eklund - Alexander Wennberg - Kiefer Sherwood Collin Graf - Michael Misa - Tyler Toffoli Barclay Goodrow - Zack Ostapchuk - Adam Gaudette Dmitry Orlov - Vincent Desharnais Shakir Mukhamadullin - Mario Ferraro Sam Dickinson - Nick Leddy Alex Nedeljkovic - starter Yaroslav Askarov ### Us Phil Myers gets to play, as does Steven Lorentz. Defence pairs to be confirmed. #### Lines David Alter via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) with today's changes. Easton Cowan - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Bo Groulx - Matias Maccelli Dakota Joshua - Max Domi - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Phil Myers Anthony Stolarz - confirmed starter Joe Woll ### The Game I guess your rooting interest depends on which pick you think is more likely to be influenced by this season's results. ### Thursday's FTB: The Leafs Future is in the Stars URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/the-leafs-future-is-in-the-stars/ Last updated: 2026-04-02T11:43:22.000Z This is getting to be a habit. I like to sit in the recliner and read for an hour at least every afternoon. And then when I'm done, I take a quick look at my hockey feed to see if anything happened before I ignore the internet for some hours. And Sportsnet posts a Justin Bourne article. Up I get, and now I'm writing about his article. Again. One thing I've noticed, and it's really cool to still discover things about your own brain works well past the age where you wonder how well it still works, but I find people I almost agree with much more useful as imaginary argument foils than people who have dramatically different points to make. This is interesting to contemplate in light of the workout the worry beads have had lately over people's polarized social media interactions. If someone lays out their thoughts on the Leafs, and I almost agree, like Bourne's last article about Treliving meeting the fork in the road and trying to just go straight on – to nowhere as it turned out, not to morning or to hell or to any of the other places roads go – I get more out of nibbling at the edges than if someone just says: They're terrible, they're whateverth in Corsi, burn it all down! That just makes me roll my eyes. X playoff losses in y years. Or x dollars in cap hit for y players. Or "what is it about the roster that makes you think..." or any other easy one liner just makes me roll my eyes. It says that this person has guessed the future, considers the present inevitable and not one of any number of variable outcomes from past decisions and therefore wants to cut their losses... you know that's an interesting turn of phrase, isn't it? What it refers to is getting out of a bet that you believe can't ever pay out. It's deciding you know the future. But what it says is a lie. You don't cut anything, you are stuck with those losses, and the only thing you've cut is the imaginary ones you've decided are due you. If you apply this line of thinking to the Leafs and their current choice of direction – and here I'm going to use my own terms for it: trying to win or setting out to be bad on purpose for years – then you are suggesting that future losing has a cost only if you weren't doing it on purpose. Back to Bourne, and if you haven't closed this article and just gone and found his and read it, I don't know what's wrong with you. But first, I posted a segment of Overdrive in comments yesterday with Pierre LeBrun. They discussed very ably something I hadn't mentioned regarding Keith Pelley's presser, and that is that he came right out and said the Leafs are going to keep trying. He opened the door to whatever the new head of hockey operations decides, but as the Overdrive guys said, he's the guy hiring the new head, so he's hiring a guy who is on the same page. I agree with this as the correct top-level strategy, and I thought it was obvious that's where Pelley was coming from. In the Overdrive bit, LeBrun does an aside about Kyle Dubas and his hiring by the former Penguins owners. The salient point about Dubas here is that he presented to Fenway an idea that the Penguins could keep their elite core and also transition to some younger players and gradually add prospects and try to win. This is considered by standard NHL orthodoxy as trying to have your cake and eat it too. And yet, that's what he's doing. When the cake is Sidney Crosby, damn straight that's what you do. Bourne starts here as well. Throwing aside the tiresome (to me, I'm not speaking for him) discussion about trying or not because it's already been decided. And he also starts with Dubas and the Penguins. I think Tampa is another place to look at hard, as well as Vegas, LA, Columbus, and then also teams that have tried and failed like Calgary or Nashville. [How the Maple Leafs can return to being much better in just a few easy stepsNever mind how they fared this season, the Toronto Maple Leafs can still be good next season, with a few simple moves. Justin Bourne lays out the plan for success.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Coach-Peter-DeBoer-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/how-the-maple-leafs-can-return-to-being-much-better-in-just-a-few-easy-steps/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I love this headline because it has to be self aware. He starts with talking about the big "well duh" which is replacing the coach. And I enjoyed his thought experiment about Colorado with no coach and the Canucks with Jon Cooper. I agree with his take on this as well. And for the record, because I've been shouted at before that coaching matters: the coach is irrelevant if the team is bad. If the team is elite the coach needs to get out of the way (this is why I think Bruce Cassidy was fired, he didn't), and if the team is good but not great, the coach needs to be a plus not a minus. I think almost everyone overestimates how much of what the Leafs have done is what Craig Berube wanted them to do, and also how much of a difference a different coach would make. However, Berube is not a coach to add value to skilled players, and they need someone who does. Bourne then surprises me a little by talking specifically about the players on the team and usage as well as the roles that need to be filled. This is not rocket science, this is obvious stuff, and I nodded along to almost all of it. There's been so very much carrying on about how the team is terrible and broken and Matthews is broken – more comforting nihilistic future prognostication – that this actually does need to be relentlessly repeated that the missing pieces are not elite-level players. When I most recently said the team has the hard to get players and they actually need to add some of the secondary easier to get players, the immediate response was pretty intense outrage because the standings! And the Corsi! And they're all broken and doom despair and agony on me, and one of these days I'll just put that song up as the theme of the day. Bourne takes it right down to projected lines, ideas for players. Go read it! But then at the end of that good read, I came to this: What is the most likely outcome of this plan of Bourne's? Let's prognosticate a rosy future for a change instead of the usual doomer gloom that slowly becomes truthy in everyone's head after they've written or read the misery horoscope so often. Let's say the Leafs hire Smart Guy as President, Data Nerd as GM, Can Actually Do Player Eval as AGM, and Bruce Cassidy as coach. Then they get the obvious needs filled: someone on defence with the right skills, a winger better than Maccelli but not quite Nylander. Run that team out there on the ice playing a system that actually understands how you get more goals than the other team, while having so much culture everyone smells faintly of yogurt. What's the most likely outcome? That the Leafs don't win the Cup. They might not even hit whatever magic number of playoff rounds it is to be considered not a disaster. One more than they get, by past experience. But they likely won't win it all. Because that's how this sport works. If you can't take a joke, you shouldn't have signed up. But what if, just what if the Leafs are actually fun? Because the real problem with this season that will soon be over is that none of it was any fun. Trying to win might scare you, but it's the only way there is any return on the fan investment of time and attention. It's the only way it gets fun. --- [‘It’s been my life’: How Craig Berube is dealing with lack of job securityCraig Berube knows his days may be numbered, but he’s found a way to deal with the uncertainty.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-6.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/its-been-my-life-how-craig-berube-is-dealing-with-lack-of-job-security/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > "Fine, I'll do it myself" - Miroslav Holinka (probably) 🤩[#WHLPlayoffs](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHLPlayoffs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#FeedingTheFuture](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FeedingTheFuture?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/YAe4faaNqN](https://t.co/YAe4faaNqN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — x - Edmonton Oil Kings (@EdmOilKings) [April 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/EdmOilKings/status/2039518238858523008?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Lots of thoughts on the state of things, I'm sure, but not much said: Isn't it great we get to do this again in two weeks? A little considered aspect of the timing of this firing. Remember tonight's game is at 10 pm. ### Sceptres Gameday: Takeover Tour in Calgary against the Charge URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-takeover-tour-in-calgary-against-the-charge/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T23:20:56.000Z ### Toronto Sceptres vs. Ottawa Charge *DoorDash Takeover TourTM: Calgary* ### 9:30 PM ET @ Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary **Watch in Canada:** TSN #### **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com #### Toronto's last game was a 3-2 regulation loss to Vancouver on Sunday, while Ottawa's last game was a 2-0 regulation win over Seattle that same day. Those two events pushed Ottawa back into fourth place over the Sceptres. They have Points % of 0.478 and 0.431 respectively, while the Sirens have fallen to 0.391, tied with Vancouver. Seattle is well back at 0.319. No one is eliminated from the playoffs yet with each team having six or seven games left, and the Boston Fleet, currently in first place, are the only team to have clinched. Toronto has six games left, including this one, for a potential 18 points. Ottawa has seven, and leads by two points right now. Toronto has to get three more points than Ottawa do out of the remaining games. Ottawa is heading for a 43 point season, so Toronto needs something akin to 13 points in six games, or a 0.722 percentage. Two points isn't much of a gap, but the time to make it up has almost run out. With this being the first of three games against Ottawa, this isn't a "must win" for Toronto, but it will make this picture a whole lot brighter if they take home an RW. It's also time for the hard truth: if the Scepters can't beat the Ottawa Charge, what is the point of making the playoffs? Lines will be available closer to start time. ### Wednesday's FTB: Everyone goes to the penalty box URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-everyone-goes-to-the-penalty-box/ Last updated: 2026-04-01T11:32:31.000Z The Leafs have another day without a game out in California. It will be another 10:00 p.m. ET game tomorrow against the San Jose Sharks. Not much more to say on that as the news on the team was all covered yesterday by Keith Pelley. The Marlies played the Manitoba Moose last night and lost 5-1\. It was not a fun game to watch. Akhtyamov was in net for the Marlies and their only goal came from defenceman Henry Thrun. > HANK HAMMERS IT HOME! > > Henry Thrun gets one past to give the Marlies the 1-0 lead! [pic.twitter.com/Mx8w3Y8twU](https://t.co/Mx8w3Y8twU?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [March 31, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2039124320358682648?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Other News Why not put everyone in the box? > PENALTIES TO... EVERYONE ON THE ICE!? 😂 [pic.twitter.com/OLNaE4HMNG](https://t.co/OLNaE4HMNG?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [April 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2039159708225855566?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Apparently after the game Shesterkin said he always thought his first fight would be against Sorokin. > GOALIE FIGHT 🤯 > > IGOR SHESTERKIN AND JACOB MARKSTROM DROP THE GLOVES AT MSG. > > (via [@MSGNetworks](https://twitter.com/MSGNetworks?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)) [pic.twitter.com/3S8VxJZv60](https://t.co/3S8VxJZv60?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — BarDown (@BarDown) [April 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/BarDown/status/2039156105645813915?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) *"The game has changed, and how it's changed, it's less physical and it's more skating. But the skating doesn't make you as tired. The hardest thing is the 1-on-1 battles on the boards. That would make you tired."* [Jagr talks hockey future, countryman Pastrnak in Q&A | NHL.com54-year-old forward also discusses Ovechkin, NHL game today![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-222.png)NHL logoAdam Kimelman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/uvfgrvpasmeuakld7rb4.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/jaromir-jagr-talks-hockey-future-countryman-david-pastrnak-in-q-and-a?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Must have been a pineapple around. [Former Canadien, Maple Leaf Mikhail Grabovski charged with assaultFormer Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mikhail Grabovski has been charged with assault following an incident at a minor hockey game in Markham, Ont.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caCanadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-6-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/former-canadien-maple-leaf-mikhail-grabovski-charged-with-assault/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Have a great Wednesday, and take the time to laugh at another team. > THE PANTHERS SCORE TWO GOALS IN 34 SECONDS TO GO UP 5-0 ON THE SENATORS! 😱😱😱 > > Linus Ullmark is pulled for James Reimer before the end of the 1st period. [pic.twitter.com/5xYUPSEeQg](https://t.co/5xYUPSEeQg?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [March 31, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2039128553162170522?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Tuesday's FTB: Keith Pelley waited until Brad Treliving had pissed away an entire month before firing him URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-timing-is-everything/ Last updated: 2026-03-31T12:35:34.000Z Last night in the hour before the Leafs began playing on the west coast, Keith Pelley fired Brad Treliving. [Leafs fire Brad TrelivingMLSE will be looking for a new general manager for their hockey team.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-413.png)PPP LeafsHardev![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1687254062905-8443494a4b4e)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/leafs-fire-brad-treliving/) My first thought was that this was a hasty imitative move brought on by Vegas making waves by firing Bruce Cassidy and hiring John Tortorella on a short-term deal to coach the rest of the season and playoffs. They got lots of press for being bold and decisive and the only team brave enough to buck the SOP of NHL teams. I was going to tell you a cautionary tale about reductive thinking and the error of the post hoc ergo propter hoc style of thinking. B follows A, therefore B was caused by A. This fallacy leads people to say things like, "there's no such thing as coincidences," when yes, yes there are. Plenty of them. "That cloud looks like a bunny," would have featured in the story of why thinking that, when it seems like such a seductive rationale for this sudden development, is a dangerous way to leap to conclusions. It's seductive because it makes Pelley seem vaguely stupid while doing what most people wanted, which for the Leafs' fan is a win-win. And the only kind of win on offer. I've changed my mind. I think he's late. Let's go back to last summer. Mitch Marner left for Vegas and there was no one at all even sort of worth getting to replace him. Brad Treliving filled in the team in a way that was obvious to me left open the opportunity to add a forward and a defender later. The Leafs sucked. Craig Berube's system started to glitch out, and the players lost all connection to their own game and each other. There was no point in adding players. And then... well, nothing. With the Olympic break leading into the trade deadline, the management had weeks to sit there and think about the state of the team. At that time they were able to make the playoffs if they played better than they had been. That if was the big thing. What was the reason to believe in the if? That the players had underperformed. Why would they stop? Good question. They actually got worse, which should have been considered the more likely outcome. It was by me, and you should know what I think of your stupid curse talk, it was the most likely outcome simply because they'd got a sniff of the playoffs in the first place on the back of a hot streak. They didn't stop being bad post-break, they got worse, and the deadline featured an attempt to gather "assets" as some sort of consolation prize on a lost season. It was not a prize. And if the trading market had been better – in other words, if more teams had believed there was a point to real effort in this playoffs – the take still wouldn't have been a prize. Calling it "assets" obscures that all of it was low-quality picks that would turn into players highly unlikely to be of any meaningful value. If they were/are, they are either too late or too early. Too late for this core of players, too early for the next one. So for me, the inflection point was in the middle of the Olympic break, and I don't fault Treliving for doing what he did, he was hanging on a thread having to do something. I blame MLSE for pissing away the deadline, the month of March, and then throwing the team into chaos now, in other words, bringing it all down on the players to face the media. And to be clear to the relentless campaigners for the impossible tear down, no I don't mean they should have traded more players at the deadline. They should have traded fewer. This is the play as I see it: They have the things the Leafs did not have in 2015, which are elite forwards (plural) and goalies worth having. These are difficult players to get. First overalls don't often turn out as good as Auston Matthews, and they aren't all that easy to get. If you could manage to engineer trades for Nylander, Matthews, Stolarz and Woll, you would be years replacing them. Maybe as much as five or six years, not some fantasy of a one-year tank and then roses. So the only option is to try again the way Treliving was doing last year, and frankly, Nic Roy would be handy to have. They have quite a nice list of other handy to have players. Some program of building around that and making the playoffs, and... Look, I've heard it all before, that the Leafs need to be guaranteed to win or else they should tank, and that's nonsense. It's willful obliviousness to how the playoffs actually play out in hockey. What exactly do you think they would lose if they try another roll of the dice? They have two first-round picks in the next three years, no matter what. Let's give it a go until we can't try any more. And then there will be plenty of bad teams to be performatively angry about and lots of picks to acquire. The risk of trying is time, and this is the level at which there is all the time in the world, the cycle of a team rising and falling as players age and the youth is not yet ready will happen at its own pace. I think Pelley should have done this last month. I think the deadline should have been about something other than weak consolation prizes. And at the very least, maybe the response to the deadline when Treliving was shocked he didn't have a clutch of lottery tickets to build some bullshit dreams on would have been the time to say... you know, this guys is not it. My thoughts on lottery tickets are that it's a fool's game, and hope is not a strategy. Find a strategy, Pelley. My fear is absolutely still that he liked the press Vegas got and he wanted that glow on him. I don't hate Craig Berube. I just think he's the wrong coach for this team, and this move leaves him as the lamest of lame ducks, not having any idea what's to come. It's an odd side effect of this that he's left hanging right now. In other news, important for the future, someone has to be in charge of any more signings at the minor league level, and the important post-season decisions which roll up fairly quickly. At the very least, this helps to avoid repeating the very bad timing of Treliving's hiring so tight on the draft. So in that respect it's not desperately too late. And my final thought on this is that Occam's Razor says Treliving and Pelley had a fight over something, and Treliving had to go now. I really don't think that is Bruce Cassidy, but you never know. Did that make any sense? If not, blame the Leafs for the timing of this announcement. --- In brief news: [Brantford Bulldogs defenceman Ben Danford suspended two gamesBrantford Bulldogs defenceman Ben Danford suspended two games![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/icon-15.png)Brantford ExpositorBrian Smiley![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/0321-br-bulldogs1.br_.jpg)](https://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/sports/local-sports/brantford-bulldogs-ben-danford-ohl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) If you want to see the main event of last night's game: > MAX DOMI DROPS THE GLOVES WITH RADKO GUDAS OFF THE OPENING DRAW 🥊 [pic.twitter.com/audSii56Vw](https://t.co/audSii56Vw?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [March 31, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2038801245175939324?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [\- TSNThe Maple Leafs relieved general manager Brad Treliving of his duties on Monday night. TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger joins SportsCentre with the details, who may be in line to get the job next and if there are more changes on the way.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-249.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F03-31-2026-2Ft_df20983bdd314514a390f5b3ff37fb24_name_2026_3_30_e5d2f285_5a71_4acf_85d1_2eed3d5cdc0e_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/03/31/dreger-details-trelivings-firing-and-who-might-be-on-leafs-radar-to-replace-him/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Keith Pelley will meet the media today at 2 pm. But he won't say anything much, because he hasn't got anything to announce. This was not a firing with a guy in the wings. At most, he'll name whoever is acting GM and say something vague about Berube. Oh, and yeah, the Leafs got the lead last night with three third-period goals. Nylander with four points. > Breakaway Styles 😎[@OREO](https://twitter.com/Oreo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/ujYtmS87H0](https://t.co/ujYtmS87H0?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [March 31, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2038836347562008827?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And then the Ducks tied it back up late, and this too-late game became the too-long game in overtime. (It was maybe the second worst 3on3 I've ever watched and that goes for both teams.) > Stolie makes the toe save to keep the game alive 😲 [pic.twitter.com/R8W5RqdmmQ](https://t.co/R8W5RqdmmQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [March 31, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2038841843694088610?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) JT with the winner! > JOHNNNY T CALLS GAME!!![@OREO](https://twitter.com/Oreo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/HlfrlNEMmx](https://t.co/HlfrlNEMmx?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [March 31, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2038843113775509883?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Saved us from a shootout. The Leafs played half the game down two forwards, but it didn't seem to impede them any. Michael Pezzetta and Max Domi both got the gate for being an idiot and fighting respectively. And that is it for now. See you for the corporate buzz words this afternoon. ### Leafs fire Brad Treliving URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/leafs-fire-brad-treliving/ Last updated: 2026-03-31T01:44:22.000Z Presumably it was Keith Pelley, president and CEO of MLSE, who fired Brad Treliving today. He will now be looking for a new general manager. > Toronto is making a change at the GM position > > Let go of Brad Treliving tonight > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [March 31, 2026](https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2038779355170509108?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > [pic.twitter.com/cmYoNoFMve](https://t.co/cmYoNoFMve?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [March 31, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2038779588659048951?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This comes one day after the Vegas Golden Knights abruptly fired head coach Bruce Cassidy despite his team hosting the 6th best xGF% (shot quality ratio) in the league but the league's worst goaltending. Brad Treliving's Leafs are last in the league in shot share this season and fourth last in xGF%. As mentioned in the Leafs press release, Treliving's team posted a 139-92-27 record during his almost three seasons, which is a 97-point pace, however this season the team is 24th in the league. Here is Pelley's statement: > "Throughout the course of this season, there has been a deep analysis into both the current state of the Maple Leafs organization and the direction needed to achieve the ultimate goal of delivering a Stanley Cup championship to the city," said MLSE President and CEO Keith Pelley. > "Brad Treliving is a man that we all have deep respect and appreciation for, both as a hockey executive and as a person, but it was determined that the club must chart a new course under different leadership. The organization is grateful for all that Brad has contributed in his nearly three years with the Maple Leafs and we with him and his family the very best." The Leafs will be able to start looking for the people who will take the Leafs in their "new course" earlier than they have been able to in the recent past. Treliving himself made aware when he replaced Kyle Dubas that he had less than a month before the draft and free agency. The consequences from that month was the signing of Max Domi and the activation of Mitch Marner's NMC without a contract extension or a trade. There is some fear of Peter Chiarelli recently becoming a free agent, but my only wish is to see the return of Cliff Fletcher. C'mon sir, get back in the saddle! News about a replacement will be posted as it arrives. The Leafs current AGMs are Brandon Pridham, Derek Clancey (player personnel), Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser (player development), Darryl Metcalf (hockey R&D), and Marlies GM Ryan Hardy. This news came one hour before the Leafs dropped the puck against the Anaheim Ducks in their 8th last game of this dysmal season. Update 1: > The Leafs will conduct a formal GM search. Hugely important off-season for the Leafs, to say the least. Getting going on GM search asap deemed important rather than wait another two-plus weeks for regular season to end before making the GM change. Treliving had one more year on… > > — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) [March 31, 2026](https://twitter.com/PierreVLeBrun/status/2038783688989696109?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Treliving was not let go with his successor already lined up. It might be the case Pelley has that person in mind and chose not to wait. It's very clear from the news media that this next hire will make the big decision of pushing for a resurgence or rebuilding the team. It also confirms that the Leafs fired Treliving while he had another year on his contract, going back on the idea that these guys at the top are protected because MLSE doesn't want to pay them not to work for them. Pelley will speak with the media tomorrow at 2pm. The Leafs will only play two games in the next eight days. > Keith Pelley is scheduled to meet the media in Toronto tomorrow at 2 p.m. > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [March 31, 2026](https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/2038782398976885128?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The first half of Dreger's posts are always so odd to me. Anyway, Berube hasn't been fired simultaneously. > Treliving won’t hide and will accept his share of the responsibility for a brutal year. Meanwhile, Craig Berube is about to coach the Maple Leafs tonight in Anaheim and sources say other than being made aware of Treliving’s fate, Berube has been given no indication of what his… [https://t.co/7fHXzssF4Q](https://t.co/7fHXzssF4Q?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) [March 31, 2026](https://twitter.com/DarrenDreger/status/2038786803302359496?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Since the trade deadline, the Leafs have had a record of 4-5-2, slipping them to only two points ahead of the bottom five in the league. The Leafs also haven't won on a Saturday night since January 31st, a day of the week that shouldn't be more significant than any other, but frankly is. ### GDT: Leafs vs Ducks rematch URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-vs-ducks-rematch/ Last updated: 2026-03-30T18:56:09.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Anaheim Ducks 10:00 PM at Honda Center Watch on: TVAS, SNO, Victory+, KCOP-13 ### The Leafs last game was away on March 28 against the St. Louis Blues, which Toronto lost by a score of 5-1 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 31-30-13 for a 0.507 Points %. The Anaheim Ducks last played away on March 28 against the Edmonton Oilers. The Ducks lost by a score of 4-2 in regulation, and their current league record is 41-28-4 for a 0.589 Points %. Florida has taken over as the fifth to last team in the standings today after the Blues won against the Leafs. The Panthers have a Points % of 0.500, which would give them 82 points if they maintain that. For the Leafs to finish with 81 points they can't get more than six points in their remaining eight games. That's playing at 0.375\. The Leafs are at 0.353 since the Olympics. However, as we're seeing here, other teams can easily slot in below them. Calgary, the fourth-place team, is heading for 78 or 79 points if they carry on as they are. That's likely a more realistic line to get into the bottom five as most of these teams will underperform their season average. Los Angeles is the second-place team contesting for the two western wild card spots by Points %. Nashville holds the second spot by points, one up on LA, who have a Points % of 0.521\. Nashville is at 0.520 and Seattle is also at 0.521\. San Jose won their last game, but looks out of range to me. Otherwise, this is still at least a three-way race. We will hear a lot of "only three points out" statements over the next two weeks, but that's a big gap when the calendar turns to April. ### Them The weirdest thing about this weird season is that the Ducks, the Pacific Division leader, have a negative goal differential. > Radko Gudas on why he’s playing through injury to face the Leafs tonight: “Stand behind my own mistakes. I want to address it myself.” > > — Jonas Siegel (@jonassiegel) [March 30, 2026](https://twitter.com/jonassiegel/status/2038671003090637082?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) #### Lines Projected lineup based on the last game and [today's skate](https://x.com/Derek%5FLee27/status/2038675340961448201?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Chris Kreider - Leo Carlsson - Troy Terry Alex Killorn - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke Jeffrey Viel - Ryan Poehling - Cutter Gauthier Frank Vatrano - Tim Washe - Mason McTavish Jackson Lacombe - Jacob Trouba Pavel Mintyukov - John Carlson Olen Zellweger - Radko Gudas Lukas Dostal Ville Husso - confirmed starter ### Us The Leafs left on this road trip with one extra player: Phil Myers. Leaving no room for lineup changes. But wait, someone is injured, and yet everyone was at skate. Hmmmm. > F Bo Groulx has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies (AHL) on an emergency basis. > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [March 30, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2038665264280313998?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) However they are managing it, Groulx is nominally the second-line centre today (he's actually played more minutes than Domi before now). #### Lines [Lines at skate:](https://x.com/markhmasters/status/2038687521731936670?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Easton Cowan - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Bo Groulx - Matias Maccelli Dakota Joshua - Max Domi - Nicholas Robertson Michael Pezzetta - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok or Steven Lorentz Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Troy Stecher Simon Benoit - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Anthony Stolarz - starter Joe Woll ### The Game It's been 11 Leafs games played since the trade deadline. They've won four of them. Their five-on-five Corsi % in those games has been: 1. 38 2. 38 3. 31 4. 37 5. 39 6. 40 7. 39 8. 28 9. 58 10. 38 11. 32 Their season average is 44, and if you want help finding the one game in the last 11 above that number, it's the Boston game at 58%. Maybe it's time to stop being amazed if they get outshot by a lot. ### Monday's FTB: You want to stay GM, Brad? Land the big fish URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-you-want-to-stay-gm-brad-land-the-big-fish/ Last updated: 2026-03-30T10:00:50.000Z The NHL is not known for moves that make you bring out the capslock. [Vegas Golden Knights Announce Changes to Team’s Coaching Staff | Vegas Golden KnightsJohn Tortorella has been named the team’s head coach![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-220.png)Vegas Golden Knights logoVegas Golden Knights![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/nwt1osg83s6fevxsa7tw.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/goldenknights/news/vegas-golden-knights-announce-changes-to-team-s-coaching-staff?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) What the HELL is going on here? Well, one thing is that Vegas has been doing some losing lately. They got beat by the Oilers, the Jets (the Jets!) and the Capitals all in a row. And the past few weeks have been grim. Interestingly, that mostly seems to be special teams being a bit less than excellent. And they should have a better power play than they do, because if your power play doesn't sing with Mitch Marner on it, well give him back. Losers. Ahem. Anyway, they've also had some spikes of iffy goaltending. And nothing is the coach's fault in the NHL like the one thing he has no control over. I hate PDO with a passion, but this one time... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/HEnOfhGWkAAbTmq-1-.jpg) Past 20 games, per Moneypuck Yes, they've had less than stellar shooting luck too. If Vegas has finally done a (stupid) emotional hockey-man thing instead of a hard-man ruthless smart thing, it will be pretty amusing. Regression comes to us all. --- The Leafs play in Anaheim tonight, that's a thing that is happening. It's a 10 pm start, and I will not at all commit to watching that full game. We'll see if it's fun for any reason. But you know, the Leafs are much worse than they were before the trade deadline. They barely shoot the puck, you may have noticed. And this is not, for the love of rationality, because Craig Berube tells them to never shoot. They just aren't that good. It's okay, the season is almost over. Other news: [IIHF president Tardif will not seek re-election in OctoberLuc Tardif announced Sunday morning he will not seek re-election and will step aside from his role as president of the International Ice Hockey Federation when his current term ends in October.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-248.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/W6JRGY7Y4HDVSF43DXTYR5V4YU.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/iihf-president-tardif-will-not-seek-re-election-in-october/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Sunday Overreactions: Should Yzerman be on hot seat if Red Wings miss playoffs?Should Steve Yzerman be on hot seat if the Red Wings miss playoffs? Is it time for the NHL to go back to the old playoff format? Michael Amato explores those questions and more in his Sunday Overreactions.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caMichael Amato![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/yzerman_1280.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/sunday-overreactions-should-yzerman-be-on-hot-seat-if-red-wings-miss-playoffs/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Martone, No. 6 pick in 2025 Draft, signs entry-level contract with Flyers | NHL.com19-year-old forward, who led Michigan State in scoring as freshman, could make NHL debut Tuesday at Capitals![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-221.png)NHL logoAdam Kimelman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/nhsapla25ajp7eym3tml.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/porter-martone-signs-contract-with-philadelphia-flyers?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) More on tonight's game much later in the day. ### Sceptres Gameday: Vancouver on the menu URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-7/ Last updated: 2026-03-29T16:18:07.000Z ## Vancouver Goldeneyes @ Toronto Sceptres 1:00 PM ET @Coca-Cola Coliseum **Watch in Canada:** TSN #### **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com #### Toronto's last game was a 5-0 loss to Boston at home on Friday. They now have a Points % of 0.449 and are in fifth place by percentage, fourth by points, one point ahead of Ottawa. Vancouver's last game was a 2-0 loss to Boston on Tuesday. They now have a Points % of 0.364 and are in seventh place. Toronto now controls their own destiny, as much as you can in hockey. They have three games against Ottawa and two against New York, and these three teams are tight enough in the standings it may come down to the last day the final game of the season that features Toronto at Ottawa on April 25\. No one is eliminated yet, no one has clinched yet. The Sceptres signed Anneke Rankila, a former member of the team, as a reserve player to fill the spot taken when Kristin Della Rovere was activated to the roster. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/HElJgwzbwAEkkRj-1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/HEltKPOXgAEVuqe-1-.jpg) ### Sunday's FTB: What St. Louis game? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sundays-ftb-what-st-louis-game/ Last updated: 2026-03-29T11:22:42.000Z Okay, a quick good morning and a recap of last night's game. LOL, no. Why would we do that? St. Louis believes they can make the playoffs so they poured on their best game, and the Leafs managed to hit 10 SOG before the second intermission. Oh, and Justin Holl scored a goal. > Justin Holl scores against his former team 🚨 [pic.twitter.com/UfPatPfS6K](https://t.co/UfPatPfS6K?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [March 29, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2038051552217207035?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The next two games are 10 pm ET starts in California, so make wise decisions about watching or not. Jacob Quillan got his first NHL point on the Jake McCabe goal, so that was nice. Can St. Louis make it? Sure, it's possible. Is it likely? Not even a little bit. The Leafs aren't even officially eliminated yet. In other news, the Marlies and the Monsters were close to clinching playoff spots last night, but neither did as the Monsters lost. Ideally, the Marlies want to lock up third place in their division. They have eight games remaining. The Sceptres play Vancouver this afternoon, and more on that later. [Senators dealt blow in playoff race with loss to LightningDefenseman Emil Lilleberg scored the go-ahead goal and had a career-high three points, and the Tampa Bay Lightning rallied to defeat the Ottawa Senators 4-2 on Saturday.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-247.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/QG6XSJ7TUE5HZ7XBTU3X5NYLRY.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/senators-dealt-blow-in-playoff-race-with-loss-to-lightning/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Oh no! I feel so bad for them. [Ducks captain Radko Gudas wants to play vs. Maple Leafs despite injury![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/radko-gudas.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/ducks-captain-radko-gudas-out-against-oilers-with-injury/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It's supposed to be 10 degrees in Toronto today, forget about hockey for a day. Tomorrow is soon enough to try to be mad about the team being bad, but not bad enough. Have a good Sunday. ### GDT: Leafs at Blues URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-at-blues/ Last updated: 2026-03-28T19:00:38.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ St. Louis Blues 07:00 PM at Enterprise Center Watch on: SN, CBC, FDSNMW, KMOV-TV, Matrix-MW ### This is Game 74 The Leafs last game was at home on March 25 against the New York Rangers, which Toronto won by a score of 4-3 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 31-29-13 for a 0.514 Points %. The St. Louis Blues last played at home on March 26 against the San Jose Sharks. The Blues won by a score of 2-1 in overtime, and their current league record is 30-30-11 for a 0.500 Points %. St. Louis is the fifth to last team in the standings today. If they continue at their current points rate, they will finish with 82 points. If the Leafs continue at their pace, they will finish with 84 points. That seems like an easily covered gap, but the reality is, of course, that neither team is likely to continue at their current full-season pace. The difference is four points, not two, But St. Louis has two more games left to play than the Leafs. The difficulty is not the Blues, and so all the talk tonight about a "must lose game" won't just be wrong, it'll be extremely misleading. There are four teams in the standings between the Leafs and the Blues, and none of them have any honest pretensions of trying to make the playoffs. The Leafs have to play at 0.333 to get to 81 points on the season, which is only bad enough if St. Louis keeps winning and everyone else joins in. The Leafs are at 0.375 since the Olympics. Los Angeles is the third-place team contesting for the two western wild card spots. Nashville holds the second spot with a Points % of 0.535\. Los Angeles has a Points % of 0.528, and to overtake Nashville's 88 points (rounded up), they need to play at 0.550 over their remaining 11 games. LA has won a pair of games and is now one point behind Nashville. San Jose, six points back, is almost certainly out of the picture, and due to the weird standings is one of the teams between Toronto and the Blues. Seattle is a still a plausible option three points back, but at this point in the season moving that much is very, very unlikely. ### Them This team has some really good players, and they almost never win anything. They also can't rip it all down because, like every other team in the NHL that hasn't been bad for years, they have players with trade protection. #### Lines [Projected lineup:](https://x.com/MDeFranks/status/2037911266669293882?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Dylan Holloway - Robert Thomas - Jimmy Snuggerud Jake Neighbours - Pavel Buchnevich - Jordan Kyrou Otto Stenberg - Dalibor Dvorsky - Jonatan Berggren Alexey Toropchenko - Jack Finley - Pius Suter Philip Broberg - Logan Mailloux Theo Lindstein - Colton Parayko Cam Fowler - Justin Holl Joel Hofer Jordan Binnington - confirmed starter ### Us This team has some really good players, and they almost never win anything. They also can't rip it all down because, like every other team in the NHL that hasn't been bad for years, they have players with trade protection. If you missed it yesterday, the Leafs chose to send Bo Groulx back to the Marlies before his waiver exemption expired. Otherwise they would have had to put him through waivers at the end of the NHL season so he could play in the AHL playoffs. The risk of a claim is not high, but it's also not zero because he is under contract next year for a low AAV and he just performed like a potential NHL depth player. Prioritizing him in the AHL playoffs over a handful of NHL games is the right call for the short term. However, Groulx will need to clear waivers next season at the end of training camp if he does not make the NHL. What the Leafs are doing is preserving their certainty that they will have training camp to determine if he's on the roster or not next year. #### Lines Nick Barden via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Easton Cowan - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Max Domi - Nicholas Robertson Dakota Joshua - Steven Lorentz - Matias Maccelli Michael Pezzetta - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Anthony Stolarz Joe Woll - confirmed starter ### The Game > Could the St. Louis Blues still make the playoffs? Breaking down their remaining schedule. > > [https://t.co/zOI2eLTM4q](https://t.co/zOI2eLTM4q?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) via [@NYTimes](https://twitter.com/nytimes?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#stlblues](https://twitter.com/hashtag/stlblues?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) [March 28, 2026](https://twitter.com/jprutherford/status/2037872114791747888?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Sure, give that a go. ### Saturday's FTB: Pithy headline goes here URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/saturdays-ftb-pithy-headline-goes-here/ Last updated: 2026-03-28T10:00:51.000Z I spent some time yesterday looking at some things we wrote about the Leafs in the past, and there were some recurring themes that didn't seem to change with the changing men in suits. Sometimes those Leafs teams were really good, and I don't just believe, I think it's objectively true that "but the playoffs, though" is a cheap and inaccurate summation of many years of very different experiences. It's so tempting though isn't it, to just distill it all down to a good line. I had one the other night in a game day thread where I was talking about Brad Treliving's hiring of Craig Berube. I'll do this in longer form now to flesh it out more. I disagreed with anyone who thought the Leafs under Sheldon Keefe were fine, and it was all wonderful. I think there were some real playoff problems, and also some really close calls on series that could have gone either way. I thought they, and by they I mean that famous core four (who were actually five people and then six once Matt Knies came along) needed some fine tuning and a better philosophy of defending as well as defencemen who better suited the skills of the forwards and Morgan Rielly. I thought they also needed some cultural and identity changes. Yes, I am also tired of those words being used for "the correct performance of masculinity" but let's use them today for what they mean in the sense of how the group views themselves and their relationships to each other and how the individuals see themselves. Because sports are a performance, that is absolutely about affect in many ways. It's also about how you choose to use your skills and how you do things to instill things like trust and confidence in the rest of the group. It's not big man go brrr hit guy. But it often needs to look quite a bit like that given the nature of the game. When Brad Treliving hired Craig Berube I thought he'd found a coach who really, really understands how it's all supposed to look, but who doesn't know how to make it look like confident, aggressive, physical, tough and exciting hockey that wins. Treliving went for affect over effect. That was my super clever line. Treliving is not just one simple distillation of a single personality trait. He isn't just someone who can't tell the difference between a and e. He signed Chris Tanev who acts like and is exactly what the Leafs needed. He signed Ryan Reaves who is a caricature of the kind of commitment to the game the team needed. He extended Max Domi because he mistook a vigorously executed single season for the true nature of the player. He got Nic Roy who I don't think he should have traded, and who is quietly very good at what the Leafs needed. He signed Steven Lorentz who is the fourth-line version of the perfect player for the team. He got the right goalie in Anthony Stolarz, and he got a puck moving nasty and sometimes dirty defender in OEL. Say you need a blue shirt. You send a guy to the store to get you one, and he gets there and says, "Blue, gotta be blue." Chances are some of what he comes home with will be shirts. But make no mistake, the shirt needed to be blue. Maybe Treliving got lucky sometimes, or maybe he was only wrong sometimes. Doesn't really matter now. Now here's another clever line: [Lack of a clear plan has defined Maple Leafs’ poor seasonWhen Brad Treliving took over the Toronto Maple Leafs, the organization had come to a fork in the road, and he tried to go straight. And that’s the whole problem, writes Justin Bourne.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/berube.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/lack-of-a-clear-plan-has-defined-maple-leafs-poor-season/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > When Brad Treliving took over the Toronto Maple Leafs, the organization had come to a fork in the road, and he tried to go straight. I read that line and I admire it, but I think it's not quite right. And it's not exactly what this article says, which is very good, and should be read by all. I have some quibbles with the "made for the standard Leafs fan audience" examples of problems: Craig Berube getting on team Willy early on, for example. I actually do think it's okay to have a guy like that have his own rules. I don't quite understand this chorus of disapproval about Scott Laughton and Berube being mean to him by not playing him more. More than who? Nic Roy? I wouldn't! The Flyers did not think he was a 3C. I don't think he's a 3C. I watched him a little bit in LA, where he plays more, and yup, there's those passes into traffic in the slot that get turned over. Scotty is here. But when Bourne says the roster that Treliving assembled doesn't really look like a roster that can play Berube's game and that Berube's game is not one that the important players on the team are inclined to... well, yeah, no shit. I don't see this as a conflict per se between the coach and the GM, I see it as a GM who really didn't understand his coach at all. Bourne puts it as trying to have it both ways – the skill and the grit, in other words. But you do need both! The shirt has to be blue. The blue thing has to be a shirt. And I'll say the quiet part out loud here. Auston Matthews never bought in on Berube's game. It wasn't Mitch Marner Berube needed to meet in the diner, it was Matthews, and Marner can totally play Berube's game if asked. You're going to have to put up with the indignity of him collecting the puck in the offensive zone and starting the cycle again, but he'll play north-south. Nylander can play his game too, as long as heading north means a rush game. Matthews doesn't. He's not fast enough for a rush game, which no one ever seems to want to mention. He's not going to hit the puck off the opposition in the defensive zone – he hit so much less under Berube, a cynic might think it wasn't just his injury season. He stopped successfully taking pucks away as well. He used to be a star at that, and now he's just good. He's a creative offensive play who is deceptive at everything, not just shooting. You can't deceptively dump it in, though. And that was totally not the problem. It wasn't. For years everyone has been saying this about the team. Depth scoring! Defence scoring! Goalie scoring! But the equation has never stopped solving to too many goals against. Until last year when the goalies produced rabbits out of hats, and it looked plausible. I don't actually buy the idea that Treliving is so dumb he thought that was real. I think Treliving was hoping for some rabbits this year until he could add a couple of more players. There were no rabbits. But again, I think Bourne is around the neighbourhood of some of what is wrong with the Leafs in ideological terms. And it is culture, it is identity. It is partly affect, it's a tonne of lacking effect, and it's the defending. There is no outlet pass maker and receiver in the right places. How that keeps happening is a multi-faceted problem that must be solved. But right now they can defend better, but they can't stop defending. I do think what Treliving did at the trade deadline was neither one thing nor the other. He traded players for the sake of doing things. He traded the wrong one in Roy for the only even mildly interesting return. He didn't move out any of the players they likely don't want to keep. He made no decisions about arbitration-eligible players other than he either pays them or lets them walk. Can kicked down the road. The team still can't play Berube's game and Berube can't coach this team, and it does feel, like Bourne said, as if it's fear of commitment to any one direction that's behind all of this. Maybe it's not just Treliving trying to have his cake and eat it too. Maybe it's all of management. And here we are today, off to play the Blues. A team that looks as confusingly managed as the Leafs right now. I agree with Bourne. They need to pick something as their core identity. Plant the flag and live up to it. Whatever it is. Now that's all the heavy post mortem stuff that we all seem to need to get off our chests now. Maybe because we're hoping for some signs of the future direction soon. But this is also the Leafs, and it's a reminder that these guys are good people, they have fun, they make their families proud. Worth it for Bishop Joshua being so very happy. Okay, blame the algorithm for this, this came up, and it's good (It's Mike Johnson, the tag line is clicky clicky clickbait: I think Mike Johnson, me and Bourne are all saying variations on the same things and are the same things many of you have said. ### Sceptres Gameday: Boston at Toronto URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-boston-march-27/ Last updated: 2026-03-27T21:35:49.000Z ## Boston Fleet @ Toronto Sceptres 7:00 PM ET @ Coca-Cola Coliseum **Watch in Boston:** NESN, TV 38 **Watch in Toronto:** Sportsnet Ontario #### **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com #### Toronto's last game was on March 17, a 2-0 regulation win over the Fleet. Their Points % is currently 0.470, and they are in fourth place, precariously in a playoff position. Boston has played twice since that loss to the Sceptres, gaining two regulation wins over the western teams. Their Points % is 0.682, and they are two points ahead of Montréal in first place. Before today's games, each team has eight games remaining in the regular season. While not eliminated by any meant, both Seattle and Vancouver are well back of the pace to make the playoffs, and they would need miraculous winning streaks, and some helpful losing to become a factor. At the top end, the top three teams, not yet clinched, are all at least 10 points ahead of Toronto, and they will decide the top three positions, barring any outrageously strange action. That leaves a three-way race for one playoff spot with Toronto at 31 points, Ottawa at 30 and New York at 27\. Toronto plays Ottawa three time, New York twice, and New York and Ottawa play each other once. The tight standings below the top three also makes the [Gold plan concept](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/beginners-guide?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) likely to be limited to two or three teams over a very short run of games: > Gold Plan: The Gold Plan is an innovative system used to encourage competitive play by all teams throughout the full regular season. Once a team is mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, the standings points earned (using the league's 3-2-1-0 system) in their remaining regular-season games are classified as Draft Order Points. The non-playoff team with the most Draft Order Points earns the higher pick in the draft. By the time any team is eliminated, their opportunity to win these points is severely limited. It's not a reality fans are fond of, but parity in teams is the thing that makes for more teams contest for playoff spots and the regular season meaningful. > Want a chance to win a Sceptres jersey? 👀 > > Enter now! > 🔗 [https://t.co/PdKriIUPh1](https://t.co/PdKriIUPh1?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/roPzpXzHBe](https://t.co/roPzpXzHBe?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Sceptres (@PWHL\_Toronto) [March 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5FToronto/status/2037605574100078956?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Some bad news here about Kirk: > Della gets her first start with the Sceptres! > > Kirk is out of the lineup with an upper-body injury. > > Toronto Sceptres x [@MRSUB1968](https://twitter.com/MRSUB1968?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/qhnHAK2BQz](https://t.co/qhnHAK2BQz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Sceptres (@PWHL\_Toronto) [March 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5FToronto/status/2037643322978931076?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/HEceGLKWMAA2pU6-1-.jpg) ### Maple Leafs sign Hayes Hundley to an ELC URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-haye/ Last updated: 2026-03-28T00:04:44.000Z [Maple Leafs Sign Hayes Hundley To A Three-year, Entry-level Contract | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed defenceman Hayes Hundley to a three-year, entry-level contract beginning in the 2026-27 season. He will join the Toronto Marlies (AHL) for the remainder of the 2025-26 season on an amateur tryout. Hundley, 21, posted 12 points (six goals,![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-219.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/cyzlzl6lujlbrb01xi0i.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-hayes-hundley-to-a-three-year-entry-level-contract?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) He's young enough for a three-year ELC, and has only played on NCAA season. > Hundley, 21, posted 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 38 games with St. Thomas University (NCAA) during the 2025-26 season. The Upper Arlington, OH native was named to the 2025-26 CCHA All-Rookie Team. The 6’3, 210-pound, right-handed defenceman previously posted 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) and 74 penalty minutes in 58 regular season games with the Fargo Force (USHL) during the 2024-25 season and also appeared in two playoff games. Elite Prospect's scouting guide from his USHL year had this to say: > Fargo's best player in this game, Hundley brought a lot of exciting elements. First, the physicality. He was constantly looking for contact, whether he was lining up opponents for big hits, setting picks, or engaging early going to the wall to secure inside position. As per tradition in Fargo, he's a very active player with the puck, too. Joins every possible rush. Grabbed a goal by activating, then hitting a bank pass under pressure, supporting the rush, and firing off the catch. Constantly looking for high-value plays from the point. He slips pucks inside, circles around the zone, uses a lot of lateral footwork to prod for openings, and tries to deceive opponents with fakes and stop-starts. He's not a particularly explosive player and he forces some passes that had no chance – opponents were able to mitigate the damage he could cause at times. Whiffed on passes and had some difficulty handling under pressure, but he was also manipulating opponents and pulling off some impressive high-speed moves to weave through traffic. He reminds me a lot of Leo Gruba. He plays a very active, aggressive style with some advanced ideas, but the skill and details will have to take a step to become an NHL prospect. But he should become a top NCAA defenceman in a few years regardless. Certainly a very interesting and unusual player path to the NHL, but an interesting type of defenceman based on this scouting report. Believers in the skill/grit dichotomy will hate this signing, but he only just turned 21 a few days ago, so he actually has time to develop. He needs to work fast though. Puckpedia has the contract at an AAV of $1.01 million, with salary at $975,000, $1 million and $1.055 million over the three years. That is $50 to $75 thousand under the maximum ELC amount in each year. ### Anniversary Post 2026 URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/anniversary-post-2026/ Last updated: 2026-03-27T16:00:49.000Z Hello to all PPPers. Saturday is the anniversary of our "early access" opening of the new site back in 2023\. The official anniversary is on April 1, next Wednesday. We are way overdo for an update on the state of the blog, so to that end I updated a lot of the how-to pages which hadn't been touched in two years. As many of you know, I got shingles in late December of 2024\. And no, unfortunately that doesn't mean a new roof. Shingles is caused by the chicken pox virus which exists in your body and can go for a wander up your nervous system until if finds a spot to make a rash. In my case it went for the ophthalmic nerve and caused a host of extreme and then eventually fairly minor vision symptoms. I spent most of the winter and spring of early last year not really able to see very well. This was a mistake on my part because this winter would have been a way better time to not be able to watch the games properly. The final state of my vision is some slight impairment that is hardly noticeable, but a stronger tendency to eyestrain. I use the site dark mode, and I use dark themes on all websites. I don't cringe anymore when I have to use a site that can't function in dark mode, but I don't seek them out. I find watching a game is totally fine, which was not the case for more than half of last season. Unfortunately, I missed almost the entire second PWHL season, and it's hard to squeeze those games in this year given the schedule. What I do to manage this is to try to turn off the computer in the evening if there is no game on, and to take several hours out of the day where I also avoid the screen. I took a 10-day break last summer and I plan to do that again after the July slow down and before the T25\. I can't overstate how much I think everyone should do less internet. Particularly in the evening. ### How To and New Member Information As I said, I went through and updated various site pages. Now, I know the internet for many has shrunk to the size of your phone and whatever the top post here is where you go to comment, and that's it, but there are a couple of menus of helpful links you're skipping over. At the top of the page is the main menu and you will find all sorts of useful things there: the How To pages, the Top 25 posts, as well as some other popular groups of posts, the archive of all posts, and your Account link. As for the How To, the important stuff is here: [FAQThe short answers to the how does this site work questions.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-410.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1458419948946-19fb2cc296af)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/i-cant-see-the-comments/) [Everything you need to know about subscribing to PPP LeafsValid as of 2026: You’ll find a Subscribe link floating around near the bottom of the page, and there’s a subscription box in the footer on each page. If you’re not a member of the site, enter an email in the box in the footer or click the Subscribe link,![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-409.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1595014361820-91c39c0cf800)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/how-to-subscribe/) At the bottom of the site is a footer with some links that are less likely to be needed. [About this siteWelcome to PPP Leafs the new home of Pension Plan Puppets. We are a fan blog dedicated the the Toronto Maple Leafs and related teams. Welcome new readers and members If you’re completely new to PPP please read the Community Guidelines. The About Page gives a brief outline of who![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-411.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/scott-gummerson-Maple-Leafs-Jersey-unsplash--cropped--1-13.jpg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/about/) [Community GuidelinesWelcome to PPP Leafs We are a Toronto Maple Leafs blog where fans from all backgrounds gather to share their passion for the teams they love. We strive to create a fun and welcoming place for everyone. We try our best to welcome fans of all kinds, and to make![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-412.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/scott-gummerson-Maple-Leafs-Jersey-unsplash--cropped--1-14.jpg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/community-guidelines/) Now a confession about all those helpful pages. One of them is a contact page which has an email link for the site email. I absolutely and utterly hate email. I think every single person should think three times before they send email and then just don't hit send. I do so rarely I forget how Gmail words. I "forget" to check that email address a lot. I will try to do better, but it is absolutely swamped with "Looking for opportunity to do a paid collaboration," crap that is basically wanting to use the site for spam purposes. ### Spam Spam Spam Which brings me to the other thing. When you sign up for the site, you have the option to make a username. If you don't, it defaults to your email address. If you don't ever plan to actually comment, that's fine, and you can carry on, but the problem comes when I go to clean out the spam member accounts, of which there is a current massive influx. There is some theorizing that this constant flood of fake members aren't spammers, but bots programmed to test sites to find valid email addresses for nefarious purposes. So they look like real people. Surname, numbers, given name, and just lately they are all from US locations and use Outlook emails. Make yourself look like a person when you sign up, is what I'm driving at. Make a username. I fully support the desire of anyone to just have an account but never comment, and I don't want to hold out a hoop for you to jump through, but it would help with the 100 or so deletions I do every few weeks. ### Money Money Money And the final thing. Money! If you have an annual subscription, and you first subscribed during early access or when the site opened, it's about to renew. If you want or need to adjust your payment information or subscription amounts, the Account link in the top menu will get you to the right place. For the new people who really don't understand subscribing or maybe didn't even know we ask you to pay here, this is the gist: I ended up with this site on about one-month's notice when the former owner decided to divest. I chose a hosting platform that offers full functionality and can support the scale of traffic we get at key times. This costs money. I chose a commenting system to integrate with that platform that is in active development, has no ads, and is reliable and fast. This also costs money. I did not build the back end or the comments, but I have extensively modified the look of the site, added features and functionality within the areas I have access to, and am the only person who maintains all of that. The last big design was dark mode, something I did as a project to improve my skills, and for which present me thanks past me every day. We don't do a lot of pushing for financial support here, but come T25, you'll see some regular reminders because that festival of prospect arguing is one of the best things about a site like this. It used to be all done by hand on a spreadsheet, and I've gradually made that more automated so we can focus on the article writing but it is still a lot of work to get to the fun parts. The financial support you all have chosen to provide this site has stayed very stable over our three years. Which is fairly unusual I think, although this isn't a new blog, it's a very old blog. But the bottom line is, we can't expand beyond the scope of the site now unless the paid membership grows. I feel like this stasis is actually very positive. It puts to bed forever the idea that we would have to put ads on the site to keep it alive. It makes it very unlikely I'd need to dial back the quality of the hosting deal (and end up with days you can't get the site to load) and we won't have to go to a less feature-rich commenting system. It means we can carry on as we are while the Leafs themselves are in so much flux. That of course, depends on the level of support not declining. I don't pay any attention to who is a paid subscriber and who isn't. That information is not obvious, and I'm very good at intentional obliviousness about that sort of thing. I absolutely understand if the rising costs of things like SN or TSN or your groceries means you have to reconsider supporting PPP. I hope you don't. And if you've never been a paid member, please consider it. This site exists because of the subset of people who pay for it. It will continue only as long as that continues. ### Friday's FTB: Leafs heading west URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/friday-ftb-make-them-play-better-and-also-tank/ Last updated: 2026-03-27T10:00:45.000Z [Insider Trading: Pelley having one-on-one meetings with Leafs staffTSN’s Hockey Insiders have the latest on the Leafs and MLSE’s president and CEO, an update on Sens defenceman Thomas Chabot, young stars set to reset the market with new contracts and Rick Bowness and Lindy Ruff on expiring deals.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-246.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/7PWCBOUK6EBQ4AEZKYLVAUKOMY.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/insider-trading-pelley-having-one-on-one-meetings-with-leafs-staff/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs have made no news other than the small tidbit above, so to fill in here today, a few things to understand: The recalls of players from the AHL are public, you can just look at the AHL transactions page for them. But they don't differentiate between regular and emergency recalls. Sometimes the Leafs announce when recalls are of the emergency type – which means there were less than 12/6/2 players healthy at the time of the recall. Dennis Hildeby came up to the Leafs for a day – all days are 5 pm to 5 pm – when Anthony Stolarz was hurt in case he was not going to be available the next day. It turned out he was, but a lot of things happen with rosters "in case" and there is no prize for guessing right about whether the in case becomes necessary, but there is a penalty for guessing wrong and choosing not to bother. For any road trip they will try to carry extras, and they have lots of cap space, so it's not a problem. However, they don't have a lot of recalls. Easton Cowan and Jacob Quillan were papered down and up on deadline day, so that's two recalls. Then there's Bo Groulx, and I think all three of those are regulars, because even though they subtracted forwards and Auston Matthews was hurt, they never went below 12\. Add Michael Pezzetta and that's four. They also recalled Henry Thrun for a day, but that was also an emergency recall. So, I think they have one left of the now allowed five recalls. You can only have four on the team at any one time, though, so they would have to send someone down to recall someone different. And that is why Calle Järnkrok is going to play some games. And, honestly, there is no winger sadly languishing in the AHL who desperately needs 10 minutes a night in the NHL and can PK with something like competence, so he is not blocking anyone. Speaking of the Marlies, their magic number is two, with nine games remaining, so they don't seem to be in any danger of not making the playoffs. They play in Rochester tonight, so they could clinch with a win. In the OHL, Tyler Hopkins' team, the Guelph Storm, was shutout in their first playoff game. Harry Nansi's team, the Owen Sound Attack, were obliterated 8-1 in a penalty-fuelled affair that involved some serious infractions and some fighting. ### [Guelph Storm blanked in playoff opener](https://www.guelphtoday.com/local-sports/guelph-storm-blanked-in-playoff-opener-12064472?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Flint Firebirds explode on offence, blow out Owen Sound in Game 1Owen Sound will have to wait at least two more days before getting another crack at ending the team’s years-long playoff losing streak.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/icon-14.png)Owen Sound Sun TimesGreg Cowan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/OSATTACKLOGO.jpg)](https://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/sports/local-sports/flint-firebirds-explode-on-offence-blow-out-owen-sound-in-game-1?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Ben Danford and the Brantford Bulldogs play tonight. I post this not just because it's funny when Ottawa loses, but... [Senators fall to Penguins after Kindel scores shootout winnerBen Kindel scored the shootout winner to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators Thursday night.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caCanadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Senators-vs-Penguins.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/senators-fall-to-penguins-after-kindel-scores-shootout-winner/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I noticed this the other day. This Ben Kindel, who has been noticeable in Leafs games vs the Penguins, was drafted 11th overall last summer. The only player taken before him in the draft with more NHL games played is Matthew Schaefer. In fact, they are the only two players drafted last year who are regulars in the NHL with Michael Misa a distant third in games played. You'll be shocked to hear he's 5'11" and 180 lbs. The Sceptres are finally back at it tonight, more on that later. That's all you get for the FTB. There's a special post out later today with a little early recognition of a certain anniversary. ### Thursday's FTB: Another pair of days off URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-another-pair-of-days-off/ Last updated: 2026-03-26T10:00:08.000Z Last night the Rangers certainly played with more life than in their last game, but the Leafs opened the scoring with two that both featured Jake McCabe: Out of his comfort zone: > Jake McCabe gets things started for Toronto 🙌 > > 📺: Rangers 🆚 Maple Leafs live on Sportsnet [pic.twitter.com/pxLTIeAihB](https://t.co/pxLTIeAihB?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [March 25, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2036954558161653956?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And McCabe doing his usual job blocking to generate a turnover: > RIP IT LIKE ROBBY![@OREO](https://twitter.com/Oreo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/ECuAZl5keN](https://t.co/ECuAZl5keN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [March 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2036957640203411772?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Rangers came back with two goals in the second, John Tavares got it to 4-2, and Mika Zibanejad almost immediately got one back. Final score was 4-3 Leafs, and yes, they got massively outshot. Who could have foreseen that? Easton Cowan was fun to watch in this one. But what this game really show you is... lol, never mind, it all means nothing. --- > SOMEONE GET THAT PUCK! > > John Prokop scored his first Pro goal to give the Marlies the 3-0 lead! [pic.twitter.com/iBwtLBawlu](https://t.co/iBwtLBawlu?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [March 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2036964045132067327?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The previous holder of this title is now a depth centre with the Bruins: > HISTORY MADE. > > Logan Shaw is your new all-time points leader for the Toronto Marlies. Congrats, Cap! 👏 [pic.twitter.com/hRAKxGr7qW](https://t.co/hRAKxGr7qW?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [March 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2036959780934218068?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Not gonna even ask 😂 [@BlueJays](https://twitter.com/BlueJays?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/JR0G7X0E6s](https://t.co/JR0G7X0E6s?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [March 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2036962403431207142?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [‘Love the iPad’: NHL players, coaches talk bench screen timeTechnology and sports have countless intersections. One trend in the NHL over the better part of the last decade has been the use of digital tablets in-game that can provide coaches and players with near-instant replays.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-245.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/XJYTHBLZVRAJDCXN2NOVQ2GJK4.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/love-the-ipad-nhl-players-coaches-talk-bench-screen-time/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [NHL playoff chase in East is ‘fight for your life’ down the stretchConnor McDavid called the Pacific Division path to the playoffs “a bit of a pillow fight right now.” The same race down the stretch in the NHL’s Eastern Conference is anything but.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caAssociated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CP176007301-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhl-playoff-chase-in-east-is-fight-for-your-life-down-the-stretch/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that's it. Next game is Saturday for the start of the western road trip. ### GDT: Leafs host the Rangers URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-host-the-rangers/ Last updated: 2026-03-25T17:25:57.000Z ### New York Rangers @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:30 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: SN, TVAS, MSG ### The Leafs last game was away on March 24 against the Boston Bruins, which Toronto won by a score of 4-2 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 30-29-13 for a 0.507 Points %. The New York Rangers last played at home on March 23 against the Ottawa Senators. The Rangers lost by a score of 2-1 in regulation, and their current league record is 28-34-9 for a 0.458 Points %. St. Louis is the fifth to last team in the standings today with a Points % of 0.493\. If they continue at that points rate, they will finish with 81 points (rounding up). The Leafs have to finish with 80 points to take that spot in the standings, and they need to play at 0.350 the rest of the season to only get eight points out of the remaining 10 games. Their points pace since the Olympics is 0.333\. This is the same situation as yesterday since St. Louis also won a game. There are two teams tied with the Leafs at 0.507, the Jets and the Sharks. Los Angeles is the third-place team contesting for the two western wild card spots. Nashville holds the second spot with a Points % of 0.542\. Los Angeles has a Points % of 0.521, and to overtake Nashville's 89 points (rounded up) they need to play at 0.727 over their remaining 11 games. LA is now three points behind Nashville, and they really need an uncharacteristic winning streak to overtake them. LA took a loser point vs Calgary, while Nashville beat San Jose last night. The Kings face the Predators twice in April, but if they win some before then, those games become a lot less crucial. ### Them They played so badly in their last game they needed a pity SOG added to their total to not break a record for futility. Bet they don't play like that tonight. The lines are slightly altered from last game, with no major changes or additions. I have never heard of several of these players. #### [Lines](https://x.com/MollieeWalkerr/status/2036829659732873507?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Morning Skate:](https://x.com/MollieeWalkerr/status/2036829659732873507?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Gabriel Perreault - Mika Zibanejad - Alexis Lafrenière Tye Kartye - J.T. Miller - Conor Sheary Will Cuylle - Vincent Trocheck - Adam Sýkora Taylor Raddysh - Jonny Brodzinski - Jaroslav Chmelař Vladislav Gavrikov - Adam Fox Braden Schneider - Will Borgen Matthew Robertson - Vincent Iorio Igor Shesterkin - starter Dylan Garand ### Us > G Dennis Hildeby has been assigned to the Toronto Marlies (AHL). > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [March 25, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2036816712155181138?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Everyone appears to be mostly healthy, and the Leafs have one extra forward and one defender. #### Lines Last Game (2026-03-24) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Easton Cowan - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Max Domi - Nicholas Robertson Matias Maccelli - Bo Groulx - Dakota Joshua Steven Lorentz - Jacob Quillan - Michael Pezzetta Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Joe Woll - starter Anthony Stolarz ### The Game Play it like there's only nine more. ### Ten games left for the Marlies playoff push URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ten-games-left-for-the-marlies-playoff-push/ Last updated: 2026-03-28T04:07:00.000Z The Marlies have ten games left in their regular season and are starting to make that final push for the playoffs. It begins tonight at 7:00 p.m. with a game at the Coliseum against the Manitoba Moose, a team they visited earlier this month in Winnipeg for two games and they lost both. However, that was followed by four wins in six games, including a 4-2 win against the Cleveland Monsters last week, the team the Marlies are chasing in the standings. Here are the North Division standings as of last night. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/image-4.png) The AHL playoffs are completely division-based, there are no wild card conference slots for the playoffs. The top three teams in the division move automatically in to the playoffs. The teams in fourth and fifth place have a so-called "play-in" series to be the fourth team in. The play-in is a best-of-three tournament where really it's a coin flip. Lose that first game and you are already facing elimination. Obviously, the Marlies want to leapfrog the Cleveland Monsters in the standings to avoid this entirely, which they would love to do given last season they wound up in the same position and lost in two straight, with the second loss a heart-breaking goal by Cleveland in second OT. This is what they don't want to happen again: > feast your eyes on tonight's game-winner from Jimmy 👀 > > 🍎: Richard [pic.twitter.com/xuaou67zbr](https://t.co/xuaou67zbr?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Cleveland Monsters (@monstershockey) [April 27, 2025](https://twitter.com/monstershockey/status/1916294117669142546?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Alex Nylander summed it up by saying "We don't want to play in the play-in, we want to be in the playoffs from the start. Trust me, I've been in the play-in before and it's only best out of three, and anything can happen." Nylander has done his part to make that happen, with seven goals and seven assists in the last six games. > 9⃣2⃣ put it under the bar 😮‍💨 [pic.twitter.com/c4lZ4tsuVn](https://t.co/c4lZ4tsuVn?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [March 17, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2033986089254363570?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### The Cincinnati Cyclones step-up to the challenge The Marlies have filled up the ranks with some support from players on the Cincinnati Cyclones. John Gruden said the call-ups they have been able to blend in very well with the team quickly, noting "credit goes down to Riley \[Weselowski\] who is running the same systems that we have, so it's easy for them to come up and adjust." So let's give them some credit and show you their highlights. > You dropped this, King 🫴👑 > > Ben King has his first as a Marlie!!! [pic.twitter.com/Zi8vHEaWRR](https://t.co/Zi8vHEaWRR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [March 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2035469311347695964?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Landon Sim, [who has amazing hockey teeth](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e%5FZJt3Q5l1o&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), got his first pro-goal as well. > YAAAAAA SIMMER 🥹👑 > > Landon Sim has his first [@TheAHL](https://twitter.com/TheAHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Goal!!!! [pic.twitter.com/zMpXNofzEv](https://t.co/zMpXNofzEv?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [March 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2035481424472514633?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### New NCAA Signings It's the time of year where NCAA players sign Entry Level Contracts and join the team, and there's already two this year. Defenceman Vinny Borgesi just joined the team after four years at Northeastern University. [Maple Leafs sign college defender Vinny BorgesiHe’ll join the Marlies this season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-407.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1586037100920-55bdc6d75fc3-2)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-college-defender-vinny-borgesi/) Brandon Buhr joined after playing at Clarkson University for one year and three years at Union College. He picked up his first pro-hockey point quickly after signing a Leafs contract. [Maple Leafs sign Brandon Buhr to an ELCHe’ll join the Marlies for this year.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-408.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1646606837090-b2f9e0f28750-1)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-brandon-buhr-to-an-elc/) > Kinger gets us on the board! 🚨 > > Ben King finishes off a rebound from a Brandon Buhr chance. That's Buhr's first AHL point [pic.twitter.com/FFqpsdDaSP](https://t.co/FFqpsdDaSP?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [March 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2035829392413261941?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) All that being said, we have an NCAA signing from last year to mention and that's Luke Haymes who continues to impress in his role. > Oh that's a beeeeeeeeeauuut Haymer 😮‍💨 > > Luke Haymes gets to the front and makes it two goals in under a minute [pic.twitter.com/iuN5mZExQt](https://t.co/iuN5mZExQt?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [March 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2035463731581263912?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Haymes credits Marlies coach Mark Giordano for his development on the power play, saying "obviously a defeceman while he played, but he's coaching a little bit of the forwards here and he's responsible for the power play and he's amazing the way he sees the game. He picks little things to tell you when you come off from a shift if he sees an open pass or a play you could have made, or a different perspective to think of on a play. He makes our job easy as forwards." Thing I learned is Giordano is "G. O." to the players. Appropriate given the location of the Coliseum adjacent to the GO Train station. ### Ten Games To Go The remainder of the Marlies schedule includes the following (not in chronological order): Two games against the Manitoba Moose Two games against the Charlotte Checkers Two games against the Utica Comets Two games against the Laval Rocket One game against the Rochester Americans One game against the Syracuse Crunch So the only game against a team chasing them in the standings is the one against the Amerks which will be on Friday in Rochester. A win there would be helpful, but to bounce Cleveland out of third place they need to get big wins against the other teams, including those out of the division. The elephant in the room is the final two games of the season against the Rocket who lead the division and have already clinched. There's no understatement of how much these two teams don't like each other, and with the likes of Florian Xhekaj buzzing around for the Rocket those games will no doubt be entertaining, but also nail-biting if it all comes down to winning those to get up over the Monsters and into third place. ### Wednesday's FTB: Back-to-back back home URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-back-to-back-back-home/ Last updated: 2026-03-25T10:00:54.000Z This is game 73 today, so this is the final countdown from 10 games left. In the playoffs or not, the final 10 are always weird and anything can happen. Last night, play of the game: > Get him some milk[@OREO](https://twitter.com/Oreo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/9QZABpBTeG](https://t.co/9QZABpBTeG?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [March 25, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2036598510548815953?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Or maybe: > MAX DOMI PUTS THE LEAFS UP 2-1 ON THE POWERPLAY! [pic.twitter.com/8qsa1YEgcn](https://t.co/8qsa1YEgcn?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [March 25, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2036605439753027951?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Or possibly: > NYLANDER PUTS THE LEAFS UP 3-1! [pic.twitter.com/0kKGQyVe40](https://t.co/0kKGQyVe40?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [March 25, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2036612219752812585?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And the showbiz: > JOSHUA AND ZADOROV SQUARE UP FOLLOWING NYLANDERS GOAL. [pic.twitter.com/TWaEw7W6vA](https://t.co/TWaEw7W6vA?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [March 25, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2036612628802601094?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Zadorov sat for five for a hit on JT. FTB, baby. Final score was 4-2 for the Leafs, who outshot Boston in Corsi to the tune of 53% in all-situations. William Nylander tied his father in total career NHL points with his assist on Matthews Knies' ENG. Now the news: [Insider Trading: Senators need to weather storm until Sanderson’s returnTSN’s Hockey Insiders discuss Ottawa’s battered blueline, why goalie interference/video review is still a hot topic, the Bruins and prospect James Hagens, and Erik Karlsson’s future in Pittsburgh.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-243.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/YLWGJEQHQZBNBAQ4UWPVIALQ3E.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/insider-trading-senators-need-to-weather-storm-until-sandersons-return/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's the text link, so you don't have to listen. Nothing of Leafs interest, but there is more on goaltender interference, the issue that won't go away. And the other issue that's not going away: [What NHLers are saying about suspensions, player safetyRecent suspensions after bad hits by Radko Gudas and A.J. Greer put the Department of Player Safety and punishment lengths into the spotlight once again. But if anything is to change, the players will have to buy in as well, so we asked some of them what they think about the process and punishments.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/matthews-1-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/what-nhlers-are-saying-about-suspensions-player-safety/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) John Tavares has a quote in this piece that is worth reading. He talks about the Competition Committee, a body that reviews the rules and the enforcement of rules. I took this as a very quiet and polite pushback against the Gary Bettman claim that CBA negotiations are needed to make any changes. I consider that to be an outright falsehood. [Ducks’ Gudas returns from suspension: ‘I feel terrible’Radko Gudas is back in the Anaheim Ducks lineup tonight, while Auston Matthews remains months away from returning to the ice.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caIain MacIntyre![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Anaheim-Ducks-defenseman-Radko-Gudas.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/ducks-gudas-returns-from-suspension-i-feel-terrible/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Tinus Luc Klobar and Victor Johansson both got beat out of their respective playoffs, so they are both done for the season. Klobar is likely joining the Norwegian national team, but no official word on that has come yet. [OHL commissioner talks expansion at Chatham-Kent councilWith the Ontario Hockey League looking to expand in the coming years, Chatham-Kent councillors had a chance to hear from the league boss.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/icon-ws-1.png)Windsor StarTrevor Terfloth![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/OBrien-e1774369547958.jpg)](https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/ohl-commissioner-talks-expansion-at-council/wcm/21a35fea-5a16-4e18-a721-1900a13fccc8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And finally, the slightly more complicated real story on "the pick" everyone is so hungry for. It's not one pick. [\- TSNThe draft lottery odds can change a lot between now and the end of the season, but when it comes to number crunching and how the Leafs can land a top pick, O-Dog has all the answers in a new segment called “Professor O.”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-244.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F03-24-2026-2Ft_ffe3255d843344eab9ae2c273c15a5f8_name_2026_3_24_a2c7336e_94dd_474b_a622_cc3c1727c809_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/03/24/professor-o-with-o-dog-how-can-the-leafs-land-a-top-draft-pick/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that's it for today. See you later when we find out which Rangers registered a pulse after their last game, and are going to play tonight. ### GDT: Leafs at Bruins URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-at-bruins-again/ Last updated: 2026-03-24T19:00:31.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Boston Bruins 07:00 PM at TD Garden Watch on: TVAS, TSN4, NESN ### The Leafs last game was away on March 21 against the Ottawa Senators, which Toronto lost by a score of 5-2 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 29-29-13 for a 0.500 Points %. The Boston Bruins last played away on March 21 against the Detroit Red Wings. The Bruins won by a score of 4-2 in regulation, and their current league record is 39-23-8 for a 0.614 Points %. St. Louis is the fifth to last team in the standings today with a Points % of 0.486\. If they continue at that points rate, they will finish with 80 points (rounding up). The Leafs have to finish with 79 points to take that spot in the standings, and they need to play at 0.364 the rest of the season to only get eight points out of the remaining 11 games. Their points pace since the Olympics is 0.286\. This picture has now changed dramatically since before the previous Leafs game, and that is almost entirely due to St. Louis winning a game against the Canucks. This really illustrates that deciding to lose to order sounds like a plan you control, but there are a lot of other teams that decide for you if you succeed. However, while the target looks easier to hit today, the number of teams bunching up at around the same Points % as the Leafs now includes Winnipeg, Seattle, Florida and San Jose. Los Angeles is the third-place team contesting for the two western wild card spots. Nashville has leapt over all three west-coast Pacific teams to take the second spot with a Points % of 0.536\. They can't get in via their division, so they need to hold that spot to make the playoffs. Los Angeles has a Points % of 0.521, and to overtake Nashville's 88 points (rounded up) they need to play at 0.667 over their remaining 12 games. This picture just got much, much harder, again, because of what some other team did. But that's a good illustration of how hard making up only two points in deficit is at this time of the year. ### Them No, Fraser Minten is not their 1C. He is usually the sixth most used forward, so the middle six centre, regardless of line order between two and three. Boston's forward ice time is actually really strange, although understandably so. They have one first-liner and about six middle-six players and a rotating cast of guys who play a little. Today's roster looks like a "spread out the scorers" lineup, a smart play against a team whose depth is as drastically weak as the Leafs is. Tanner Jeannot is a game-time decision, and Alex Steeves skated as the extra at practice yesterday. The Bruins had Minten lead the stretch at the start of Bruins practice and Steeves at the end. They know right where your buttons are and they like to push them. #### Lines Scott McLaughlin via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/boston-bruins/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice. Marat Khusnutdinov - Fraser Minten - David Pastrnak Casey Mittelstadt - Pavel Zacha - Viktor Arvidsson Lukas Reichel - Elias Lindholm - Morgan Geekie Michael Eyssimont - Sean Kuraly - Mark Kastelic Jonathan Aspirot - Charlie McAvoy Hampus Lindholm - Mason Lohrei Nikita Zadorov - Henri Jokiharju Jeremy Swayman - confirmed starter Joonas Korpisalo ### Us All three goalies are currently on the roster ahead of a back-to-back, but Stolarz is set to start. > Craig Berube confirms Anthony Stolarz starts tonight in Boston > > Oliver Ekman-Larsson good to go after leaving practice early yesterday > > Morgan Rielly returns to the lineup after missing Saturday’s game [@TSN\_Sports](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [March 24, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2036469217369764080?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) #### Lines Mark Masters via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice with today's changes (defence pairs yet to be determined, and I'm assuming it's Phil Myers who sits). Easton Cowan - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Max Domi - Nicholas Robertson Matias Maccelli - Bo Groulx - Dakota Joshua Steven Lorentz - Jacob Quillan - Michael Pezzetta Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Troy Stecher Simon Benoit - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Anthony Stolarz - starter Joe Woll Dennis Hildeby ### The Game Once again, give it your best shot, Leafs. Tonight is the Leafs mentors game: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/HEMaDvRbAAAXMor-1-.jpg) ### Tuesday's FTB: Road trip to Boston URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-road-trip-to-boston/ Last updated: 2026-03-24T11:18:44.000Z The OHL playoffs are looming: [2026 OHL Playoff Tracker - Ontario Hockey LeagueTracking progress on the road to the 2026 OHL Playoffs presented by Nissan.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/OHL32x32-4.png)Ontario Hockey LeagueJosh Sweetland![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Mar3PlayoffTracker.jpg)](https://chl.ca/ohl/article/2026-ohl-playoff-tracker/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Get ready to track the Leafs prospects. - Ben Danford is with the Brantford Bulldogs - Tyler Hopkins is with the Guelph Storm - Harry Nansi is with the Owen Sound Attack - Sam McCue is with the Ottawa 67s (I think that's it, but I likely missed someone. The top three there are very interesting, somewhat interesting, interesting because of the pace of improvement in that order.) [Oilers scout Rylan Kearney continuing to blaze new trails in hockey | NHL.comPlayer, broadcaster, NWHL founder has been up to every challenge in career![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-217.png)NHL logoDerek Van Diest![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/rjlcgbnzcs2k33ap9h38.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/edmonton-oilers-scout-dani-rylan-kearney-blazing-new-trails?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Senators boost playoff push by beating RangersShane Pinto scored on the power play, Warren Foegele added his fifth goal in nine games since being traded and the Ottawa Senators made up more ground in their chase to make the playoffs by beating the New York Rangers 2-1 on Monday night.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-241.ico)TSNThe Associated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/UGKT7SFSFBHCDO3A2OVMNDWL6I.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/senators-boost-playoff-push-by-beating-rangers/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Rangers had nine SOG in the entire game. But the price was high for the Sens: [Senators’ Chabot, Thomson both ‘out for a while’The Ottawa Senators’ thin blue line has taken another hit.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/chabot_thomas_1280.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/senators-thomas-chabot-exits-game-vs-rangers-with-apparent-injury/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Business moves: [Kraken assume majority ownership of Climate Pledge ArenaThe Seattle Kraken ownership group, led by Samantha Holloway, announced the creation of One Roof Sports and Entertainment on Monday.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-242.ico)TSNThe Associated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ASRZC7VTNLP3NREPTQYIAITU2Y.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/kraken-assume-majority-ownership-of-climate-pledge-arena/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The annual noticing of the bulk of the NHL not based in Canada has begun: [Quiet consistency has Hurricanes positioned for playoff runWhile more ink has been spilled over other teams, the Hurricanes have maintained a quiet consistency, and could hog the headlines come playoff time, writes Ryan Dixon.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caRyan Dixon![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/canes.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/quiet-consistency-has-hurricanes-positioned-for-playoff-run/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I guess it depends on your POV, but to me, the quietly good team no one talks about much is Tampa. Aside from the points race, which is tight, no one mentions them all that much. Or they didn't until McDavid said something fairly bland about Jon Cooper and a whole crop of fantastical stories got written around it. Speaking of the Oilers: [Jarry gets another shot as Oilers search for answers in netAfter another uneven stretch in goal, the Edmonton Oilers are turning back to Tristan Jarry for a chance to steady things in net.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caCanadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Edmonton-Oilers-goaltender-Tristan-Jarry.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/jarry-gets-another-shot-as-oilers-search-for-answers-in-net/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Okay, that's it for now. I seriously cannot think of a thing Boston-related to talk about, though. Huh. ### Monday's FTB: Can't fix the plane while flying it URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-11/ Last updated: 2026-03-23T10:00:28.000Z First the news: > The 2026 Men's Ice Hockey stage is set 🏒🏆 > > ➡️ [https://t.co/XsmZYS8AjF](https://t.co/XsmZYS8AjF?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > 🎟️ [https://t.co/2tzhEFNKHg](https://t.co/2tzhEFNKHg?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)[#NCAAHockey](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NCAAHockey?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/0SmctqAhQX](https://t.co/0SmctqAhQX?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) [March 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/NCAAIceHockey/status/2035817529604550954?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Moldenhauer, Lahey, and Malinowki all in the tournament. [Panthers’ Greer suspended three games for hit on ZaryFlorida Panthers forward A.J. Greer has been suspended three games for boarding on Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary during Friday’s game, it was announced Sunday evening.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-240.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ILL6OSBYQNCZBHRH6IDG55WXZ4.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/panthers-greer-suspended-three-games-for-hit-on-zary/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Maple Leafs’ Stolarz released from hospital after warm-up injury![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Stolarz-2.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-stolarz-released-from-hospital-after-warm-up-injury/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > THE WISCONSIN BADGERS ARE BACK-TO-BACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONS‼️‼️‼️ 🏆🦡[#WFrozenFour](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WFrozenFour?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) x [@BadgerWHockey](https://twitter.com/BadgerWHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/QECOpxBziC](https://t.co/QECOpxBziC?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) [March 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/NCAAIceHockey/status/2035849893294530665?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There is no game tonight as the Leafs get ready for a back-to-back mid-week. Here's the thing. There is no winning formula here in the short term. There is no special combination of fourth liners or the right pre-game speech. There is no goalie performance grand enough, no emotional commitment strong enough. The Leafs can't will themselves to be winners, they can't try the puck into the net and wish it out of their own. Stop setting unattainable goals. (And maybe we should all stop listening to the post-game comments, because what the hell are they going to say?) Yes, duh, they are bad. They traded away quality players. And you can be as bitter as you're able, and I know you're able, about Auston Matthews, but they lost the best player on the team. They have a fun and charming AHLer as their co-second-line centre with Max Domi, who is, sigh, what he is. They just lost Morgan Rielly for an unknown number of games. They aren't going to win much. They will win some because hockey is like that. Take this opportunity to learn that. That this game is not a reward for being the right kind of person or for trying enough. This game is a battle against the strongest force there is – a universe that is random and unpredictable. And sometimes you win whether you deserve it or not. There is no coach who can talk them out of their true nature. Give this up. Let it go. It's over. This is three and a half weeks of penance for not fixing it sooner. Or an unfair punishment for not being able to, depending on how you spin it. Cheer for that draft pick or don't, but there is no redemption here for anyone in these final lucky 13 games. They can't fix this roster while playing it. This too shall pass and then we will get to the decision making portion of this crisis. Watch Easton Cowan and see if he grows before your eyes. He sure wants too. ### Sunday's FTB: Is there anyone left on the Leafs? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sundays-ftb-is-there-anyone-left-on-the-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-03-22T10:00:44.000Z If you missed the game last night, you may not yet be aware that Anthony Stolarz was hit by a puck in warmup and was taken to the hospital for precautionary imaging. Joe Woll played in his stead. > Anthony Stolarz will not start tonight for the Maple Leafs after taking a shot up high in warmups [pic.twitter.com/2fsusNGRuQ](https://t.co/2fsusNGRuQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [March 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2035492900050550816?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) "It didn't hit him in the head," says an idiot in the background. Neck injuries can compress major arteries or nerves and cause serious or even life-threatening injures. Precautionary imaging is exactly the right call. Morgan Rielly was out with an injury from the prior game and is said to be day-to-day. The Leafs have two days off before yet another back-to-back with travel on Tuesday in Boston and home to New York on Wednesday. --- After the Eric Tulsky vs Gary Bettman polite disagreement at the GMs meeting, Kyle Dubas wanted to make a point about a different area of controversy: goalie interference. > The Penguins just printed these out for the media in regards to goalie interfere rulings. > Yes, by the book, absolutely was goalie interference. [pic.twitter.com/E2cpgAOoU8](https://t.co/E2cpgAOoU8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe\_PGH) [March 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/JoshYohe%5FPGH/status/2035418964033941692?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) No word yet on if he nailed this to the door of the NHL offices. This was two weeks ago: And this was yesterday. > No goalie interference here 🙄 [pic.twitter.com/m6J7kpyCBa](https://t.co/m6J7kpyCBa?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) [March 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/SNPittsburgh/status/2035409334738284629?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In other news, the boarding of Connor Zary will net the offender a phone hearing. > New, for [@TheAthletic](https://twitter.com/TheAthletic?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): With public scrutiny mounting on [@NHLPlayerSafety](https://twitter.com/NHLPlayerSafety?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), A.J. Greer gets a phone hearing for dangerous hit on Connor Zary, capping his looming suspension at 5 games 🔗⬇️[https://t.co/lFb1MdqZ7Q](https://t.co/lFb1MdqZ7Q?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)[https://t.co/lFb1MdqZ7Q](https://t.co/lFb1MdqZ7Q?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [March 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/2035481669268824117?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) So. Is it just easier to really stir it up over goalie interference than it is hits that are genuinely dangerous? Because arguing about goalie interference is esoteric rules lawyering, and video freeze frame discussion. It never gets too far into the emotion of hockey and it's physical play. I haven't heard the NHL ever say if you want a different goalie interference rule, you need to negotiate it in the CBA, either. --- Caroline Harvey, an absolute star on the blueline for Team USA won the Patty Kazmaier award as the top woman in NCAA hockey. > Caroline Harvey ([@BadgerWHockey](https://twitter.com/BadgerWHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)) is the 2026 Patty Kazmaier Award winner! [pic.twitter.com/GlUJGYTGVk](https://t.co/GlUJGYTGVk?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL Media (@NHLMedia) [March 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHLMedia/status/2035402494570819612?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's Sunday. It's safe to go outside, there's no leafs on the trees yet, so go do something today! ### GDT: Leafs in Ottawa and it's not even the last time! URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-in-ottawa-and-its-not-even-the-last-time/ Last updated: 2026-03-21T19:00:39.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Ottawa Senators 07:00 PM at Canadian Tire Centre Watch on: SN, CBC, TVAS2 ### The Leafs last game was at home on March 20 against the Carolina Hurricanes, which Toronto lost by a score of 4-3 in overtime. The Leafs have a record of 29-28-13 for a 0.507 Points %. The Ottawa Senators last played at home on March 19 against the New York Islanders. The Senators won by a score of 3-2 in regulation, and their current league record is 35-24-9 for a 0.581 Points %. St. Louis is the fifth to last team in the standings today with a Points % of 0.478\. If they continue at that points rate, they will finish with 78 points. The Leafs have to finish with 77 points to take that spot in the standings, and they need to play at 0.250 the rest of the season to only get six points out of the remaining 12 games. Their points pace since the Olympics is 0.308\. Los Angeles is the second place team contesting for the two western wild card spots, putting them in a playoff position as of today. This is all unchanged since yesterday. ### Them Ottawa is a good five-on-five team that hits a lot. Their goaltending has sunk their season, and Jake Sanderson out week-to-week with an injury hasn't exactly helped them. #### Lines [From morning skate](https://x.com/TSN1200/status/2035363087516049654?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) (identical to their last game): Drake Batherson - Tim Stützle - Claude Giroux Brady Tkachuk - Dylan Cozens - Ridly Greig Nick Cousins - Shane Pinto - Michael Amadio Warren Foegele - Lars Eller - Fabian Zetterlund Thomas Chabot - Artem Zub Tyler Kleven - Jordan Spence Dennis Gilbert - Nikolas Matinpalo Linus Ullmark - starter James Reimer ### Us If you're looking for something to watch for in this game, try Easton Cowan. He looked very active and effective with Auston Matthews, but he's vanished on the Tavares line. Last night's game is tough to use to measure offence because no one shot the puck much, but in 12 minutes at five-on-five, Cowan shot the puck twice, got one Shot on Goal out of it, and took a penalty in the third while the team was down by one goal. On the Leafs, Max Domi and Bobby McMann are the only forwards with more PIM than Cowan. The London Knights were so good, so dominant and had such good goaltending that "chasing the play" penalties like last night's tripping call just didn't need to be an issue. So far in the NHL, Cowan hasn't shaken this method of dealing with adversity. Top line players like Matt Knies take penalties, in part, because they are naturally going to be defending against other top lines quite a lot more than a fourth liner (in terms of minutes played). They will need to pass the defending over to the PK unit some of the time. One of the questions with Cowan is going to be: does he need to do that so much, he stops being useful on the top lines? The Leafs have one defender, Phil Myers, and one forward, Michael Pezzetta, they can cycle in, should they choose. #### Lines Dave McCarthy via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from last night. Easton Cowan - John Tavares - Nicholas Robertson Matthew Knies - Max Domi - William Nylander Matias Maccelli - Bo Groulx - Dakota Joshua Steven Lorentz - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Anthony Stolarz - starter Joe Woll ### The Game I expect Ottawa to be more motivated than Carolina was last night. Other than that, hockey remains unpredictable. Bet on it. ### Saturday's FTB: Fourth last (Saturday in the regular season) URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/saturdays-ftb-fourth-last-saturday-in-the-regular-season/ Last updated: 2026-03-21T10:00:21.000Z The Leafs are in Ottawa to play the Senators! Are you excited? No, well, understandable. That was some hotly attended GDT last night as the Leafs took Carollina to an OT that lasted about three seconds. Final score was 4-3 Carolina. All you can take from that game is the cautionary tale about wanting losses late in the season. The good teams dial it back as much if not more than the bad ones. Tanking is hard work. What is going on in the NHL? Some teams are extending their lower-ranked players. This is a "put out some good news" strategy you often see at this time of the year in the hopes you don't notice how bad the bad teams are and how bad the good teams locked into playoff slots suddenly have become. Hey, does that whole parity thing make for less of that? I wonder if that was the plan? Anyhow, let's find some news. [Leafs expect Matthews will ‘find a way to come back even better’Toronto captain underwent surgery in New York on Thursday to repair a torn MCL in his left knee.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-238.ico)TSNMark Masters![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/IYDLYYSLIJEAZGBZBCIN742S2I.JPG)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/leafs-expect-matthews-will-find-a-way-to-come-back-even-better/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I know everyone will just read the headline, but that's actually a quote from Max Domi, not "the Leafs". It's a mostly positive spin on what is likely not a very serious injury, but no one will believe that until they see Matthews actually play next season. Matt Knies does not care what you think about his injury, he's in charge of it: [\- TSNMatthew Knies is not fully healthy but says there is no concern with him doing any further damage if he continues to play the rest of the season. The Leafs forward said he will evaluate more in the summer and addressed the thought of shutting things down.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-239.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F03-20-2026-2Ft_e18f2d6a7b3b4ab29c603908db409588_name_2026_3_20_4dc0dcdc_2134_4d6f_aa96_113c8e866e53_jpg_1200x675.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/03/20/as-leafs-play-out-the-stretch-knies-plays-through-pain-if-its-not-going-to-get-worse-theres-no-problem/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Good news for temp-fans of the Kings: [NHL Status Report: Armia to return for Kings against Sabres | NHL.comGirard could play for Penguins against Jets; Toffoli sidelined for Sharks![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-216.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/tuhizesro4hh59rhtapv.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-status-report-news-and-notes-march-20-2026?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Avalanche may or may not have clinched a playoff spot last night long after the internet suffered a strange disruption on my end (I turned it off). The preview will come later, but tonight all right-thinking people will cheer for the Leafs because we don't want Ottawa to make the playoffs. Have a great Saturday! See you later today. ### GDT: Carolina brings their style of play to Toronto URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-carolina-brings-their-style-of-play-to-toronto/ Last updated: 2026-03-20T19:00:01.000Z ### Carolina Hurricanes @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: NHLN, TVAS, SNO, FDSNSO ### The Leafs last game was at home on March 17 against the New York Islanders, which Toronto lost by a score of 3-1 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 29-28-12 for a 0.507 Points %. The Carolina Hurricanes last played at home on March 18 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Hurricanes won by a score of 6-5 in overtime, and their current league record is 43-19-6 for a 0.676 Points %. St. Louis is the fifth to last team in the standings today with a Points % of 0.478\. If they continue at that points rate, they will finish with 78 points. The Leafs have to finish with 77 points to take that spot in the standings, and they need to play at 0.269 the rest of the season to only get seven points out of the remaining 13 games. Their points pace since the Olympics is 0.291\. St. Louis hasn't moved in the standings, but the New York Rangers have managed to drop to third last behind Chicago. So now, 77 points only gets to fifth last. Los Angeles is the second place team contesting for the two western wild card spots, putting them in a playoff position as of today. San Jose, Seattle and Nashville are tied for third with a Points % of 0.522, but the Sharks have a game in hand. If the Kings play at their current seasonal pace of 0.529, they will make the playoffs. Nashville snuck back into this conversation with a win over Seattle, while the Kings collected a loser point to move up. The differences here are one point and two games played at most, so this still looks like it's going down to the wire. ### Them I've been thinking a lot about the truisms of hockey lately. Not those ones about faceoffs and board battles but the ones that a lot of you believe. "If you hit a lot, it's because you don't have the puck. Hitting is bad, if you hit, you're bad, wanting players who hit is bad." Here's what's interesting about that. This season there is no correlation (by eye, this is not deep analysis) between number of hits given at five-on-five and how much the team has the puck (Corsi %). Colorado is last, but Chicago is right there with them. Buffalo is near the bottom and Ottawa and Florida (good Corsi teams) are near the top. Carolina is 18th and they are, of course, the co-Corsi gods with the Avalanche. Hits taken on the other hand, now there's something interesting. It very strongly correlates to team quality. Dallas and Carolina are one and two. From the bottom up is San Jose, Columbus, St. Louis, Anaheim and Toronto. The overall percentage of hits given gets you to somewhat of a correlation with team strength and possession ability, but not nearly as close at hits taken on its own, and again, it's clear that correlation is coming from the taken side, not the given. All of this is available on the very far right of the Moneypuck Teams table. What appears to be true (and should be visible watching games, frankly) is that there are many different styles of play and there isn't one perfect method to win games. It also appears that if you're good, you're going to get physical play used as a deterrent against you, and you better be able to cope with that in a way that allows you to succeed. Carolina is very good at hockey in any situation. And they've been lucky this year with their goalies compared to recent tries at winning on the cheap. They are the most legit of the top teams. #### Lines Last Game (2026-03-18) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/carolina-hurricanes/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Andrei Svechnikov - Sebastian Aho - Seth Jarvis Taylor Hall - Logan Stankoven - Jackson Blake Nikolaj Ehlers - Jordan Staal - Jordan Martinook William Carrier - Mark Jankowski - Eric Robinson Jaccob Slavin - Jalen Chatfield K'Andre Miller - Sean Walker Mike Reilly - Alexander Nikishin Brandon Bussi - likely starter, but unconfirmed Frederik Andersen ### Us Okay, it's been a few games now. Goggling over the roster being bad, so surprisingly bad when they've traded two centres, a middle-six winger and lost Auston Matthews is beating the skeleton of the dead horse. Possibly the fossil of the skeleton of the dead horse. There are limits on recalls. The Leafs have 13 games left with one big road trip of notable length. They aren't going to call up a new set of players for every game. > F Michael Pezzetta has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [March 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2034990236489646101?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Pezzetta is not playing today – there's a game in Ottawa tomorrow. Simon Benoit comes in for Phil Myers, actual pairings are not set at this time. Bo Groulx is going to play out the season, even once the shine of his goal-scoring wears off and you start seeing why he's not in the NHL on the regular. Cheering for him is still fun, though. #### Lines Last Game (2026-03-17) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) with Benoit in for Myers Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Max Domi - Easton Cowan Dakota Joshua - Bo Groulx - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Simon Benoit Jake McCabe - Brandon Carlo Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Troy Stecher Joe Woll - starter Anthony Stolarz ### The Game I betcha the Hurricanes take a lot of hits tonight. ### Friday's FTB: Leafs had fun yesterday URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-french-fies-and-hot-dogs/ Last updated: 2026-03-20T10:00:11.000Z The Leafs had a fan day yesterday, and it looks like it was an outstanding event. Joe Woll, everyone: > Simon Sez: watch this 🍿[@rogers](https://twitter.com/Rogers?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/ElUztAX5UM](https://t.co/ElUztAX5UM?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [March 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2034792169668571241?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And they invited some friends: > .[@natspooner5](https://twitter.com/natspooner5?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) wins the target shootout with a time of 13 secs! 🎯 [pic.twitter.com/WVEhj1PbzS](https://t.co/WVEhj1PbzS?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Sceptres (@PWHL\_Toronto) [March 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5FToronto/status/2034662545810673719?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is really about how they feel about how the fans support them: [\- TSNThe Maple Leafs have failed to meet expectations this season and that’s led to commentary about Toronto being a tough place to play, but as Mark Masters reports, the current Leafs aren’t buying that narrative.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-237.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F03-20-2026-2Ft_8e9401a3001a44fdb5c15e7bb1444722_name_2026_3_19_78194f27_924d_47d3_bc6a_f718e62f20a1_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/03/20/leafs-not-buying-into-the-narrative-that-toronto-is-a-tough-place-to-play/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [32 Thoughts: Player safety a hot topic at GMs meetingsIn this edition of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman covers why player safety was a hot topic at the GMs meetings, who checked in on Matthew Knies, superstar injury updates and much more.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caElliotte Friedman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/matthews-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/32-thoughts-player-safety-a-hot-topic-at-gms-meetings/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > It happened Tuesday. According to several sources, Bettman raised the topic, saying there is an owner who feels strongly the league needs stronger enforcement on this issue. He asked the GMs if they agree with the current standard/interpretation of Rule 48: Illegal Check to the Head. There was a second or two of silence before Tulsky said he supported the owner's position, leading the commissioner to say something along the lines of, “Well, I guess we know which owner this was.” > Since he arrived in the NHL, [Carolina Hurricanes](https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/teams/carolina-hurricanes/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) owner Tom Dundon has made no secret: He wants more protection for the head and stricter punishment for violations. A few sources said his ire was re-ignited by a Tyler Pitlick hit on Jalen Chatfield in November. Pitlick was ejected, but not suspended. > Bettman followed up with, “Does anyone else agree?” Again, silence. End of discussion. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/HDzTNqaXYAADXJO-1-.jpg) This is now official: [New York Islanders’ AHL team to relocate to HamiltonThe New York Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate team is relocating to Hamilton, Ont., from Bridgeport, Connecticut![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/cropped-favicon-1-270x270-1.png)CHCHMason Goodfellow![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Bridgeport-Islanders-to-Hamilton-March-19.jpg)](https://www.chch.com/chch-news/new-york-islanders-ahl-team-to-relocate-to-hamilton/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is the first Canadian AHL team for a US NHL team in decades. One thing they will have to work around is that anecdotally, it appears getting a US visa for non-American players takes a lot longer than it used to. So recalling players to the NHL will have to work around that. And finally, the weird ways news gets out: [Tvisten i domstol avslöjar – “Mini-Nyllet” på väg hem (?)Alexander Nylander verkar flytta till Stockholm![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-20.png)HockeySverigeKonrad Grönlund![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/BB230523JM057.webp)](https://hockeysverige.se/shl/tvisten-i-domstol-avslojar-alexander-nylander-mini-nyllet-pa-vag-hem/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Alex Nylander had to have a hearing to contest the right to buy a Stockholm apartment, and in that hearing he said he's playing in the SHL next season. That's all for now, the preview will be later on, as the Leafs play the Hurricanes tonight. ### Thursday's FTB: New Marlies URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-new-marlies/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T10:00:55.000Z As expected the Maple Leafs are signing undrafted NCAA graduates to ELCs. So far they have two: [Maple Leafs sign Brandon Buhr to an ELCHe’ll join the Marlies for this year.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-405.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1646606837090-b2f9e0f28750)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-brandon-buhr-to-an-elc/) [Maple Leafs sign college defender Vinny BorgesiHe’ll join the Marlies this season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-406.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1586037100920-55bdc6d75fc3-1)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-college-defender-vinny-borgesi/) When the CHL ends shortly and as teams drop out of the playoffs, more signings will come. Both Brandon Buhr and Vinny Borgesi are on PTOs with the Marlies, and may play in games soon. In case you were wondering, neither is eligible to play on the Leafs this season. --- [\- TSNFrom goalie interference debates to the playoff salary cap, TSN’s Hockey Insiders Darren Dreger and Pierre LeBrun join Gino Reda to breakdown what was discussed over the three days at the NHL’s general managers meetings in Florida.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-236.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F03-18-2026-2Ft_7738f392c19643ea80aa92852a195b2e_name_2026_3_18_e4712327_72aa_4d82_8f25_81b8bb68d83e_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/video/2026/03/18/the-insiders-on-goalie-interference-player-safety-and-playoff-salary-cap/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The goaltender interference conversation at the GM Meetings got intense. "Erik Tulsky said he felt the standard was slipping on goalie interference coach's challenges." Gary Bettman accused him of speaking for his owner. Okay, sure. He is known to have trouble thinking for himself. The more interesting discussion is about select 19-year-olds playing in the AHL. The GMs felt that if they didn't allow this those players would just go to the NCAA. And in news that amuses me a very great deal: there is no problem on the horizon for any team regarding the playoff salary cap. The new LTIR rules made that entire concept moot. It's an absurd administrative hurdle all for the optics of closing a "loophole" that did not exist. Somehow the optics of player injuries and just what the hell counts as a goal don't matter, though. And you know they don't. The sheer volume of crap spread all over social media about teams cheating via LTIR and faking injuries – that entire fantasy construct – is what got the rules changed. Reality of player health and the game's integrity? Who cares. This is why I hate the word optics. My take on this DoPS business is that when player agents complain, as they have, the response from the league is to claim the NHLPA just doesn't have an issue. Or as we say where I'm from, "Let's you and him fight." The NHL walks away, and the PA spends even more time fighting the big player agents who want more sway over the game. For the NHL, it's an instinctive response of an organization that will dig its heels in seemingly forever with great passion for their position until suddenly they love gambling! Someday, if they're forced to, they'll love keeping the players whole too. They'll never have a goalie interference rule that works and makes sense, though. --- It's March, and we've got UFA lists? I guess. There are five Canadian teams not making the playoffs. (Sorry Ottawa, I don't believe in you.) [NHL’s top 12 UFAs of 2026: Latest rumours, reportsEven with most of the best players off the board, a bunch of established and emerging talent is still trending toward joblessness on July 1\. Luke Fox breaks down the top 12 unrestricted free agents set to hit the market.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Buffalo-Sabres-right-wing-Alex-Tuch.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhls-top-12-ufas-of-2026-latest-rumours-reports/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [McKenna, Augustine among 10 Hobey Baker candidates | NHL.comHagens, Hughes also in running for award given to top NCAA men’s player; winner to be announced April 10![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-215.png)NHL logoMike G. Morreale![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/bz7ur7i8em52fv0tl0uu.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/prospects/2026-hobey-baker-award-candidates-announced?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's it for this day off. Leafs are back-to-back tomorrow and Saturday. Have a great day! ### Maple Leafs sign Brandon Buhr to an ELC URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-brandon-buhr-to-an-elc/ Last updated: 2026-03-19T01:46:06.000Z [Maple Leafs Sign Forward Brandon Buhr To A One-year Contract | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed forward Brandon Buhr to a one-year contract beginning in the 2026-27 season. He will join the Toronto Marlies (AHL) for the remainder of the 2025-26 season on an amateur tryout. Buhr, 23, has posted 36 points (19 goals,![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-214.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/zsynqp0s6r6cvzb8lx03.png)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-forward-brandon-buhr-to-a-one-year-contract?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs have signed forward Brandon Buhr to a one-year contract beginning in the 2026-27 season. He'll be on the Marlies this year on an ATO, and his NHL contract covers next season. ELC times are set by the player's age. The AAV is $975,000 per Puckpedia. Buhr is about to turn 24 this summer, and is 6'2" and 205 lbs. > Buhr, 23, has posted 36 points (19 goals, 17 assists) in 35 games with Union College (NCAA). The Fort St. John, BC native has skated in 106 career NCAA games with Union, registering 88 points (49 goals, 39 assists). Prior to joining Union, the 6’2, 208-pound forward skated in nine games with Clarkson University. [Elite Prospects covered him in their guide: ](https://www.eliteprospects.com/news/nhl-prospects/the-elite-prospects-2026-ncaa-free-agency-guide?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Skating is Buhr's biggest advantage over the NCAA competition – his strides and crossovers are separating. He plays a fast, direct game with some inside cuts and flashy moves mixed in, all emphasizing getting to the net. A quick-release wrister is his most dangerous weapon, and the playmaking flashes are impressive, as he creatively connects with teammates through layers. > > At the professional level, Buhr's always-in-motion off-puck game and physicality will become even more valuable. He's a battler with great timing around the net, in particular. He will have to develop his defensive game more to battle for an NHL role, but that seems well within the realm of possibility. Athletes with these tools are always in demand, and often become impactful bottom-six forwards. His path through hockey has been unusual: ### Wednesday's FTB: Finding a way out of the wilderness URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-finding-a-way-out-of-the-wilderness/ Last updated: 2026-03-18T19:52:04.000Z The St. Pats lost 3-1 last night to the New York Islanders in a game where the only Leafs goal was by Steve Lorentz. > STEVIE O’RENTZ!! 🟢[@OREO](https://twitter.com/Oreo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/PEBFBgK1Pd](https://t.co/PEBFBgK1Pd?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [March 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2034062141423079812?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And there was of course a goal from a Schenn, just traded to the Islanders. > Cal Ritchie with a NASTY pass to Schenn for his 1st as an Islander 🤢🚨 [pic.twitter.com/z9PpxAHqYN](https://t.co/z9PpxAHqYN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — B/R Open Ice (@BR\_OpenIce) [March 17, 2026](https://twitter.com/BR%5FOpenIce/status/2034047720667684932?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Here's the team post game where Morgan explains why he got in a fight in the game. It's interesting to hear a reporter ask about "going through these last few games," but there's still 13 games to go before we can move on from this season, so I don't put that in the "a few games" bucket yet. Still plenty of time for a shootout, but if you sit through that whole clip (do it a 1.5x speed) the messaging from the team now is clearly about how they're all going to be working together on the ice more and sticking up for each other more and... well they're going to become a Team again, which, that would have been great to do a long time ago, but it also begs the question, what happened? Mo tries to very carefully dance around this but it all sounds to me like either the Leafs were all separately lost in the woods and forgot what they were there to do because they had no compass to guide them, or they ummm... don't like each other. I'm not sure how else to interpret all this. It could also simply be some ticket-revenue saving PR strategy, and yes I am sufficiently cynical at this point to believe that could be true. That's it for the Leafs until the back-to-back games hosting the Hurricanes here in Toronto on Friday night, then visiting the Senators in Ottawa on Saturday. At least we have the Marlies and the Sceptres. Alex Nylander is on a two game ENG streak! But he also got a regular one yesterday too as the Marlies beat the Monsters 4-2, inching their way closer to taking third place in the division and avoiding the play-in round. > 9⃣2⃣ put it under the bar 😮‍💨 [pic.twitter.com/c4lZ4tsuVn](https://t.co/c4lZ4tsuVn?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [March 17, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2033986089254363570?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And Darryl Watts came up big for the Sceptres last night to help them defeat the Boston Fleet 2-0. > D ‼️ [pic.twitter.com/OSNHVNqtQ5](https://t.co/OSNHVNqtQ5?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Sceptres (@PWHL\_Toronto) [March 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5FToronto/status/2034078958808186902?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's all for today for now, unless the Leafs sign another college free agent. Oh, yes, if you missed that news, then click here: [Maple Leafs sign college defender Vinny BorgesiHe’ll join the Marlies this season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-404.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1586037100920-55bdc6d75fc3)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-college-defender-vinny-borgesi/) ### Maple Leafs sign college defender Vinny Borgesi URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-college-defender-vinny-borgesi/ Last updated: 2026-03-17T22:49:17.000Z [Maple Leafs Sign Vincent Borgesi To A Two-year Contract | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed defenceman Vincent Borgesi to a two-year contract beginning in the 2026-27 season. He will join the Toronto Marlies (AHL) for the remainder of the 2025-26 season on an amateur tryout. Borgesi, 22, posted 20 points (five goals, 15![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-212.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/aws8kg4hwkoduumc2fzk.png)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-vincent-borgesi-to-a-two-year-contract?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Vincent (Vinny) Borgesi, 22, has been signed by the Maple Leafs to a two-year ELC at an AAV of $987,500 per Puckpedia. > Borgesi, 22, posted 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) and 29 penalty minutes in 36 games as captain of Northeastern University (NCAA) during the 2025-26 season. He was named as a nominee for the 2026 Hobey Baker award. The Philadelphia, PA native has posted 80 points (16 goals, 64 assists) and 79 penalty minutes in 135 career NCAA games. > Prior to his collegiate career, Borgesi spent two seasons with the Tri-City Storm where he posted 50 points (seven goals, 43 assists) in 106 career regular season USHL games while adding four assists in eight playoff games. > The 5’9, 185-pound defenceman was also named to the United States Collegiate Selects Team roster for the 2025 Spengler Cup where he posted one assist in four games and served as captain. He had attended the Panthers development camp last year, and is noted below for playing the most minutes of all NCAA defenders: [NCAA notebook: Borgesi of Northeastern among top undrafted defensemen to watch | NHL.comGadowsky of Penn State, Livanavage of North Dakota also drawing attention of NHL scouts![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-213.png)NHL logoMark Divver![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/hhrj60z6wsv6r7usjwnd.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/ncaa-notebook-top-undrafted-defensemen-to-watch?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And an interview profile from January: [The WorkhorseNortheastern senior bleeds Husky red, and leads by example, as nation’s TOI leader for second straight year.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-192.png)College Hockey NewsKatrina Liu![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/chn-300x300-alt.png)](https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2026/01/19%5FThe-Workhorse.php?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Sceptres Gameday: a trip to Boston University to play the Fleet URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-6/ Last updated: 2026-03-17T22:26:07.000Z ### Toronto Sceptres @ Boston Fleet 7 PM @ Agganis Arena, Boston University Watch in Boston on NESN+ Watch in Canada on Prime Outside of Canada: [http://thepwhl.com](https://t.co/ORyJvAivDv?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) or PWHL YouTube Toronto's last game was a 2-0 regulation win over the Torrent at home. Toronto is in sixth place with a Points % of 0.444. Boston's last game was a 4-3 overtime win over Montréal on the road. Boston sits atop the standings with a Points % of 0.684. The current fourth-place team in the Ottawa Charge with a Points % of 0.467 which would give them 42 points on the season. For the Sceptres to get to 43 points, they need 15 points in their nine remaining games. That requires them to play at 0.556 the rest of the season. Five regulation wins does the job. ### News > The Boston Fleet and Seattle Torrent completed a trade Monday with the Fleet acquiring **Jessie Eldridge** from the Torrent in exchange for **Theresa Schafzahl**. Both players are third-year veteran forwards with contracts through the current Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season. The PWHL trade deadline is March 30. [BOSTON FLEET AND SEATTLE TORRENT COMPLETE TRADEFleet acquire Jessie Eldridge from Torrent for Theresa SchafzahlNEW YORK AND TORONTO (Mar.16, 2026) – The Boston Fleet and Seattle Torrent completed a trade Monday with the Fleet acquiring Jessie Eldridge from the Torrent in exchange for Theresa Schafz…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-341.png)Professional Women's Hockey League![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/16x920260316SEAB)](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2026/march/16/boston-fleet-and-seattle-torrent-complete-trade?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Lines ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/HDlOAGSWkAABSxG-1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/HDpFwmGbAAAphxm-1-.jpg) ### GDT: Islanders visit Toronto URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-islanders-visit-toronto/ Last updated: 2026-03-17T19:00:39.000Z ### New York Islanders @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: TSN4, MSGSN ### The Leafs last game was away on March 15 against the Minnesota Wild, which Toronto won by a score of 4-2 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 29-27-12 for a 0.515 Points %. The New York Islanders last played at home on March 14 against the Calgary Flames. The Islanders won by a score of 3-2 in regulation, and their current league record is 38-24-5 for a 0.604 Points %. St. Louis is the fifth to last team in the standings today with a Points % of 0.478\. If they continue at that points rate, they will finish with 78 points. The Leafs have to finish with 77 points to take that spot in the standings, and they need to play at 0.250 the rest of the season to only get seven points out of the remaining 14 games. This has gotten dramatically harder in two days because St. Louis dropped in Points % and the Leafs won a game. The Rangers are still tied with the Blues, so 77 points gets you fourth last right now if nothing changes. Los Angeles is the fourth place team contesting for the two western wild card spots. San Jose and Seattle are tied for second with a Points % of 0.538 which would give them 88 points each if they maintain that pace. For Los Angeles to get 89 points and beat them both, giving Toronto a second-round pick, they have to play 0.600 the rest of the season. They are at 0.530\. This has gotten easier with a win by the Kings, and a loss by San Jose. Seattle has improved. However, LA's points pace needed is still absurdly difficult. Someone has to get in, though. ### Them Best overall goaltending in the NHL. That's it, that's who they are. Oh, and that Schaefer guy, he's good. #### Lines Stefen Rosner via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/new-york-islanders/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from Monday's practice. Emil Heineman - Bo Horvat - Mathew Barzal Anthony Duclair - Brayden Schenn - Simon Holmstrom Anders Lee - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Calum Ritchie Ondrej Palat - Casey Cizikas - Kyle MacLean Matthew Schaefer - Ryan Pulock Adam Pelech - Tony DeAngelo Carson Soucy - Scott Mayfield Ilya Sorokin - confirmed starter David Rittich ### Us Oliver Ekman-Larsson is still away for baby-related reasons. > Craig Berube isn’t sure if new dad Ekman-Larsson will play tonight > > OEL is resting now & will provide team an update later in day [@TSN\_Sports](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [March 17, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2033930926577643761?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Both Michael Pezzetta and Henry Thrun were returned to the Marlies today, and they have a long list of injuries: > D Matt Benning (upper body, week-to-week), F Reese Johnson (upper body, day-to-day), F Vinni Lettieri (upper body, day-to-day), D Marshall Rifai (lower body, week-to-week) and D Cade Webber (upper body, week-to-week) will not dress for today’s game. > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [March 17, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2033959235474628906?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) #### Lines [Morning skate](https://x.com/markhmasters/status/2033915424904245661?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Max Domi - Easton Cowan Dakota Joshua - Bo Groulx - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Philippe Myers Jake McCabe - Brandon Carlo Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Joe Woll - starter Anthony Stolarz ### The Game The Leafs managed a good first period, and rode their puck luck last time out. This is really all they can do, just give it all they have, which isn't going to be a lot against Sorokin. Hockey, though, is endlessly weird, and it's advisable not to take too much meaning out of a single game's outcome. > ☘️☘️☘️☘️ [pic.twitter.com/JSAgFsDUbp](https://t.co/JSAgFsDUbp?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [March 17, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2033943465822716232?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Tuesday's FTB: Enough hockey - back to the management meta conversation URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesday-ftb-this-management-seminar-is-brought-to-you-by-bored-podcasters/ Last updated: 2026-03-17T11:45:37.000Z Brad Treliving spoke to TSN yesterday at the Board of Governors meeting and managed to say nothing at all: But the news, if you can call it that, was another podcast with another discussion of how the Leafs should change their management. I get that. You do need a top-level strategy that your GM enacts, and a GM-level player usage strategy that your coach enacts in order to succeed. It's just that I, and the media both, don't really have any idea what the guy up a level at MLSE is really going to do. Wake me up when they hire and/or fire someone. This is my overall take on the Leafs, based as is tradition on the most recent game: They beat the Wild while being wildly outshot. Anthony Stolarz was great, the Wild goalie wasn't, and this game says two things. One: if you play a system that actually leads to getting outshot something close to 100 to 50 (iCF in all-situations), even with a much better roster, you will lose most of your games. Two: conversely if you play the way the Leafs have for most of this year (in terms of attention to detail, engagement, etc.), even with a much better system, you will lose most of your games. By all means start at the top and hire a President who has a vision and enact that down the line, but get on with the job! You can't piss about taking even a couple of weeks to get up to speed. You can't do that stupid thing they did when they hired Brendan Shanahan and farted around going through three GMs until he just gave up. Stop waiting for proof your ideas work. This is just like with goalies, by the time you're sure, it's too late. And just like with goalies, if it starts to go sideways, act! Don't endlessly leak stuff to the media and play this absurd game of positioning yourselves publicly as if you're the government. Just do a thing! In other "podcasters talk" news, apparently there is some indication from the Ouija Board that the Leafs won't qualify Matias Maccelli, and the rage is upon the land. Here's the thing, though, I had this thought myself. First, let's get a real grip on how valuable Maccelli is. He was bad according to everyone, then he was scratched, and since whatever Berube does is wrong, that made him the best player ever, and then when he played, he got some points, so the points analysts came out in support, now he's pretty much perfect. HockeyViz has him as a very positive impact player because of two things that always make me back off and say, "yeah, sure." His penalty differential and his impact on defence. Forward impact on defence is the weakest thing isolation models report. But nonetheless, he is a real NHL player with no actual offence creation. This means that, while he can made a pass some of the time, now... you all need to sit down... Max Domi is actually better at that part of the job than him. Now get up again, because that used to be true, but this year's Domi has been a disaster offensively. So this becomes, like every other damn thing, a question of what if the roster and/or the coach is changed. Then what? Then I think Maccelli is a kind of useful, but not terribly impactful player who is about to play a lot of minutes and has arbitration rights with a juiced AAV to base it on. Yes, this is very like the Liljegren problem. Maccelli's Qualifying Offer will be $4.11 million, which is the least he would get in arbitration, and with the TOI he'll put in over the next few games and the points he can potentially finish with, he is going to have a good arbitration case. So the Leafs can try to sign him for less, potentially by offering term, or they can just walk away. If you decontextualize this and make it about the skill vs grit (false) dichotomy and see only Maccelli and Max Domi, you can gin up some good anger about that one time Treliving said, "snot," but I like Maccelli, and I think trading for him was the kind of clever move the Leafs need to be making. They have cap space. They can use that to add players. I'm not so sure this is the player they want to overpay. Don't fall in love with every clever idea. As of now, this is all just talk, and QO decisions come in late June. Anything can happen between now and then. Or nothing at all. --- Now for some fun. Name this player: > POTENTIAL GOAL OF THE YEAR IN THE KHL! 👀 > > (🎥: [@khl\_eng](https://twitter.com/khl%5Feng?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com))[pic.twitter.com/OcqqPrxfhy](https://t.co/OcqqPrxfhy?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — theScore (@theScore) [March 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/theScore/status/2033649507305722353?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [NHL, NHLPA choose Alberta, Prague as hosts for 2028 World Cup of HockeyThe World Cup of Hockey is coming to Alberta. Eric Engels has all the details from Monday’s announcement that Calgary, Edmonton and Prague will host the 2028 World Cup.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caEric Engels![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/13071589-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/edmonton-calgary-prague-to-host-2028-world-cup-of-hockey/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Leafs are at home to the Islanders tonight, more on that later. The Sceptres are in Boston, and the Marlies are in Scotiabank this afternoon. See you later for the hockey! ### 2026 NCAA Free Agent Watch URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-ncaa-free-agent-watch/ Last updated: 2026-03-16T12:00:17.000Z With the NCAA season wrapping up for many teams, this year's college free agency group has already started. Toronto has had a recent history of signing quite a few of these in the hunt to stock up their prospect cupboard after trading away so many young players and picks. Luke Haymes and John Prokop were signed last year, plus Ryan Kirwan and Gunnarwolfe Fontaine came in on AHL deals. Jacob Quillan was the big get the previous year, with Matthew Barbolini a noteworthy guy signed to an AHL deal. Now, last season Toronto had been heavily linked to Haymes for months leading up to signing him. They had also had him at their development camp in a previous summer. As far as I know, Toronto hasn't been linked to anyone at all this year... but I don't remember them being linked to Prokop or Quillan either. So, who are some interesting players that would make sense for the Leafs to sign? Well, there are two kinds of players they've gone for the past two years in particular – two-way centers and big defensemen. ## FORWARDS ### Hank Cleaves A 6'4" centre that the Leafs may already be somewhat familiar with, since he was Luke Haymes' teammate last year on Dartmouth. Despite being 21 last year, it was his freshman season. He had spent the previous two seasons in the BCHL where he led the team in scoring. Now age 22, Cleaves is one of the younger college free agents getting hype this year because of his combination of size, speed, and two-way potential. He's second on his team this year, with 14 goals and 35 points in 30 games, and is at the top of the rankings in the NCAA for even strength AND primary assists. > Hank Cleaves capitalizes on the power play! We’re tied 2–2 at Brown.[pic.twitter.com/Psyl70Zh9Q](https://t.co/Psyl70Zh9Q?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — EVERYTHING COLLEGE HOCKEY (@TeamECH) [February 14, 2026](https://twitter.com/TeamECH/status/2022799842251051112?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Cleaves is an American from Connecticut, and he was invited to the New York Rangers' development camp last summer. I wouldn't be surprised if he picks one of the teams in that state to sign, if he does indeed sign this year. But he seems to be a late bloomer with interesting tools and skill, and it's not like Toronto's prospect cupboard is full of quality centres. They may be able to offer more of an immediate opportunity for him. > What a tip by Hank Cleaves to make it 2-1 Dartmouth. It’s now 2-2 after one > [pic.twitter.com/gzKv9KrIvP](https://t.co/gzKv9KrIvP?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — EVERYTHING COLLEGE HOCKEY (@TeamECH) [December 6, 2025](https://twitter.com/TeamECH/status/1997108172629110814?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### TJ Hughes I know I wrote about Hughes last year in a similar post, but I'm pretty sure I may have mentioned him the year before that too. Hughes, no relation to the American Hughes brothers, is from Hamilton, Ontario. He's already 24 years old, but he's been one of the top potential free agents for NHL teams the past two years. He's finishing up a long and quality career with Michigan – one of the top teams in college for his four year career. > TJ Hughes might be Superman [@SportsCenter](https://twitter.com/SportsCenter?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/eqiNSTLOR7](https://t.co/eqiNSTLOR7?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) [November 15, 2025](https://twitter.com/umichhockey/status/1989511109158605084?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Hughes has had 13+ goals in all four years, and 36+ points. He's come close to breaking 50 points twice, including this year where he still could break that mark as they're still playing the conference and NCAA playoffs. He's the team captain this year, he's used in all situations, he's rounded out his defensive play and his faceoffs and is arguably the most complete and NHL-ready player in this year's free agent group. He may not be the highest ceiling guy, but he's very versatile and plays a pro-like game already. As a local Hamilton boy, who knows? > Don’t look now but TJ Hughes just reached the nation’s longest point streak in college hockey at 15 games [pic.twitter.com/uqfAk9Ogl2](https://t.co/uqfAk9Ogl2?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) [February 16, 2025](https://twitter.com/umichhockey/status/1890913985051979895?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Nathan Pilling Pilling is another 6'4" two-way centre who's even younger than Cleaves (21 until June). He may not have the same upside as Cleaves seems to, but he arguably offers more in the kind of little detail, physical, defensive play that teams like in their bottom six. Despite that, he's third on his team in goals (15), fourth in points (29) and first in shots (131) as their second line centre. He plays a lot – usually around 20 minutes per game – and contributes both on the powerplay (6 goals) but also short handed (3 goals). He also seems to be their go-to guy for faceoffs, especially late this season. Despite not being a top rated program, Pilling is a big reason why St. Thomas is on the fringe of making the NCAA tournament this spring. > Nathan Pilling...in his office [#RollToms](https://twitter.com/hashtag/RollToms?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#FidesInFratrem](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FidesInFratrem?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/n7k9IKS7Fu](https://t.co/n7k9IKS7Fu?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — St. Thomas Men’s Hockey (@TommieMHockey) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/TommieMHockey/status/2019949017866862794?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The ideal scenario for Pilling, within realism, is probably to become a guy like Steve Lorentz who is also a 6'4", bottom six kind of guy. He won't excite you most of the time, but he could wind up being just the kind of player you don't mind having in your bottom six for specialized situations and won't cost a lot in cap hit. The concern for him is the common one for taller guys who are also lanky, like he is – his top speed is good, but it takes him longer to get up to speed. Adding more explosiveness to his first couple of strides would do wonders for him, and more muscle will help with his physical and defensive play. > Nathan Pilling gets [@TommieMHockey](https://twitter.com/TommieMHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) on the board first! > > 🖥️: [https://t.co/FwkzD2H2rK](https://t.co/FwkzD2H2rK?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)[#CCHAHockey](https://twitter.com/hashtag/CCHAHockey?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#RollToms](https://twitter.com/hashtag/RollToms?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/gw0d23aStI](https://t.co/gw0d23aStI?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — CCHA (@CCHAHockey) [March 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/CCHAHockey/status/2027917281213485560?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Dylan Hryckowian Hryckowian is a 5'10" right winger who's still just 21 years old until May. He may not have the size of some of these other players, but he has a few things going for him. First, he likely has the best set of offensive skills – he is tied for 10th in the NCAA in points per game with 15 goals and 37 points in 29 games. He's been a model of consistency in his three years with Northeastern, but making gradual improvements: 34 points in 34 games in his freshman year, then improving his goals by 10 and points by 2 last year, and has already surpassed that this season with the playoffs just starting. > Dylan Hryckowian - Northeastern > > One of Hockey East's most consistent producers, he's scored at least 34 points in all three years with the [#HowlinHuskies](https://twitter.com/hashtag/HowlinHuskies?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com).[pic.twitter.com/Z7Vz3ivexE](https://t.co/Z7Vz3ivexE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Neil (@NSimmz) [March 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/NSimmz/status/2029733554339385416?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) But Hryckowian isn't just an offensive guy. He is a good skater and uses it aggressively on the forecheck and backcheck. He plays in all situations, often playing 20+ minutes per game. He's very similar to his older brother Justin who also played for Northeastern, also signed as a free agent with an NHL team (Dallas), and is playing his rookie season this year for a good team and could top 30 points at 25 years old. His brother found a role using similar skills as a depth/energy winger who can contribute on offense, so he has that path to follow. Dylan potentially has more offensive upside and a better skater, but isn't as good defensively. > Dylan Hryckowian 🤝 one-timers > > 📺 [https://t.co/5Z18a1wyvE](https://t.co/5Z18a1wyvE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/Cb3ZKHDKwi](https://t.co/Cb3ZKHDKwi?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Northeastern Men’s Hockey (@GoNUmhockey) [January 14, 2024](https://twitter.com/GoNUmhockey/status/1746346710488830421?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## DEFENSE ### Isaiah Norlin Norlin is arguably the top defensive free agent out of the NCAA this year. He's big but still has room to fill out (6'6" and 205 lbs), he's already got a good defensive game with solid instincts and physical potential that can be realized as he gets stronger, and this year he's showing a big offensive breakout compared to his career to date. He's tied for second on his team in points with 26 in 35 games, and tied for 7th in the whole NCAA for defensemen. > NORLIN FROM THE BLUE LINE![#GoGate](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoGate?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/fALRPKDDGs](https://t.co/fALRPKDDGs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Colgate Men's Hockey (@ColgateMIH) [December 7, 2025](https://twitter.com/ColgateMIH/status/1997483809961635868?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) He's still unrefined, but like Cleaves he is relatively young (22) and showing signs of being a late bloomer for his all-around game. There could be more potential for him to realized compared to other 20+ year old college players, considering this is his first NCAA season where he was given this much opportunity. He only played in 16 games for Nebraska-Omaha last year, and transferred to Colgate in the summer. Now he plays 25-30 minutes per game, and with some physical and skills development he could be the most interesting free agent this spring. He shows good skill and footwork on the blueline, good instincts to jump into the play off the rush, and has a pretty good shot for a defenseman if that's your thing. > NORLIN BURIES IT! > > RAIDERS LEAD![#GoGate](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoGate?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/4Uybw08sI0](https://t.co/4Uybw08sI0?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Colgate Men's Hockey (@ColgateMIH) [March 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/ColgateMIH/status/2027905369285018103?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Tyler Dunbar Dunbar is a 6'1", left shot defenseman and just turned 22 years old this past December. He's a very good skater, but is more smooth and shifty guy than having huge raw speed. Like Norlin, he seems to have more potential than others his age as a project who could still be refined. He has decent defensive instincts and plays a very physical game if that's your thing. Offensively, he seems to have the good kind of offensive chaos in helping create opportunities through his passing and movement off the puck. > Etienne Lessard gets the party started for Union early in the second! > > His second of the year is assisted by Tyler Dunbar and Alex Laurenza.[#UBeforeMe](https://twitter.com/hashtag/UBeforeMe?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) x [#NCAAHockey](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NCAAHockey?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/qc743X2h0S](https://t.co/qc743X2h0S?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Union College Men's Hockey (@Unionmhockey) [November 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/Unionmhockey/status/1994873600013439277?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Dunbar is #21 in black at the point So if you were to compare Dunbar with Norlin, he probably doesn't have the defensive projection both because of his smaller size and because of a more mixed results for his defensive reads. But I think he's also better projected on the offensive and puck moving side. It's a bit easier to compare them together since they both played in the ECAC conference, where the nerd schools like Harvard, Cornell, Princeton, etc are. It's a typically weaker conference, which is something to keep in mind when considering their numbers. > G.A.S. from Tyler Dunbar! > > (Go-ahead snipe)[#UBeforeMe](https://twitter.com/hashtag/UBeforeMe?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) x [#NCAAHockey](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NCAAHockey?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) x [@ecachockey](https://twitter.com/ecachockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/2y47gLfqsI](https://t.co/2y47gLfqsI?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Union College Men's Hockey (@Unionmhockey) [January 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/Unionmhockey/status/2010173718635655421?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## GOALIES ### Lawton Zacher Zacher is a 6'2" goalie from Buffalo that just turned 22 in December. He is the main starter for Northeastern. Despite the team being pretty meh, he had one of the best seasons statistically in the entire NCAA. In 32 games, he had a 15-16-1 record with 5 shutouts, a 2.20 GAA and a .929 sv%. Those are very strong stats considering he played in (arguably) the best conference in college and he's likely going to be one of three finalists for the NCAA's top goalie award. For a more scouting based analysis, I'll rely on reports I've read because I don't know anything about goalie mechanics. Zacher gets top grades for his skating and quickness in the crease, in terms of coming out to challenge shooters, moving side to side, and getting up and down from the butterfly. He has a good glove and blocker as well, but he apparently can struggle in close because of lesser flexibility which can leave gaps in his positioning – like his five hole. > This save by Lawton Zacher was incredible [@GoNUmhockey](https://twitter.com/GoNUmhockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/3OEHFek2rI](https://t.co/3OEHFek2rI?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) [February 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/JLazzy23/status/2018524241621381455?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Johnny Hicks Despite only being 5'11" (or even as small as 5'10" on some sites), I'm including Hicks for three reasons. First, because [I included him way back in my list of goalies for the 2023 draft](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2023-nhl-draft-profiles-goalies/) and I'd love to be proven right that he was worth a pick three years later. Second, he's the youngest goalie among those talked about among NCAA free agent goalies this year – he's 20 years old until September. Third, because he has the highest save percentage in the entire NCAA by far at an incredible .960 sv%. Now, those stats are only for 15 games, as he wasn't Denver's main starter though he did take over as the starter in late January and went undefeated with a 10-0-1 record. But it matches a trend I talked about back in 2023, which is that despite being small for a goalie he just always stops pucks at an incredible rate. What's helped him in junior and college is being very good to great at everything else – scouts rave about his skating/movement, puck tracking, ability to read and anticipate play. Given his age, and the fact that he doesn't even have one full season as a starter, I wouldn't be surprised if he returns to college next year instead of signing a contract. But > Johnny Hicks.[#GoPios](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoPios?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#DUHockey](https://twitter.com/hashtag/DUHockey?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/pi4ckLQmhO](https://t.co/pi4ckLQmhO?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Denver Hockey (@DU\_Hockey) [March 8, 2026](https://twitter.com/DU%5FHockey/status/2030470974429401516?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Monday's FTB: Where did that weekend go? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-where-did-that-weekend-go/ Last updated: 2026-03-16T10:00:38.000Z > Artie's Belt 😁 [pic.twitter.com/YkGSBsPPL9](https://t.co/YkGSBsPPL9?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [March 14, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2032952479495725380?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Hot on the heels of a shutout yesterday, Artur Akhtyamov signed a three-year extension that begins next season with an AAV of $900,000. The first year, per Puckpedia, is a two-way deal with a minors salary of $300,000\. The final two years are one-way deals. He is 27 and a UFA when it expires. In the AHL, Akhtyamov is 18th in Save % for qualified goalies (at least 1,140 minutes played) with 0.904\. He has faced the ninth most Shots on Goal. Usually the AHL has a small handful of extremely successful goalies. This year that's Michael DePietro with .936, Carl Lindbom with .927 and Sebastian Cossa, Sergei Murashov and Jacob Fowler with over .915\. Fowler is currently being touted as the next great Habs goalie. Akhtyamov gets to be the second-ranked NHL goalie on Moneypuck for Goals Saved Over Expected per 60 by virtue of his one appearance for 10 minutes of a game he was supposed to be a backup where he faced 11 unblocked shots and did not allow a goal. All of that leaves his actual future NHL-playability a very open question. Cayden Primeau has a better Save % in the AHL than Akhtyamov. --- Mo! > RIELLY ROOFS IT![@OREO](https://twitter.com/Oreo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/hal9Vx8I5D](https://t.co/hal9Vx8I5D?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [March 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2033341163604684898?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) BO! > Grazin’ Groulx![@OREO](https://twitter.com/Oreo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/abuTVzYb8m](https://t.co/abuTVzYb8m?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [March 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2033342181449126375?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Gross Groulx 😳[@OREO](https://twitter.com/Oreo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/nZ8llBMtpG](https://t.co/nZ8llBMtpG?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [March 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2033344378647839080?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It was 3-0 Leafs at the half. Really, I'm not making this up. It was still 3-0 after two. The Wild came back with two goals in like three seconds, and the tank crowd were all happy. Matt Knies scored an ENG and I was happy. Leafs win in a fun game. That's what it's supposed to be about. Okay, 23 seconds, whatever. > VLADIMIR TARASENKO SCORES TWO GOALS IN 23 SECONDS 🫨 [pic.twitter.com/FHoUX8ukzt](https://t.co/FHoUX8ukzt?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [March 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2033363079484850280?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) --- Because of the reaction to the Gudas suspension, everyone is talking about it. [Player safety becomes front-burner issue at GM meetings after Gudas fallout![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-18.ico)Connected](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/player-safety-becomes-front-burner-issue-at-gm-meetings-after-gudas-fallout/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) McDavid's comments: [Connor McDavid believes NHL should do review of player safetyEdmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid, who acknowledged the difficulty of the job the department of player safety has, but suggested the process itself may need another look.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/mcd-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/connor-mcdavid-believes-nhl-should-do-review-of-player-safety/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I want to try to succinctly sum up my thoughts on this, but it's complicated: The NHLPA filing grievances is the point at which the Player Safety process – which is part of the entertainment business of the NHL – crosses over into the real world. And for many people, what they want is some transgressive and dramatic statements from the PA to pass around on social media for an afternoon. But the PA actually works within the internal system, and also crosses over to reality in terms of protecting individual rights of players. So when they make a presentation to DoPS, as they are said to have done regarding Gudas, what they are saying is that within the existing history of DoPS, 5 games is extreme and their job is to say that on behalf of Gudas because all the players are their responsibility. Only someone who does not understand how individual rights work wants the PA to judge Gudas and refuse to represent him. Remember Jason Spezza successfully got his suspension reduced, and he did because it was an egregious number of games – as I argued at the time – within the context of prior acts. Step outside the system, and the NHLPA now represents all players who have a variety of opinions on suspensions. They don't all necessarily agree with McDavid. But to collectively bargain changes, they have to give something up. Do they want that? I know what I want, but I shouldn't impose that on the players and assume they think the same as me. Suspensions for plays that happen because a lower skilled player uses the risk of injury to impede a skilled player should be much longer. Hits to the head should never involve discussion of "the stick rode up" and they should be the longest. The fines are a waste of time. But what will the players who agree with me give up to get the NHL to agree to that? Because the NHL's goal here, make no mistake, is to never suspend anyone. They do it grudgingly because they don't want anyone playing less. The do it at all because they recognize that having a star player miss the playoffs is bad. And so, you have to wonder if things had been different, would Gudas sit longer? It will be interesting to see if this goes anywhere but talk. But kudos to McDavid – who shares Matthews' agent – for speaking up. And that's Monday's business. The Leafs play, wait for it... a back-to-back this weekend, but first they pop right back home to face the Islanders on Tuesday. ### GDT: Leafs in Minnesota URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-in-minnesota/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T19:00:17.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Minnesota Wild 07:30 PM at Grand Casino Arena Watch on: TNT, truTV, HBO MAX, SNO ### The Leafs last game was away on March 14 against the Buffalo Sabres, which Toronto lost by a score of 3-2 in a shootout. The Leafs have a record of 28-27-12 for a 0.507 Points %. The Minnesota Wild last played at home on March 14 against the New York Rangers. The Wild lost by a score of 4-2 in regulation, and their current league record is 38-17-12 for a 0.657 Points %. St. Louis is back to being the fifth to last team in the standings today with a Points % of 0.485\. If they continue at that points rate, they will finish with 80 points (rounding up). The Leafs have to finish with 79 points to take that spot in the standings, and they need to play at 0.367 the rest of the season to only get 11 points out of the remaining 15 games. This has gotten easier for the Leafs to achieve mostly because other teams have won some games. The Rangers are tied with St. Louis right now, meaning out-losing both of them puts the Leafs in fourth last. Los Angeles is the fourth place team contesting for the two western wild card spots. San Jose holds the second spot with a Points % of 0.547 which would give them 90 points if they maintain that pace. For Los Angeles to get 91 points and take that spot, giving Toronto a second-round pick, they have to play 0.688 the rest of the season. They are at 0.523\. This has gotten harder both because LA lost a game and because San Jose won, and has hit highly implausible levels of outplaying needed by LA. ### Them Minnesota, third in the Central, is 14 points ahead of the first wild card team. They are also six points behind Dallas. They are where they will finish. The Wild are built from the goal crease out, and they got beat by the Rangers last night because Filip Gustavsson let in two goals over expected while Igor Shesterkin did the opposite. Unlike the Rangers, the Wild do have some talent not wearing pads, but they are a dull team at five-on-five, with weak power play. They outscore their expected on the power play and at five-on-five. Put that with the usually very solid goalies, and they win a lot of games. If that sounds a lot like the Sabres and the Ducks, it's because they are a lot like those teams. #### Lines Last Game (2026-03-14) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/minnesota-wild/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Kirill Kaprizov - Ryan Hartman - Mats Zuccarello Marcus Johansson - Joel Eriksson Ek - Matt Boldy Nick Foligno - Danila Yurov - Vladimir Tarasenko Nico Sturm - Michael McCarron - Yakov Trenin Quinn Hughes - Brock Faber Jonas Brodin - Jared Spurgeon Jacob Middleton - Zach Bogosian Jesper Wallstedt - confirmed starter Filip Gustavsson ### Us They got to Minnesota last night, and any update to the roster will be this afternoon. #### Lines David Alter via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday, these are not the official lines, don't complain about the fourth line based on this. Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Max Domi - Easton Cowan Dakota Joshua - Bo Groulx - Nicholas Robertson Michael Pezzetta - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Philippe Myers Anthony Stolarz - confirmed starter Joe Woll ### The Game Once again, give it your best shot. ### Sceptres Gameday: An afternoon vs the Torrent URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-an-afternoon-vs-the-torrent/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T16:22:29.000Z ## Seattle Torrent @ Toronto Sceptres 1:00 PM ET @Coca-Cola Coliseum **Watch in Seattle:** FOX 13+ **Watch in Canada:** TSN #### #### **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com #### Toronto's last game was a week ago on Sunday at home to the Frost. Toronto lost in overtime, getting a much needed point. They are currently in sixth place with a Points % of 0.417. Seattle's last game was on Friday where they lost in regulation on the road to the Frost. They are currently in last place with a Points % of 0.352. While the Sceptres sat out a week, neither Seattle nor Vancouver gained any ground, but the New York Sirens moved back up into fourth place. They have a Points % of 0.474, which would give them 43 points (rounding up). Toronto has to play at 0.633 to get to 44 points by the end of the season. This is getting harder for the Sceptres, even though they have been adding points because the goal has gone up as the Sirens and the Charge battle for fourth place. Toronto needs regulation wins, and lot of them to get 19 points in 10 games. > How we're lining up against Seattle! > > Watts is out due to illness. > > Toronto Sceptres x [@MRSUB1968](https://twitter.com/MRSUB1968?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/KLPh4lHLEd](https://t.co/KLPh4lHLEd?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Sceptres (@PWHL\_Toronto) [March 15, 2026](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5FToronto/status/2033204073126908328?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Sunday FTB: Leafs heading to Minnesota URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sunday-ftb-leafs-heading-to-minnesota/ Last updated: 2026-03-15T10:00:07.000Z Yesterday afternoon, Athletic reporter Michael Russo vagueposted about a potential delay to the Leafs game today in Minnesota due to safety. He meant a snow storm as the Twin Cities were under a blizzard warning. On the broadcast, they reported that no firm decision had been made on travel implications. The game is scheduled for 7:30 pm ET which is 6:30 pm local time so the opportunity is there for a delay. Elliotte Friedman reported last night on HNIC that Auston Matthews should be ready for the next season no matter what his knee looks like after two weeks when they revisit his treatment strategy. [Saturday Headlines: Maple Leafs hopeful Auston Matthews won’t need surgery![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_favicon-17.ico)Connected](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/maple-leafs-hopeful-auston-matthews-wont-need-surgery/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is great and all for the Kings, but they lost the game. They aren't supposed to do that: > CROWN HIM 👑 > > Anze Kopitar passes Marcel Dionne in his final NHL season to become the [@LAKings](https://twitter.com/LAKings?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)' all-time points leader! [pic.twitter.com/X9aiKdctHQ](https://t.co/X9aiKdctHQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL (@NHL) [March 15, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHL/status/2032991620941918268?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Play of the night last night: > William Nylander with the patience feeds Max Domi for the go-ahead goal 🩺 [pic.twitter.com/7E4kjhGJuO](https://t.co/7E4kjhGJuO?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [March 15, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2032974547557740826?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Sabres won this one in a shootout, giving the Leafs a point. Sorry they lost/got a point depending on your POV. Michael Pezzetta played 6:28 in all-situations, and I say again, they have to just send him down or sit him fulltime in the pressbox for Steven Lorentz. I would expect Lorentz to play today unless there's a minor injury we're all unaware of. Jacob Quillan played 10:10 because he does PK, and he's basically in the roster for that reason. Bo Groulx has won a real spot for now, with 19:07 played and the same five-on-five time as John Tavares making them the defacto top six centres, no matter what the lineup card said. A tough schedule is going to be the proof of Groulx's ability to keep this up in a serious way. He is under contract for next season, so no real decision on his place on the team needs to come before next training camp, however. When we know if/when this game is a go, we'll let you know. Until then, have a great day. ### GDT: Leafs in Buffalo URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-in-buffalo-yet-again/ Last updated: 2026-03-14T16:54:11.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Buffalo Sabres 07:00 PM at KeyBank Center Watch on: SN, NHLN, CBC, MSG-B ### The Leafs last game was at home on March 12 against the Anaheim Ducks, which Toronto won by a score of 6-4 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 28-27-11 for a 0.508 Points %. The Buffalo Sabres last played at home on March 12 against the Washington Capitals. The Sabres lost by a score of 2-1 in regulation, and their current league record is 40-20-6 for a 0.652 Points %. Winnipeg is the new fifth to last team in the standings today with a Points % of 0.484\. If they continue at that points rate, they will finish with 79 points. The Leafs have to finish with 78 points to take that spot in the standings, and they need to play at 0.344 the rest of the season to only get 11 points out of the remaining 16 games. This has gotten easier for the Leafs to achieve mostly because other teams have won some games. Los Angeles is the third place team contesting for the two western wild card spots. San Jose holds the second spot with a Points % of 0.540 which would give them 89 points if they maintain that pace. For Los Angeles to get 90 points and take that spot, giving Toronto a second-round pick, they have to play 0.618 the rest of the season. They are at 0.531\. This has gotten harder, even as LA won a game because San Jose has two games in hand. ### Them Conor Timmins name came to mind today. He's listed on IR with a leg injury, but may actually just be suffering from "Buffalo traded for Luke Schenn". The Sabres are comfortably in the top three in the Altantic and are legitimately contesting top spot with Tampa, which is their main motivation as they play out the last month of the season. How is Buffalo doing this? They have the fourth highest Save % over Expected on Unblocked Shots in all-situations. Otherwise, they are one of those mediocre five-on-five teams. Their power play is very bad, but they score over expected, so that helps them a little. Their PK is entirely goaltending. > Lindy Ruff said, Samuelsson is doubtful, Pearson is out and Tuch looks like he can play. Ellis is out. > > — Paul Hamilton (@pham1717) [March 14, 2026](https://twitter.com/pham1717/status/2032831214113947722?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) #### Lines Last Game (2026-03-12) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/buffalo-sabres/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Zach Benson - Tage Thompson - Noah Ostlund Josh Doan - Josh Norris - Peyton Krebs Jason Zucker - Ryan McLeod - Jack Quinn ~~Tanner Pearson~~ \- Sam Carrick - Beck Malenstyn Mattias Samuelsson - Rasmus Dahlin Bowen Byram - Owen Power Logan Stanley - Luke Schenn Alex Lyon - confirmed starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen ### Us Complaints about Max Domi at centre can be made by filling out the attached form and mailing it to the address on your screen. You will receive a free "Bless Your Heart" reply within six weeks. Steven Lorentz the extra, no recalled players as of now. There is a potential problem with the Leafs flying into St. Paul tonight due to a snow storm, so some schedule change for tomorrow is possible. #### Lines Last Game (2026-03-12) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Max Domi - Easton Cowan Dakota Joshua - Bo Groulx - Nicholas Robertson Michael Pezzetta - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Philippe Myers Joe Woll starter Anthony Stolarz ### The Game Give it your best shot, guys. ### Saturday's FTB: Help wanted - forwards URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/saturdays-ftb-help-wanted-forwards/ Last updated: 2026-03-14T10:00:10.000Z If you were doing something fun on a Friday night when the news dropped: [Auston Matthews done for the seasonRadko Gudas’s suspension is not yet known.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-402.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1669663787352-d6a44f1c8364)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/auston-matthews-done-for-the-season/) [The NHL Failed to Protect Auston MatthewsEnough with critiquing the player response, let’s focus on the real guilty party.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-403.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1633078654544-61b3455b9161)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/the-nhl-failed-to-protect-auston-matthews/) Another jammed week in Toronto hockey starts today. The Leafs are in Buffalo tonight and Minnesota tomorrow. Tuesday is a double-header at Scotiabank with the Marlies in the afternoon and the Leafs in the evening hosting the Islanders. That's the St. Patrick's day game for the Leafs, but for the Marlies, they're doing that today at Coca-Cola: > Coming to our St. Patrick's Day game at [@CocaColaClsm](https://twitter.com/CocaColaClsm?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) tomorrow? We can't wait to see you there! > > Here are some things you should know before you go ↓ [pic.twitter.com/SBErbg3f6h](https://t.co/SBErbg3f6h?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [March 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2032501945643274492?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Meanwhile, the Sceptres are back in action on Sunday at Coca-Cola before heading off to Boston for St. Patrick's day on Tuesday night. Yesterday was the AHL trade deadline, and there was a host of trades of AHL-contracted and NHL-contracted AHLers. > After trade deadline, the only players eligible to be sent down from NHL to AHL: > > \-Were in AHL on deadline day (including in the NHL who were "papered" down/up) > \-Spent most of season in AHL, but @ deadline in NHL on IR > \-LTIR conditioning stint > > That's it. No exceptions/loopholes > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [March 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/2032571537057001700?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies made no moves. The signing of NCAA free agents continues: > The [#GoAvsGo](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoAvsGo?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) signed 23 y/o NCAA Free Agent D Gustav Stjernberg to a 2 year ELC > > $955K Cap Hit > $1.025M AAV > > Yr 1: $850K NHL, $102.5K SB, $72.5 GP B, $85K Minors > Yr 2: $850K/ $107.5K/ $67.5K/ $85K > > Rep'd by Chris McAlpine [@OctagonHockey](https://twitter.com/OctagonHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/YD48vwM0kP](https://t.co/YD48vwM0kP?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [March 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/2032547646510969125?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The CHL leagues are coming up hard on the end of their regular season, which means a host of graduating players not in the playoffs will be available as well. There are bound to be signings for AHL teams out of that group as well. And to clarify the way eligibility works, no one can be added to the Leafs with the exception of players currently under NHL contract and loaned to junior teams or players on the reserve list signed to NHL contracts. So the Leafs can't sign some NCAA guy and put him on the roster. They can put new signings on the AHL roster. The Marlies played 11-7 last night due to injuries so the forward shortage is now officially a thing: > F Reese Johnson (upper body, day-to-day), F Vinni Lettieri (upper body, day-to-day), D Marshall Rifai (lower body, week-to-week) and D Cade Webber (upper body, week-to-week) will not dress for tonight's game. > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [March 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2032592823933915276?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The preview will be later today, and we may have word on a recall option, although they currently have 13 forwards, so it isn't crucial. ### The NHL Failed to Protect Auston Matthews URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/the-nhl-failed-to-protect-auston-matthews/ Last updated: 2026-03-14T00:56:44.000Z > Anaheim’s Radko Gudas has been suspended for five games for kneeing Toronto’s Auston Matthews. [https://t.co/jBq3cksIMt](https://t.co/jBq3cksIMt?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) [March 14, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHLPlayerSafety/status/2032619588395909429?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I've never confused the NHL with the government or DoPS with the police and the courts. I don't expect them to be fair. The NHL is not a noble pursuit of great meaning and importance, it's a rough and tumble game that's supposed to be physical for our entertainment. It's supposed to be controlled aggression, structured physical contests, and restrained violence. Almost a show, almost real. I watch the game to see a wonderous story of humans striving against the obstacles that prevent success, but I also know it's a show. The NHL has failed at one of the most important parts of showbiz. It's about the stars not the clowns in the third ring of the circus. It's about the centre ring talent. Auston Matthews, gold medal around his neck, two different jerseys with a C stitched on them, is a star. I don't give a shit that he isn't in the playoffs or that he's had a very bad, no-good season. He's still it. And the NHL should damn well act like it. Radko Gudas is nobody. He's a clown. The NHL wants him to be famous for his "borderline" hits, and how many people need knee surgery after they've met him before they realize he's escaped the border? But he isn't worth any attention. And if the NHL values its stars, wants to promote its game, and particularly, for the love of HRR, its American stars, then maybe they should throw the damn book at the clown who injured the best American player in the game. Gudas hit Matthews, intentionally, in the knee – a rare infraction because it is so dangerous – because he could not defend a player that much better than him. In other words, Radko Gudas is more aware of the value disparity here than the league. Buck up NHL. Embrace your unchecked power to suspend at will and hand out a serious, real deterrent suspension. Protect your stars. > Auston Matthews' agent, Judd Moldaver, calls the five-game suspension given to Radko Gudas by [@NHLPlayerSafety](https://twitter.com/NHLPlayerSafety?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) "laughable and preposterous" when asked for comment: [pic.twitter.com/c5GsAaNwAG](https://t.co/c5GsAaNwAG?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [March 14, 2026](https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/2032620303830888745?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Auston Matthews done for the season URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/auston-matthews-done-for-the-season/ Last updated: 2026-03-13T23:30:28.000Z ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/HDU9leoaMAAqz3a-1-.jpg) No word, obviously, on surgery needed. Radko Gudas had a phone hearing sometime today, no word yet on the result. > Radko Gudas has been ejected from the game for kneeing and Auston Matthews has gone to the dressing room. [pic.twitter.com/wTiR9t7Tzw](https://t.co/wTiR9t7Tzw?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [March 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2032253451468427451?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Friday's FTB: Bad news/good news game URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-8/ Last updated: 2026-03-13T10:00:04.000Z The game last night started with a silly fight off the faceoff that was meant to wake everyone up. It didn't quite work even though the Leafs scored first, but ended up down 3-1 after slogging gracelessly through the first half. Auston Matthews scored on the power play: > Auston Matthews breaks his 12-game goalless drought on the PP! ✅ [pic.twitter.com/L5iF4UDbCY](https://t.co/L5iF4UDbCY?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [March 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2032251264638050439?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And Radko Gudas didn't want that happening again: > Radko Gudas has been ejected from the game for kneeing and Auston Matthews has gone to the dressing room. [pic.twitter.com/wTiR9t7Tzw](https://t.co/wTiR9t7Tzw?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [March 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2032253451468427451?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) No one responded in any direct way, but JT got some revenge on the power play: > John Tavares SCORES on the PP to make it a 3-3 game in Toronto! [pic.twitter.com/39CUKNZoVC](https://t.co/39CUKNZoVC?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [March 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2032253918000861457?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > William Nylander scores the second goal on the 5-minute major and the Leafs have a 4-3 lead! [pic.twitter.com/Sr1MoZ98YG](https://t.co/Sr1MoZ98YG?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [March 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2032260073158766609?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Max Domi managed to get two and a ten with 12 minutes left in the game to try to make winning this harder, but... Bo Groulx! He's been hot like burning in the AHL, and he got an NHL goal, an insurance goal, a goal in a chaotic and emotional game. Go Bo! > Benoit-Olivier Groulx scores his first NHL goal in almost FIVE YEARS 😳 [pic.twitter.com/zdzZBch5S4](https://t.co/zdzZBch5S4?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [March 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2032264943727210863?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This was so much fun to see. With Matthews out for the final half of the game, Groulx took on a big role. This makes watching worthwhile to see him have some success. All of Groulx's prior NHL games were with the Ducks, too. I should say as well the Michael Pezzetta did more than his silly fight off the opening faceoff, he played a good forechecking shift now and again in very low minutes Not how anyone wanted the team to wake up. And yes, lots of conversation will be had about the total lack of response by the Leafs to their captain lying on the ice. I think the initial lack of reaction was part shock, just part how they roll. But I mean, come on! This is Radko Fucking Gudas, you should be irate that he's there, forget about this chickenshit move because he's too old to defend now. Eventually they got into it and everyone remembered what checking is, what clearing the crease after a whistle is for, what all those pounds they work so hard to add can do for them. Easton Cowan fought the Ducks new it-boy Jackson LaCombe. (But he waited until it was 5-3.) > Easton Cowan gets in a scrap with Jackson LaCombe 👀 [pic.twitter.com/ZtayQ7mIpX](https://t.co/ZtayQ7mIpX?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [March 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2032267789755367464?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Final score was 6-4 after an ENG from Matt Knies and, uh, Joe Woll pooped one in, but never mind, he waited until it was 6-3 to do it. We may have word today on Matthews. We'll let you know. > Joseph Woll in Leaf game No. 108, passes Jonas Gustavsson to enter the top 20 in franchise history. Turk Broda reigns at 629. > > — Lance Hornby 🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@sunhornby) [March 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/sunhornby/status/2032230681569292301?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Morgan Rielly says he takes full responsibility for not responding right away to the Gudas knee on Matthews. Says he wasn’t sure of the extent of what happened but “I take full responsibility.” [@Ozoon\_CA](https://twitter.com/Ozoon%5FCA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — David Alter (@davidalter) [March 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/davidalter/status/2032274935008067759?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Berube on Gudas hit: "A dirty play. The league will obviously look at and see what the suspension will be or whatever." > On the Leafs delayed response: "Obviously we should have had four guys in there doing something about it. Didn't happen then, but we responded in the third." > > — Lance Hornby 🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@sunhornby) [March 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/sunhornby/status/2032281040031551909?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) --- And now the news: Bottom line from Insider Trading: The Leafs are not making changes before the end of the season. Management, coach, players, all as is. [\- TSNTSN’s Hockey Insiders on Ottawa getting their first-rounder back, the Ducks and John Carlson, the struggling Leafs, why Rasmus Andersson hasn’t extended yet and a UFA crop thinning with Nick Schmaltz’s signing.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-235.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F03-12-2026-2Ft_aa1fc9e4ab73414383efaa19ad902c1e_name_2026_3_12_161925c4_770b_418e_92e5_8fb8a95303de_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/03/12/insider-trading-sens-regain-2026-first-round-pick/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Caveat: "as of this moment". It's that time of the year when NCAA graduates get contracts: > Gross was the third-ranked player in the Elite Prospects 2026 NCAA Free Agency Guide 🔥[#Flames](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flames?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) fans can read more about his game here: [https://t.co/R7AU96lLFI](https://t.co/R7AU96lLFI?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/DldlVgKdX9](https://t.co/DldlVgKdX9?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/kAccO6NZRq](https://t.co/kAccO6NZRq?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) [March 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/eliteprospects/status/2032121128307593330?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There was an AHL level trade of NHL-contracted players: > 🚨 Trade > > To [#NHLBruins](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLBruins?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Navrin Mutter 24 y/o F, Yr 1/1 @ $775K > > To [#Smashville](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Smashville?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Massimo Rizzo 24 y/o F, Yr 2/2 @ $925K > Dalton Bancroft 25 y/o F , Yr 1/1 @ $950K > > Reminder trades can still occur post trade deadline but players are ineligible to play in NHL[https://t.co/7FkE8Pw7ur](https://t.co/7FkE8Pw7ur?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [March 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/2032121186834932129?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Wait, there were two: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/69b34ede24094-1-.png) Wait, three: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/69b36460e7b5f-1-.png) [NHL modifies penalty to Senators for cancelled trade | NHL.comThe National Hockey League announced today that it has decided to modify the disciplinary sanction originally imposed on the Ottawa Senators’ franchise for its role in connection with the July 2021 trade of Player Evgenii Dadonov from the Senators to the Vegas Golden Knights and the subsequent,![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-211.png)NHL logoNHL Public Relations![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/zydqpoaq7hfgzf7qcuji.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-modifies-penalty-to-ottawa-for-cancelled-trade?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Have a good Friday, everyone, there's two games this weekend, so who knows, they might be fun now everyone is awake. ### GDT: Ducks at Leafs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-ducks-at-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-03-12T16:37:08.000Z ### Anaheim Ducks @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: TSN4, Victory+, KCOP-13 ### The Leafs last game was away on March 10 against the Montréal Canadiens, which Toronto lost by a score of 3-1 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 27-27-11 for a 0.5 Points %. The Anaheim Ducks last played away on March 10 against the Winnipeg Jets. The Ducks won by a score of 4-1 in regulation, and their current league record is 36-25-3 for a 0.586 Points %. St. Louis is the fifth to last team in the standings with a Points % of 0.469\. If they continue at that points rate, they will finish with 77 points (rounded up). The Leafs have to finish with 76 points to take that spot in the standings, and they need to play at 0.324 the rest of the season to only get 11 points out of the remaining 17 games. Los Angeles is the fourth place team contesting for the two western wild card spots. Seattle holds the second spot with a Points % of 0.532 which would give them 87 points if they maintain that pace. For Los Angeles to get 88 points and take that spot, giving Toronto a second-round pick, they have to play 0.583 the rest of the season. They are at 0.523. ### Them The Ducks are leading the weakest version of the Pacific division in the history of weak Pacific divisions. Okay, maybe not, but they aren't very strong. They are okay at a lot of things, and they have Lukas Dostal. He's fifth in the NHL for regular starting goalies in the Expected Goals Against he has faced, and he's managed to save a titch over expected with that workload. The Ducks play a high-end 50/50 club five-on-five game. Their Expected Goals and Corsi are 51% and 52%. This puts them higher up than say, Buffalo, on a ranked list, but the difference is extremely small. They are in that big blob of mediocrity with most of the league. Their power play is mediocre and they score under expected. Their PK is very bad and the goalies make it worse. Their all-situations Goals % is 48\. That's the Pacific for you. #### Lines Last Game (2026-03-10) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/anaheim-ducks/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Chris Kreider - Leo Carlsson - Cutter Gauthier Mason McTavish - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke Alex Killorn - Ryan Poehling - Jeffrey Viel Jansen Harkins - Tim Washe - Ross Johnston Jackson Lacombe - Jacob Trouba Olen Zellweger - Radko Gudas Pavel Mintyukov - Ian Moore Lukas Dostal - likely starter, but unconfirmed Ville Husso ### Us > F Michael Pezzetta has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [March 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2032094882576089408?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) With 200 games played (and a points rate that just skates over the Roman Polak threshold for viability in the NHL) it was inevitable that "energy guy" Michael Pezzetta would get some time in at the NHL level. Those games were all with Montréal and his zero points in 25 games last year as the Canadiens improved had him up for grabs in the summer. Nick Kypreos frightened the masses by assuming he'd been signed to play the fourth line, but Pezzetta was easily outplayed by others in training camp. He has appeared in 37 games for the Marlies and has 52 PIM (second on the team). It's also his birthday tomorrow, so happy 28th birthday to Michael Pezzetta. He's from Toronto so he's playing for free tonight. In more meaningful news, Easton Cowan seems to have taken over Matt Knies' job, and Calle Järnkrok draws back in as Dakota Joshua and Steven Lorentz sit out a game. #### Lines [Morning skate:](https://x.com/davidalter/status/2032103107769880669?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Easton Cowan - Auston Matthews - William Nylander Matthew Knies- John Tavares - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - Bo Groulx - Nicholas Robertson Michael Pezzetta - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Anthony Stolarz Joe Woll - starter ### The Game Pezzetta's job is to "wake up the team" which, sure, that works. I'm not going to say they don't seem to be dithering their way through the rest of the season, and he might help keep the fans awake, but well, let's see how it all goes down. Note: This makes four post-deadline recalls from the AHL in use by the Leafs right now: Cowan, Quillan, Groulx and Pezzetta. They cannot add another player without sending one of those four down first. ### Thursday's FTB: Ducks and Odds URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-ducks-and-odds/ Last updated: 2026-03-12T10:00:13.000Z Everyone wants the conditional pick from the Kings to be a second and not a third. The Kings like Scott Laughton, and I've noticed DJ Smith likes to play him in key situations – to start OT, to start after a power play, etc. – so let's all be happy together, and hope them into the playoffs. I'm sure that's how it works. This unfortunately means paying attention to the Western Conference, which might as well be on a different planet, it's so weird. The Kings are eight points back of the Ducks, who are leading the Pacific with 75 points which does not get you in a playoff position in the east. Edmonton and Vegas aren't much better at 72 points each, making this complicated because those final two Pacific spots are in the mix as well as just the wild card spots are for LA (67 points), Seattle (67) and San Jose (66). Nashville (66), who are also in this conversation, can't touch the Central teams, so their only way in is in the wild card spot, this is also Utah's situation with 73 points. Okay, here's the [Moneypuck ](https://moneypuck.com/predictions.htm?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)odds as of yesterday – you can look up any changes yourself as the season rolls on. These odds are made ... > By running a simulation of the rest of the NHL season 100,000 times we can create precise probabilities of the outcome of the season for each team. Each game is simulated using the probabilities from the pre-game prediction model discussed below. For games further into the future, the model scores are regressed to the mean to account for uncertainty. Utah, who hold the first wildcard spot are at 91.9% to make the playoffs. So the model puts them as unbeatable, and given how few games are left, that's fully realistic. The same way I'm not mentioning Winnipeg, who are out of the picture, these things are not certain yet, but they are close enough. So the real contenders for the two Pacific spots and the one wildcard spot are: 1. Edmonton at 85.4% 2. Vegas at 81.4% 3. Seattle at 38.8% 4. LA at 37.6% 5. San Jose at 31.5% 6. Nashville at 28.1% Something really weird has to happen for Edmonton and Vegas to fall out of the picture entirely. Nashville has very faint hopes here given the juggernaut of mediocrity in the Pacific. The three west coast teams are all very close, and the most likely outcome here is that those three teams will be the second, third and fourth place for the wild card spots, meaning only one of them gets in. That is one reason why each has a probability of about one/third. The other is that they are virtually indistinguishable in the model. Put the three together and there's a greater than 100% chance one of them gets in (because there is some small chance they knock out Edmonton or Vegas). Expect these numbers to be volatile as the time to move up or down the standings winds down. A win and up you go, a loss and down the drain. Making this interesting, the Leafs play LA and San Jose in early April, about the only thing that will be interesting about 10 pm starts. Tonight, while the Leafs are playing the Ducks, Boston needs to pull their socks up and beat San Jose in regulation. Go Bruins Go! Seattle faces the Avs in a late game, and Colorado needs to stop being so average and start building to the playoffs! LA gets to play the Islanders tomorrow on Friday the 13th. What could go wrong? Now that you know you're cheering for the Bruins tonight, we can move onto some news. --- [Mammoth sign F Schmaltz to eight-year, $64M contract extensionThe Utah Mammoth have signed forward Nick Schmaltz to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-233.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/3WHYRQ5HMGJ6AQ2GMFMNYF3AJM.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/mammoth-sign-f-schultz-to-eight-year-contract-extension/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [ESPN to Exclusively Present NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey Championships, March 12-22ESPN will exclusively present the 2026 NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey Championships, beginning Thursday, March 12, with the regional semifinals. Action continues Saturday, March 14, with the regional finals. Every regional game through the Women’s Frozen Four will stream on the ESPN App. Women’s Frozen Four semifinal action begins Friday, March 20, at 4 p.m. ET and 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+ followed by the Championship game on Sunday, March 22, at 4 p.m. from Pegula Ice Arena at University Park, Pa. (ESPNU). Jason Ross Jr., AJ Mleczko and Madison Packer will be on the call throughout Women’s Frozen Four and John Buccigross, Mleczko and Packer on the call for the Championship.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-234.ico)ESPN Press Room U.S.Andrea DiCristoforo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/2026-NCAA-WHOC-Champ-Tune-In.png)](https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2026/03/espn-to-exclusively-present-ncaa-womens-ice-hockey-championships-march-12-22/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > THE STAGE IS SET 👊 > > Canada will take on the United States in the WBC quarterfinals 🇨🇦🇺🇸 [pic.twitter.com/dK16f4fLA5](https://t.co/dK16f4fLA5?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [March 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2031917893546279026?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 8 pm Friday! ### Wednesday's FTB: Waiting for the great leap forward URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-waiting-for-the-great-leap-forward/ Last updated: 2026-03-11T10:00:08.000Z Good morning, and Happy Wednesday to everyone. It's early March, the weather is weird, and – I enjoy reading these hot takes that em-dashes and things in threes mean something was written by AI. Speaking of the weather, my local organic farm that delivers vegetables to my house posted about their early rush to planting various things. What they're doing, they explained, was surfing the wave of the weather and putting in some lettuce and spinach in hoop houses and even some less hardy seedlings in case the temperatures stay unnaturally hot. There is a cost to this in materials and labour as well as time and emotional investment, but it might pay out. And the only way to eliminate the doubt is to do nothing and be sure there will be no early crops. So they choose to try it, and live with the result. They aren't going to start planting in January, but when there is some chance, they're taking it. Yeah, totally about the weather and vegetables. I tried on Monday to write what I think about the trade deadline and where the Leafs are at, and the choices in front of them. The thing is, this is actually a really big picture, big ideas sort of discussion. If you try to boil it down to a list of draft picks or players with trade protection (in case you live on earth, not planet tanking fantasy) you miss some crucial ideas. But if you focus on the ideas it stops becoming about the game. I gave up. I might try again, but I might also focus just on the rhetorical tricks people play on themselves with the words they use. Tokens, symbols, vague ideas that can mean whatever they need to to advance an argument. Even that's a little too meta, but you can't bin draft picks forever without having to hear me complain about how much you're implicitly lying. Makes a change from, "Your arguments using points are actually arguments showing how using points is so misleading." Waiting. That's what we're doing. OMG, did you see what Berube did last night!!!! Yeah, maybe I'll get to that in a bit, but this is the interregnum of inactivity we just need to sit through before the end of the regular season. In the social media age where you need a new take every day, this is a challenge. I've pretty much decided to meet this challenge by trying very hard to decide nothing, to be open to all possibilities. So not tanking, because, they can't. But to just sit with it and consider all possible approaches. You know what's funny, though? I don't actually get a vote. The team will do what it does. I can wait for the future to arrive and it will arrive the same no matter what I think. Did anything interesting happen last night? Kind of. The Leafs played appallingly bad for a period and seemed to find themselves again. It was 2-1 Montréal in the third, and then an ENG ended the really rather good attempt to tie it up. The goal was pretty. > Cowan and Nylander connect to cut the Habs lead in half 🚨 [pic.twitter.com/2cUZlI0DdH](https://t.co/2cUZlI0DdH?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [March 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2031530215688564816?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I'll forget by the next game, so the report on the three younger players comes now: Cowan moved to the top six about halfway through and his line with Matthews and Nylander was really good. Matthews had been really deeply terrible in the first period with Knies and Domi. Jacob Quillan played as the 4C with very low minutes and mad no impression one way or the other. He did play PK, which is going to keep him on the roster, I think. Bo Groulx played as the 3C and got 12 minutes at five-on-five and played very well. Cowan was really good. I think he got moved to the third line to start the game in a "spread the offence" attempt, but it just wasn't working. I don't know if any of that means anything, but they came out of their funk and put in some serious trying most of the game. Meanwhile the Kings and Boston, both with precarious playoff hopes, played to a tie to no one's surprise. Boston took it in OT, but the point is a point and keeps the Kings in the contest for the last spot in the west. The Leafs are back home on Thursday to the Ducks and play a road back-to-back this weekend, as the schedule continues to be absurd. Speaking of the playoff race in the west, look who's back! [Kraken activate G Murray (lower-body injury) from IRThe Seattle Kraken activated goaltender Matt Murray from Injured Reserve on Monday.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-231.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Z4GKZ35XUFCF3HLQ27ZU7VMLVU.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/kraken-activate-g-murray-lower-body-injury-from-ir/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And in the east, look who is out: [Senators’ D Sanderson out week-to-week amid playoff pushOttawa Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson is week-to-week with an upper-body injury, head coach Travis Green told reporters Monday afternoon.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-232.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/733SNYM3N5E2HNX5TQV4LWTN74.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/senators-d-sanderson-out-week-to-week/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Avs lost Gabriel Landeskog to injury making that Kadri trade look like the only really smart deadline move anyone made. Have a great day, everyone. ### GDT: Leafs in Montréal URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-in-montreal/ Last updated: 2026-03-10T15:41:48.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Montréal Canadiens 07:00 PM at Centre Bell Watch on: SN, RDS ### The Leafs last game was at home on March 7 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, which Toronto lost by a score of 5-2 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 27-26-11 for a 0.508 Points %. The Montréal Canadiens last played away on March 7 against the Los Angeles Kings. The Canadiens won by a score of 4-3 in regulation, and their current league record is 34-18-10 for a 0.629 Points %. St. Louis is the fifth to last team in the standings with a Points % of 0.468\. If they continue at that points rate, they will finish with 77 points (rounded up). The Leafs have to finish with 76 points to take that spot in the standings (gosh no, I'm not going to look at tiebreakers, this is silly enough). The Leafs need to play at 0.306 the rest of the season to only get 11 points out of the remaining 18 games. Los Angeles is the fourth place team contesting for the two western wild card spots. San Jose holds the second spot with a Points % of 0.541 which would give them 89 points (rounding up) if they maintain that pace. For Los Angeles to get 90 points and take that spot, giving Toronto a second-round pick, they have to play 0.632 the rest of the season. They are at 0.524. ### Them The Habs are playing at 0.629 and have a less than strong a hold on a wild card spot. They are a low end 50/50 club team with a Corsi and Expected Goals of 49% and 48%. They score over expected and have slightly above average goaltending overall. They beat the Kings in their last game by being heavily outshot and riding the goalie while they scored late in a close game. Yes that is rather like the Leafs of last year. #### Lines Pat Guillet via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/montreal-canadiens/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday. Cole Caufield - Nick Suzuki - Juraj Slafkovsky Alex Newhook - Oliver Kapanen - Ivan Demidov Kirby Dach - Jake Evans - Zack Bolduc Josh Anderson - Phillip Danault - Brendan Gallagher Kaiden Guhle - Lane Hutson Noah Dobson - Mike Matheson Arber Xhekaj - Alexandre Carrier Jakub Dobes - confirmed starter Sam Montembeault ### Us New lines were put together yesterday at practice. Craig Berube lasted about as long as he ever does playing Max Domi at centre, so Domi's now back riding with Matthews and Knies. Jacob Quillan showed up very well in his first game of the final run of the season. It seems likely he'll play every one barring injury. Making his debut against Tampa was not easing into things, but he's very tough and plays as hard as he can. He played the fourth-line centre role with only 6:25 at five-on-five. He faced Oliver Bjorkstrand, Zemgus Girgensons, Brayden Point, Jake Guentzel and Yanni Gourde for at least two minutes each. He saw the Tampa fourth line a lot less. His line, with Calle Järnkrok and Steven Lorentz was heavily outshot and produced almost no offence. Quillan also played as the fourth-used forward on the PK where he looked very able. Expect that to continue over the next few weeks. If the practice lines hold, he'll be playing with Nick Robertson and Easton Cowan, who were two and three behind Auston Matthews at individual offence last game. They were also two and three in five-on-five ice time behind Matthews as well, although all were nominally on different lines. The Marlies were in Winnipeg for two days over the weekend, and they didn't leave anyone other than Quillan behind when they left, so the extra forward addition waited for today: > F Bo Groulx has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [March 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2031369907955220634?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Groulx has some NHL experience in the past and he practiced with the team over the Olympic break. He may or may not draw in tonight. #### Lines Mark Masters via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice: Matthew Knies - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Easton Cowan - Jacob Quillan - Nicholas Robertson Dakota Joshua - Steven Lorentz - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Anthony Stolarz Joe Woll - presumed starter ### The Game The Leafs played pretty well against Tampa considering the circumstances. The goal here is for the team to provide an environment where Easton Cowan gets to just play games in a routine, and where they can decide if Jacob Quillan is really a player they can consider on the roster full time. Bo Groulx is a long shot to make a meaningful impact, but there's nothing wrong with giving him some games. The rest is just going through the motions. ### Tuesday FTB: Scott Laughton is scoring for LA URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesday-ftb-scott-laughton-is-scoring-for-la/ Last updated: 2026-03-10T10:00:40.000Z Scott Laughton scored a goal and an assist playing in the top six for the LA Kings as they beat the Blue Jackets 5-4 in overtime. The Leafs are hoping Laughton and the Kings make the playoffs, which will turn the third round pick they recieved into a second round pick. [Kempe scores in overtime to lift Kings to win over Blue JacketsAdrian Kempe scored his second goal of the game with 1:26 left in overtime to give the Los Angeles Kings a 5-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-229.ico)TSNThe Associated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/YNBQ7SLDARHP5CGRORXHQEOW5I.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/kempe-scores-in-overtime-to-lift-kings-to-win-over-blue-jackets/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Matthews and Nylander have been broken up again. To what end, I don't know. Oh wait, let me guess, to play Max Domi on the first line. [\- TSNCraig Berube said the Maple Leafs haven’t been producing enough offence so he switched up the lines at Monday’s practice. Mark Masters has more on Toronto’s deployment and the creation of the ‘kids line’.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-230.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F03-09-2026-2Ft_33cf280d815543e29f8f2e9d0cb6263a_name_2026_3_9_cbd582ec_7bfd_4e30_89ea_33c0cef4ddf9_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/03/09/leafs-ice-chips-berube-splits-up-matthews-nylander-and-creates-kid-line/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Knies was asked about his name being checked on in the trade market. “I didn’t really look into it too much. I feel like, with this market, everyone’s kind of almost a target,” Knies told reporters in Toronto Monday. “It’s a business. You earn the attention here. But I don’t want to look into it too much, I guess.” [Why Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies went from untouchable to trade targetEven the hint that Matthew Knies might be available sparked a wave of reaction and illustrated the difficult questions facing the Toronto Maple Leafs going into a complicated off-season.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/matthew-knies.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/why-maple-leafs-matthew-knies-went-from-untouchable-to-trade-target/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Matthews and Jason Kidd exchanged jerseys. [Matthews swaps Olympic jerseys with basketball star Jason Kidd | NHL.comMaple Leafs forward meets NBA coach, 2-time gold medalist, to exchange sweaters![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-210.png)NHL logoChristopher Detwiler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/wpe99zpgyomgkacnjdob.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/short-shifts/auston-matthews-swaps-olympic-jerseys-with-jason-kidd?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I'm sure many are looking forward to a potential Lightning-Sabres playoff series. [Lightning’s Brandon Hagel fined $5K by NHL for role in brawl vs. SabresAfter a fight-filled affair between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres on Sunday night, the NHL has started sorting out punishments.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Brandon-Hagel.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/lightnings-brandon-hagel-fined-5k-by-nhl-for-role-in-brawl-vs-sabres/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Oilers are hitting "the nuclear option" all the time. [Oilers need to find ways to lean on McDavid lessCan Kris Knoblauch avoid what many have dubbed “The Nuclear Option?” The Edmonton Oilers must find ways to lean on Connor McDavid less if they are going to find playoff success, Mark Spector writes.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caMark Spector![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/mcdavid-3.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/oilers-need-to-find-ways-to-lean-on-mcdavid-less/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Woah. "Caps-Breakers junior hockey fight-fest saw nearly 600 minutes in penalties" [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/hockey-fights-junior-9.7120284](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/hockey-fights-junior-9.7120284?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [St. John\`s Junior Hockey League - BoxscoreSt. John\`s Junior Hockey League - Boxscore![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/hockey-puck.ico)https://www.stjohnsjuniorhockeyleague.caRYNA Hockey![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/assoc_72.jpg)](https://stjohnsjuniorhockeyleague.ca/boxscore/?g=694febc5-17d3-11f1-a106-d05099d50f10&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Monday FTB: some incredible things to read about URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/monday-ftb-some-incredible-things-to-read-about/ Last updated: 2026-03-09T10:00:42.000Z The Buffalo Sabres now lead the Atlantic Division after an 8-7 barn burner against the Tampa Bay Lightning that set a record for goals and penalties in a game. [Sabres’, Lightning combine for most goals and penalties in a game since 1994The Sabres and Lightning combined for 15 goals, 27 penalties and five fights in an Atlantic Division title showdown.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-339.png)Daily FaceoffScott Maxwell![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-86)](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/buffalo-sabres-tampa-bay-lightning-most-goals-penalties-single-game-atlantic-division-1994?utm%5Fsource=dlvr.it&utm%5Fmedium=bluesky) > JOSH DOAN GIVES BUFFALO AN 8-7 LEAD LATE!!!!! > > SOOOOOOOO MANY GOALS! [pic.twitter.com/DDD1Pryyii](https://t.co/DDD1Pryyii?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL (@NHL) [March 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHL/status/2030811148451209497?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > THE SABRES NOW LEAD THE ATLANTIC DIVISION ⚔️ > > The last time they were in first place in their division at this stage of a season or later was April 11th, 2010! [pic.twitter.com/wHQGTcefzh](https://t.co/wHQGTcefzh?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL (@NHL) [March 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHL/status/2030829137854648759?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Meanwhile the Leafs have lost seven straight games for the first time since this roster was on the ice for them 10 years ago in March 2015\. > #LeafsForever lineup the last time they lost 7 in a row: van Riemsdyk-Bozak-Kessel Lupul-McKegg-Booth Panik-Komarov-Kozun Lindstrom-Carrick-Bailey Brewer-Phaneuf Gardiner-Rielly MacWilliam-Erixon Bernier Reimer > > — [Maple Leafs News (27-26-11) (@leafschronicle.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:yc5zv57rx3aic6gffcuowwub?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [2026-03-09T02:50:36.757Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:yc5zv57rx3aic6gffcuowwub/post/3mgltvuhs322k?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Craig Berube on Leafs fans booing their team during a seventh-straight loss: “Hey, they pay good money to come watch us”Craig Berube addressed the media after his team’s 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, which dropped the Maple Leafs’ record to 27-26-11\. On the team’s performance: Tough break on the first goal. I thought that kind of took a little bit out of us and put us on our heels a little. They capitalized \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500-89.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/berube-pg-dec-leafs.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/03/08/craig-berube-on-leafs-fans-booing-their-team-during-a-seventh-straight-loss/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Sunday Overreactions: Maple Leafs staring down full-blown rebuildAre the Maple Leafs closer to a rebuild than a retool? Should the Oilers have traded for another goalie at the deadline? Michael Amato explores both questions and more in his Sunday Overreactions.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caMichael Amato![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Tree.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/sunday-overreactions-maple-leafs-staring-down-full-blown-rebuild/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) A TSN producer's wet dream, definitely not staged for the views. I wrote yesterday the big risk in leave the next years' first round picks unprotected. > The Toronto Maple Leafs win the Gavin McKenna sweepstakes in the 2026 TSN Mock Draft Lottery. 🤣[#TradeCentre](https://twitter.com/hashtag/TradeCentre?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/JvllNm92Ss](https://t.co/JvllNm92Ss?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [March 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2029984239496642657?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Again, it's very very difficult for the Leafs to reach the bottom 5, which Kevin McGran illustrates. [The Maple Leafs are going to need some help to keep their first-round pickAnd if they do get some help finishing in the bottom five and retaining their 2026 selection, they’ll lose their picks the next two years. Yes, it’s complicated.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-icon-180x180-39.png)Toronto StarKevin McGran![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/69adf55e0a91e.image.jpg)](https://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/the-maple-leafs-are-going-to-need-some-help-to-keep-their-first-round-pick/article%5Fb9147fc3-66de-4356-81ac-307f596400ff.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Mark Masters on how the Leafs themselves are seeing these final 18 games. [\- TSNWith the Maple Leafs still winless since returning from the Olympic break, Mark Masters joins SportsCentre to discuss what their approach will be with just 18 games remaining in the season and what the mindset is like in Toronto’s dressing room.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-227.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F03-08-2026-2Ft_32a613acf503422d8dccdc7461e700d8_name_2026_3_7_94944860_d17c_4ad6_a398_cb8af9ad0a3c_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/03/08/how-will-maple-leafs-approach-final-18-games/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Toronto Sceptres lost 3-2 in overtime to the Minnesota Frost. [Pannek scores overtime-winner to give Frost victory over SceptresKelly Pannek scored the overtime winner as the Minnesota Frost beat the Toronto Sceptres 3-2 on Sunday.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caAssociated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Sceptres-and-Frost.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/pwhl/article/pannek-scores-overtime-winner-to-give-frost-victory-over-sceptres/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Junior B (GOHL) Sarnia Legionnaires finished their season with an astounding 0-50 record. Their roster had been completely stripped down within the last year or so, icing 18 rookies on their roster this season. They had no chance. [Sarnia Legionnaires lose final game to finish season with 0-50 record in GOHLThe Sarnia Legionnaires are going into the history books for all the wrong reasons.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-228.ico)CTVNewsBrent Lale![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/N2AMH6QE4VD6ZH53M4GAHQ2OQM.jpg)](https://www.ctvnews.ca/london/article/sarnia-legionnaires-lose-final-game-to-finish-season-with-0-50-record-in-gohl/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Gary Bettman was on a podcast and talked about the business stuff. [NHL’s Bettman cautious about NFL, optimistic about Paramount-WBDNHL commissioner Gary Bettman is aware of the impact the NFL’s early negotiations could have on his league’s own media rights talks.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-340.png)Sports Media WatchJon Lewis![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/USATSI_27517310-scaled-e1772986659671.jpg)](https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2026/03/nhl-nfl-media-rights-gary-bettman-paramount-cbs-tnt/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Back to Excited Episode 226 - Leafs Traded Deadline Recap URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/back-to-excited-episode-226-leafs-traded-deadline-recap/ Last updated: 2026-03-08T22:50:51.000Z Welcome to another episode of Back to Excited. Today, we discuss the Leafs trade deadline, including the moves they made and didn't make. We then chat about the outlook for the rest of the season and beyond. Timestamps: - \[1:50\] Nic Roy to Colorado - \[10:18\] Bobby McMann to Seattle - \[17:40\] Scott Laughton to Los Angeles - \[31:29\] Oliver Ekman-Larsson not traded - \[42:30\] Season outlook - \[54:04\] Beyond this season As always, you can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts. Let us know what you think of the Leafs trade deadline, and where they should go from here. ### Sceptres Gameday: Frost vs Sceptres URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-5/ Last updated: 2026-03-08T15:04:49.000Z ## Minnesota Frost @ Toronto Sceptres 12:00 PM ET @ Coca-Cola Coliseum W**atch in Minnesota:** FanDuel Sports Network North, FOX 9+ **Watch in Canada:** TSN #### **Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com #### Toronto's last game was a 4-3 loss in Shootout at home to Montréal on March 3\. Toronto has a Points % of .421, and they are in sixth place. Minnesota's last game was a 4-0 loss on the road in Montréal on March 1\. They have a Points % of .583 and are in third place. There is a new fourth place team today, Ottawa now holds the spot with a Points % of .481, which if that holds will leave them with 43 points. For the Sceptres to get to 44 points, they have to play their last 11 games at .606\. They need 20 points in those 11 games. Montréal's win over Minnesota was the first shutout of the Frost this season, and they had their worst ever shot count in that loss. Today is the Sceptres Black History Celebration Unity game. Monica Wright Rogers, the GM of the Toronto Tempo will drop the puck. There is a host of in-arena events and entertainment. To mark International Women's Day, the Sceptres have invited several teams of young women to the game. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/HC3SaWKWgAA8UoT-1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/HC5ao9BXMAAzlKn-1-.jpg) ### Sunday FTB: the Leafs should not tank, but they might URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sunday-ftb-the-leafs-should-not-tank-but-they-might/ Last updated: 2026-03-08T10:00:47.000Z Despite their definitive 5-2 loss at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Leafs sitting 24th in the NHL, they are twice as far away in points from 5th last in the NHL (the Blues 8 points behind them) than they are from 17th place (the Flyers 4 points ahead of them). This is important because, per the conditions of the Fraser Minten trade, the Bruins will get the Leafs pick if it's higher than 5th overall in this summer's draft. The pick becomes unconditional in 2027 if the Leafs draft in the top five. Considering these two realities, the Leafs really should be trying to get as high in the standings as possible to give Boston the worst pick possible and not risk giving up a potential franchise player next year (and it wouldn't be the first time). Therefore, the Leafs should not tank. Unfortunately, they don't seem to be putting a product on the ice that can do anything but lose since the Olympic break (0-5-2). They have controlled only 43% of the shots and xG at 5v5 and 32% of the goals in all situation (not counting the shootout "goals"). Not that their terrible shot share is unique to these seven games as they're second last in the league in that category this season. This final quarter of the season for teams out of playoff contention are usually for padding some stats, getting a sneak peek at some prospects, and generally preparing for the summer. If the coach is going to get fired, usually they get to run out the season because why not. However, the Leafs situation might not allow for that breathing time. They need to win as much as they can to save some dignity. Meaning it might be time to fire the coach because it looks like every player except Nick Robertson has stopped giving a sh\*t. [Kucherov reaches 100 points, Lightning cruise past Maple Leafs to snap 4-game skid | NHL.comPerry scores in return for Tampa Bay; Toronto is 0-5-2 in past 7![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-209.png)NHL logoDave McCarthy![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/abkvszbdjpvz1sxizuwh.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/tampa-bay-lightning-toronto-maple-leafs-game-recap-march-7-2026?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Adrift Maple Leafs are neither winning nor learning anything right now“You’re either winning or you’re learning” is one of my favourite sayings in sports. It’s a constructive way to frame a game in a glass-half-full type of way. You either celebrate your success or learn what you can do better for the next time. Frustratingly, the Leafs are neither winning nor learning right now. General \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500-86.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveAnthony Petrielli![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/craig-berube-maple-leafs-head-coach.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/03/08/adrift-maple-leafs-are-neither-winning-nor-learning-anything-right-now/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) From the out of town scoreboard, the Leafs should be looking at the LA Kings. The Leafs have their 3rd round pick that they got for Scott Laughton which can turn into a 2nd round pick if the Kings make the playoffs. However, the Kings are one point behind the Leafs in the league and lost 4-3 in regulation to the Habs. Luckily for them, they play in the Pacific division so they're only 3 points out of a playoff spot while the Leafs are 10\. Bleeping wild, if you ask me. [Maple Leafs’ Oliver Ekman-Larsson reflects on trade deadline stress![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caCanadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Oliver-Ekman-Larsson.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-oliver-ekman-larsson-reflects-on-trade-deadline-stress/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Quick Shifts: What’s the Maple Leafs’ big plan now?Maple Leafs lack direction | Quinn Hughes fires at Jack’s critics | Flames stockpile is well timed | John Carlson’s stunning trade + 8 more NHL goodies…![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/am.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/quick-shifts-whats-the-maple-leafs-big-plan-now/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Maple Leafs’ Matthews after deadline: ‘You lay in the bed you make’The Maple Leafs will continue on after Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton and Nicolas Roy were traded in the past few days. Read more.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/icon-tsun-12.png)Toronto SunTerry Koshan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/2245925068-e1772910997566.jpg)](https://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/maple-leafs-matthews-trade-deadline-lay-in-bed-you-make?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Brad Treliving on Auston Matthews’ down season: “In my opinion, he’s just entering the prime of his career... We have to continue to find ways to support him and get players who can help him”After the trade deadline, Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving joined TSN Overdrive to discuss his deadline moves, the team’s failures this season, the decision to keep Craig Berube behind the bench, and Auston Matthews’ scoring slump. You spoke about the market dictating the returns. How would you describe your deadline, based on what you were \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500-87.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/tre-leafs-presser.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/03/06/brad-treliving-on-auston-matthews-down-season/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Jon Cooper on the Leafs and Panthers falling to the bottom of the Atlantic Division: “The Leafs don’t have the fruits of their labour the way Florida does, so it’s probably tougher to swallow”Ahead of Leafs vs. Lightning on HNIC, Jon Cooper discussed the Leafs and Panthers’ fall from grace in the Atlantic Division, the Lightning’s consistency, and the addition of Corey Perry ahead of the playoffs. Is it a little bizarre to see the Panthers and the Leafs at the bottom of the Atlantic Division? Cooper: I’ve \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500-88.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/jon-cooper-leafs-lightning.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/03/07/jon-cooper-on-the-leafs-and-panthers-falling-to-the-bottom-of-the-atlantic/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It's pretty depressing, but hey, at least it was warm yesterday. Don't look at the forecast this week. Don't look at gas prices either. Honestly, just avoid current events and enjoy your 23-hour Sunday. It'll all still be there on Monday. ### GDT: Leafs host the Lightning URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-host-the-lightning-post-deadline/ Last updated: 2026-03-07T17:39:16.000Z ### Housekeeping For the rest of the season there will be one post on gamedays. Until it becomes impossible and subject to me remembering, I will put in the Points % required to get to fifth worst. I don't endorse believing in this as plausible, but facts are always nice to have. Here's one: the team is not trying to tank. It may become impossible to know exact line combinations in advance as the Leafs cope with the compressed schedule while having the cap space to recall whoever they like subject to recall limitations. (Four recalls on the team at any one time, five in total.) --- ### Tampa Bay Lightning @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: SNO, NHLN, CBC, The Spot ### The Leafs last game was away on March 5 against the New York Rangers, which Toronto lost by a score of 6-2 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 27-25-11 for a 0.516 Points %. St. Louis is fifth last with a Points % of 0.460 which would give them 75 points on the season. To get to 74 points, the Leafs would have to play at 0.237 in order to only get nine points in their last 19 games. The Tampa Bay Lightning last played away on March 5 against the Winnipeg Jets. The Lightning lost by a score of 4-1 in regulation, and their current league record is 38-18-4 for a 0.667 Points % good for fifth in the league. ### Them Corey Perry got to Toronto in time to play today. Acquiring him was their only deadline move. They also lost Curtis Douglas on waivers to the Canucks. #### Lines The Daily Faceoff projection: Jake Guentzel - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov Brandon Hagel - Anthony Cirelli - Oliver Bjorkstrand Zemgus Girgensons - Yanni Gourde - Pontus Holmberg Scott Sabourin - Conor Geekie - Corey Perry J.J. Moser - Darren Raddysh Victor Hedman - Declan Carlile Ryan McDonagh - Erik Cernak Andrei Vasilevskiy Jonas Johansson ### Us No changes from the last game beyond Oliver Ekman-Larsson coming in and Phil Myers sitting out. #### Lines [Morning Skate](https://x.com/nickbarden/status/2030305020676092246?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Matias Maccelli - Auston Matthews - William Nylander Matthew Knies - John Tavares - Easton Cowan Dakota Joshua - Max Domi - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Anthony Stolarz -starter Joe Woll ### The Game This is the hard part, this next 19 games. It's new territory for me entirely on this site, and it's new territory for most of these players, but it's an important set of games to position themselves as a group and as individuals for all that's to come. None of these guys want to rip it all down. Failure is a part of hockey, but it's usually an ephemeral thing. One shot and there's always another, one game, and there's the next one. Now there is no next one that really matters, and if you humanize the players, you can accept they might not handle this all exactly how you want them too. The big tension of the deadline is over, but they know it's just a reprieve. More is coming. Please remember there are people who will watch all these games. We don't need your announcement about how you don't care in every Gameday post. Zero political discussion in the GDT remains the rule. The top post on the page is not the FTB remains my plea for people to remember. ### Saturday's FTB: Post deadline play URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/saturdays-ftb-post-deadline-play/ Last updated: 2026-03-07T13:43:36.000Z Just like that, it's over. The trade deadline has come and gone and the Leafs traded away three players for picks in the past 48 hours. Scott Laughton, Bobby McMann, and Nic Roy are gone, but everyone else remains and there's still 19 more games to play. Brad Treliving addressed the media and implied more changes would come and they would depend in-part on what he sees in those 19 games. Here's his full briefing to the press including comments on trying to move Oliver Ekman-Larsson but did but the offers that did come in didn't meet his threshold to make a deal. I found his comment that lots of calls were made by the Leafs but few were received was interesting given the volume of trades made yesterday. So now we get to play the waiting game and the Leafs go right back to playing the Lightning tonight, the best team in the division, so it will be interesting to see how they respond on the ice. We'll have a preview of that game out later this morning. The Marlies played the Moose last night and lost 3-2 with Dennis Hildeby in net. I'll cover more on their trip to Winnipeg after the next game tomorrow, but the Marlies remain in a playoff spot in their division and yesterday both Easton Cowan and Jacob Quillan went through the annual ritual of being loaned on paper to the Marlies for a few hours so they will be eligible to participate in the Calder Cup playoffs if the Marlies stay on course. In the mean time, well, there's not much more to talk about what happened but we hall the individual trade posts up. The deals are done, and now we watch what happens. We will of course have some "now what?" content coming soon after all this is digested. The only other significant NHL news is the one player who won't be coming back to the NHL for a while after the deadline is Evgeni Malkin [Malkin of Penguins suspended 5 games for slashing | NHL.comCenter received game misconduct for play against Sabres defenseman Dahlin on Thursday![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-208.png)NHL logoNHL Public Relations![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/wfarizognpm3ojltdz18.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/penguins-evgeni-malkin-suspended-five-games?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Enjoy your Saturday, and remember we flip to daylight saving time overnight tonight so there will be that one clock like the one on the microwave that you never bother to fix and it will now either be correct or incorrect again. ### Scott Laughton traded to the Kings URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/scott-laughton-traded-to-the-kings/ Last updated: 2026-03-06T22:12:44.000Z Scott Laughton has been traded to LA in return for a third-round pick. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/69ab4eee57d6f-1-.png) The pick upgrades to a 2026 second if LA makes the playoffs. Laughton, who turns 32 this spring, was acquired by the Leafs last year at the deadline in a trade that many people have said (more than once) that it was a bad deal. He was dealt from the Flyers for prospect Nikita Grebenkin and Toronto's 2027 first round pick. The Flyers retained half of his salary, making his cap hit for this season, $1.5 million. He is a UFA this summer. Laughton has played just over 13 minutes per game for the Leafs in both partial seasons on the team. He is nominally listed on the fourth line most of the time, but is played more like a third liner with special teams minutes adding to his totals. This is two minutes per game less than he played on the Flyers at the time of the trade. Many people have expressed the opinion that he should be used more, but when that has been tried this season by the Leafs, it hasn't worked that way it does for Calle Järnkrok or Bobby McMann. Laughton is a passionate, extreme energy player and an able centre who is usually a fan favourite. What the Leafs need to replace most is his job as a centre and as a high-energy force on a team that can be a little brainy sometimes. Jacob Quillan is the next man up at the moment as a centre, and he is surprisingly tough, less flamboyant but a player who at the very least can play out the season. After that, we'll see. ### Bobby McMann traded by Leafs to Seattle URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/bobby-mcmann-traded-by-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-03-06T23:17:03.000Z > Bobby McMann to Seattle > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [March 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2030011296909873514?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Bobby McMann has been traded to the Seattle Kraken in return for: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/69ab5fcaa09b0-1-.png) The second is the later of the Columbus or Winnipeg picks the Kraken own. --- The Kraken are in the second wild card right now, but are not securely in the playoffs. McMann, who turns 30 this June, has been with the Leafs for parts of four seasons, beginning in 2022-2023 when he played 10 games. He is an undrafted NCAA graduate who signed first with the Toronto Marlies in 2020 after he finished school. He received an NHL contract two years later at the then league-minimum amounts. In the spring of 2024, he was re-signed for two years at $1.35 million. That contract runs out this summer. McMann has played an average of just over 15 minutes a night for Toronto this year, sometimes on the top line, and amount that has increased in each of his three final seasons in Toronto. Fast, and an able goal-scorer, he has routinely scored a small amount over expected. His main impact other than his own shooting has been defensively prior to this season. That effectiveness has eluded him this year. This is what the Leafs now have to replace: A player who can play a "middle six" role with some time spent on the second line, who is fast, physical and can shoot. Not an easy task. McMann will be available himself come July 1 as a UFA. ### Friday's FTB: The Leafs are cooked URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ftb-the-leafs-are-cooked/ Last updated: 2026-03-06T12:58:05.000Z It's trade deadline day and.... Oh, yeah. There was that whole game last night. The Leafs lost 6-2 to the New York Rangers and do you really want to read a review of this game? It wouldn't even be a review, more like an autopsy. The players seem to be mentally exhausted with all of this but at least today will bring some clarity on the path forward. Speaking of the deadline, here's something you need to know from Cathy. One of the new features of the 2026 CBA that is in effect now involves changes to the rules about loaning players to the AHL. This has widely been reported as "no paper loans allowed". Paper loans are the technique of sending a player to the AHL without that player actually going anywhere and then recalling them either right away or in the next few days. Teams have routinely done this to save cap space or open roster space on road trips. The new rule stops this happening in some circumstances. This is the new wording: > Add new CBA Section 13.12(p) that provides as follows: > (p) A Player who has been Loaned to a minor league club, and was not credited with a day pursuant to (h) above for one (1) or more days since the Loan, must actually report to the club and play in one (1) or more games with such minor league club before he is eligible for Recall. > > Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Goaltender on Loan who has played less than the required one (1) game may be Recalled if his NHL Club would otherwise have less than two Goaltenders available to dress in the Club's next game. > Revise CBA Section 13.12(k) to provide as follows: > (k) A Player who has been Loaned to a club of any league affiliated with the NHL may be Recalled at any time subject to the provisions of Articles 13.12(1), 13.12(m), 13.12(n), and 13.12(p). And to help this make some sense, this is the (h) in the old CBA that is being referenced above: > (h) Solely for purposes of this Article 13, days on the Active Roster shall include days that the Player is on a Club's Active Roster at 5:00 p.m. New York time. Days on the Active Roster shall not include the day the Player is removed from the Active Roster (e.g., Loaned to a minor league club or placed on Injured Reserve) if such removal from the Active Roster occurred prior to 5:00 p.m. New York time, unless such Player has practiced or travelled with an NHL Club, or played in an NHL Game, prior to such removal from the Active Roster. What is important to understand here is the idea of credit for a day on the roster. This refers to the NHL roster. Every day from opening day to the final regular season day is an NHL day (minus the Christmas break, the ASG or other break like for the Olympics). The NHL day runs from 5 pm to 5 pm each normal day for the rest of us. The trade deadline is at 3pm. If a player is loaned to the AHL and recalled within one NHL day, that player is credited with a day on the NHL roster and this move is fine. This means players can be "papered down" today before 3pm and recalled after (as long as it is before 5 pm) to preserve AHL playoff eligibility. ### Trades and Deadline News Of course, there will no doubt be a ton of trades today, but many big names have already moved, and there were three late last night you may have missed if you checked out after the Leafs game. Our old friend Luke Schenn is back in the division. Hide your cakes. > 🚨Trade > > To [#Sabrehood](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sabrehood?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Logan Stanley, 27 y/o LD, Yr 2/2 $1.25M-UFA > Luke Schenn, 36 y/o RD, Yr 3/3 $2.75M-50% retained > > To [#NHLJets](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLJets?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Isak Rosen, 22 y/o F, Yr 3/3 $894K-RFA > Jacob Bryson, 28 y/o LD, Yr 1/1 $900K-UFA > '27 2nd > '26 4th (better of BUF/EDM) > > BUF adds net $1.725M Net Cap… > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [March 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/2029795468176412761?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Sabres also acquired someone from the "I remember that name from somewhere" Leafs files. > 🚨Trade > > To [#Sabrehood](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sabrehood?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Sam Carrick, Yr 2/3 $1M > > To [#nyr](https://twitter.com/hashtag/nyr?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > '26 3rd > '26 6th (CHI)[https://t.co/oFGfl56VWq](https://t.co/oFGfl56VWq?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [March 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/2029792694764208526?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Columbus and Vancouver did some business too. > 🚨Trade > > To [#CBJ](https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBJ?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Conor Garland, 29 y/o F, Year 5/5 @ $4.95M then 6 yrs @ $6M > > To [#Canucks](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > '28 2nd > '26 3rd > > 1st by [@FriedgeHNIC](https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Pick years [@PierreVLeBrun](https://twitter.com/PierreVLeBrun?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [@ThomasDrance](https://twitter.com/ThomasDrance?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/kc3cRNuaOo](https://t.co/kc3cRNuaOo?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [March 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/2029792486466671064?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) If you want to tank for picks, the Canucks have conducted a master class. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/image.png) This also happened last night. > Evgeni Malkin has received a match penalty for slashing on Rasmus Dahlin 😬 [pic.twitter.com/iefNDyHq09](https://t.co/iefNDyHq09?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Gino Hard (@GinoHard\_) [March 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/GinoHard%5F/status/2029725186807747018?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) So strap in and get ready for a long day of waiting for something to happen. I will be at the Marlies game in Winnipeg tonight against the Moose, so I have to get on our private PPP Express train now to make it there in time. I hope the kittens remembered to stock up the bar cart. Enjoy deadline day, everyone! ### GDT: Some Leafs vs Some Rangers URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-some-leafs-vs-some-rangers/ Last updated: 2026-03-05T23:30:26.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ New York Rangers 07:00 PM at Madison Square Garden Watch on: TSN4, MSG ### > F Jacob Quillan has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [March 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2029627736478863674?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### > Jacob Quillan replacing Nicolas Roy is the only lineup change for the Leafs tonight, per coach Craig Berube > > Scott Laughton, Bobby McMann & Oliver Ekman-Larsson remain out for roster management [@TSN\_Sports](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [March 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2029678284938605001?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Go Leafs Go! ### Maple Leafs trade Nic Roy to Colorado URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-trade-nic-roy-to-colorado/ Last updated: 2026-03-05T17:21:27.000Z The Maple Leafs made their first trade of the 2026 deadline period, sending Nic Roy to Colorado. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/69a9b8cec07f4-1-.png) Both picks are have conditions attached. The fifth rounder for 2026 will be the lowest of the three they have, almost certainly their own, as the other two originally belonged to the Flyers and the Bruins. The first-round pick is top-10 protected. Note this is the 2027 pick, and as the Leafs have proved, anything can happen from one year to the next, however, it is likely to be a low-quality pick. The quality of the pick doesn't matter rhetorically. It's a first-rounder! But it will matter to other GMs who the Leafs will be trying to trade with. Nic Roy was acquired by the Leafs from Vegas in exchange for the sign and trade that gave Vegas an eight-year deal for Mitch Marner. Often erroneously said to be a trade of Marner for Roy, the ability of Brad Trelving to get a player out of Vegas who performed well on the Leafs has now turned into two picks, one of which has some value. I think it is extremely unlikely the Leafs will ever draft a player with this pick. Roy has one more year on his contract at $3 million AAV. As of now there is no confirmation that there is or is not salary retention on this deal. ### Preview: Leafs @ Rangers on a very special night URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-rangers-on-a-very-special-night/ Last updated: 2026-03-05T17:00:17.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ New York Rangers 07:00 PM at Madison Square Garden Watch on: TSN4, MSG ### The Leafs last game was away on March 4 against the New Jersey Devils, which Toronto lost by a score of 4-3 in a shootout. The Leafs have a record of 27-24-11 for a 0.524 Points %. The New York Rangers last played at home on March 2 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Rangers lost by a score of 5-4 in overtime, and their current league record is 23-29-8 for a 0.450 Points %. ### Them In an epic of bad timing, the Rangers are having a series of centennial celebration games this season focusing on various parts of their history. Tonight is the modern era game, which luckily for them includes a Cup when the guest can't claim that. But what better pair of teams to be celebrating the longevity of a franchise that has prospered on the size of their fanbase without really trying very hard to win for much of this modern era. They both have been legitimate tryers lately. And they are both in the same leaky boat. Both teams have players on the roster they are likely about to trade who may or may not play tonight. > Rangers coach Mike Sullivan asked if Vincent Trocheck will play tonight: > > "Right now everyone's a game-time decision"[@TSN\_Sports](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [March 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2029581115367833798?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) #### Lines Peter Baugh via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/new-york-rangers/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice. Will Cuylle - Mika Zibanejad - Gabriel Perreault Taylor Raddysh - Vincent Trocheck - Alexis Lafrenière Tye Kartye - Noah Laba - Conor Sheary Adam Edstrom - Sam Carrick - Juuso Parssinen Vladislav Gavrikov - Adam Fox Braden Schneider - Will Borgen Matthew Robertson - Vincent Iorio Igor Shesterkin - confirmed starter Jonathan Quick ### Us I was shocked yesterday when removing three regular rostered players including the best performing offensive defender did not make the Leafs better. Who knows who is even on the roster to play tonight, so assume last night's crew goes again, and if they actually trade someone, they can fly Jacob Quillan in to play 4C. It's Joe Woll's turn in net. #### Lines Last Game (2026-03-04) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Easton Cowan - Auston Matthews - William Nylander Matthew Knies - John Tavares - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - Nicolas Roy - Dakota Joshua Nicholas Robertson - Steven Lorentz - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Troy Stecher Simon Benoit - Philippe Myers Joe Woll - likely starter Anthony Stolarz ### The Game This is the same game as last night, which was the same game as the Flyers game which was the same game as the Panthers game. Out of the playoffs, rumours abounding about trades. They'll all settle down and play some fun no-pressure hockey starting next week until then it's tension on ice. ### Thursday's FTB: Countdown to the countdown URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-countdown-to-the-countdown/ Last updated: 2026-03-05T11:00:47.000Z Some random thoughts on trade deadline things: The Leafs should be prepared to use salary retention to trade pending UFAs. Thinking about this brings back really fond memories of the personal affront taken when the Leafs retained on Phil Kessel in trade. It's a trickier question if they consider retaining on someone with some term. That's dead cap you can't shake, and considering cap space is their only meaningful asset, it's likely not worth doing. Now here's a clever scheme. You can't use a third-party team to do double salary retention, but you can use a third-party team to do the only retention on a deal. I am confident in the names of at least five teams that have figured out the thing that just dawned on me. Let's say the Burlington Trash Pandas want to trade Kevin Ooffa to the Vegas Golden Knights. Kevin has a big salary but the Pandas have used all their retention slots selling off other guys. So they trade Kevin to the Leafs for a token AHLer. Then the Leafs trade Kevin to Vegas, retaining 50%, and Vegas gives the Leafs a giant pile of picks that Vegas consider to be junk. Then Toronto swaps those picks, minus their cut, to the Pandas for a different token AHLer. This scheme is way, way cleverer if it could be done on a player with term. Which Toronto shouldn't do. (I did read the no retention clause in the new CBA, and this should work unless they snuck in some other wording somewhere to prevent it.) If you've been on Mars for a vacation, the Leafs last-minute scratched Scott Laughton, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Bobby McMann last night. Holding players out for "roster management" reasons used to be very rare. It's become more common as deals get finalized. I don't think that situation where the Nashville player was yanked out after a few seconds of the game is a good outcome. The flat cap was the culprit in the past, where there wasn't room for a lot of teams to have extra players on hand who could play like the Leafs did last night. As for the rest of the Leafs situation, I'm going to repeat something multiple reporters have emphasized. No one knows what the Leafs management are going to do tomorrow, next week or in the summer. You can totally wait for the future to arrive before you formulate your take on things. --- And now the news... (you need to hear that in olde time announcers voice): There were a lot of trades, and if you want details there are lots of options. You can go to social media and try to infer the deal from all the yelling, or you can just read the details on [PuckPedia](https://puckpedia.com/trades?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), [TSN](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/tradecentre/trade-tracker/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) or [Sportsnet](https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/trade-tracker/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). I guess the Tyler Myers to Dallas deal is the biggest post-break deal. Maybe the Colton Parayko to the Sabres is the same level – if that happens. Or maybe the MacKenzie Weegar deal to Utah. I sense a theme here. I assume that by the time I turn off the computer, this will be totally outdated information, so click the links. [Sherwood signs 5-year, $28.75 million contract to remain with Sharks | NHL.com30-year-old forward could have been unrestricted free agent after this season![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-207.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/dy5gro5anzz1gndhadvq.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/kiefer-sherwood-signs-5-year-deal-with-san-jose?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Panthers exploring trade market for goalie Sergei Bobrovsky![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/bob.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/panthers-exploring-trade-market-for-goalie-sergei-bobrovsky/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Oh, here's a highlight: > Anthony Stolarz robs Jack Hughes with a HUGE save 😱 [pic.twitter.com/fxWokvCusO](https://t.co/fxWokvCusO?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [March 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2029368612708876377?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Okay, and one more, because: > With an assist on Matthew Knies’ goal at 13:50 of the third period, John Tavares recorded his 300th assist as a Maple Leaf. [pic.twitter.com/7sZFFKZgdQ](https://t.co/7sZFFKZgdQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [March 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2029383785444179990?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) He worked for it: > Matthew Knies buries one and the Leafs have the late lead 👀 [pic.twitter.com/Fo959fZdVh](https://t.co/Fo959fZdVh?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [March 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2029383373894963341?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Someone wants an NHL stint: > What a stretch for 4⃣3⃣ 🚨 > > Luke Haymes has eight goals in his last 10 games! [pic.twitter.com/Sv2Jz8Nh34](https://t.co/Sv2Jz8Nh34?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [March 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2029288667685028198?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Maybe he'll get one! I really like him, and while he needs to keep his AHL playoff eligibility, he'd be fun to watch in a few games. Sources say: > Sources say asking price for [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) C Nicolas Roy has held steady at a 1st round pick plus a prospect - and Toronto is not willing to retain salary at that price. > > Roy, 29, has one year left on his deal at $3 million. > > — Frank Seravalli (@frank\_seravalli) [March 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/frank%5Fseravalli/status/2029374868924309634?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There was a bit on Insider Trading where the Oilers were linked to Nic Roy, but Pierre LeBrun said no actual offer had been made. The Oilers seem full up now, though. And that's the stale dated news. See you tomorrow. ### GDT: Facing the Devils URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-facing-the-devils/ Last updated: 2026-03-04T23:30:45.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ New Jersey Devils 07:00 PM at Prudential Center Watch on: ESPN+, HULU, SN, TVAS [Preview: Leafs @ DevilsIt feels like every game has been hellish this year.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-401.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1613753298486-c92cff495601)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-devils/) Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Leafs @ Devils URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-devils/ Last updated: 2026-03-04T20:52:07.000Z Update: > OEL also being held out. [https://t.co/LZX7hBLGH8](https://t.co/LZX7hBLGH8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) [March 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/DarrenDreger/status/2029298032538239182?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ New Jersey Devils 07:00 PM at Prudential Center Watch on: ESPN+, HULU, SN, TVAS ### The Leafs last game was at home on March 2 against the Philadelphia Flyers, which Toronto lost by a score of 3-2 in a shootout. The Leafs have a record of 27-24-10 for a 0.525 Points %. The New Jersey Devils last played at home on March 3 against the Florida Panthers. The Devils won by a score of 5-1 in regulation, and their current league record is 30-29-2 for a 0.508 Points %. ### Them Last year the Devils were third in the Metro and got smoked by the Hurricanes in the first round. Like a lot of teams that made the playoffs last year, they are on the outside this year. You should know what that means by now, but in case this needs repeating: The Devils are a 50% team. Their Corsi % (Moneypuck) is 51 and their Expected Goals is 48\. Interestingly the Devils are decently okay at Expected Goals Against in all-situations with a number that rounds easily to 3 per game. Their Goals Against is actually under 3\. Their trouble is their Expected Goals For rounds easily to 3\. Hundredths seem like too much precision here. They score under expected by half a goal per game. And that's how they ended up where they are. This is the SEGABABA for the Devils so the lines are subject to change. Jacob Markström was in net so Jake Allen likely goes today. #### Lines Amanda Stein via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/new-jersey-devils/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from the last game. Timo Meier - Nico Hischier - Dawson Mercer Arseny Gritsyuk - Jack Hughes - Connor Brown Jesper Bratt - Cody Glass - Lenni Hameenaho Paul Cotter - Nick Bjugstad - Maxim Tsyplakov Luke Hughes - Brett Pesce Jonas Siegenthaler - Dougie Hamilton Brenden Dillon - Simon Nemec Jake Allen - assumed starter Jacob Markström ### Us If you found the razor thin difference in goals the Devils get and give interesting, I'll just mention that the Leafs differential is 0.3 of a goal to the negative per game while their Expected differential is 0.2 to the negative. Okay, so Woll got the start against Stolarz's old team, then Stolarz – who came in relief of Woll – got the Flyers start, and now we're in Stolarz's home town, so he goes again. Woll gets tomorrow in New York. This means nothing, but it's still what's going on. Lines today match the last game. #### Lines [Morning Skate](https://x.com/markhmasters/status/2029234430691201028?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): ~~Bobby McMann~~ \- Auston Matthews - William Nylander Matthew Knies - John Tavares - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - Nicolas Roy - Dakota Joshua Steven Lorentz - ~~Scott Laughton~~ \- Easton Cowan Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Simon Benoit - Jake McCabe ~~Oliver Ekman-Larsson~~ \- Philippe Myers Joe Woll Anthony Stolarz - starter ### The Game I'd like to see Easton Cowan look like he did early in the season when he played his way onto the roster when absolutely everyone expected him to be in the AHL this year. That's about it. ### Wednesday's FTB: Three more days of trade talk URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-three-more-days-of-trade-talk/ Last updated: 2026-03-04T12:56:08.000Z There were two trades late yesterday: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/69a776819f2ea-1-.png) McCarron used to be with Montréal in case you were trying to place him. He's low-paid, pretty good as a depth player, and he was drafted 25th overall. So consider all the first-rounders the Leafs won't get for all the players they aren't trading to be lost opportunities for this guy as good outcome. He's cheap in all ways to acquire because his impact is almost all defence. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/69a7a692971b0-2--1.png) Nashville also took back an AHL defender. Cole Smith played three seconds of the Predators game against the Blue Jackets before being removed. The trade news was apparently broken by Columbus announcer Jody Shelley who overheard Smith tell a teammate he had been traded. Smith is another defensive-minded forward who is low-cost and better than his salary implies. A smart depth addition by Vegas. Meanwhile, what else is going on out there? There's claims of a lot of players on the market, there's some decently credible statements that Buffalo wants Robert Thomas, and the Oilers want a forward, but otherwise, it's pretty quiet. Maybe the Olympic break allowed teams to talk themselves right out of doing anything? [NHL GMs frustrated by new salary cap rules at trade deadlineSome NHL executives and player agents told ESPN that they’re frustrated by the impact that the new salary cap rules have had ahead of Friday’s trade deadline.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/espn-icon-180x180-36.png)ESPNGreg Wyshynski![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/i-36)](https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/%5F/id/48092018/nhl-gms-frustrated-new-salary-cap-rules-trade-deadline?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Or they can't make the money work. I think the GMs have a very good point in this article. The NHL dumping these changes on them after they'd set their rosters is not a thing anyone should have been okay with. The no-double-retention and the cap on LTIR for players who might play in the playoffs is likely part of what's making this deadline very dull so far. The playoff cap itself, not so much. Maybe we're going to see a rush on low-paid guys like McCarron and Smith who look like they are good additions and might only be marginally better than the guy who sits so they play. As for the Leafs, if this is a buyer's market, as has been claimed, and there are a lot of players out there available, that makes the chances of the Leafs getting big returns pretty small. Jake DeBrusk appears to use the word "humbling" in the comments below in its correct and original meaning. He's in a tough spot. He doesn't want in on a rebuild and the Canucks don't want to retain salary. [DeBrusk: Canucks rebuild ‘not something I would be okay with or accepting’Vancouver Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk appeared to make it clear Monday he is not interested in staying with the team through a rebuild.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-226.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/456IER6HNWUNOSHIQ4QMCIP374.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/debrusk-canucks-rebuild-not-something-i-would-be-okay-with-or-accepting/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Speaking of, I saw a reference to the Leafs full set of three open retention slots which would allow them to retain salary on any pending UFA they may trade with no meaningful cap implications. That could be a way to up the return. Vincent Trochek is upfront about how he plans to exercise control over his own future: [Trocheck won’t go to West Coast team if traded by Rangers | NHL.comForward wants to play for winner, remain near East Coast for family reasons![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-206.png)NHL logoDan Rosen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/lvcq9y8x4vc9o8hyq2im.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/trade-coverage/vincent-trocheck-wont-go-to-west-team-if-traded-by-new-york-rangers?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [NHL impressed by Calgary’s arena update, World Cup bid![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caEric Francis![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/NHL-Commissioner-Gary-Bettman.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhl-impressed-by-calgarys-arena-update-world-cup-bid/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) s --- The Leafs are in New Jersey for their two-day road trip. They'll be back in Toronto Friday for all the excitement. I hope these two games are not repeat of the last two. Although the team looked a little more like a team in the second half against the Flyers. ### Sceptres Gameday: Montréal @ Toronto URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-montreal-toronto/ Last updated: 2026-03-03T20:00:33.000Z ### Montréal Victoire @ Toronto Sceptres ### 7:00 PM ET @ Coca-Cola Coliseum **Watch in Canada:** Prime Video #### **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com #### Toronto's last game was a 2-1 regulation win on the road in Vancouver. They have a Points % of .426 and are sixth in the league. Montréal's last game was a 4-0 win over the Frost at home. They have a Points % of .647 and are second in the league. The Victoire are in first by straight points, with two more games played than Boston. But both of those teams and Minnesota are tight in the standings. New York in fourth place is the only really vulnerable team. At this point, with 12-15 games remaining for each team, it looks like only the fourth spot is in contention. Something very unusual would have to happen – like a goalie injury – for that to change. The Sceptres did themselves a huge favour by taking six points on the western trip from the teams now behind them. They are one point behind the Sirens with one more game played. Ottawa is right in there in that mix as well. If the Sirens carry on at their current pace, 43 points is needed to beat them, so somehow out of 12 games, the Sceptres need to get 20\. Bottom line is they need to get regulation wins, and they need seven of them. [This](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2026/march/02/pwhl-weekly-notebook-mar-2-2026?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) is the size of the mountain the Sceptres have to climb today: > Montréal’s **Ann-Renée Desbiens** returned from Milan with an Olympic silver medal for Canada and jumped right back into the action with two wins, including one shutout, and has been named **PWHL Player of the Week presented by SharkNinja**. The 31-year-old from Clermont, QC, made 34 saves in the Victoire’s 4-1 win against New York on Thursday, then turned aside all 17 shots faced against Minnesota in a 4-0 shutout on Sunday for a combined 0.50 goals-against-average and .986 save percentage. The shutout was her fourth of the campaign, tying the PWHL single-season record set by **Corinne Schroeder** last season with the Sirens. Desbiens, Schroeder and Boston’s **Aerin Frankel** are all tied for the all-time lead with five career shutouts. Desbiens leads all PWHL goaltenders this season with 11 wins, a 1.06 GAA and .958 SV%, and has not surrendered more than two goals against in 15 starts, including 10 games with one or fewer goals against. Montréal offers a little encouragement on how teams can rapidly change their position in the standings in the PWHL: > The Victoire (9-3-0-5) have taken over first place in the PWHL standings with 33 points while riding a five-game winning streak and wins in eight of their last nine games since they occupied eighth place back on Jan. 4\. It’s the first time the Fleet (8-3-2-2) have dropped down to second place all season as they sit just one point back with 32 points and two games in hand. Meanwhile out west, Renata Fast became the all-time leading scorer for the Sceptres with 40 points wearing blue. Daryl Watts and Natalie Spooner are right behind her with 39 each. Watts has done it in the least amount of games and seems destined to take the lead before the season is over. I don't think anyone had that on their bingo card when the PWHL launched. Lineups will be out later today. ### Maple Leafs Prospect Report: March 3rd News and Stars URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-prospect-report-february-10th-news-and-stars-2/ Last updated: 2026-03-03T13:00:13.000Z ## Tyler Hopkins (C, 3rd Rounder 2025) **Since Feb 24**: 3 goals, 1 assist in 3 games **Season to date**: 24 goals, 25 assists (49 points) in 54 games After writing about Hopkins' hot goal (and point) streak from the previous two weeks, that streak continued through last week. He had two goals against a top team like Kitchener on Wednesday, then had a primary assist on Friday, and finished the week with a goal again on Sunday. He's now on an 8 game point streak with 8 goals and 5 assists, and firing a lot more pucks on net while he's at it (around 4.5 per game). Some goals have definitely been on the junior variety, but I've liked seeing him score in different ways during this stretch. I've seen him get a deflection goal, a dirty rebound goal, some one timers on the power play, goals off the rush, and so on. I keep wanting to see what his tracking data looks like but he hasn't appeared in them yet. > We're out to a 1-0 lead via Tyler Hopkins and an absolute 🚀[#IoftheStorm](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IoftheStorm?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/e51dzs62um](https://t.co/e51dzs62um?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Guelph Storm (@Storm\_City) [March 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/Storm%5FCity/status/2028250935214911989?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Harry Nansi (C/RW, 5th Rounder 2025) **Since Jan 28**: 2 goals, 1 assist in 3 games **Season to date**: 13 goals, 39 assists (52 points) in 59 games Speaking of point streaks continuing from what I wrote about in the last report, Nansi played in three games from last week and had 2 goals and 1 assist to run his streak to 9 games. Not sure if it's related, but his streak started not long after it seems the team gave up on trying him at center towards the end of January. Nansi's season now includes a real hot start with a long point streak, juiced by big powerplay numbers, then an equally cold streak from late November through to the end of January, and now another streak that is less reliant on the man advantage. In first 23 games of the season when he was in the top 5 in the entire OHL in points, 53% of them came on the powerplay. In his current 9 game point streak, that dropped to 36%. I said it last time that Nansi was not as good as those first 23 games made him seem, but he also wasn't as bad as he looked in the subsequent cold spell. I think he had some swings of luck, mixed with changing usage, and now I think the team and Nansi himself have made some improvements and resolved the experiments and found something that's working. > Fancy Nansi strikes again 🕺[@MapleLeafs](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) prospect Harry Nansi showed off the slick mitts on a penalty shot for the [@AttackOHL](https://twitter.com/AttackOHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) as he pots the insurance marker.[#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/3EJ6qMI58N](https://t.co/3EJ6qMI58N?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) [March 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/OHLHockey/status/2028250433420959920?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Miroslav Holinka (C, 5th Rounder 2024) **Since Jan 6**: 3 goals, 1 assist in 4 games **Season to date**: 35 goals, 41 assists (76 points) in 53 games Holinka has, once again, made a spot for himself in my three stars. It's pretty easy to say that aside from Koblar, Holinka has had the most impressive season. At some level, that's to be expected from a guy in his final junior season, especially given how many of the stars of the CHL left for the NCAA. But it's worth remembering he's a fifth round pick, it's not like he had a lot of hype. He's once again in the top five in the WHL when it comes to point per game pace, since he's missed some time with an injury and Toronto's training camp. It's just a matter of how deep a playoff run we can see from him, now. What Holinka has done is shown steady improvements since coming to the WHL. He still has some nifty mittens and a wicked shot, but he's evolved his power game. He uses the give-and-go to drive better transitions through the neutral zone. He has leaned on his size and physical strength more, when it comes to puck protection and battling for loose pucks along the boards. What I'd still like to see is him improving his skating as much as possible. It's not bad right now, but I think he could especially use a bit more explosiveness and top speed. He's got the shiftiness and agility parts down already. > MIROSLAV HOLINKA DELIVERS THE OT WINNER!!!!!![@EdmOilKings](https://twitter.com/EdmOilKings?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [@MapleLeafs](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/CX3OKYQj1y](https://t.co/CX3OKYQj1y?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [March 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2028283681295696033?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### News & Notes **Tinus Luc Koblar (C, 2nd rounder in 2025)** – Koblar had a goal and an assist in his last game on Saturday, and he returned to the second line center after dropping to the third line for a bit. That game brought him to 7 goals and 13 points on the season. Among all U19 players in the SHL, Koblar is 4th – behind the 3rd overall pick and another 2nd round pick from last year, and a guy who will almost certainly be a top 5 pick this year. It's definitely been a very solid year to see for his development. 0:00 /0:18 1× Tinus Luc Koblar (#4 in white/blue) - Goal then assist **Victor Johansson (LHD, 4th rounder in 2024)** – As Cathy put in the comments of the last update, Leksands fired their GM... who just so happened to be Johansson's father. Maybe because of that, maybe not, but Johansson's playing time with the SHL team was cut to zero for two games before returning to the Allsvenskan team he had been loaned to earlier in the year. He's playing 15-21 minutes in the four games since then, and had two assists. It's much nicer to see him get that playing time. **Alexander Plesovskikh (RW, 5th rounder in 2024)** – Plesovskikh has had an okay season. He's mostly played back in junior again, which isn't great for his development. He did get a couple of games in the VHL, but in the past week he also got into two games for his KHL club in Russia's top pro league. He only played 1:02 and 2:43 in those two games, and was returned to his junior team for the weekend, but it's nice to see him getting those looks. **William Belle (RW, 5th rounder in 2025)** – I written pretty much nothing about Belle this year since writing his draft profile. That's mostly because there wasn't much to write about. He's played all season on Notre Dame's fourth line in the NCAA averaging around 8-10 minutes per game of ice time, and had only three points all season going into this weekend. But hey, here's a nice little reminder that he exists as he scored his first college goal against a top team like Penn State. > THAT'S OUR FRESHMAN 😤 > > Will Belle's first career goal was certainly one to write home about.[#GoIrish](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoIrish?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/ei2qShTwJC](https://t.co/ei2qShTwJC?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Notre Dame Hockey (@NDHockey) [February 28, 2026](https://twitter.com/NDHockey/status/2027549244794474561?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Tuesday's FTB: No the Leafs aren't trading that guy URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-9/ Last updated: 2026-03-03T13:33:39.000Z Another list! Today it's who the Leafs can't trade without the player's consent, and who is hard to trade. NMCs and NTCs in other words. What are those things? No-movement clauses or NMCs are wording in the player's SPC that prohibits any trade or use of waivers without their consent. No-trade clauses or NTCs prohibit trades only. Both types of clauses can be modified with a list of teams the player would be unwilling to be traded to, making all the others free to be used. There is also the reverse style of list, less common, of teams the player will accept. These are the Leafs and their clauses. 🎅 Full NMC: 1. Auston Matthews 2. William Nylander 3. John Tavares 4. Morgan Rielly 5. Chris Tanev NTCs: 1. Max Domi, 13 team list 2. Dakota Joshua, 12 team list 3. Calle Järnkrok, 10 team list 4. Jake McCabe, full no-trade 5. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, 16 team list 6. Brandon Carlo, 8 team list Clarifying notes: Dakota Joshua's contract was signed in Vancouver. There is a common misconception that waiving a no-trade or being traded at all voids the clause. This is not the case. Brandon Carlo's list drops to a three team list after this season. Usually, these lists are renewed on July 1\. All of this information is freely available on PuckPedia, and likely other places too. --- Yesterday there was a trade of a defender to the Oilers: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/69a61623d1646-1-.png) Of note, that's a pick for two years from now, and only one pick in return for the player and the retention. He is 32 and a bottom four defender of the fourth or fifth type but I think the Oilers got a bit of a deal there. They could have just kept Troy Stecher. And I think they'd be fine if they had, but Murphy is a "big minutes eater" sort of defender and Stecher is "neither great nor awful at anything" sort of player. In some ways, Stecher is very like Matias Maccelli, and they might disappoint teams for the same reason. They don't often give you a big rush of satisfaction at a big play or a high-skilled moment. The players that have those, particularly if they score goals, keep people hoping for another one. I actually think these are smart players to target. If you match up a player who is slightly good at generating offence and defence and quality of both of those, you can put them with anyone who is a player tilted to one skill and you prosper. Jake McCabe is one of these guys too. If defence is cheap (like Murphy) then boring is even cheaper. --- Pierre LeBrun was on Overdrive yesterday afternoon, and there is only one topic: the Leafs. Although they started with the Murphy trade above and talked about some guy named Pettersson, whoever that is. [https://post.futurimedia.com/chumam/playlist/listen-59748.html](https://post.futurimedia.com/chumam/playlist/listen-59748.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I'll skip the bit about the fans being mad, the 9 years of futility talk, all of that. You can do that yourselves, you don't need help. Onto the discussion of how do they improve the roster. On Management: Will Treliving and Berube be back next year? No one can say that one way or another. On the Roster: If they can fast forward the offseason and add a player now, they will. It's for next year, but that's hard to do. Who are they willing to trade: More than just pending UFAs. An example is that they would make a deal for Oliver Ekman-Larsson if one was there, so far it isn't. Overall plan: They can't nuke the roster and rebuild. It's more like Boston a year ago and trying to get to a better spot. O'Neill's question: What are they going to do about guys who just aren't getting it done. LeBrun assumes he means Morgan Rielly, and he discussed the NMC as above. And he then says a lot of this is going to depend on who is running the team next year. I found that very interesting because while LeBrun is echoing Darren Dreger's comments yesterday, this last bit gets at the idea that the style of play needs to determine the roster. I consider this to be a very good argument for making a coaching decision now. It's not like the coach and the roster are independent things, they are intrinsically linked. I find LeBrun on Overdrive the most interesting listen at these times. The hosts are blunter and more sure of their position, and he will rise to their level of straight talk. Now that said, I don't actually expect Craig Berube to be fired. I can't even decide if I think Treliving would be allowed to fire him. --- That's all you get, don't believe everything you read, check the source, and stop posting things without links! ### GDT: Flyers in town URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-flyers-in-town/ Last updated: 2026-03-03T00:00:04.000Z ### Philadelphia Flyers @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:30 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: Prime, TVAS, NBCSP ### [Preview: Flyers @ LeafsMuddy middle battle.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-400.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1559669761-9799e24836aa.jpeg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-flyers-leafs-yes-you-dont-care-i-know/) Try to play hockey tonight, guys. You might like it. ### Preview: Flyers @ Leafs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-flyers-leafs-yes-you-dont-care-i-know/ Last updated: 2026-03-02T15:43:45.000Z ### Philadelphia Flyers @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:30 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: Prime, TVAS, NBCSP ### The Leafs last game was at home on February 28 against the Ottawa Senators, which Toronto lost by a score of 5-2 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 27-24-9 for a 0.525 Points %. The Philadelphia Flyers last played at home on February 28 against the Boston Bruins. The Flyers won by a score of 3-1 in regulation, and their current league record is 27-21-11 for a 0.551 Points %. ### Them The Flyers have a record very similar to the Leafs after flirting with playoff contention for part of the year again. They are looking to ride it out as they try to rebuild from a long dark time out of contention. They got Boris Katchouk in trade yesterday, in a strange move, but it's possible his history of NHL play makes him a down the stretch option as they trade out players. I don't know their depth in the minors, but if Grebenkin is a third-liner, they're pretty thin. I know the done thing is to pretend he's an NHLer of some meaningful impact, but so far that is just not true. He's got a little time yet. #### Lines Last Game (2026-02-28) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/philadelphia-flyers/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and subject to change Trevor Zegras - Christian Dvorak - Travis Konecny Matvei Michkov - Noah Cates - Bobby Brink Nikita Grebenkin - Sean Couturier - Owen Tippett Nicolas Deslauriers - Carl Grundström - Garnet Hathaway Travis Sanheim - Rasmus Ristolainen Cam York - Jamie Drysdale Emil Andrae - Nick Seeler Dan Vladar Samuel Ersson ### Us These guys again. If you missed it, both goalies played (for various definitions of that word) in the Saturday game, so someone is coming back in tonight. I don't see any light between them right now. It is the done thing to pretend Joe Woll is a solid performer all the time, but it's not true. Stolarz is still struggling to get back in form, while his temper is highly active. I don't blame him for policing his crease. Someone has to. He gets to go again tonight. Lines are all mixed up, and Bobby McMann is getting a chance to show off. Nick Robertson sits and Steven Lorentz plays. Pairs are all mixed up and Simon Benoit gets promoted for doing things. They aren't useful things, but at least they are things that were done in a game where little else happened. Troy Stecher sits and Phil Myers gets in a game. All of that assuming these lines survive to gametime. #### Lines [Morning skate](https://x.com/davidalter/status/2028494788383613396?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - William Nylander Matthew Knies - John Tavares - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - Nicolas Roy - Dakota Joshua Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Easton Cowan Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Simon Benoit - Jake McCabe Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Phil Myers Joe Woll Anthony Stolarz - starter ### The Game Try not to get hurt. Try to make someone mad other than those of us still watching. ### What's down there in the minors? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/whats-down-there-in-the-minors/ Last updated: 2026-03-02T13:00:01.000Z Sometimes we talk about the Marlies in an abstract way as if they're the same team year after year, chock full of hot prospects. That is not at all true this season. So who is down there, and who could join the team if the Leafs trade enough players to start cutting into the depth? Note, that at the moment the Leafs have 14 healthy forwards and seven healthy defence, so it's not like there's a pressing need, but there might be a vacancy in the pressbox by next Friday. We've seen the defence depth, but why not run the names down to remind ourselves of what trading Brandon Carlo or Oliver Ekman-Larsson really entails. 1. Phil Myers, in the NHL but rarely playing is the first man up. 2. Henry Thrun, who was on the roster for a while and played in four games is next. 3. Matt Benning, who is 2B to Thrun's 2A has one game for the Leafs. 4. Dakota Mermis, plausibly 2C on this list, has eleven games played and one goal, for the only point of the three tied as the eighth defender. 5. Marshall Rifai also has one game played, and while he had a good training camp, his injury derailed that pretty comprehensively 6. After those fellows comes Cade Webber, Blake Smith, John Prokop and William Villeneuve. Of note, Villeneuve was at practice before the Olympic break was over when the Leafs needed a defence body. He has his fans, and I'm not one of them, but he's the only actual prospect on this list until... 7. Noah Chadwick is younger than Villeneuve and hasn't jumped over him on the Marlies, so I think we are not due to see this guy for any reason this year. And now the forwards: 1. Easton Cowan would actually play every game if they traded someone. 2. Calle Järnkrok is the other common extra right now, and insulates the team from needing to go digging for more. 3. Jacob Quillan has been the go-to guy when the team needed a forward, and no one would cry if he was the 4C for the rest of the year. He has four NHL games so far. 4. Luke Haymes is a slightly younger, similar forward to Quillan, but his youth might keep him in the development league. Some thoughts on Haymes here from the coach: 1. Michael Pezzetta isn't very good at hockey, but he has a lot of NHL experience in recent years. 2. Travis Boyd and Vinni Lettieri are the veterans on the Marlies who used to play more serious pro hockey, they can do a twirl on the fourth line, but Boyd is currently injured long term. 3. Bo Groulx is the dark horse who was called up during the Olympics as well. He has spoken lately about getting eligibility for the next Olympics for France (his other country of origin) which involves playing in Europe, so he seems to be pretty clear about his level. He played half of one season with the Ducks a couple of years ago. That's pretty much the likely suspects, and I'm a little surprised I found so many. It sure seems like an emptying out is possible to do. Just, you know, not possible to come back from very easily, so don't bet the farm that the Leafs have to dig deep this weekend for a roster. ### Monday's FTB: a trade! URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-a-trade/ Last updated: 2026-03-02T11:00:38.000Z Minnesota found the one neat trick to getting younger while in the middle of their contention window. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/69a4d40b94fb9-1-.png) Or maybe Tampa did: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/695162e0140d5-1-.png) Boris Katchouk played for Tampa back in 2021-2022 as a borderline fourth liner. He went to Chicago, the natural home of such players, packed on the years, did a season in Ottawa and then ended up back in Tampa. He played three games there this year before the first trade, which netted them Roman Schmidt, who has graduated from the OHL, and so far hasn't matched Katchouk's stats, but he's younger! He's at the age Katchouk was when he briefly hit the NHL. The Wild have traded him for Michael Milne, also the same age as Schmidt, 23\. > Today is the first day players can sign Entry Level Deals that start next season (26-27). > > It’s also the effective date for the CBA change of the ELC max compensation limits being based on contract year, not draft year, and the new higher maximums in the CBA > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [March 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/2028153005862985779?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) These are all the same guy. This is how you get pointlessly, fruitlessly, meaninglessly younger. You trade your 14th forward or your eighth defender for a guy four years younger who is likely to be the exact same guy, and then the older guy goes and plays five years in Germany or Switzerland, and it all cycles through again. All of this is in search of that guy that one guy that will be good on your team and not any others. It's like a gold rush where almost all the gold ever found has been fake, but the belief never wavers. Until the waivers. (not sorry) Later today (or already if it's after 8) there will be a post about who the Leafs have in the minors. Generally the Leafs just sign younger, not that good guys out of college and dispense with the trading. --- In other news, the Leafs play yet another game tonight at 7:30 pm, and there's a lot of these later start times down the stretch, so make sure you're up on the schedule, you don't want to miss a moment. Last game, when the Leafs hit 20 SOG (very late in the third) was an amazing moment in sports. This is how you play after a break when you're down and seemingly out: > 6/6 POINTS OUT WEST ✅ > > Toronto Sceptres x [@IntactInsurance](https://twitter.com/IntactInsurance?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/r5MHknUyRK](https://t.co/r5MHknUyRK?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Sceptres (@PWHL\_Toronto) [March 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5FToronto/status/2028259664555831574?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Okay look, there is no news, no real trade rumours beyond what we've seen a million times, and the radio and TV people are reduced to speculation about Sergei Bobrovsky and stories about Robert Thomas realizing what the draft does to good players. So I will be honest, as I usually am, about how I think and feel about this team. They are in a bad place emotionally. I don't think you could have watched the last two games and not have seen that. And they were in that place back in November/December, and they snapped out of it. They may again. You are never your worst self, nor your best every day. And no, actually, how much money you make doesn't really influence that or make you less prone to human frailty. I find myself very willing to laugh at them like they are absurdist comedy because the alternative is not to be angry, but sad. That's what absurdism is for, for those days when it's all spinning out of your control and you don't want to paint over the red door with black. So here's the straight talk: they can't make the playoffs, short of 12 simultaneous miracles. The are not going to finish in the bottom five, and I'll brook no dissent on this, they can't hit the tiny Points % needed there's too many other teams trying harder to lose who are better at it. People who should know better will pander to fans who can't do math and claim they might, and you should ignore them. This is, yes, in many ways the worst possible outcome, but also better, in my mind, than squeaking in and finding an excuse about playoff failure come July. This team is not it, and they need to accept that and deal with that, and not find a way to back out of that acceptance. Now, you guys out there who want them to be bad so someone up the org chart will see the light and trade everyone and tank and blah blah blah, nope. Stop it. You are campaigning for the impossible. Corporately, in terms of player control over their own futures, and in terms of smart playing of the percentages, they can't trade the big guys. Hell, they can't trade Morgan Rielly. Sometimes this is where you end up. Fill your time with alternate reality universe that validate your priors if you find that fun, I cannot anymore in these times, leave the real world. So here I am, staring at this path with snakes (Australian ones) on one side, alligators on the other and spear pits randomly along the way. This is the path the team must walk. It's likely not going to work, which is the easiest prediction ever since most teams don't win the cup ever in any given 10 or 15 years. But it's still the path. It might lead to a total tear down and rebuild. I hope not because those are actually really boring, and the hockey is horrible. If it comes to that, I will be right there deep into the business of drafting and prospects and all that stuff. But I cannot wish for it. For right now, we're on this path, the past is a foreign country, the wench is dead, and there's only the future in front of us. We'll see where this goes. (Please, someone, do a stupid trade, we need the laugh.) ### Sceptres Gameday: An afternoon on the west coast URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-afternoon-west-coast/ Last updated: 2026-03-01T19:42:39.000Z ## Toronto Sceptres @ Vancouver Goldeneyes 4:00 PM ET @ Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver **Watch in Canada:** TSN #### #### **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com #### Toronto's last game was a 5-2 regulation win on the road in Seattle on Friday. The Sceptres have a Points % of .392 and are in seventh place. This game set the new US attendance record for women's hockey at 17,335\. Vancouver's last game was a 4-1 regulation loss on the road in Minnesota on January 28\. The Goldeneyes have a Points % of .396 and are in sixth place. --- Toronto's win on Friday put them ahead of Seattle and they are actually already ahead of Vancouver by points, with one more game played. The bottom three teams in the PWHL are knotted up tight, and who is in front or behind means very little right now, but that win for the Sceptres was important. The Points % they need to maintain over the rest of the season (13 games) to get ahead of where the Sirens are now has dropped to .590 with that win. But they need to also separate themselves from the other two teams. Time is short and the room for error has all been used up but if I were to pick a team to make the surge it's the Sceptres. Unbiased analysis, honest. Toronto has adopted the Blue Jays style of jacket for recognizing the player of the game. And it became clear it doesn't fit over goalie gear, but it's a great thing, you should watch this if you haven't seen it complete with the Blue Jays reply. > 🗣️ KIIIIIRRRRKYYYY 🗣️ [pic.twitter.com/zQPperxBx7](https://t.co/zQPperxBx7?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) [November 23, 2025](https://twitter.com/BlueJays/status/1992638545308381338?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/HCWKj6Ea4AAI_QN-1-.jpg) w Vancouver is going to be the rusty team after their layoff from the Olympic break. They have signed Brianna Brooks off their reserve list to a 10-day SPC as they have several [unnamed players with day-to-day injuries](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/teams/vancouver-goldeneyes/news/2026/march/01/goldeneyes-sign-brianna-brooks-to-10-day-contract?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). She will make her PWHL debut today. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/03/HCWWjUtbMAAqxwJ-1-.jpg) s ### Sunday's FTB: Usually a day off URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sundays-ftb-usually-a-day-off/ Last updated: 2026-03-01T11:00:12.000Z In general the Sunday before the trade deadline is not when things happen. As of time of writing the only rumoured event that could happen is a trade for Tyler Myers to someone. If he waives his NTC. Now, of course, I will have jinxed this and all hell will break loose, but is there really much to break loose? The Leafs are looking (eventually) to add players, and several people have mentioned the dearth of UFAs of quality, but let's just list them off here for fun. All of them are here: [https://puckpedia.com/players/search?q=2025-26-ufa](https://puckpedia.com/players/search?q=2025-26-ufa&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Instead of sorting by points, I'm going to go by five-on-five TOI/GP. And I set the minimum at 12 which gets me 70 players I'm not listing all 70, just the top few and any interesting ones lurking below. Obviously the top section will be defender heavy: 1. Jacob Trouba 2. Rasmus Andersson 3. Brett Kulak 4. Troy Stecher (seriously) 5. Mario Ferraro 6. John Carlson 7. Darren Raddysh 8. John Klingberg 9. Tony DeAngelo 10. Timothy Liljegren 11. Andrew Peeke 12. Ryan Shea 13. Brent Burns 14. Jeremy Lauzon 15. Nick Jensen 16. Matt Grzelcyk 17. Logan Stanley 18. Carson Soucy 19. Jamie Oleksiak 20. Alexander Petrovic 21. Radko Gudas 22. Mason Marchment - the first forward on the list 23. Jordan Eberble 24. Ian Cole 25. Jack Roslovic 26. Mats Zuccarello 27. Jake Bean 28. Ilya Mikheyev 29. Evander Kane And then there's a lot of lower pairing defenders mixed in, so I'll look for some highlights in forwards now... Nick Schmaltz, Alex Tuch, Bobby McMann (35th on the list and ninth for forwards at 13:41). Now I'll find the next forward on this list younger than McMann... Okay, close enough – also 29 is Kasperi Kapanen at 52nd. To give Justin Bourne his due, this list is likely why he wrote a trade-focused article when talking about roster acquisitions. Now I'm imagining stem bolts being swapped for gold-pressed latinum. I would actually pick Marchment and Kapanen out of that list, and maybe Teddy Bleuger at 31 years old and 55th on the list with 12:40 per game. Eeli Tolvanen is the only stereotypical skilled player. He's Nick Robertson only good on the power play. He's also only 26\. And like most of that list above, he'll likely sign with his current team. The Leafs scouts have their work cut out for them. There is, of course, RFAs to consider, who aren't a fit on their current team, so that's an option. Hard to imagine finding a better than Maccelli name in this list though. Now wasn't that cheerful? Elliotte Friedman on HNIC said that the Leafs are expanding who they are considering trading. Now, I would caution against leaping to a giant conclusion here because I have read two other credible reports that there is interest in Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and that Brandon Carlo is considered to be available. So that's the level of "players with term" that is being discussed here so far. That's the news so far. Wait, you want something on the game last night? > Most performances of at least 5 goals allowed among all teams so far this season in the NHL: > 21- Maple Leafs > 20- Canucks > 18- Blues > 18- Ducks > 16- [#Oilers](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Oilers?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) (Thanks to their 5-4 defeat earlier on today against the Sharks) > 15- Predators > 15- Panthers > 15- Flyers > 13- Sharks > 13- Capitals > > — StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) [March 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/StatsCentre/status/2027935191444947346?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### GDT: Senators on tap URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-senators-on-tap-still-dont-care-that-you-dont-care/ Last updated: 2026-02-28T23:30:43.000Z ### Ottawa Senators @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: SN, CBC, TVAS2 ### [Preview: Leafs vs SensNarratives ho!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-398.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1569982615761-66697da68502-1)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-vs-sens-i-dont-care-that-you-dont-care/) Permanent rule for the rest of the season: No politics in the GDT. ### Preview: Leafs vs Sens URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-vs-sens-i-dont-care-that-you-dont-care/ Last updated: 2026-02-28T15:46:58.000Z ### Ottawa Senators @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: SN, CBC, TVAS2 ### The Leafs last game was away on February 26 against the Florida Panthers, which Toronto lost by a score of 5-1 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 27-23-9 for a 0.534 Points %. The Ottawa Senators last played at home on February 26 against the Detroit Red Wings. The Senators lost by a score of 2-1 in overtime, and their current league record is 28-22-8 for a 0.552 Points %. ### Them Movie logic says the Ottawa Senators are just bad, so bad, everyone is bad, and they deserve their spot in the standings because the lesson of the last two seasons is very much that the standings are infallible. The Ottawa Senators are really very good and they have been all year. They have three very good defenders – three top pairing guys of varying skills. They have three good enough bottom four defenders. They have top level skill at forward at a variety of different things, and they are good enough in other places to augment with players like Claude Giroux and Ridly Greig. And they've had terrible goaltending almost the entire season. Two measures: Ottawa is one percentage point behind Carolina and Colorado at five-on-five Expected Goals % and one ahead of Tampa. Ottawa has the highest Goals Against Above Expected in the league. (All from Moneypuck.) #### Lines Last Game (2026-02-26) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/ottawa-senators/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Drake Batherson - Tim Stützle - Claude Giroux Brady Tkachuk - Dylan Cozens - Ridly Greig Nick Cousins - Shane Pinto - Michael Amadio Stephen Halliday - Lars Eller - Fabian Zetterlund Jake Sanderson - Artem Zub Thomas Chabot - Nick Jensen Tyler Kleven - Jordan Spence Linus Ullmark - likely starter James Reimer ### Us The Leafs have 14 healthy forwards and presumably some number of those they would like to trade. That's the simplest explanation for roster decisions, but it's become a thing that Easton Cowan hasn't played, and lo tonight he is playing. #### Lines [From morning skate](https://x.com/davidalter/status/2027769133564076312?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Matthew Knies - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Bobby McMann Dakota Joshua - Scott Laughton - Nicholas Robertson Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Troy Stecher Simon Benoit - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Joe Woll - starter Anthony Stolarz ### The Game There will be talk that the Senators are tough and gritty and there will be some metaphors and code words for manhood done correctly and moral judgement. But the reality is that all that storytelling is built on Corsi. The tough guys have a possession game that is effective. The Leafs don't have one of those. That's the key to the game. This is hockey, though, and two teams with bad goalie performances – because the Leafs goalies have been dreadful, particularly lately – can give you any outcome On that cheery note, see you tonight for this important game! ### Saturday's FTB: In the zone and looking for a way out URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/saturdays-ftb-in-the-zone-and-looking-for-a-way-out/ Last updated: 2026-02-28T11:00:05.000Z This is the best, most cogent case I've seen so far for an aggressive set of moves from the Leafs. [Why Maple Leafs shouldn’t be afraid to sell big before the trade deadlineAs the trade deadline approaches, the time is now for the Maple Leafs to get out of the mushy middle and make some deals for the future, writes Justin Bourne.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/maple-leafs-kraken.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/why-maple-leafs-shouldnt-be-afraid-to-go-big-before-the-trade-deadline/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Now, bear in mind this is an article timed to this moment, so the idea that the Leafs should extend their list of who they'd like to move out does not actually have to be enacted right now. If you are predisposed emotionally to want to see a spectacle of punishment trades, this article should give you some arguments that sound less like that and more like a good idea. Now here's the scary part. This article doesn't believe its own argument. The premise: > If the Leafs are indeed able to turn it around next year, it’s going to take something so much more than “same guys play better.” It’s going to be because the haul of picks they bring back helped them land a great player or two in trades at the draft, and maybe they make a great UFA signing or two after moving on from a guy like Rielly. The sales pitch with the nice compliment for the masses to get you onside: > Fans are not too impatient to see the team aim at the future. They’re smart. They would be reinvigorated by a restocking of the cupboard that allowed them to at least be in on bidding wars when good players become available. And, ironically, as they aim to be good enough to keep Auston Matthews happy past this contract, your best bet is being able to show him that you have some future mapped out beyond “Hope everyone plays better next year.” The conclusion (after a little meander to talk about how stupid it would be to trade Nylander, but they should totally think about it for a defenceman): > The Leafs have almost no draft capital. They’re rolling out four of the same wingers in Domi, Robertson, Maccelli and Cowan, when they actually dress the latter at all. The D-corps badly needs some players who can make plays. So let's go through all that. The premise is pretty damn sound. I mean, sure if Matt Knies looks like his contract wasn't a mistake and Morgan Rielly suddenly plays well all year, and the goalies don't alternate being weird, the Leafs would likely make the playoffs after a very conservative rearrangement of players. Which isn't progress. They could have done that this year had some key things been different. Now the sales pitch: "at least be in on bidding wars". Wowee zowie what a rosy outlook that is! Yeah, absolutely sell all the furniture to bid on that one designer sofa you really covet that you still won't be able to get, but hey, you tried! You were in the bidding war. And the conclusion: Okay, to be honest this article needs a big edit. That's not really a paragraph that says anything, and there really isn't a conclusion after it, just a restatement of the premise. And that's what I mean when I say this article doesn't believe its own argument. It does not think this cute term of art called being over-sellous will actually work. And trust me, I don't think just hoping for better dice rolls is going to work either. Bourne makes a valid point that re-signing older UFAs won't make the team better long term. The idea here is that Bobby McMann has given the Leafs his best years, now ditch him like they did Ilya Mikheyev. And if you just pluck that idea out of the full mix of choices confronting the team, that makes sense. And then when July rolls around, you sign a guy McMann's age to play his role. That's the problem with this entire situation. You can't have your draft picks and the player you traded for those picks both. You aren't getting a middle pairing defender back in a Brandon Carlo trade. Bourne says, and I agree, that Treliving (or any other executive) can't just throw up his hands and say "it's too hard". But it is hard! This is the problem, you can't do that one neat rhetorical trick of confidently offering a simple solution because one does not exist. So again, I come back to first principles. My first principles: picks are junk, cap space is an asset, defence is cheaper than offence. I think the only way to get a decent probability of being a legit team in the next two years is to make cap space, and fill it up with the best possible players who are older than you or Justin Bourne wants, more expensive – probably overpaid – and who want to commit to a team that works hard to capitalize on their skill by having the puck most of the time and being the biggest pains in the ass in the defensive zone, the NHL has. There's no magic pathway to getting younger, not even by trading Oliver Ekman-Larsson and then losing a bidding war on Vladislav Gavrikov. They might get lucky and find another McMann type of player. And that for me is the thing about this ideological choice of "trade lots" or "trade some" that is carefully elided in this pro-lots article: the entire idea is as reliant on the favourable roll of the dice as is the "just play better" concept it casts aside. You cannot just wave your hand and say, oh they'll find guys in trade who are better and younger and faster and cheaper and come on. This is the Costco fallacy used to underpin the whole thing. Now, straight talk: I don't recognize the caricature that has been created on this site of a big mean old man who yells and hates all the players and benches guys and scratches them for mistakes and will ruin all the prospects and so on and on. But the other big thing missing from Bourne's premise that "just playing better" isn't enough is that the surest way to have this team play better is to have players who can actually perform defensive and transitional roles but also have a coach who can devise a system that actually includes a, (deep breath so I don't yell), a damn zone exit once in a fucking month of Sundays. I don't miss Sheldon Keefe. Not even a little bit. The Leafs were easy pickings, even when they were younger and faster and full of the right stereotypes. I don't miss Kyle Dubas all that much either, although he enacts human values in a sport that – glances at the Wild – could use a few more people who do. He is the author of this current situation as much as Brendan Shanahan and Brad Treliving are. This is a process of years of choices and outcomes foreseeable and not. But why was Dubas fired? I think he wanted to walk down one fork in the road and Shanahan wanted the straight ahead path, more north-south. And here we are again, needing to formulate a strategy, not just have some good situational tactics on July 1\. The Leafs, one might say, need a zone exit out of the muddy middle. And that is exactly the circumstances where NHL teams traditionally fire the management staff so the next guy can make the changes the first guy failed to sell up the org chart. Maybe we are there again. But if every new guy given the hard job has to take a year before he really acts, we'll be stuck here forever. Zone exits. That's all I want. The news, last I looked, was at "Could the Panthers trade Bobrovsky" level of nothing going on pre-deadline speculation. It's the weekend, and the Leafs are playing Ottawa. More on that later today. ### Gameday: Sceptres back in action in Seattle URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gameday-sceptres-back-in-action-in-seattle/ Last updated: 2026-02-28T00:00:49.000Z ## Toronto Sceptres @ Seattle Torrent ### 10:00 PM ET @ Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle W**atch in Seattle:** FOX 13+ **Watch in Canada:** TSN #### **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com Toronto's last game was a shutout loss to Montréal on January 28\. They are last in the league by Points % with .354\. They are seven points behind the fourth-place New York Sirens, a gap that can be met in the PWHL by winning three times more than the opposition. However, there are three other teams between fourth and last. Seattle's last game was a 4-2 defeat at the hands of the Ottawa Charge on January 28\. Seattle is second last with a Points % of .381\. They are eight points behind the Sirens, and have played two fewer games than the Sceptres so are in last place by points. With a layoff just short of one month, the PWHL is back in action until the last weekend in April. Toronto has 14 games to try to make up that points deficit and secure a playoff spot. The math on this is not pretty. The Sirens are on pace for 42 points if they play at the same Points % they have now – 0.471\. For the Sceptres to hit 43 points by the end of the season, they have to play at a .619 Points % for the 14 remaining games. They need to get 26 points. That's nine wins in 14 games, with enough wiggle room to have one game be an OT or Shootout win. The Sceptres have five wins of any kind so far. The three-point system makes this possible, maybe even plausible if the team plays like they did last year. The top three teams in the league are all over .619 right now. But expansion has made it much harder with twice the teams fighting to not finish out of the running. Ditto for Seattle, obviously, as they are in the same leaky boat. The Sceptres signed Lauren Messier to a 10-day SPC off of their reserve list. She was activated earlier in the season as well and played in two games. Emma Gentry is currently injured. The Torrent seem ready to go with no changes announced. Lineups will be available closer to gametime. > who's excited to see our points leader hit the ice again?? 😈 [pic.twitter.com/mA8iEQA6xp](https://t.co/mA8iEQA6xp?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Sceptres (@PWHL\_Toronto) [February 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5FToronto/status/2027496682024538153?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### The Leafs don't have a cap space problem URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/the-leafs-dont-have-a-cap-space-problem/ Last updated: 2026-02-27T13:00:33.000Z Over the last few months as the Leafs tried and came short on hitting the level of play needed to make the playoffs this year, I've seen a lot of comments about cap space. Now, I realize the Leafs operated over the cap for years, using LTIR and complex retention moves to add players, but this year's team has never been "cap-strapped". They don't have cap issues and they never have, helped along by some epic bad luck. The Leafs have been able to operate with 23 players all season, while at times they've had to make some hasty moves, not for cap space, but to not go over that limit while players were injured. They have never been fully healthy. At the start of the season, the Leafs did a little fiddle to get the correct cap figure for future LTIR purposes when they had to put Marshall Rifai on LTIR due to a training camp injury. He would have been in the AHL otherwise. They still had 23 healthy players on the roster. If we go back to the summer when various trades and signings brought in a clutch of new players in the sub $4 million price range, the team was obviously overloaded, not just in cap hits, but in total bodies. There was a great deal of talk about moving out players like Nick Robertson, David Kämpf and Calle Järnkrok. In the end they chose the new guys over Kämpf, and made no other moves other than to release their two waiver claims back into the wild. Remember them? Sammy Blais and Cayden Primeau, claimed on opening day because the Leafs started the season short of players. So, even with multiple players on IR at various times – where their cap hits still count – there was never a moment where cap space was the problem. In an imaginary alternate world where the Leafs played the first two months of the season the way they played the next two, there was opportunity to subtract extra players if necessary to add new ones. In the end, they claimed Troy Stecher, and that was it. There is one player hurt now, Chris Tanev, and he is on LTIR at the regular LTIR limit of $3.8 million (and change). The Leafs have 24 players on the roster – 23 healthy and Tanev – and they have cap space, even including Tanev's full hit, of just over $400,000\. If he becomes healthy and no one else is injured or traded away, then some defenceman comes off the roster and that number jumps up to over a million. In an even more exciting alternate universe where the Leafs are adding at the deadline, they have accrued what will likely be just over $5 million in deadline cap space (the amount of cap hits that can be added, taking into account the proration of the deals and use of the LTIR pool dollar-for-dollar). They are projected by Puckpedia to finish the year with over $1 million in regular space with no changes made (the same calculation as above). It is not outside the realm of possibility that the Leafs may add players at this deadline. Part of capitalizing on their surplus and their cap space is the ability to take back players teams need to move out to make space for other trades. That's right now. Next year is a whole different picture. While the Leafs don't have a lot of UFAs and Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton, Calle Järnkrok and Troy Stecher add up to less than $6 million, they also have a couple of RFAs they may or may not keep on the roster. If you carry forward this roster right now, the total hit is approximately $82 million on 18 players, leaving $21.7 million in space. And the same opportunity exists to remove players, particularly in the bottom half of the lineup where there is no trade protection. When the time comes that the roster looks up to the task, they can cull the number down below 23 again to maximize the cap hit on the ice at any one time. The Leafs – on purpose, not because they are just so stupid – added players last summer who were overpaid. They did this because cap space is their biggest asset and there were no real Mitch Marner replacements on the market. None of these players are awful or bad or big mistakes. Matias Maccelli, for example, has proved to be a reasonable middle six winger, and he's hardly overpaid unless you're living in the world where everyone not a star gets paid a million. Why back in my day, we played for free and we liked it. For free! We paid them to play. And we liked it! We thanked them! It's entirely possible the Leafs will keep adding players with bigger cap hits than are perfectly efficient either right now or in the summer. But the future is unpredictable in the short term. Despite the simple rhetoric of selling or buying as absolutes, teams make decision for the short and long term, and also in response to the players available as well as their own situation. They can do simple arithmetic. They know the cap situation, and they know how to use it to try to get some advantage in what is a very tough situation to navigate towards a better team. And yes, they actually do know the team isn't very good as is. ### Friday FTB: when the losses mount URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/friday-ftb-when-the-losses-mount/ Last updated: 2026-02-27T11:00:45.000Z The Toronto Maple Leafs lost 5-1 (two empty netters) to thee Florida Panthers on Thursday night. They had a bad first period, allowing three goals, and never recovered beyond a power play goal from John Tavares. As the losses mount, it becomes ever more clear it's time to trade away players at the trade deadline, namely pending UFAs they won't want to re-sign and players they don't expect will help them compete next year. Here are the coach and players talking after the game. And a transcript if you want it instead. [Craig Berube on the Leafs’ lack of urgency in Florida: “It is my job to make sure they have it... We have no time to take shifts and periods off”Craig Berube addressed the media after his team’s 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers, which dropped the Maple Leafs’ record to 27-23-9\. On the team’s slow start to the game: It is a tough start, right? We got down three. The shorthanded goal was tough. We know Florida. We know they’re going to come out \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500-85.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/berube-pg-jan-16.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/02/27/craig-berube-on-the-leafs-lack-of-urgency-in-florida-it-is-my-job-to-make-sure-they-have-it-we-have-no-time-to-take-shifts-off-and-periods-off/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) "Biron: Leafs don't look like a team fighting to keep its playoff hopes alive" [\- TSNTSN Hockey analyst Martin Biron joins Jay Onrait to discuss if the Leafs look like a club fighting to keep its playoff hopes alive, if Brady Tkachuk’s performance vs. the Red Wings was him carrying his Olympic success into the Sens’ playoff chase, and if the Canadiens need to add an experienced netminder before the trade deadline.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-225.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F02-27-2026-2Ft_ae90a64b4a3240d0921c04af8c97e5f2_name_2026_2_26_bb78b201_5f44_4a70_9250_cbb93fb5f92d_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/video/2026/02/27/biron-leafs-dont-look-like-a-team-fighting-to-keep-its-playoff-hopes-alive/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This game was Jake McCabe's 700th. > Maple Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe is skating in his 700th career NHL game tonight. [pic.twitter.com/TCM9rRXNZ7](https://t.co/TCM9rRXNZ7?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [February 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2027174885043446224?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Get the two seconds if a team is willing to trade them, they're better than a late first. > Dreger: McMann 'might get $5M on the open market as a UFA, he's not getting $5M from the Leafs' > > VIDEO: [https://t.co/xDK8sgve2W](https://t.co/xDK8sgve2W?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/mAEwq6Rxsn](https://t.co/mAEwq6Rxsn?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [February 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2027175322886586607?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs host Ottawa on Saturday where they'll see the other Tkachuk brother, who had a heated rivalry night against Detroit. > Puck nowhere near Brady Tkachuk and Detroit’s Simon Edvinsson just takes him out. Dylan Cozens drops the gloves after[#GoSensGo](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoSensGo?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/CWXseB3I3K](https://t.co/CWXseB3I3K?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — RGF (@rgfray1) [February 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/rgfray1/status/2027194491686244756?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Brady Tkachuk and Simon Edvinsson have a spirited conversation in the box 😳 [pic.twitter.com/FjXbkS4tyJ](https://t.co/FjXbkS4tyJ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [February 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2027194270373814625?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Countdown to TradeCentre: Is the Maple Leafs’ course clear?The Toronto Maple Leafs returned from the Olympic break with a 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning as the signs continue to point towards the team being a seller at the deadline.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-224.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/5VEAQ2IG2JFP7KPPFVY46UN4LY.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/countdown-to-tradecentre-is-the-maple-leafs-course-clear/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Leafs play Ottawa in game #60, pretty much three quarters of the way through the season, if anyone thinks there are still playoff hopes, they shouldn't. And from me that applies next year unless there are some major adds in the summer. ### GDT: Toronto vs Florida URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-toronto-vs-florida-2/ Last updated: 2026-02-26T23:30:56.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Florida Panthers 07:00 PM at Amerant Bank Arena Watch on: TVAS, TSN4, SCRIPPS ### [Preview: Leafs at PanthersSEGABABA!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-397.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1579641665137-2037024da8a4)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-at-panthers/) Dakota Joshua in for Calle Järnkrok is the only change. Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Leafs at Panthers URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-at-panthers/ Last updated: 2026-02-26T17:35:21.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Florida Panthers 07:00 PM at Amerant Bank Arena Watch on: TVAS, TSN4, SCRIPPS ### The Leafs last game was away on February 25 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, which Toronto lost by a score of 4-2 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 27-22-9 for a 0.543 Points %. The Florida Panthers last played away on February 5 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Panthers lost by a score of 6-1 in regulation, and their current league record is 29-25-3 for a 0.535 Points %. ### Them If the standings don't lie there is no difference at all between the Leafs and the Panthers. Oh, and neither team can beat the Lightning. Florida has a lot of returning Olympians, but all of them should be healthy and ready to play. Some of their other players are returning from injury or are not quite ready. Evan Rodrigues did not participate in morning skate. #### Lines [From morning skate](https://x.com/J%5FMcPherson1126/status/2027039006190383240?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Carter Verhaeghe - Jesper Boqvist or Tomas Nosek - Sam Reinhart Mackie Samoskevich - Sam Bennett -Matthew Tkachuk Brad Marchand - Anton Lundell - Eetu Luostarinen A.J. Greer - Sandis Vilmanis - Cole Schwindt Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad Niko Mikkola - Uvis Balinskis Donovan Sebrango or Tobias Björnfot - Jeff Petry Sergei Bobrovsky - confirmed starter Daniil Tarasov ### Us Returning to play with a back-to-back means some lineup changes. Dakota Joshua, activated off of LTIR yesterday may play. Joe Woll will start. There has been total silence on any line changes however. #### Lines From yesterday's game: Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Joe Woll - starter Anthony Stolarz ### The Game Do something funny. Do something that makes the Panthers fans really angry, and try to win the game. That's what it's about now. ### Thursday's FTB: Out of it URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-out-of-it/ Last updated: 2026-02-26T12:24:46.000Z The Leafs lost their first game back from the Olympic Break 4-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Shots on goal by the end of the game were close as the Lightning took their foot off the gas significantly, but the Leafs still only held 40% of the shots at 5v5 and 43% of the chances. It's hard to compete when the opponent takes more shots that can turn into goals than you do. John Tavares scored late in the third, seconds after Jake Guentzel missed an empty net to make it 3-1\. Matthew Knies scored in total garbage time to make it 4-2, but continued his streak of scoring against Florida teams. OEL led the team in shots (10), ahead of Tavares, Maccelli, Knies, and Rielly all with five. Benoit took two penalties, OEL and Matthews took one each. Matthews led the team in icetime and won two thirds of his faceoffs in an otherwise quiet night with only three shot attempts. Anthony Stolarz allowed four goals on 36 shots. He faced 4.54 expected goals so he somehow performed better than expected on a night he gave up four. Here are the goals: There were a couple no-goals that were waved off before Point opened the scoring. > Point makes it 1-0 and it counts [pic.twitter.com/5mcRLymL0D](https://t.co/5mcRLymL0D?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2026839729040241133?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Goncalves followed it up with a second before the end of the first. > Goncalves doubles the lead [pic.twitter.com/xR61vhwlbG](https://t.co/xR61vhwlbG?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2026840183384031567?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Kucherov scored on the power play to make it 3-0\. > Tic-Tac-Sell at the Deadline [pic.twitter.com/xRps9vbEMJ](https://t.co/xRps9vbEMJ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2026850370585084266?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs pulled the goalie early and we got this funny moment, excentuated by Tavares scoring on the same play. > BAWWGAWWDDDD ITS PATRICK STEFAN! [pic.twitter.com/I9o0uFjEDa](https://t.co/I9o0uFjEDa?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2026858129422516278?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > me in the NHL : [pic.twitter.com/Xt0ndcf9EK](https://t.co/Xt0ndcf9EK?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2026859560636481781?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > John Tavares ends the shutout 🚨 [pic.twitter.com/rPRhizM8aZ](https://t.co/rPRhizM8aZ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2026858297857335648?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It didn't take long for Tampa to get it back. > Point restores the three-goal lead 11 seconds later > > 4-1 [pic.twitter.com/pchBG3v8JO](https://t.co/pchBG3v8JO?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2026858488765268220?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And then Knies with another flukey goal in garbage time. > Matthew Knies cuts the lead in half 🚨 [pic.twitter.com/ZvSCo1qzIS](https://t.co/ZvSCo1qzIS?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2026858987606429781?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Leafs lose > > sell at the deadline > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2026860450877522204?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Luke Haymes scored a hat trick for the Marlies last night. He's a centre if you feel like you need some of those after the deadline. > The celly says it all 👊 > > Luke Haymes tips one home to give the Marlies the early 1-0 lead! [pic.twitter.com/7Lw93lqwYF](https://t.co/7Lw93lqwYF?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2026813488673292537?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > DOUBLE DIPPIN' NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD! 😎 > > Luke Haymes strikes again to make it 2-1! [pic.twitter.com/IJQ3pPqlTE](https://t.co/IJQ3pPqlTE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2026835641116352922?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > 🚨 LUKE HAYMES HAT TRICK!!!! 🚨 [pic.twitter.com/7GNBuh1wFn](https://t.co/7GNBuh1wFn?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2026846174859153784?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Another centre prospect, Tyler Hopkins, scored twice for Guelph. > "Hopping" back into the lead courtesy of Tyler Hopkins![#IoftheStorm](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IoftheStorm?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/JA3D7617ob](https://t.co/JA3D7617ob?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Guelph Storm (@Storm\_City) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/Storm%5FCity/status/2026823509377192041?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Hopkins has SIX GOALS in SIX PERIODS and he's drafted 86th Overall to 6IX. [#IoftheStorm](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IoftheStorm?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/K4oTGiXwsR](https://t.co/K4oTGiXwsR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Guelph Storm (@Storm\_City) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/Storm%5FCity/status/2026834454249885755?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And Harry Nansi, not sure if he's training as a centre or went back to wing, it's been a while. Anyway, he scored too, giving him 1g, 9a in 9 games. If you can't tell, he's a playmaker. > THAT GOAL WAS HARRY NICE🥶 > > Harry Nansi steals it before extending his point streak to nine games, and the [@AttackOHL](https://twitter.com/AttackOHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) are up one![#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/eYeDh6d9N0](https://t.co/eYeDh6d9N0?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/OHLHockey/status/2026840776970268807?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Here were the NHL scores from last night. > The [@DallasStars](https://twitter.com/DallasStars?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) extended their winning streak to seven games, which is tied for the longest active run in the NHL along with the Blue Jackets (also 7-0-0).[#NHLStats](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLStats?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): [https://t.co/G8iUqSpPlE](https://t.co/G8iUqSpPlE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/XV5c7yRHzh](https://t.co/XV5c7yRHzh?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) [February 26, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHLPR/status/2026911334944637247?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And here's Berube and the team talking after the loss. And ICYMI, here's the team talking before the loss. The Leafs will now take an unmarked van to the other Florida swamp for a game against the Panthers tonight. ### GDT: Leafs at Lightning URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-at-lightning/ Last updated: 2026-02-26T00:00:34.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Tampa Bay Lightning 07:30 PM at Benchmark International Arena Watch on: TNT, truTV, HBO MAX, SN, TVAS ### [Preview: Maple Leafs @ Tampa Bay LightningBack to work.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-396.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1656119337375-13bfe30f8e76)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-maple-leafs-tampa-bay-lightning-2/) Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Maple Leafs @ Tampa Bay Lightning URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-maple-leafs-tampa-bay-lightning-2/ Last updated: 2026-02-25T17:14:25.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Tampa Bay Lightning 07:30 PM at Benchmark International Arena Watch on: TNT, truTV, HBO MAX, SN, TVAS ### The Leafs last game was away on February 3 against the Edmonton Oilers, which Toronto won by a score of 5-2 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 27-21-9 for a 0.553 Points %. The Tampa Bay Lightning last played at home on February 5 against the Florida Panthers. The Lightning won by a score of 6-1 in regulation, and their current league record is 37-14-4 for a 0.709 Points %. ### Them Everything's coming up roses in Tampa Bay after a bit of a slow start. Their Olympians are all unhurt, more or less, although Victor Hedman did not play in Sweden's last game. That was not a serious issue and was due to something that happened in warmup. He has not played very much this year, though. Brayden Point is back in action, as is Erik Cernak. Anthony Cirelli is a question mark and might not be ready to return. Other than that, Tampa is the team in the east most like the Avalanche in terms of quality of play, possession and goaltending. They have more shooting luck/skill than the Hurricanes and their goalies are better giving them the edge. The Lightning had an optional skate today, but Cirelli, projected below as in, likely will not return yet. Some adjustment will be made. Emil Lilleberg is also now available on defence. And if you missed the news elsewhere, Jon Cooper will not be behind the bench due to the death of his father. #### Lines Projected lineup from various reports as assembled by Daily Faceoff: Gage Goncalves - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov Brandon Hagel - ~~Anthony Cirelli~~ \- Jake Guentzel Zemgus Girgensons - Yanni Gourde - Pontus Holmberg Curtis Douglas - Dominic James - Oliver Bjorkstrand J.J. Moser - Darren Raddysh Charle-Edouard D'Astous - Victor Hedman Ryan McDonagh - Erik Cernak Andrei Vasilevskiy Jonas Johansson ### Us Dakota Joshua is nearly ready to play, and I'm pleased to see him back from that scary injury. No one ever wants to hear about internal organs in a hockey injury. He is a scratch tonight, however. John Tavares missed practice with an illness yesterday but is back at it today, and Auston Matthews joined the team in Tampa, so today's skate is his first time back with his team. Anthony Stolarz starts tonight, so Joe Woll faces the Panthers. > Craig Berube confirms Anthony Stolarz starts tonight in Tampa > > Dakota Joshua, Easton Cowan & Philippe Myers are the scratches [@TSN\_Sports](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [February 25, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2026706806232281510?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) #### Lines David Alter via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice with additions from today's skate and subject to change. Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Anthony Stolarz -starter Joe Woll ### The Game I want the Leafs to win this game, so I want them to come out hard and play like they mean it. ### Wednesday's FTB: Gameday URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-gameday/ Last updated: 2026-02-25T11:00:51.000Z Yesterday all of the Maple Leafs arrived in Tampa by early evening, we'll have more later on who is healthy, who is playing and who isn't, but everyone is on hand. The full version of Insider Trading had a little more clarity on the Leafs and their plans than the early version had time for. [\- TSNTSN’s Hockey Insiders on the Leaf captain’s status, interest in Elias Pettersson and Evander Kane, the Leafs and Bobby McMann/Scott Laughton, how the Brett Kulak deal frees up space for the Avs, the latest on the Flames, and the IIHF and 3-on-3 OT.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-223.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F02-24-2026-2Ft_b6410d9cb7da42acb700d9f28ba45092_name_2026_2_24_103407db_0f71_4054_a42d_ca3fde42e377_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/02/24/insider-trading-matthews-expected-to-play-wednesday/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) What's going on here is the Leafs are positioning themselves publicly regarding their UFAs – Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton, primarily. They want to re-sign these players, which is obvious, why wouldn't they? But they won't do it for any price. So the message to other teams is make an offer for a trade that the Leafs can't turn down, and to the players to take a deal that will make the Leafs willing to turn down trades. One way or another this will get resolved by March 6\. And yes, there is talk going on about what will happen if the team comes out hot and closes the gap on a playoff spot. They are actually tied with Ottawa for fourth in the wild card race right now by points percentage. And yes, you bet, this is a long shot. It's not really a plausible outcome, but someone has to take those two spots, so there is another race on here too – who is going to admit they can't do it first? Which is the best race to be in, and do you really get a choice in the matter now is the question in front of the Leafs. I don't think that really matters what their answer is. They wouldn't be adding players even if they were closer. They aren't trading away the full team either. They're trying to do something a lot more difficutl. For other teams, they have their internal decisions and plans, and then they have what they'll admit to publicly, and that's going to change over the next few days. There was one trade yesterday involving NHL-level players. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/02/699de4369ce0e-1-.png) Colorado didn't get a net gain of cap space there for no reason. Olympic hockey got good TV ratings, but be careful how you compare numbers, lest you turn into one of those people who mislead by comparing unemployment stats calculated differently in different countries. CBC says: ### [8.7 million Canadians watched end of men's Olympic gold-medal hockey game](https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/cbc-viewership-olympics-milanp-cortina-9.7104526?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > \[I\]t's an apparent decline from Sochi 2014, the last time Canada's men's hockey team made it to the gold-medal matchup, when CBC said 15 million Canadians tuned in to some portion of the game and average viewership hovered at 8.5 million. > CBC didn't say how many people watched this year's game in total, or what the average viewership throughout the game was: only that 8.7 million were tuned in for the final goal, a number that doesn't include those streaming on Gem, a spokesperson said. This does include the broadcast on SN, TSN and RDS but the article is unclear if that includes their streaming and smart TV apps as well. NBC says: [NEARLY 21 MILLION VIEWERS WATCHED NBCUNIVERSAL’S COVERAGE OF USA-CANADA OLYMPIC MEN’S GOLD MEDAL HOCKEY GAME, PEAKING AT 26 MILLION FOR GAME-WINNING GOAL ON NBC & PEACOCKTeam USA’s 2-1 OT Win Averaged a Combined 20.7 Million Viewers and 18.6 Million Live (8:15-11 a.m. ET) on NBC & Peacock, Marking the Most-Watched Pre-9 a.m. ET Sporting Event on Record in U.S.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-338.png)NBC Sports![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/90-13)](https://www.nbcsports.com/pressbox/press-releases/nearly-21-million-viewers-watched-nbcuniversals-coverage-of-usa-canada-olympic-mens-gold-medal-hockey-game-peaking-at-26-million-for-game-winning-goal-on-nbc-peacock?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > The USA-Canada gold-medal game delivered an average live audience of 18.6 million viewers on NBC and Peacock (8:15-11 a.m. ET), which: > Marks the **most-watched pre-9 a.m. ET (start time) sporting event on record in U.S. history**. > Ranks as **NBC Sports’ second-most watched hockey game ever**, behind only the USA-Canada men’s gold medal game at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, which had a more favorable puck drop time of 3:15 p.m. ET (27.6 million viewers). > Includes **NBC Sports’ most-watched streaming audience** (excluding NFL), with an average of 3.7 million viewers, led by Peacock. That's a lot of people, and the success of hockey in the USA is where the growth in the salary cap is going to come from. This will make the league happy and make it more likely that we'll get Olympic hockey with NHLers again. And now that's officially over. One last take on the way it all ended: (The author of this column used to be with the Washington Post which I find very much of "these days".) I keep coming back around to this: I wanted Canada to win. Or if not, then Sweden. But then Auston Matthews did, and I want him to be able to enjoy the greatest achievement of his life, one he's worked for since he was a child. Not just for him, but for all the amazing moments we've all had as his fans. I still remember vividly watching him fade into the play and fire off a shot as a teenager in Switzerland and how amazing that was. Like watching Celebrini was. And then indeed, they lost the room. Everyone is poorer for it, these days. Now, it really is over. Enough please. --- Is this a clue that Dakota Joshua will be playing? > Ready for battle! [pic.twitter.com/aUqDVCkdyv](https://t.co/aUqDVCkdyv?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [February 25, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2026477645127389522?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) We'll see what morning skate brings us in news. Remember those? It's supposed to be what we're here for. ### First the Trade Deadline, then the rest of the season URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/first-the-trade-deadline-then-the-rest-of-the-season/ Last updated: 2026-02-24T14:00:52.000Z The rest of the NHL season begins on Wednesday, February 25\. For the Leafs that means a trip to Tampa on Tuesday to get ready to play the Lightning. That will be game 58 of the season and the 24 more remaining games will be packed into seven weeks, giving all of this a rate of slightly more than two days per game. ### Trade Deadline Aside from the inevitable disappointment when the Leafs still have some players left on March 6 at 3 pm ET, and haven't folded the franchise, there are a few other things to know about the trade deadline. First, that is the date and time: March 6 at 3 pm. Midnight on March 5 is important as well, because that's the point at which the 23-man roster limit goes away for the rest of the season. This is to allow trades in advance of corresponding waivers moves or other trades at the last minute. ### SPC Limit The limit on contracts in the NHL is 50, with some junior players in the CHL who are on NHL deals exempt from that count. Teams looking to add at the deadline have to stay at 50 or less, so they are sometimes motivated to move out players in the AHL or lower down their NHL lineup to make space. Teams with extra space often profit from this. The Leafs have 46 right now. Vegas has 50, the Islanders 49 and several teams are at 48\. ### Salary Cap The salary cap stays in place, so it's not a free-for-all. Teams not using the LTIR pool to add players do so at a prorated amount based on the number of days (not games) left in the NHL season. If a team is using its LTIR to add, then the new player comes in at a full cap hit. Given the unclear status of Chris Tanev at this time, it's impossible to say if the Leafs will be using LTIR at the deadline or not. You will hear even the best members of the media repeat the false concept of adding an LTIR contract to make "more space". This is wrong, not how it works, and one can hope the playoff salary cap issue will occupy minds and this phony clever scheme will die off. The playoff salary cap is not much of an impediment to playoff teams acquiring players. The cap applies only to the playing roster in any given game plus the "dead money" of buried contracts, buyouts and cap rollover from prior years. This is a much easier number to hit with a juiced up roster than most commentary has led people to expect. The revised LTIR rules are one of the two real curbs on trade deadline acquisitions. To use the unfortunate Kevin Fiala as an example: he was hurt badly at the Olympics and is just on IR as of time of writing. The Kings don't yet need to put him on any sort of LTIR. When they do, and they will, they can either get the full value of his $7.875 million cap hit if he can be certified by the NHL and NHLPA to be out for the rest of the season and the playoffs, or they can use the in-season LTIR amount of $3.8 million (and change) to keep him playoff-eligible. Choices of this nature in the next few days will determine how much teams can add and if they might be motivated to remove salary somewhere. ### Salary Retention The second blow to loading up comes from new salary retention rules. A team trading a player can retain up to 50% of their salary, and more importantly, their cap hit. This rule has been revised making double retention trades effectively prohibited by introducing a time lag between the two deals. This could also open up a market for higher salary players lower down the lineup that a playoff team needs to move to be able to afford the player they want to add. ### Waivers and the AHL The last day for waivers is March 6\. After the trade deadline there are limits on the recall of players, and those limits are loose enough that it's rarely an issue for any team. The AHL trade deadline is March 13, but the NHL deadline sets the AHL-eligibility of all players on NHL contracts at that time. They must be on the roster of the AHL team at 3 pm, and if they are recalled to play on the NHL team for the rest of the season, they count as one of the limited recalls allowed. The new "no-paper loans" rules will make it slightly more difficult for teams to set their AHL rosters as players loaned have to stay in the AHL in certain circumstances for at least one game. Teams can add AHL players on try-out contracts and they are playoff eligible for the AHL. Players on NHL contracts but in the AHL (or otherwise waivers exempt) when traded remain in the AHL and do not require waivers again. ### Signing New Players NHL teams can sign players – usually NCAA graduates – to NHL contracts after the deadline, and those deals can start in the current year, "burning" a year of the ELC. CHL players exiting their leagues or about to can also be signed. Players on AHL contracts can be signed to NHL deals and become NHL-eligible for playoffs either by remaining on the NHL roster or by clearing waivers to the AHL but being recalled under the post-deadline recall rules. There were a couple of goalie signings during the Olympics where the player was immediately waived to the AHL. Players on an NHL team's reserve list (drafted players not signed to NHL contracts) can be added to NHL teams via contract after the deadline. They can also be added to the AHL either by NHL contract or try-out deals. This applies to any NCAA or CHL player signed, so a free agent cannot join the NHL team, but a drafted player off the reserve list can. Free agents who have played in a league outside North America require entry waivers if signed before the deadline. Free agents who have played in the NHL this year (Jeff Skinner) can be signed, as can any player who has not played. This happens occasionally as someone tries to come back from retirement. ### Trading Post Deadline It is a persistent myth that no trades are allowed after the deadline. In fact there is nothing stopping a team from making a deal on March 7, save a good reason to do it. Any player traded after the deadline cannot play in the NHL for the rest of the regular season or the playoffs, and they are not eligible for AHL playoffs on their new team either. Teams out of the playoffs early have occasionally started making moves before the playoffs are over, but it is not particularly common and the league doesn't like it. This year, the last possible date for the SCF is June 21, just five days before the draft, meaning some trades during the playoffs are more likely. That's a problem for June, though, and there's a lot that will happen before then, significantly less than rumoured, however. ### Maple Leafs Prospect Report: February 24th News and Stars URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-prospect-report-february-24th-news-and-stars/ Last updated: 2026-02-24T13:00:11.000Z ## Tyler Hopkins (C, 3rd rounder 2025) **Since Feb 10**: 5 goals, 5 assists (10 points) in 7 games **Season to date**: 24 goals, 25 assists (49 points) in 52 games Getting late in the season, it looks like Hopkins has found some comfort with the team he was traded to and has been on a mini-tear of late. Going back to February 11th (the day after my last update), he has a point in 6 of the 7 games he played, including a big 4 goal, 1 assists game on Sunday where he added 8 shots. He's been shooting more lately, with 24 shots alone in his last 4 games. Hopkins has been playing as Guelph's top center and getting used in all situations, as they try and build towards being a true contender for next year's Memorial Cup. His season hasn't seen a lot of dramatic improvements, but I'm hoping this is a sign of a late surge that carries him through the end of the regular season and into the playoffs – even though Guelph will be a bottom seed. > That's not one but 2⃣ for Tyler Hopkins tonight![#IoftheStorm](https://twitter.com/hashtag/IoftheStorm?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/G9BS2tVpIY](https://t.co/G9BS2tVpIY?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Guelph Storm (@Storm\_City) [February 23, 2026](https://twitter.com/Storm%5FCity/status/2025730666940277198?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Harry Nansi (C/RW, 5th rounder 2025) **Since Feb 10**: 1 goal, 7 assists (8 points) in 6 games **Season to date**: 10 goals, 12 assists (22 points) in 28 games After a loooooong dry spell for both Nansi and Owen Sound, Nansi went through constant shuffling in the lineup as the team tried to find something that would stop the bleeding. He played at center and on the wing between the first and third lines. Lately, the points have been coming back for him – he's on a 6 game point streak with 8 points in that stretch. I honestly haven't noticed a huge difference for Nansi through this season. The big fluctuations have come in his role/ice time and whether the pucks were going into the net or not. What this usually means is that he wasn't as good as we thought he might have been during his hot start to the season, but neither was he as bad as you may have worried during his cold stretch. > Fancy Nansi 🪄[@MapleLeafs](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) prospect Harry Nansi went behind the back to set up an [@AttackOHL](https://twitter.com/AttackOHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) goal and earn the [@deltabingo\_](https://twitter.com/deltabingo%5F?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Play of the Night.[#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/JU6v559AFE](https://t.co/JU6v559AFE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) [February 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/OHLHockey/status/2021932302398308444?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Miroslav Holinka (C, 5th rounder 2024) **Since Jan 6**: 2 goals, 5 assists (7 points) in 6 games **Season to date**: 32 goals, 40 assists (72 points) in 49 games Once again, Holinka is just chugging along. Edmonton made some deals at the deadline and had a couple of key players come back from injury recently, so they've been experimenting with their lineup. In the end, for the most recent game he was back with his two usual running mates that have seen a lot of success: Gavin Hodnett and Lukas Sawchyn. Holinka still leads the team in goals and is only second in points because he's played in fewer games. Honestly, there isn't much else new for me to add about him. I'm still a bit worried about his skating and pace for pro hockey, but he definitely has the brain for it. I'll want to see him having a similar impact in the AHL before I start believing he has the necessary combination of skills to make the NHL. > MIRO OFF THE REBOUND 👏[@EdmOilKings](https://twitter.com/EdmOilKings?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [@MapleLeafs](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/VWIjzcFgsz](https://t.co/VWIjzcFgsz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [February 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2025367429606687148?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### News & Notes **Tinus Luc Koblar (C, 2nd rounder in 2025)** – Koblar has continued to get second line center usage, but his ice time has dropped to 13-14 minutes the past two games. His point production went through a dry spell... but it did for the last place Leksands as a whole. He did have the overtime winner, seen below, which is neat! > Tinus Luc Koblar (18) matchvinner for Leksand i sterk borteseier i Skellefteå. Men Leksand ender nok opp i nedrykkskvalik. [#2hockey](https://twitter.com/hashtag/2hockey?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [@SHLse](https://twitter.com/SHLse?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/mOzNj5na9T](https://t.co/mOzNj5na9T?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — HockeyNorge (@Hockeydebatt) [February 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/Hockeydebatt/status/2024616051502154131?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) **Victor Johansson (LD, 4th rounder in 2024)** – Similar to Koblar, Johansson remains with Leksands in the SHL but his role has dropped. He hasn't been with the team for as long, and after getting into a few games as a third pair/seventh defenseman getting around 10 minutes per game, the past two games he's dressed but not played at all. That's less than ideal, and honestly between his injuries and time missed bouncing between three different leagues and multiple international stints, this season has been disappointing... not in a way that's really his fault, mind you. **Nick Moldenhauer (RW, 3rd rounder in 2022)** – Another guy that is continuing a strong stretch, Moldenhauer has had 3 goals and 1 assist in the last four games. He's already smashed his NCAA best season in both goals and points, and cemented a role as a support winger on their top line. Michigan could go on a deep run in the NCAA tournament, so we'll get to see him on a bigger stage. > Moldy jumps over the boards and buries one! [pic.twitter.com/hVd0lGpz7u](https://t.co/hVd0lGpz7u?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) [February 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/umichhockey/status/2025378640339296533?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) **Hudson Malinoski (C, 5th rounder in 2023)** – Malinoski has had a rough season overall, with a reduced role after Providence had a strong group of new commitments arrive that pushed him off of center and/or down the lineup. He's already matched his season total for goals from last season, but he has only 3 assists. He had a big game this past weekend though, putting up a hat trick and peppering the net with 7 shots. > Second-career hat trick for Malinoski re-gains the two-goal lead![https://t.co/74UdyiUjyD](https://t.co/74UdyiUjyD?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) x [@ESPNPlus](https://twitter.com/ESPNPlus?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/fdqYKfCr7R](https://t.co/fdqYKfCr7R?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/tAfxtHCQG1](https://t.co/tAfxtHCQG1?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PC Men's Hockey (@FriarsHockey) [February 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/FriarsHockey/status/2025388154820210929?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) **Rylan Fellinger (RD, 6th rounder in 2024)** – Our resident Flint expert can add more detail, but Fellinger has just been fun to watch. I'm still not really sold on his upside yet, but he can occasionally do something like the short handed assist below. His role has increased, and his production is double that from last season. I've been impatiently waiting for Mitch Brown to add more drafted prospects to his tracking board so I can get a better idea of how strong an impact he's been having on the ice. > That's one way to kill a penalty! > > Jimmy Lombardi bangs home the rebound for his 31st of the season and a [@FlintFirebirds](https://twitter.com/FlintFirebirds?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) lead![#GoKingsGo](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoKingsGo?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/CeefYQHUa8](https://t.co/CeefYQHUa8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) [February 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/OHLHockey/status/2025700551179063311?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Tuesday FTB: Another off day before the Leafs are back URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesday-ftb-another-off-day-before-the-leafs-are-back/ Last updated: 2026-02-24T12:43:30.000Z The Leafs should be heading to Tampa Bay today to play the Lightning on Wednesday. They'll then meet the Panthers on Thursday, before coming home to play Ottawa on Saturday. William Nylander hasn't been practicing since before the Olympics as he manages an injury. It's unclear whether he'll play over the upcoming busy schedule. I haven't seen any reason for Auston Matthews, fresh off winning an olympic gold medal, to miss the game tomorrow either. [\- TSNBryan Hayes, Jeff O’Neill and Jamie McLennan are joined by ESPN Hockey analyst Ray Ferraro to discuss whether or not winning Gold at the Winter Game will help Auston Matthews as a Toronto Maple Leaf.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-221.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F02-24-2026-2Ft_df1b9642dfa5423fa704c32fa4b4afde_name_2026_2_23_602d6749_5a25_45fd_99fd_42a39d3124b6_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/video/2026/02/24/can-matthews-winning-gold-benefit-maple-leafs/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Mike Modano thinks Olympic Gold could prove to be a turning point for Matthews: Leafs Morning Take

Since the hockey world’s obsessed with Toronto, it was only fitting that Jack Hughes, who spent a part of his childhood in the GTA, ended up scoring the golden goal at the Milan Games. What a game. Someone had to win, someone had to lose. To kick off the Monday edition of Leafs Morning –…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-336.png)The Leafs NationNick Alberga![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-84)](https://theleafsnation.com/news/mike-modano-thinks-olympic-gold-could-prove-to-be-a-turning-point-for-matthews-leafs-morning-take?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs Alumni are having a charity event in Muskoka on Friday. [https://www.mymuskokanow.com/147606/news/community/maple-leafs-alumni-to-hit-the-ice-in-muskoka-in-support-of-the-childrens-foundation/](https://www.mymuskokanow.com/147606/news/community/maple-leafs-alumni-to-hit-the-ice-in-muskoka-in-support-of-the-childrens-foundation/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies have been in action. [Late Jacob Quillan goal rescues point after Toronto Marlies forfeit another third-period lead in Cleveland“I thought it was a step in the right direction. We got one point, and we’ll move on from this. We didn’t really give them much, but unfortunately, a couple of our mistakes were catastrophic, and there wasn’t much Dennis \[Hildeby\] could do about them. Other than that, we played a pretty good game, so \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500-84.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveMark Rackham![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/54367832581_343ee0f69d_k.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/02/23/late-jacob-quillan-goal-rescues-point-after-toronto-marlies-forfeit-another-third-period-lead-in-cleveland/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And Oilers writer is speculating about several Leafs players for their playoff run. [Oilers Have 3 Maple Leafs Trade Targets To ConsiderThe Oilers should be keeping an eye on these three Maple Leafs.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/thehockeynews.com-2Ffavicon-6.png)The Hockey NewsMichael DeRosa![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/4b7311c2-00e2-4c25-9f91-5a3bfacb5e78.jpeg)](https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/oilers-have-3-maple-leafs-trade-targets-to-consider?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) More trade talk. [Countdown to TradeCentre: The market is open againThe NHL’s Olympic roster freeze was lifted as the calendar turned to Feb. 23 and teams are once again free to make deals after a nearly three-week halt to the action.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-222.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/IEE2XOV6ANBHRBVMUFC6ZW3NNI.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/countdown-to-tradecentre-the-market-is-open-again/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Even more trade talk. [Olympic Stock Watch: Whose NHL trade value changed for better or worse in Milan?Their performances in Milan might have attracted more suitors – or scared them off.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-337.png)Daily FaceoffMatt Larkin![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-85)](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/olympic-stock-watch-2026-who-nhl-trade-deadline-value-changed-better-worse-binnington-zibanejad-ekman-larsson-clara-hlavaj?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And injuries to catch up on after the Olympics. [NHL Status Report: Rantanen likely to miss time for Stars after Olympics | NHL.comJets defenseman Morrissey unavailable for start of road trip; Tkachuk, Sanderson returning to Senators from Team USA![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-205.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/qyimsk01kxtcfx3rcjdt.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-status-report-news-and-notes-february-23-2026?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Monday FTB: back to business URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/monday-ftb-back-to-business/ Last updated: 2026-02-23T11:00:51.000Z The 2026 Winter Olympics are over and Team Canada lost in the gold medal game in both the men's and women's hockey tournaments. Now we must come back to reality and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Auston Matthews is coming home with a gold medal after captaining his team to victory. You might be shocked to hear the media made it about the Leafs. [\- TSNAfter being asked how capturing gold can help his confidence heading into the final stretch of the season with the Maple Leafs, Auston Matthews jokes that he’s just “trying to live in the moment, man”, while USA teammate Jack Hughes says no matter what anyone says now, Matthews is a winner.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-219.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F02-22-2026-2Ft_8f7df55ec98a4d36a6e609350220d27d_name_2026_2_22_fcf6db10_385c_4c67_8fc5_8e46351a92c7_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/olympics/video/2026/02/22/cmon-matthews-laughs-off-leafs-related-question-hughes-proclaims-him-a-winner/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The "harsh message" was "c'mon", more or less. [Auston Matthews’ USA teammates have a harsh message for Toronto Maple Leafs mediaThis is a fair point the Hughes brothers made.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon_y24_48x48-35.svg)Yahoo SportsBilly Heyen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/07ef285e3507ad124a2c9526dc8518b8)](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/auston-matthews-usa-teammates-harsh-003321823.html?guccounter=1&guce%5Freferrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce%5Freferrer%5Fsig=AQAAAJMBJPnSMoxEdqR72s%5FWxeLSM-0JH3kBZNhpNJN4Y%5F6E9T3Q2DbOZ6DwmPI31htQC4O08szzBneyNICbh9a3UsKzSoCjz0cVgUA3Vsp5mNYkJdsjzo9uuIE-iqWQbat1Uytz2esE39A70rtcIcsD2NOxkj6IN21KiHxgSSES6loQ&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Here's a recap of the game. [Game Review: Better team loses Olympic gold medal game in three-on-three contestEntering this gold medal matchup, it looked like Team USA owned the deeper forward group and a more talented defense, but when the chips were down, Team Canada absolutely dominated, doing everything but scoring more than once. Ultimately, this is the story of the 2026 Olympic gold medal game. If the two sides played this \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500-83.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveAnthony Petrielli![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/team-canada-olympics.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/02/22/game-review-better-team-loses-olympic-gold-medal-game-in-three-on-three-contest/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) As well as Team Canada's leadership after. [Team Canada on gold medal loss | NHL.comTeam Canada coach Jon Cooper discusses the loss to Team USA and captain Sidney Crosby discusses the decision not to play while he deals with an injury![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-201.png)NHL logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/jrlxtj28tz34yhuirkv7.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/video/team-canada-on-gold-medal-loss-6389724782112?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) McDavid was named tournament MVP, with him, Hellebuyck, and Quinn Hughes named the three best players at their positions. The tournament all-star team included the same three, along with Makar, Celebrini, and Slafkovsky. [McDavid, Hellebuyck, Quinn Hughes lead Olympic all-star team | NHL.comOilers captain named tournament MVP for Canada; Jets goalie, Wild defenseman named best at positions, win gold with U.S![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-202.png)NHL logoJon Lane![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/eesngdc6q6zyxv7oznns.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/olympic-winter-games-milano-cortina-2026-all-star-team?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This article talks about what the tournament might've changed for the rest of the regular season. I remember Cathy feeling all-in on reclaiming the lost stardom of Kevin Fiala. Maybe Matthews winning a gold medal will do something, too. [Which players will carry Olympic momentum to rest of regular season?Martin Necas and Juraj Slafkovsky generated immense momentum at the Olympics as they had back to their NHL squads.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-335.png)Daily FaceoffKyle Morton![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-83)](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/nhl-players-olympics-carry-momentum-return-regular-season-martin-necas-juraj-slafkovsky?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Here were the Leafs after practice on Sunday afternoon. [Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Practice | February 22, 2026 | Toronto Maple LeafsHead Coach and players address the media following Sunday’s practice.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-203.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/fqsku5hrd21gz6e4sngk.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/video/maple-leafs-full-media-availability-practice-6389722064112?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Jaromir Jagr might finally be hanging up the skates at the age of 54 (11 years from normal retirement). [Jaromir Jagr talks retirement in 38th professional seasonThe storied hockey career of Jaromir Jagr might be coming to an end.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caAssociated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/d74b4b43e14e0f7a61dd55184e2f20c219fcb6d5eb2f05be075bed6fefe7820e.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/jaromir-jagr-talks-retirement-in-38th-professional-season/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is a feature by TSN for Black History Month, telling more of the story of Herb Carnegie. [\- TSNHerb Carnegie is known as one of the greatest hockey players never to play in the NHL. It was widely alleged the Conn Smythe, owner of the Maple Leafs, said he would take Carnegie tomorrow if someone could turn him white. He was just 18 at the time. Jermain Franklin has more as TSN celebrates Black History Month.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-220.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F02-19-2026-2Ft_f8d6b88cc9174bef9a5d02e80d7e9ebf_name_2026_2_19_7ce4f297_9413_40ab_8b03_c300e461ca21_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/02/21/carnegie-robbed-of-nhl-dream-by-racism/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I thought this was quite the quote. [Trade Buzz: Coleman activated from IR, ‘I’m a Flame until I’m told I’m not’ | NHL.comTuch ‘focused on being a Buffalo Sabre’; Blue Jackets don’t plan on adding rentals![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-204.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/oonpj9krwy7b89v2tfgv.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-trade-buzz-news-and-notes-february-22-2026?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Sunday's FTB: Playing on the ice for gold URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sundays-ftb-playing-on-the-ice-for-gold/ Last updated: 2026-02-22T09:11:41.000Z This is it. The 2026 Winter Olympics come to a close today with the signature event of the Men's Hockey gold medal game, and if you weren't paying attention, you might have missed that coverage has probably already started as you are reading this. Canada vs. USA is on at 8:00 a.m. ET. After the game is over, the closing ceremonies will start only a few hours later and the NHL will ramp back up to a full schedule. The Leafs will start it off with a trip to Florida to play the Panthers and Lightning on Wednesday and Thursday, and then host the Senators on Saturday. The PWHL will also be back with the Sceptres also on a road trip out west, facing the Seattle Torrent on Friday and the Vancouver Goldeneyes on Sunday. The Marlies have already restarted from the break for the AHL All-Star Classic, and after a bump up the standings last month, that gain has been squandered with losses in several games where they established early leads and then lose in the third period. Last night's game was better, given the loss was in OT, but they gave a division rival four standings points over the two weekend games while they earned only one. Here's coach John Gruden on that. At least this time the Marlies came out in dying seconds of the third period to make it to OT. > WE'RE ALL TIED UP! > > Jacob Quillan scores late in the third to tie the game at 2! [pic.twitter.com/khHaGzgfDl](https://t.co/khHaGzgfDl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [February 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2025399380837023803?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Here are the North Division standings as of yesterday night. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/02/image-8.png) A reminder the top three teams in a division jump into the first round of the playoffs, while the fourth and fifth teams have the play-in best-of-three tournament to start. ### Other News The NHL trade freeze ends at midnight tonight. Watch out for the trade buzz about anyone and everyone, no matter how far-fetched, like some team willing to trade prospect assets for a 31 year-old right-shooting defenceman with a bad NHL record. What GM would ever consider sending assets to the Flyers for... Oh, right. [Rasmus Ristolainen might have played his way off of FlyersWith a bronze medal around his neck, and a highly impressive Olympics, has Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen played his way out of Philadelphia? We take a look.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/1_bsg-logo-2.png)Broad Street HockeyJason MacNeil![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/USATSI_28305146_168420156_lowres.jpg)](https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/did-rasmus-ristolainen-play-his-way-out-of-town-with-an-impressive-olympic-performance/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Canada picked up a gold yesterday in the funnest of non-hockey ice sports. We here at PPP Kitten Ranching and Curling Industries SK are still trying to bribe the IOC, err... I mean make a solid business case to the IOC, to have Kitten Curling as an Olympic Sport. We would of course have our specially trained kittens available for only a nominal sum of a few hundred million dollars. GO CANADA GO! ### Saturday's FTB: Bronze game URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/saturdays-ftb-bronze-game/ Last updated: 2026-02-21T11:00:17.000Z Yesterday Team Canada Men went down 2-0 to Finland and then scored three to take the win seconds before the end of the game. If you're Canadian you think the team in red worked hard to overcome the Finnish defence. If you're Finnish you think the outrage to end all outrages is a legitimate penalty call late in the third period. [\- TSNBryan Hayes, Jeff O’Neill and Jamie McLennan are joined by Hockey Hall of Famer and Finnish legend Teemu Selanne to discuss the late penalty to Niko Mikkola on Nathan MacKinnon that sent Canada to the gold medal game, how the game played out after Finland went up 2-0, what he would’ve said to the team in between periods and how do they reset for the bronze medal game.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-218.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F02-21-2026-2Ft_b19640b50cf84c3eb6a3874d468e61c1_name_2026_2_20_cbe71fb6_1d6f_4d62_8777_6502704f4f1a_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/video/2026/02/21/selanne-it-has-to-be-murder-that-they-got-to-call-some-kind-of-penalty/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The bit after the dots says... to listen to him whine like a baby about a penalty call. If you're a neutral you might thing this: Mike Johnson on the broadcast phrased it as: they've parked the bus for a long time. Or maybe it was this other thing: > Finland’s🇫🇮 Joel Armia after losing to Canada🇨🇦 in the semifinals⬇️ > > “Five-on-five, they got one goal. That was goalie interference.” [pic.twitter.com/o9UN2Sn4cy](https://t.co/o9UN2Sn4cy?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) [February 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/MollieeWalkerr/status/2024915349942976920?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This refrain of whining about officiating after a loss is unseemly and while the Finns are not quite so absurd as the Czechia coach, they are nonetheless acting like fans of the most petulant sort. You likely all have read these words from me before: you play the game in front of you. There will be hardships, injuries, bad ice, mistakes by officials, missed calls, different views on events, different ideologies being served. Don't whine about it afterwards, or worse, during the game itself. That's a thing you should have outgrown before you were legal age. You either overcome it or you don't. In the other semifinal, the USA dispatched the Slovaks 6-2\. The bronze-medal game is today at 2:30 pm ET, and the gold-medal game is tomorrow at 8 am. Yes, you read that right, Sunday at 8 in the morning. No word on Sidney Crosby's status. --- [Why Macklin Celebrini is already a Team Canada superstarMacklin Celebrini sometimes gets compared to Sidney Crosby, a generation’s best player. And it’s not completely unfounded. Justin Bourne and Jason Bukala express why Celebrini is special and gets these comparisons.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-30.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/olympic-men-hockey/article/why-macklin-celebrini-is-already-a-team-canada-superstar/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > To go with the justified superlatives heaped on Macklin Celebrini to date, I’ve rarely seen someone better prepared for those cracks in the structure, less awed by the greatness tornado being whipped up just a few feet from where he’s skating. > That’s because Celebrini has “it” too. Yes. And you can't really tell when you've got a guy like this, a rookie on a team like the Sharks. He's obviously good, but you can't believe in the points although they certainly tell you to take a second look. Believe now. He is a special player. Okay, that's it have a great Saturday. ### Friday's FTB: You don't always get what you want URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-you-dont-always-get-what-you-want/ Last updated: 2026-02-20T11:00:39.000Z So it goes, the Americans won the gold in overtime after a 1-1 tie game. > Marie-Philip Poulin joins Jayna Hefford and Hayley Wickenheiser as Canada’s only five-time Olympic hockey medallists. 🏒🇨🇦 > > Something to be proud of ❤️ [pic.twitter.com/S31ZEcRjqi](https://t.co/S31ZEcRjqi?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Team Canada (@TeamCanada) [February 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/TeamCanada/status/2024657767479595488?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Well, okay. But I bet she doesn't feel that way. Gabriel Landeskog told the media the other day something to the effect of he has a silver medal in a drawer somewhere, but all he cared about was gold. And so, it is clear, would Poulin care for gold and accept the silver without much joy. She gave it all. She played when she was hurt, she chased down icings on days she rode the goalie cart to the arena, she scored her record-setting goal while in pain. And it didn't quite add up to enough. That's the pain you feel, the other stuff is illusory. But I do think it was an outstanding attempt. We can cheer the trying, particularly in a sport with so many mythologies about lack of it. It was all left on the ice by Canada. I don't know if Team Sweden Women feel that way. I think they played their overtime afraid to lose, and they got what they were afraid of. Happiness in three official languages: > BRONZE! 🥉 > > Wir gewinnen das Bronze-Medal-Game gegen Schweden nach Overtime mit 2:1! 👏 > > 🚨🇨🇭: Leemann, Müller > > Nous gagnons le match pour la médaille de bronze contre la Suède 2-1 après prolongation ! 🙌 > > Vinciamo la medaglia di bronzo contro la Svezia con 2:1! 🎉 [pic.twitter.com/7CxyVjaQTu](https://t.co/7CxyVjaQTu?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Swiss Ice Hockey (@SwissIceHockey) [February 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/SwissIceHockey/status/2024519483486839271?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > The women's Olympic bronze medal game is about to begin here in Milan. > > It's a rematch of the 2014 game between Sweden and Switzerland. Back then, it was a 15-year-old Alina Müller who scored the game-winner. > > She'll try to lead Switzerland back to the podium today. > > — Hailey Salvian (@hailey\_salvian) [February 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/hailey%5Fsalvian/status/2024478963867767181?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Try to win, that's all you can do. The risk is losing, but the risk from not trying is much bigger. There is, however, no result more painful than silver. Today the action returns to men's Olympic hockey. The semifinals are: - Canada vs Finland at 10:30 am ET - USA vs Slovakia at 3 pm The men's bronze-medal game is tomorrow and the gold-medal game is on Sunday. Jon Cooper would not rule Sidney Crosby out or in for today's games. --- In other news: The Wild went big on a practice goalie. > Marc-Andre Fleury is back in the Wild net ... but only to ‘help out our guys a little bit’ [https://t.co/vY1RMdjQhd](https://t.co/vY1RMdjQhd?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Star Tribune Sports (@StribSports) [February 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/StribSports/status/2024514412262899846?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Maple Leafs prospects Nick Moldenhauer, Luke Haymes hitting groove in developing [https://t.co/QgWEWlw1xX](https://t.co/QgWEWlw1xX?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/ynTy2Y6qDg](https://t.co/ynTy2Y6qDg?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Sun (@TheTorontoSun) [February 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheTorontoSun/status/2024314268028436921?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs have been recalling some Marlies for practices. So far Bo Groulx and William Villeneuve have been up with the big team. And that's all for now, have what I really hope is a great and victorious Friday, everyone. ### PPP After Lunch: Gold Medal GDT URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ppp-after-lunch-gold-medal-gdt/ Last updated: 2026-02-19T17:30:27.000Z *"Here we are, now and forever, we're the princesses of the Universe."* It's that time again. Canada vs. USA for hockey gold. > “I would just stand super strong and I wouldn’t talk,” said U.S. Olympic gold medalist and Hockey Hall of Fame defender Angela Ruggiero. “You’re always trying to intimidate a little.” > Canada and the U.S. played each other over a dozen times before the Nagano Games. More often than not, they stayed in the same hotels. > Back then, the relationship between the players was so unfriendly that some Americans, like captain Cammi Granato, wouldn’t even step foot in an elevator with a Canadian. Things are very different now that we have the PWHL, and before that more than a decade of a sort of women's pro-hockey, but I expect all that camaraderie to be forgotten for this gold medal game. This is what they signed up for. To win. Here we go! Bring it on Sailor MPP! GO CANADA GO! ### 2026 NHL Draft: February Watch List URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-december-watch-list-2/ Last updated: 2026-02-19T13:00:58.000Z Most prospect leagues are getting close to the playoffs by now, which means draft lists and rankings are getting a bit longer. Some players are solidifying their hype over a full, strong season. Others are falling off from inconsistency, injuries, or lack of development. Then there are the late risers who took big leaps over the season, going from an unknown to someone who could be genuinely interesting. We're looking again at potential third round players (or later). These will be guys who have flaws. They could any of the above sort of player – previously ranked higher but fallen off, injured players who just haven't been seen enough, and late risers who are now starting to put themselves on the map. ## FORWARDS ### Niklas Aaram-Olsen I've seen a bit of Aaram-Olsen without him being on my watch list just from following Koblar's international games with Norway, and various prospects playing in Sweden's junior league. He's someone I liked but seems more likely to be a second rounder than a third. But I've seen some scouting outlets cooling on him a bit and including him as a late second/early third round guy, which could put him in Toronto's range. Aaram-Olsen is a 6'1" left shot winger from Norway, he has an April birthday and he has been playing mostly in Sweden's junior league with 12 games in the SHL for Örebro. In junior he has been one of the best offensive players regardless of age, with the 14th best point per game pace (19 goals, 37 points in 26 games). For players in his age group, he'd be third. He's also played in the third most games in the SHL for U18 prospects, though his ice time has never gotten above 4 minutes in any game. Playing in the same tournaments for Norway as Koblar, he's matched or slightly bettered his goal and point production despite being a year younger. Aaram-Olsen's biggest strengths as a player is his offensive versatility. He drives good transitions with his speed. He can win board battles down low with his size and protect the puck well on cycles. He is a very good goal scorer with a good shot (one timer and wrist shot), good puck deflection skills and good puck handling. Best of all, all of his offensive skills and habits seem to be pro-ready. He works hard and plays with high energy and pace. He forechecks aggressively, backchecks and throws himself in the way of shots to block them. It's not the kind of empty calorie offense you can see in junior where you can just skate fast in a straight line and beat goalies with an okay wrist shot from the top of the faceoff circle. Now, the reason why Aaram-Olsen's hype has been cooling has to do with consistency. That hard work and energy I mentioned comes and goes – he can have stretches in games, even entire games, where he is almost invisible and just kind of hovering around plays instead of having a direct impact like he can. He also has some issues with consistent decision making, I've seen some brain farts or head scratching turnovers caused by forcing a pass or trying to do everything himself against multiple defenders. Again, his tools alone are worth swinging on him if he is available in the third round and are why he would be taken in the second. But these issues are why he could fall. ### Jonah Sivertson is a guy I've noticed that's really come on in the second half of the season, but unfortunately for all the reasons I've liked him is also why he probably won't be available in the third round. He's a 6'3" right winger, with a very late August 27th birthday making him one of the youngest players in the draft, and he's doubled his production in the second half of his games compared to the first – in the first 26 games this season, he had 15 points in 26 games. In the 25 games since then, he's had 30 points in 25 games. What makes it more remarkable is that he hasn't even been on their top powerplay, with only 7 of his 39 points coming with the man advantage. The production coming on is a good sign that the things Sivertson was doing well earlier in the year. His tracking data looks exemplary for all those little things. His size is an advantage down low and along the boards, he plays a very smart game without the puck in terms of his positioning and routes, and he has shown flashes of a very intriguing power element. He can throw some big hits, and has been known to drop the gloves from time to time. He's just a machine at generating offense, and he isn't a slouch with transitions and on defense either – even if he winds up only being average in those regards. The big question for Sivertson's projection is his skating. His footspeed and mechanics aren't great, and if there's one reason why he may wind up dropping into the third round it will probably be because of that. On the one hand, he has high level skills that have allowed that to not be much of an issue – in junior, at least. He's a good playmaker and puck handler and knows how to slow the game down with delays and cutbacks that help him find better passing lanes. He has that power element to his game that helps him protect the puck, as well as make plays off the boards, down low, and in front of the net fighting for rebounds or using his good hands to score some nice deflection goals. But it's definitely something that will have to be improved. He's young enough and so good at everything else that I'd absolutely take a swing on him with a third rounder, because if he figures it out his game reminds me a bit of Knies. > OH JONAH. WHAT A FILTHY MOVE 🤢 > > Jonah Sivertson does it by himself and makes it 2-1.[@PARaidersHockey](https://twitter.com/PARaidersHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/I8Pv0k31CX](https://t.co/I8Pv0k31CX?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [November 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/1994602493406580954?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Brody Pepoy Pepoy is in a similar situation as Sivertson, but everything I mentioned above is turned down a bit. He's big, but not as tall (6'2"). His production has picked up a good deal in the second half but at a level below – 7 points in his first 26 games, and 15 points including 10 goals in the subsequent 26\. A lot of that seems to come down to opportunity, as he's climbed up the second line of late where to start the year and is just now starting to get powerplay time (only 2 pp points all year). He's also on the younger side, but with a May birthday instead of August. Stylistically, Pepoy also uses his size and an aggressive play style without the puck to make me think he has some potential defensively, albeit as a winger. He also has some skating issues that sound more mechanical, and also isn't as bad. Lastly, he is also a little things king, with strong tracking data for things like board play and physical play... just not as strong as Sivertson. That helps him play and succeed at a higher pace better, at least. I would say that Pepoy is also more of an aggressive straight line player, and he at least tries to make creative plays at higher speeds than trying to slow things down. What's helped Pepoy in the second half is that all the creative things he was trying even earlier in the year just started working more. Or rather, he got better at refining his skill and execution so he could execute them successfully more often. He's still a bit too chaotic and wild with his level of play, though, but the better he gets at learning how to refine that chaos and play with a bit better control the better his impact and consistency can be. When Pepoy pulls things off, and he tries to do something difficult a lot, it can be a thing of beauty. Right now, because of the inconsistency issue, the biggest benefit of his game is all those little things and power elements. But again, for a third round pick? I think the way he's been playing and improving in the second half would make him a good choice for that range. Especially if Toronto thinks their development coaching team are exactly the ones who can fix his skating and teach him to harness his chaotic style. > [https://t.co/YjJpPT5m8F](https://t.co/YjJpPT5m8F?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/WlOp5Nn2pY](https://t.co/WlOp5Nn2pY?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Saginaw Spirit (@SpiritHockey) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/SpiritHockey/status/2019950878908633512?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Lars Steiner Funny story. I've heard of Steiner going back to last year, because he's been one of Switzerland's top prospects in international play above his age level. He's also been playing in the QMJHL since last season, and I saw him at times watching prospects for last year's draft. Until I started working on what players to include for this article, I would have sworn to god that Steiner was like 6'3" or something and, knowing his type of game and the hype he's had since last season, he would be almost guaranteed to be gone before the third round. Turns out he's only 5'10", which I never realized despite seeing him at the Hlinka, World Juniors and in junior! Suddenly my assumptions of his draft range shifted down as far as my assumptions as his height. Steiner is on the older side with a November birthday. He's got some bulk to go with his height at 177 lbs, which helps him a lot because he plays more of a power game than Sivertson and Pepoy despite being 4-5 inches shorter. He absolutely lays guys out in junior, on the forecheck and backcheck. He's a center, though he may not stick there with his size, and his biggest strength are his two-way/defensive play, and those same little things I mentioned for the other two. I consider Steiner to play a style that's very pro-like, with solid habits and thinking on the forecheck, backcheck, positioning, and so on. Watching him, you can tell he has an advanced knowledge of how to succeed as a smaller player, physically speaking, against bigger defenders – he can get lower to help gain leverage, he is a good enough skater to be elusive and protect the puck, and he has enough strength and willingness to hold his own when he needs to engage directly to make a play. I like him as a supporting forward, like a hybrid of Cowan and Holinka. He doesn't have the high level offense of Cowan, or the size advantage of either. But Steiner does have the kind of responsible, pro-ready habits of a similar nature as those two. The bigger issue with him will be he probably doesn't have the offensive skill of even Holinka. He makes up for it by just being smart and making simple but effective plays, and helping do little things with forechecking and backchecking to ensure his line stays on offense more often than not. The question is, with his size, can he have that same kind of impact at the pro-level? For a third round pick, I'd consider him, but his ceiling is more limited than others I've mentioned on this list. ## DEFENSE ### Brek Liske Liske is a 6'2" right shot defenseman playing for Everett in the WHL. He was drafted by Everett 10th overall back in 2023\. He's never been an elite offensive defenseman if you're looking for a point producer to quarterback a team's possessions and offense. His 18 points in 44 games doesn't look like a lot, but he's also playing behind two top level prospects in Tarin Smith, drafted 20th overall by Anaheim, and uber prospect Landon DuPont who was a point per game defenseman in the WHL as a 15 year old and the most recent exceptional status player in Canada. Also, Liske has offensive skills that have put him in something like the third tier of point producers for his age group. What he is is more of a legitimate two-way defenseman who can drive offense by efficiently moving the puck. He has good rush defense to deny zone entries, and is just so good at retrieving dump ins and moving the puck out of his own zone effectively. He just looks and plays calm even in the face of aggressive pressure, and is a reliable penalty killer so far in junior. Without the puck, he plays at a good level of physicality without being over-aggressive and chasing hits. Liske looks like one of those guys who can play at a high pace more through his ability to think and process the game than with his feet. He can anticipate play and make good, quick decisions – this shows in all three zones for him. In the offensive zone he's more of a facilitator than a finisher. He doesn't play passively without the puck, but will jump into the play from the blueline when he sees space and an opportunity to receive a pass for a dangerous scoring chance. The issues with Liske as a prospect seems to come down to a lack of high level tools outside of his brain. He's a good skater but not very explosive or fast at top speeds. Offensively, he's effective because of efficiency than because of offensive skill. He's improved a lot this year in terms of adding more physicality and being able to play consistently at a high pace, but the reason why he isn't considered any higher than a second rounder is because of a concern with his projection to the pro-levels with his tools and skills. If he falls to the third round, that will be why. > AND A GAME WINNER FOR LISKE. HELLO!😍[@WHLsilvertips](https://twitter.com/WHLsilvertips?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#NHLDraft](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/JyQOq7lYEv](https://t.co/JyQOq7lYEv?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [December 14, 2025](https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2000065055258198402?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Alofa Tunoa Ta'amu Ta'amu is a 6'2" left shot defenseman playing on Edmonton in the WHL, so I've seen a fair bit of him while checking in on Holinka. He's a big boy at 238 lbs, and like Liske he's never been a top offensive defenseman. Unlike Liske, he's not necessarily an above average offensive producer. He's your classic defensive-defenseman – he is already very strong that can absolutely erase guys along the boards and clear them from the front of the net. He also has a good stick for deflecting or poking pucks away, and lifting or tying up opponent's sticks. While he does play very physical, he knows how to use it to have a consistently good impact rather than being a liability. However, Ta'amu is more of what I'd like to call a 'new age' defensive-defenseman, meaning that he isn't just a guy who hits and shuts down offense, but he can also actually move the puck up the ice reliably. He has enough skill handling and passing the puck that he can reliably move the puck out of his end and into the neutral/offensive zone. He's also got some underrated shifty skating, with fakes or feints and quick cuts to evade forecheckers when he's chasing down a dump in. That footwork, puck handling, and passing also gives Ta'amu some utility in the offensive zone, where he can help keep the puck moving and setting up teammates for decent chances. Not at a very high level, but he's not hopeless there either. This is an area where he seems to be improving the most over the course of this season. I've also seen him hit some long stretch passes to spring breakaways and odd man rushes, but so far not that often or that consistent. The reason why Ta'amu hasn't been generating enough hype to be considered a borderline first rounder is because his projection even as a defensive specialist has question marks. This isn't Ben Danford who had elite skating and defensive instincts despite little offense. Ta'amu may be an elite defender in junior, but his all around skating may only wind up being average. He'll need to add better explosiveness and speed so he can deal with the much better skating he'd face in the AHL and NHL. > Behm picks it off, Andersen puts it in. Simple as that.[@EdmOilKings](https://twitter.com/EdmOilKings?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/qszTS1hM0Q](https://t.co/qszTS1hM0Q?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [November 11, 2025](https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/1988394239735300552?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Thursday's FTB: The Canadian Women are going to work after the Marlies went to school URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-the-canadian-women-are-going-to-work-after-the-marlies-went-to-school/ Last updated: 2026-02-19T09:05:46.000Z The Canadian Men's hockey team won their quarter-final game against Czechia on Wednesday securing them a spot in the semi-finals against Finland on Friday morning (ET). The USA will play Slovakia in the afternoon. The questions about the game today are all about the gigantic flub by the officials missing a long running too many men on the ice situation by the Czechs. I suspect we won't see those officials in the finals. [Missed too many men penalty nearly cost Canada in narrow quarter-final winCanada defeated Czechia 4-3 on Wednesday thanks to a thrilling overtime goal by Mitch Marner in the quarter-final round at Milano Cortina 2026, but the game could have been defined by an earlier goal if Czechia had come out on top.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-217.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/A5TEGNBGKED6FSFH3N37OUKIW4.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/olympics/article/missed-too-many-men-penalty-nearly-cost-canada-in-narrow-quarter-final-win/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Among everyone here who didn't see it, including it seems the Canadian bench, were most of the Czechs. Just talked to a bunch of their players who had no idea. Were shocked when I showed them the screenshots. Only one acknowledged he knew they had 6 on. [https://t.co/wFVusESip3](https://t.co/wFVusESip3?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — James Duthie (@tsnjamesduthie) [February 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/tsnjamesduthie/status/2024204360931062146?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The men's semi-finals are tomorrow. Canada plays [Slovakia shows mettle, grit to earn chance at Olympic medal | NHL.com‘Band of brothers’ respond to hit on Slafkovsky with 2 goals in 33 seconds to spark quarterfinal win against Germany![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-200.png)NHL logoShawn P. Roarke![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/cflhaurjxrgtogzdkxdu.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/olympics/slovakia-shows-mettle-grit-to-earn-chance-at-olympic-medal?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Today is about the women's medal games, and it's Canada vs. USA going for gold at 1:00 p.m. ET, though the day starts with the bronze medal game of Switzerland vs. Sweden at 8:30 a.m. ET. --- The Marlies played one of their four at-home school day games yesterday and wound up with a 3-2 loss to the Hershey Bears. Marlies' coach John Gruden said "I didn't like the way we played today. I wasn't very happy with how we responded in the third period," adding "We had a commanding 2-0 lead and we were playing extremely well, and for whatever reason we thought we would do our own thing out there and freelance a little bit and it bit us in the butt. Hopefully we can learn from it, but it's getting to the point where some of the guys are going to have to step up a little bit here." Here is the game highlights pack. This comes after a weekend where they split a series against the Laval Rocket, losing in Laval last Friday, and then winning in a shootout on Monday here in Toronto. You may recognise the name of the only one to score in that shootout. > HOW SWEDE IS THIS 😮‍💨 [pic.twitter.com/ejOTZj1xrY](https://t.co/ejOTZj1xrY?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [February 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2023521801696145790?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies now hit the road for the next three games, with back-to-back games against the Cleveland Monsters on Friday and Saturday, followed by a trip to Laval on Wednesday. Their next home games are a weekend back-to-back against the Chicago Wolves starting Saturday February 28\. Here are the current standings in the North Division and as you can see, defeating the Monsters this weekend is critical to get points and vault above them. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/02/image-7.png) ### Other News Wait, is this an early host of the Dax symbiont? > 🎥HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT🎥 > > THE DAX ATTACK HITS THE [#WHLPROSPECTSGAME](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHLPROSPECTSGAME?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)!!![@PARaidersHockey](https://twitter.com/PARaidersHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#NHLDraft](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#WHLHoN](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WHLHoN?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/znx5ncGtKm](https://t.co/znx5ncGtKm?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [February 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2024380594214281301?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) GO CANADA GO! We're going to have a PPP After Lunch as the game GDT (this is news to Cathy, but I will be making one for it.) ### Wednesday's FTB: Men's Quarters URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-mens-quarters/ Last updated: 2026-02-18T11:00:58.000Z Yesterday was the Men's Playoff round to decide the four lower-ranked teams in the quarterfinals today, and all went as expected. They weren't blowouts, but no one was in danger of advancing out of the top four playing. Todays schedule is: - Slovakia vs Germany at 6 am ET - Canada vs Czechia at 10:30 am - Finland vs Switzerland at noon - USA vs Sweden at 3 pm [Report: Czechia’s Faksa out against CanadaCzechia forward Radek Faksa will not play in Wednesday’s quarter-final matchup against Canada, according to Czech reporter Robert Rampa.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-215.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/VR6NT5U5JVAU5MFHXWT5SYRTBM.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/olympics/article/report-czechias-faksa-out-against-canada/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Josh Morrissey and Brad Marchand might be coming back in for Canada. The women's medal games are tomorrow. --- The AHL had two positive tests for PEDs. I looked around and cannot find any sign that either the AHL or the NHL has made their list of banned substances public. The WADA list is available online, and it includes a long list of things including masking agents. There seems to be a desire to believe these supplement tales of woe, but I find it all a little too, "look at me, I'm a dumb jock," to believe. > [#Blackhawks](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackhawks?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) GM Kyle Davidson’s statement on Rockford IceHogs goaltender Stanislav Berezhnoy’s 20-game suspension: “We were informed last week that Stanislav tested positive for a prohibited substance under the AHL/PHPA’s Performance Enhancing Substance Program. While Stanislav… [https://t.co/NR9WG8SjY7](https://t.co/NR9WG8SjY7?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) [February 17, 2026](https://twitter.com/CRoumeliotis/status/2023811350904930527?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > NEWS: Forward David Goyette has been suspended 20 games for violating the AHL/PHPA Performance Enhancing Substance Program. > > See the below statement from [@SeattleKraken](https://twitter.com/SeattleKraken?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) GM Jason Botterill. [pic.twitter.com/PtbCDF5FOU](https://t.co/PtbCDF5FOU?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) [February 17, 2026](https://twitter.com/Firebirds/status/2023812221550162258?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs were back practicing today, and some of the injured were on the ice. > As Leafs return to practice today, Chris Tanev (groin) on a separate pad and Dakota Joshua (lacerated kidney) back on ice. > > — Lance Hornby 🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@sunhornby) [February 17, 2026](https://twitter.com/sunhornby/status/2023838029585010821?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Morgan Rielly was back after missing two games. > Maple Leafs lines in first practice back after the break: > > Maccelli - Tavares - Jarnkrok > McMann - Domi - Cowan > Knies - Roy - Robertson > Lorentz - Laughton - Joshua > > Rielly - Carlo > McCabe - Stecher > Benoit - Myers > > Woll & Stolarz > > \*Matthews, Nylander & Ekman-Larsson at Olympics [pic.twitter.com/bg2PHEVHOh](https://t.co/bg2PHEVHOh?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Nick Barden (@nickbarden) [February 17, 2026](https://twitter.com/nickbarden/status/2023841929180639318?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Dakota Joshua said he’s not sure on his timeline to return to game action just yet. Still needs to get his legs under him. “We’ll see how this week goes.” > > — David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) [February 17, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheFourthPeriod/status/2023852275186409944?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [\- TSNMaple Leafs forward Matthew Knies says he feels great after taking time over the Olympic break to recover from a lingering lower-body injury, while head coach Craig Berube explains how important the time off was for the ailing forward.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-216.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F02-17-2026-2Ft_408c2df549d845cf8c79f14179db823b_name_2026_2_17_6d8fc310_9405_4e3e_b852_2f5ef397d204_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/02/17/knies-on-taking-time-over-olympic-break-to-recover-i-feel-great/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's all for now, have a great day. ### Tuesday's FTB: A new shade of blue URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-8/ Last updated: 2026-02-17T11:00:23.000Z Yesterday Team USA Women shutout Sweden 5-0 to head to the gold medal game on Thursday. Team Canada Women massively outshot the Swiss and ended up grateful for a late-game power play with a 2-1 lead to negate the goalie pull. They join the USA in going for gold. > 19 TO BREAK IT. 20 TO OWN IT. 🙌[@PWHL\_Montreal](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5FMontreal?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Captain Marie-Philip Poulin stands alone in breaking the record (20) for MOST CAREER GOALS in Olympic women’s hockey history! [pic.twitter.com/ZfWFdBlfOk](https://t.co/ZfWFdBlfOk?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) [February 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/thepwhlofficial/status/2023524829987827994?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) --- The men were off yesterday and today's action is the four playoff games to set the four lower ranked teams for the quarterfinals. Sweden plays Latvia at 3 pm. --- The Leafs are supposed to be heading back to a practice schedule today, so if we're lucky we'll get some good news about some of those injuries. The NHL trade freeze is still in effect until Sunday at midnight. In other newsish things: [Fiala to miss rest of regular season for Kings with leg fractures | NHL.comForward sustained injury during Team Switzerland loss on Friday, will be reevaluated after season![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-199.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/pzwtuhkqxhfsvwtr5oq6.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/olympics/kings-forward-kevin-fiala-to-miss-rest-of-regular-season-with-leg-fractures?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The wording here is vague and they aren't saying right out that the Kings will be looking to designate him as out for the season and playoffs to use full LTIR for his $7,875 million cap hit, but that is surely what will happen. They are talking about fractures plural here. This is interesting: [Sharks place Skinner on unconditional waivers to terminate dealThe San Jose Sharks placed veteran winger Jeff Skinner on unconditional waivers Monday for purpose of contract termination.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-214.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/KI4MTN5O4NALJPGAYC2GZRTA24.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/sharks-place-skinner-on-unconditional-waivers-to-terminate-deal/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) If he can pick up an NHL contract before the trade deadline, he is able to play in the playoffs. He had an unusual contract, with a full NMC to January and then an 8-team no-trade (per Puckpedia). So you have to think the Sharks tried to trade him and failed. Yesterday when I rambled on about abolishing the draft, there was a segue I ended up cuttin about this phenomenon of contract terminations. It's a bit related, but I thought it was not related enough. This is now officially a trend. It wasn't started by David Kämpf, but he's the most successful user of this system to date. To be honest, I think it was begun by Corey Perry's unwilling termination of his deal by Chicago that led him to sign with a better team and prosper there. This is what players are looking for – more control over where they play and what role they play. The path to this outcome used to be what Perry did or what Skinner did this season: take a deal on a tanker for more money than you'd get on a good team, play out the first 2/3 of the season and then get traded at the deadline where your prorated salary is not so painful. Now the tankers sometimes aren't. San Jose may be entertaining the idea they can make the playoffs. Kämpf's problem was one of fit and the term on his deal. His style of play is that of a top line centre who isn't top line in the NHL. He's got some defensive ability, but not the obvious kind that reassures the coach that you're actually doing something. It is not even remotely a surprise that he lost his job to Steven Lorentz and Scott Laughton who both know how important it can be to be obvious sometimes. This gambit of players, once reserved for Europeans who didn't want to toil in the AHL on the off chance of a fourth line shift in 10 games here and there, is not going away. The conundrum though is that the NHLPA tends to favour the established regular rostered players of at least a middle rank in terms of what they emphasize in CBA talks. This is natural and unlikely to change a lot. LTIR got to be a problem because, to take the obvious example of Joffrey Lupul, players who were capable of playing, but not very well and who were paid too much to be bought out or traded, ended up on LTIR. The league doesn't like that, and that's one of the things they're seeking to change with their new rules. But a lot of players don't want to fade away quietly or become the AHL star they never wanted to be. They realize they will take less money to play for something that matters. And why shouldn't they? Players are at risk of waiver claims in the NHL because the system is designed to put NHL-capable players in the NHL. And facilitating player movement this way is a good idea. The trouble is, of course, that teams can weaponize this by signing older players to term and then telling them to terminate their contracts a couple of years later if they don't like the pressbox. They used to have to buy them out. Now, the rising cap can mean an unburiable amount bigger than a buyout cap hit is just the price you pay for a few weeks until the player plays ball. Buyouts have been largely disappearing from the NHL over the post-Covid years as well. And finally: > News: The boards at Santagiulia Arena will be changed to a lighter color beginning on Tuesday, an IIHF spokesperson told ESPN. > > The IIHF typically refreshes boards during tournaments but color change comes after player feedback so far in these Olympics. [https://t.co/UC9TTTQW2z](https://t.co/UC9TTTQW2z?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) [February 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/emilymkaplan/status/2023512984371499489?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Monday's FTB: An Idea I can Get Behind - Abolish the Draft URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-10/ Last updated: 2026-02-16T11:00:40.000Z It's playoff time in Olympic hockey. The women's semifinals are today with USA playing Sweden at 10:30 and Canada playing Switzerland at 3 pm. The medal games are on Thursday, a fairly surprising length of downtime. --- The men's preliminaries are done, and all the complicated tie-breaking and angst over goal differential is over, and this is the order: 1. Canada 2. USA 3. Slovakia 4. Finland 5. Switzerland 6. Germany 7. Sweden 8. Czechia 9. Denmark 10. Latvia 11. France 12. Italy The top four get two days off, and the bottom eight play off (five vs 12 and six vs 11 etc.) on Tuesday. Sweden, the author of their own misfortune, will play Latvia on Tuesday at 3 pm ET. Canada plays the winner of the Czechia - Denmark match on Wednesday at 10:30 am. USA plays the winner of that Sweden - Latvia game at 3 pm the same day. A couple of notes, Latvia is the only last-placed team not to finish with zero points. The tiebreaker between France and Italy came down to goals for, which France won by one goal scored. That is a pretty strong showing for Italy to be that competitive in this field. --- In an interesting sort of news, this turned up, TSN piggybacking on the Athletic: > The NBA would give “serious consideration” to the abolition of the NBA Draft in order to prevent teams from tanking for stronger lottery odds. Thoughts? 😳 [pic.twitter.com/M9X0ve6Bta](https://t.co/M9X0ve6Bta?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [February 15, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2023105085128286417?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I would love to see the end of the NHL draft. Look at this Olympics and at the NHL players here. No, not Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews, the normal high draft-pick players. Over and over again there is the same story. Well, that guy he was drafted by \[insert name of team that tanked\] and they were really bad for years, so he got some power play time and big minutes, and you know what that means. Okay, no, most people think goals are things you manifest from your personal value and worth and you are a 30-goal guy or a 50-goal guy or a 10-goal guy, but goals are heavily dependent on ice time and power play usage and about six other things as well as your own skill. So our Olympian friend, he scored a lot and then he didn't really live up to the hype when he was expected to help win actual games. Everyone got tired of him, and figured maybe he was a bust, and he started to wear the label of disappointment, and then suddenly he gets traded and boom, he's on a better team with players at a different level .... oh, hi Martin Necas, how are you? Or maybe his team managed to rapidly improve so it was only after four or five years in the NHL that anyone realized maybe he wasn't a bust. Nico Hischier, how you doing? And that's what I hate about the draft. Years ago when I still used social media, I said something during Men's Worlds about how Team Canada at Worlds was just a showcase of the elite players wasting their best years on bad teams. Hoo boy did the Oilers fans get mad. But really, why hasn't Connor McDavid picked up the team and carried them on his back and won six Cups? Because hockey doesn't work like that, and being bad accidentally (Leafs for the 2010s) is awful, being bad on purpose (Leafs in 2015-2016) is extremely boring and leads people to get angry about Byron Froese's ice time, and staying bad after the on-purpose part (Oilers, Sabres, Chicago, Arizona, etc.) ruins the game. Mike Madano made some dumb remark about how Auston Matthews is under so much pressure in Toronto, it's so terrible, the attention, boo and hoo and etc. and David Alter had a great comeback: > If there were 10 Toronto markets in the NHL with that kind of fan interest in their clubs, players would be making at least 3x of what they make now. How awful for them. [https://t.co/gyCQ9osar1](https://t.co/gyCQ9osar1?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — David Alter (@davidalter) [February 14, 2026](https://twitter.com/davidalter/status/2022737607420186773?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Yes. Exactly. And what's that got to do with the draft? Well Chicago used to be a market in the range of Toronto's level. The Rangers are supposed to be a star-studded team drawing huge crowds and always a hot ticket. LA has made California hockey into a real event. Montréal is, of course, the closest thing to what Toronto is in this context. All of those teams have been bad on purpose leading to being bad by accident, dragging the game down, making it boring and stupid and putting top players on crappy teams with ageing veterans until they're five or six years in and traded to Carolina or Vegas. And it's all because of the distribution of talent in hockey players. If there were more second-tier players even, it wouldn't be so bad, but there's a cliff in talent in hockey from a small elite to a slightly less small nearly replacement level, and a short drop to the majority of the NHL who barely move the needle. There's all sorts of wrong arguments against total free agency with no draft. Most of them amount to: A team I don't like might get a good player instead of my team. There's one really right argument: People should get to decide their own path in life. Because, you know, not everything is about money. What the NHL draft really does – if you step away from the gushing hype the binning of 32 guys into a bucket of "first-rounders" and all the outrageous ideas about how many drafted players ever play in the NHL at all – is fill up the AHL teams fairly evenly with not-quite NHLers where they are stranded by the RFA system until they're facing the downslope of their careers. Sure, the draft doles out a few unexpected good players to teams who aren't abjectly horrible, but it also consigns the elite of the elite teenage players to years in the wilderness. It pays to remember that the Auston Matthews goes straight to the playoffs for nine years outcome is a very rare exception. Total free agency at age 18 means players get to go where they want to go, and teams have to actually work at attracting them. And the same goes for the AHL. No more not bothering to put any money into it because the draft will just hand you a roster. You actually have to go find players. And pay them. The other really good thing about abolishing the draft is it removes the draft-picks as trade-tokens economy and forces teams to make player moves in the here and now, not the future. And removing that concept of teams having a "window" and having to choose between a long dwindling decline and a better team today would completely alter the strategy of team building. It would be focused on the now, this season, these playoffs, these players. Best part, you'd never have to hear me say picks are junk (they are) and I'd never have to hear you be all upset that the Leafs traded a first-rounder. I know who agrees with me too. Agents. They love this idea. It will never happen. Anyhow, wake me up when the NBA actually does it, because I doubt they will either. Try to imagine player trades without draft picks though, it's kind of exciting to contemplate. ### Sunday's FTB: Canada faces France for breakfast URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sundays-ftb-canada-faces-france-for-breakfast/ Last updated: 2026-02-15T13:20:15.000Z It's the battle of the sticks vs. baguettes this morning as Canada's Men's team will play against the French Men's team, so get a coffee and a croissant and sit and enjoy. The game starts at 10:40 a.m. ET. Switzerland is already playing Czechia right now, so you can tune in to that if you like. The Swiss are presently up 3-2. Late this afternoon the full ranking for the men's teams, and the playoff round pairings will be set. [2026 Milano Cortina Olympics On Tap: Switzerland, Czechia battle for quarterfinal bid | NHL.comCanada eyes sweep of preliminary round; Latvia looks to carry momentum against Denmark![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-198.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/hhpdmhgmlnoatljxvskc.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/olympics/2026-olympics-hockey-on-tap-news-and-notes-february-15?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) --- Yesterday, the Canadian Women's team defeated the Germans, and a record set by a familiar name was tied by the GOAT of women's hockey. [Poulin ties Wickenheiser’s Olympic goal record as Canada downs Germany in quarter-finalMarie-Philip Poulin scored to tie Hayley Wickenheiser’s Olympic goal record as Canada beat Germany 5-1 in the women’s hockey quarter-final on Saturday at Milano Cortina 2026.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-211.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/BXRA4E4LLJGE3EQ4BL35U7Q34Q.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/olympics/article/poulin-ties-wickenheisers-olympic-goal-record-as-canada-downs-germany-in-quarter-final/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In the upset of the day on the women's side, Switzerland knocked Finland out of the semis. They will face Canada tomorrow at 3 pm, while USA plays Sweden at 10:30 am. There will be a historic bronze medal game in a few days. [Switzerland’s Fiala out of Olympics after leg surgerySwitzerland forward Kevin Fiala is out for the rest of the Milan Cortina Olympics after undergoing surgery on his injured left leg.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-212.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/4YBVDFGNEBCOVDIJQOTEFQRUKQ.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/olympics/article/switzerlands-fiala-out-of-olympics-after-leg-surgery/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Canada’s Morrissey to remain out against France; Marchand will return to lineupWinnipeg Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey, who was injured in Canada’s opener at Milano Cortina 2026, will remain out of the lineup for Sunday’s preliminary round finale against France.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-213.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/IHYWGARKSZDWHMLVFAUHT5AFHA.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/olympics/article/canadas-morrissey-to-remain-out-against-france-marchand-will-return-to-lineup/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [‘Gold means everything’: Inside Connor McDavid’s Olympic missionConnor McDavid did everything there was to do at the 4 Nations Face-Off, down to scoring the tournament-winning goal. Yet he still wasn’t satisfied — because Olympic gold is the big one, writes Sportsnet’s Luke Fox.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/connor-mcdavid-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/gold-means-everything-inside-connor-mcdavids-olympic-mission/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Takeaways: U.S. survives Swayman’s shaky start, Slovakia wins despite lossDespite a shaky start in net from Jeremy Swayman, Team USA rallied in front of its goalie to beat Denmark, essentially locking in its place atop Group C.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caEmily Sadler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CP175797034.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/takeaways-u-s-survives-swaymans-shaky-start-slovakia-wins-despite-loss/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Saturday's FTB: Team Canada Women Today URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/saturdays-ftb-team-canada-women-today/ Last updated: 2026-02-14T11:00:09.000Z Yesterday, Team Canada Men beat Switzerland 5-1, and unfortunately Kevin Fiala was hurt in the game, and had to be stretchered off. It looked like a leg injury of some reasonably serious kind. > Two other injury updates for Switzerland: > > D Andrea Glauser: head coach Patrick Fischer said a concussion is suspected > > F Dennis Malgin: shoulder [https://t.co/KggfgP3nIu](https://t.co/KggfgP3nIu?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [February 14, 2026](https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2022473653523189856?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Denis Malgin was the best non-NHLer skater Switzerland had. Canada plays France tomorrow at 10:30 am to close out their preliminary round. Sweden let Finland tie them in knots and lost 4-1 so that group is wide open. Sweden plays Slovakia today at 6 am, and they would be advised to win this one. USA plays Denmark at 3 pm. Tomorrow is the last day for preliminary games, so we'll have the order of the 12 teams and the playoff pairs to determine the quarterfinals by tomorrow evening. --- The first two women's quarterfinals were played yesterday, with Sweden upsetting Czechia to take a semifinal spot. USA beat Italy easily. Canada plays Germany today at 10:30 am and Finland plays Switzerland at 3 pm. The semifinals are on Monday. --- [12 thoughts on Team Canada after 5-0 opening win over CzechiaCanada’s men’s hockey team had a nearly perfect start to the Olympics with a 5-0 win over Czechia. Justin Bourne shares 12 thoughts on the team after our first look.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-26.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/olympic-men-hockey/article/12-thoughts-on-team-canada-after-5-0-opening-win-over-czechia/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It's just wow repeated 12 times. [‘Best seat in the house’: How coaches treat 13th forward, seventh defenceman differentlyAt the Olympics, having extras in men’s hockey can do a number of things, and not all of them are good. Luke Fox dives into the positives and negatives of having an extra forward and D-man to turn to in Milan.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-14-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/olympic-men-hockey/article/best-seat-in-the-house-how-coaches-treat-13th-forward-seventh-defenceman-differently/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Andersen won’t start for Denmark against U.S. in Olympic preliminary round | NHL.comCoach wouldn’t reveal whether Sogaard or Dichow would play Saturday![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-197.png)NHL logoNicholas J. Cotsonika![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/gtkfpozlxmaqzoriev7w.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/olympics/frederik-andersen-won-t-start-in-goal-for-denmark-against-united-states-olympic-hockey?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is fun: > Players pronouncing their own names on the [@Olympics](https://twitter.com/Olympics?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) website does not disappoint 🤭 > > Watch these NHLers in action at the [#MilanoCortina2026](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MilanoCortina2026?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#WinterOlympics](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinterOlympics?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) on [@NBCSports](https://twitter.com/NBCSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), [@peacock](https://twitter.com/peacock?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), [@cbcsports](https://twitter.com/cbcsports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), [@cbcgem](https://twitter.com/cbcgem?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), & [@Sportsnet](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)! [pic.twitter.com/R7N1AmFC5z](https://t.co/R7N1AmFC5z?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL (@NHL) [February 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHL/status/2022375856480375205?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) If you enjoyed learning how to say Gabriel Landeskog, you need to go listen to this guy who, okay, sounds like he's from Toronto, to be honest: [https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/results/athlete-details/40056](https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/results/athlete-details/40056?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And this one: [https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/results/athlete-details/40166](https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/results/athlete-details/40166?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's it, have a great day. ### Friday's FTB: The Red Machine is Rolling URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-the-red-machine-is-rolling/ Last updated: 2026-02-13T11:00:47.000Z Yesterday Team Canada Men shut out Czechia 5-0 and set themselves up nicely for a cruise through the rest of their group. Just don't tell Switzerland that, though. > Tom Wilson on McDavid's big hit on 1st shift: > > "\[Marchand\], honestly, when I got back to the bench said, 'Great hit Willy' & I said, 'That was Davo.' He said, 'Oh my \[goodness\], looked like you.' That's what it takes. Everybody's doing whatever they can"[https://t.co/tFdob089A2](https://t.co/tFdob089A2?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [February 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2022092104898641922?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I post the above for two reasons. First: Davo? Second: the interesting thing about McDavid in this game was in part that big hit – Wilson was the fake tank put in a field to fool the bad guys, McDavid was the real one (and Nate MacKinnon) – but also how much McDavid was just driving the net and shooting. If this is a trend in his usage with Jon Cooper, well maybe that's an interesting idea to consider. McDavid is 91st in the NHL this year in Individual Corsi For per 60 minutes. That's out of all regular rostered forwards (at least 300 minutes played at five-on-five). Obviously his value as a playmaker is unmatched, but this is the same old story we heard for years with Mitch Marner. If he shot more, was more of a threat, then the goalie would be easier for someone to score on. Every time Marner and the media said he was shooting more it turned out to be untrue or barely true in 23-24\. He's shooting at an unusually low rate in Vegas now. And this is an interesting question: Can a player really change? Because McDavid's shot rate is very static over his career. That's broadly true of all forwards. He's never going to be a high-volume guy like Auston Matthews, but what if he played that aggressive game he showed yesterday? As long as the Oilers aren't playing the Leafs, that is. Team USA Men faced the Latvian video review team and had two goals disallowed resulting in a tie game going into the first intermission, but by the end of the day it was 5-1\. Auston Matthews had the final USA goal on four SOG in just under 15 minutes of play. In today's men's action, Canada has to get right back at it against Switzerland at 3 pm ET, Sweden faces Finland starting at 6 am. Now, a note about goal videos, highlights, etc. This is the Olympics and broadcasters pay a lot of money to silo you into their ecosystem to advertise to you. If a rights holder puts something on social media, it's probably geoblocked, so I can't find American-viewable content and American residents likely can't view the Canadian content (not that I can tell), and a lot of it can't be embeddable. The CBC YouTube clips seem to play in the post however. They also have partial game replays on their channel if you're interested. And a note about goal differential. They've taken to talking about this on-air, so this is how this works: after the preliminary round, all teams are ranked into one list, and the top four get a bye to the quarterfinals. Now obviously, they can't just use position in group play because there are four ties to break, but that is the first criteria. To break those ties, the first consideration is total points, so if a team wins group A by going undefeated, and the other two group leaders each lost a game, then the group A leader is ranked first. The next tie-breaker is goal differential, then it's goals for. and finally the world ranking from 2020\. I have no idea why that far back, perhaps that's when qualification games started? Don't know. So, the most important thing is to win, and the worry over goal differential is a little overstated because the winners of each group will be three of the four teams getting the bye. This all really only matters for the bottom echelon of teams. --- In the morning our time yesterday, Team Canada Women got the job done efficiently beating Finland 5-0 to take second spot in the top group. The quarterfinals start today, but both Canada and Finland play tomorrow in consideration of their rescheduled game yesterday. Czechia plays Sweden and the USA plays Italy today. Tomorrow Canada plays Germany at 10:30 am ET and Finland plays Switzerland in the afternoon. --- Other newsish things. [London minor hockey team disbanded, coaches suspended amid probeA London minor hockey team has been disbanded and three coaches are suspended pending a league investigation![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/icon-lfp-5.png)London Free PressBeatriz Baleeiro![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image0-3-scaled-e1770920068826.jpeg)](https://lfpress.com/sports/local-sports/london-minor-hockey-team-disbanded-coaches-suspended-amid-probe?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This story refers to a Rick Westhead piece that did not name the team in question: > A boy’s U-15 hockey team in the London, Ont., area has been disbanded for the season after a number of players allegedly used their phones to record videos of their teammates naked in the shower area and dressing room and posted the videos on SnapChat. > Hockey Canada’s independent… > > — Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) [February 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/rwesthead/status/2021627298244432381?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > A boy’s U-15 hockey team in the London, Ont., area has been disbanded for the season after a number of players allegedly used their phones to record videos of their teammates naked in the shower area and dressing room and posted the videos on SnapChat. > Hockey Canada’s independent third party is investigating the allegations after a complaint was filed in January about the alleged videos and about a player who allegedly repeatedly put his penis in the face of his teammates in the locker room. > A source familiar with the complaint said Hockey Canada ITP investigators are determining whether the team’s coaches were regularly absent from the locker room, which would be contrary to Hockey Canada’s policies, and whether that contributed to the alleged behaviour. > A complaint has also been made to the London Police Service about the incidents, the source said. So that explains why the coaching staff and the team itself were heavily penalized. [Bettman says the NHL has more Olympic content access in Milan and hopes for further progressNot getting to show iconic moments such as Sidney Crosby’s golden goal for Canada in Vancouver in 2010 or T.J. Oshie’s shootout heroics for the U.S. against Russia in Sochi in 2014 has been one of the biggest sticking points when it comes to the NHL participating in the Olympics.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-210.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/OIA4XC4MO6LQZV7U6SRM447LUU.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/bettman-says-the-nhl-has-more-olympic-content-access-in-milan-and-hopes-for-further-progress/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Okay, that's all for today, it's Friday, have a great day, watch some hockey if you can. ### Thursday's FTB: Sweden got their wakeup call URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-sweden-got-their-wakeup-call/ Last updated: 2026-02-12T11:00:25.000Z And yes that really is a Starbucks in Milan. Well that was some wild game between Italy and Sweden yesterday. Italy got the first goal, tied it up in the second again, and it was a one-goal game with five minutes to go. Unfortunately 21-year-old goalie prospect Damien Clara had to exit the game with cramping or possibly and injury on a save, but he was amazing. Filip Gustavsson was too, but in a very different way. In the end William Nylander had a goal, Oliver Ekman-Larsson was on the playing roster as the seventh defender, but did not play, and Sweden won it 5-2. Oh and the refereeing (Dan O'Rourke and Jan Hribik) was a little too kind to the hosts. There's a lot of theories about how Italy did this. Here's mine: the coach is Jukka Jalonen, long-time coach of Team Finland at all levels, and the goalie, Clara, plays in Sweden. That and the home fans add up to more than enough motivation. Sweden looked jet lagged to me. They had a lot of shots, but they weren't exactly stringing together killer plays. In the other surprise, Juraj Slafkovský and Slovakia beat Finland pretty handily while being outshot. Remember, all that's at stake here is the ordering going into the next round, no one is eliminated, but a first-place group finish is a bye to the quarters. Today is a busy day with Team Canada Men facing the Czechs at 10:30 am. They have no time to be uncaffeinated, the Czechs live to beat Canada. I also see Tomas Plekanec is an assistant coach. If you want to watch Auston Matthews, the USA takes on Latvia at 3 pm. Team Canada Women play their final preliminary-round game against Finland at 8:30 am. This game finalizes the top group standings and determines the quarterfinal opponents. --- [Cooper makes tweaks to lines, doesn’t name starting goalie for game against CzechiaThe Canadian men’s Olympic hockey team returned to practice for the second time Wednesday in Milan as they prepare to take on Czechia Thursday in their tournament opener.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-209.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/APESMI53E2PHIKPYRRGECCSGXE.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/olympics/article/cooper-makes-tweaks-to-lines-doesnt-name-starting-goalie-for-game-against-czechia/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Long read on Sid: [Inside Sidney Crosby’s evolution into Captain Canada![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/sn_logo_180x180_bg_white-5.png)ConnectedSonny Sachdeva![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Big-Read-Sidney-Crosby-Olympics-Header.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/olympic-men-hockey/longform/inside-sidney-crosbys-evolution-into-captain-canada/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And some prospect action. > What a pass 🤯 > > Harry Nansi sets up his [@AttackOHL](https://twitter.com/AttackOHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) teammate Nicholas Sykora with a ridiculous feed.[#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/pDk8CUDKRN](https://t.co/pDk8CUDKRN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) [February 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/OHLHockey/status/2021764507358367752?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Have a great day today. ### Wednesday's FTB: Will Nylander play? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-will-nylander-play/ Last updated: 2026-02-11T11:00:17.000Z The photo today is some of the detail on the Duomo di Milano, which you see a lot of on the CBC broadcast. Today the men's hockey begins, and if you missed the explanation of the format, I'll repeat that here: > The men's tournament has three groups of four teams each. Canada is in Group A with Switzerland, Czechia and France. The Olympics use a unique format for the men's tournament that is closer to the women's than to what the Men's World Championships uses. > Each group plays a preliminary round within their group. The results of that round are combined into a full ordering of all 12 teams. The first four teams will receive a bye into the quarterfinals and are the home teams for those games. The other eight teams play in a single-elimination qualification round with the four winners moving on to the quarterfinals. Once that is set, the tournament continues as you'd expect with a re-seeding of teams going into the semifinals. > The men's gold-medal game is on Sunday, February 22 at 8 am ET. At this stage of the tournament, ties are decided by five minutes of three-on-three overtime followed by a shootout if necessary. Sweden plays Italy today at 3 pm ET, and the Italians (featuring Nic Petan's brother, by the way) are not up to the level of the other teams here. Sweden's other two preliminary games are on at 6 am ET and are against Finland on Friday and Slovakia on Saturday. As of yesterday, it was uncertain if William Nylander would play today. The most likely outcome of this group is that the winner of Finland vs Sweden gets the bye, so that's the game they should be targeting as the most serious. Canada opens their preliminary competition tomorrow. All preliminary round games featuring Canada or Sweden are in Milano Santagiulia (the large new arena). There are a very few games from lower ranked teams in Milano Rho. Yesterday in Women's action most of the order heading into the quarterfinals was sorted out. Italy fell to Germany in their preliminary match on a German goal in the last minutes of the game. Italy, only here because they are the host team, nearly came second in their group which is an outstanding result for them. They will be in the quarterfinals, facing whoever comes first in the top group. Germany will face the second-place team, and Sweden, who won four straight games, will face the third place team. Teams four and five in the top group play each other in the quarterfinals. France and Japan failed to qualify. If the Canada-Finland game had not been postponed to tomorrow, we would know the order of the top group as well, but that remains an open question. Canada lost badly to the USA yesterday, and Finland won their game against Switzerland. If Finland beat Canada in regulation tomorrow, they will come second with Canada third. Any other result and Canada comes second. If Finland lose in any fashion, Czechia is third and Finland is fourth. Switzerland will be fifth in the group no matter what happens. Now as to that Canadian loss, I saw this Tweet: > Team USA's skating and game management today have been exceptional. > > The absence of Poulin makes a major difference, of course, but the U.S. is a very skilled, connected team regardless of opponent. [@NHLMedia](https://twitter.com/NHLMedia?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) [February 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/2021319066695118982?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And this fellow is usually a baseball reporter it seems, but he's absolutely correct. If anything he overstates the meaning of Marie-Philip Poulin being hurt. Yes, she is the best player on the team, but one player does not carry a team. Yes, some dynamic offence might have helped, but one player does not create a possession game out of that dismal performance on their own. The Americans were faster, tougher, stronger, and smarter. Canada looked like they needed some extra time to figure out what to do, and they were weak on the puck, weak defensively, slow to backcheck, slow to identify their defensive roles, and they turned the puck over so easily, the USA likely played a lot harder than they needed to. Sometimes in international hockey this just happens. You hit a lull where the quality of your team isn't as good as the other top teams' have. The USA is very much helped in their ability to play hard and fast by having the best goalie in the women's game as well. They play without fear. However, it can also be true that, as the women's game has grown and my goodness has it ever, USAHockey is right there where the players with the best programs and the best coaches are learning the game. Almost every Canadian player of note is an NCAA grad so they are from the same system, but they aren't exactly of that system. USAHockey used to have a terrible reputation for its interest in the women's game. They've changed a lot while Hockey Canada was busy completely remaking their management structure into an actually professional organization. For all the PWHL is accelerating the growth in player skill and game systems, the NCAA is the incubator of the game. I have some questions about Troy Ryan as well. That offensive system that the USA plays is nothing at all like the "ring the passes, shoot from the points" stuff the Canadians and the Sceptres rely on way too much. USA plays a game where they drive the net hard and challenge the puck carrier hard all the time. Canada, well, they just don't. But at the end of the day, the Canadians just aren't as good a team and USA has more than one elite player so it doesn't matter that a couple of their stars are showing their age. But this is hockey, and all that game decided (eventually) was who plays whom in the quarterfinals. Anything can happen from here on out. --- In other news, Artie is a hit at the AHL ASG: > ARTIE SHOWIN' THEM HOW IT'S DONE! 🙅‍♂️ [#AHLAllStar](https://twitter.com/hashtag/AHLAllStar?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/NDNTPekW3O](https://t.co/NDNTPekW3O?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [February 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2021402390625427651?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > ARTIE GOING 5 FOR 5 TO SECURE THE WIN FOR THE EAST!!! [#AHLAllStar](https://twitter.com/hashtag/AHLAllStar?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/wjgcnBefkB](https://t.co/wjgcnBefkB?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [February 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2021417706126443006?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It would be really amazing if he was a real boy. He is still second on Moneypuck's list of goalies by Goals Saved Above Expected per 60\. That's all for now. Have a great day. ### Maple Leafs Prospect Report: February 10th News and Stars URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-prospect-report-february-10th-news-and-stars/ Last updated: 2026-02-10T13:00:18.000Z It's been a while since my last prospect report. Ironically, despite losing my full time job I haven't had as much time to watch games as I used to. But I've been watching what I can and following the rest on social media and the boxscores, so let's see who's been hot! ## Miroslav Holinka (C, 5th rounder 2024) **Since Jan 28**: 2 goals, 1 assist in 1 game **Season to date**: 30 goals, 35 assists in 43 games At this point in the season, Holinka has arguably been the best story among Toronto's prospects. From the start of the season to now, he's been consistently performing at a high level in his league. The only blip has been a recent injury that kept him out for a couple of weeks, which caused him to slip down the league's offensive leaderboard. Holinka has only played in one game, on Friday, but he came back and made an impact immediately with 2 goals and 1 assist. By points and goals per game, he's just behind the leaders in the entire WHL, and he's still in the top 10 for raw totals overall. After Edmonton made a number of big moves to make their roster stronger ahead of the playoffs, Holinka has continued to have a top role. He's their top line center, and on the top units on both special teams. He's tied for the lead league in short handed goals, too. At this point I'm just waiting for the playoffs to come, and hoping he stays healthy before then, so I can see how he performs on one of the top teams in the league. > Miro's got 3️⃣0️⃣ on the season 😮‍💨[@EdmOilKings](https://twitter.com/EdmOilKings?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [@MapleLeafs](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/Q8AteUFEDO](https://t.co/Q8AteUFEDO?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/2019989216592335256?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Nick Moldenhauer (RW, 3rd rounder 2022) **Since Jan 28**: 4 goals in 4 games **Season to date**: 10 goals, 12 assists (22 points) in 28 games For the second straight prospect update I've made, I'm including Moldenhauer as the second star. In the past two weekends, he has put up 4 goals in 4 games for Michigan, including two against the top ranked team in the NCAA – Michigan State. In fact, if you go back to his last four weeks of games he has 8 goals and 10 points in 8 games. He's already set career highs in goals and points for the season, in only 28 games. It's definitely the best he's played, conveniently starting after I started writing him off as a prospect. What's helped Moldenhauer is a combination of finding a role that works for him, committing to it, and being given an opportunity. He's been bumped to the top line at even strength where he is used as a support player. He helps drive transitions, playing good defense, and chipping in on offense by finishing plays. What's been interesting is watching how he plays offensively now – it isn't the more skilled kind of offense you'd have thought when watching him in junior. He's going to the net and scoring off of deflections or rebounds, and occasionally sniping a shot when he's set up by a teammate. He's not getting much powerplay time, but he is one of their regular penalty killers. If he can keep up this higher level of play through the rest of this season and the playoffs, he might just keep alive the faint hopes of him turning into something useful as a pro. > A Moldy snipe for the SWEEP! [pic.twitter.com/8fgA6VxXFG](https://t.co/8fgA6VxXFG?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) [February 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/umichhockey/status/2017755624835068326?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Rylan Fellinger (RD, 6th rounder 2025) **Since Jan 6**: 2 assists in 6 games **Season to date**: 2 goals, 10 assists (12 points) in 50 games There wasn't really an obvious choice for a third star from the past couple of weeks. Various guys were hurt or in a period where their team just wasn't playing much, the rest who were healthy and playing have just been playing okay. So I'll give a special shoutout to one of Shinson's favourites: Fellinger. From what I've seen, he's definitely improved from this year compared to last season. I wouldn't say he's taken a big leap, but he's already well past his point production from last season, he's one of the leaders on the team in +/-, and he's starting to be used more at even strength. Shinson, who has probably been watching him more than me this year, has given him good marks for his improved defense, physical play, puck movement, and getting involved in their offensive zone possessions more than just sitting at his spot on the blueline. Flint loaded up at the deadline so we'll have a chance to see them try and make a deeper run in the playoffs than just an early first round exit. > 🚨Kevin He > 🍎Chris Thibodeau > 🍎Rylan Fellinger [pic.twitter.com/zl9N2kSQ96](https://t.co/zl9N2kSQ96?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — x - Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) [February 8, 2026](https://twitter.com/FlintFirebirds/status/2020290607130788322?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### News & Notes **Ben Danford (RD, 1st rounder in 2024)** – The only update on Danford is not a great one. After the World Juniors it took him a few games to return to Brantford's lineup, compared to when other WJC players had returned to their CHL teams. I wasn't sure if he was banged up then, but he did eventually return in late-January. However, he's missed their last two games they played over this past weekend, and when I watched back his last game it looks like he's out with a concussion after a freak collision away from the play. > More bad injury news for [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) prospect Ben Danford as he was hit in the head again, and is now out of the lineup today. His [#Gens](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gens?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) teammate Zack Sandhu stepped in for him and immediately fought Alex Misiak. Hard to tell if Misiak did it on purpose or just ran into him [pic.twitter.com/XcDTYG7CL0](https://t.co/XcDTYG7CL0?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Generals Live (@GeneralsUpdates) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/GeneralsUpdates/status/2020223353458442343?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) **Matthew Lahey (LD, 7th rounder in 2024)** – Sticking with our defensemen, Lahey has continued to stick in Michigan State's lineup as the 7th defenseman for the (now) top ranked team in the NCAA. He had his third assist of the season to end January, against Penn State who have also been one of the top teams in college. Then, this past weekend he helped the team go 1-0-1 against Michigan, who had been the top ranked team going into this past weekend. He's in the Fellinger-like group of late round defensemen with size, some good skating, and mostly defensive-focused skills. I'd like to see him earn more of a role before I follow him more seriously. **Sam McCue (LW, 7th rounder in 2024)** – It's been a rough year for McCue, who has failed to take any meaningful step forward in his development and has been traded twice if you count an off-season trade in the summer. But I'll say one thing for him, he can be fun to watch in junior at times – you can see the evidence below. It's just unfortunate it's only ever in brief flashes despite being one of the older players in the league. > Leafs prospect Sam McCue scored a Michigan goal last night 🔥 > > 🎥: FloHockey | OHL [pic.twitter.com/o9xdQAluQq](https://t.co/o9xdQAluQq?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) [January 31, 2026](https://twitter.com/TLNdc/status/2017606591424446576?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Tuesday's FTB: Maybe the IIHF needs to sit and watch some PWHL URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-maybe-the-iihf-needs-to-sit-and-watch-some-pwhl/ Last updated: 2026-02-10T12:40:24.000Z The picture above is the [Bosco Verticale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosco%5FVerticale?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), an iconic pair of buildings drenched in plant life in the city of Milan. Imagine Toronto condo towers like this (imagine some clever use of plants that stay green in winter). We could have the Holly Towers. Dare to dream, Toronto developers. --- Today's Team Canada Women's game is the big one of the preliminary round. They face the USA at 2 pm ET. Yesterday Canada beat Czechia 5-1 and USA beat Switzerland 5-0\. Canada's captain, Marie-Philip Poulin left the game after a hit along the boards. There had not been a decision on her ability to play in today's game last night. The game was a festival of physical foul penalties, though, which is getting tiresome. --- This is a very interesting development in the slow-motion demise of what used to be Fox Sports. Sometimes anti-monopoly rules give you results that aren't intended. When 20th Century Fox was sold to Disney, the regulators demanded that the regional Fox Sports channels be sold to some other party. What then happened was a series of bad business decisions to highly leverage a not terribly successful group of TV channels that ran headfirst into Covid and higher interest rates. Since then various owners have purchased various bits of the group of stations and have then gone under and/or sold out before they did. The latest round of troubles has seen some NHL teams lose their regional broadcaster. MLB's irritated response to this problem was to seek a way to stream their games themselves. And now they are partnering with a former Fox Sports NHL team. They call this "first of its kind" but I don't think it's dramatically different to what the Capitals are doing though MSE. > The [#RedWings](https://twitter.com/hashtag/RedWings?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) will have a new TV home in 2026-27! > > Full details: [https://t.co/wXb9TbWNXB](https://t.co/wXb9TbWNXB?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/AFspQ9WAfb](https://t.co/AFspQ9WAfb?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) [February 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/DetroitRedWings/status/2020951500965482866?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The "I find fault with everything" crowd on social media is mad online about the picture below because they aren't all wearing official gear. Instead they look like people. People who have their jeans custom tailored, but still people. Maybe finding fault with everything isn't all that much fun? > Team Canada's in Milan! 📍 > > Watch [@HockeyCanada](https://twitter.com/HockeyCanada?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) take on Czechia at the [#MilanoCortina2026](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MilanoCortina2026?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#WinterOlympics](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinterOlympics?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) on Thursday at 10:40a ET on [@peacock](https://twitter.com/peacock?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), [@USANetwork](https://twitter.com/USANetwork?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), [@cbcsports](https://twitter.com/cbcsports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), & [@cbcgem](https://twitter.com/cbcgem?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)! [pic.twitter.com/iEpq5xKN6k](https://t.co/iEpq5xKN6k?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL (@NHL) [February 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHL/status/2020944016808743178?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that's it for today, don't forget today's Olympic hockey starts at 2 pm. ### Monday's FTB: Team Canada Women in action today URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-9/ Last updated: 2026-02-09T11:00:32.000Z Team Canada Women play Czechia today at 3 pm. Czechia has been trying to take over third spot in the rankings from Finland lately, and they'd like to firmly grab it and hold it, so they won't be an easy out. --- The NHL players have arrived in Italy so it's time to be mad online about practice lines. > 🇨🇦 power play units > > QB: Makar > Flanks: McDavid, MacKinnon > Bumper: Reinhart > Down low: Crosby > > QB: Theodore > Flanks: Celebrini, Marner > Bumper: Horvat > Net front: Stone [@TSN\_Sports](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [February 8, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2020589713661583857?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Matthews skating between Guentzel and Boldy[@TSN\_Sports](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/6G29innpmw](https://t.co/6G29innpmw?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [February 8, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2020550545027555804?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I love this pic of Sidney Crosby showing his credentials: > More Canada arrivals at athletes village. [pic.twitter.com/uZ9EEtLKjj](https://t.co/uZ9EEtLKjj?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) [February 8, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSNRyanRishaug/status/2020476060383543565?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Americans are making a point of staying in the village, whether the Canadians do or not is up to them. But Auston Matthews is rooming with Dylan Larkin and that can't stop being funny. The only thing better would be Rasmus Dahlin. Check out what the village looks like here: [https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/olympic-m/news/72019/a\_look\_inside\_the\_olympic\_village\_for\_athletes](https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/olympic-m/news/72019/a%5Flook%5Finside%5Fthe%5Folympic%5Fvillage%5Ffor%5Fathletes?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Celebrini is ‘going to be asked to play a big role’ for Team Canada at Olympics | NHL.com19-year-old practices on line with McDavid, Wilson, going to ‘trust my abilities’ when games begin![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-196.png)NHL logoDan Rosen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/dnqd55w6pevvb33gpqn7.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/macklin-celebrini-to-play-big-role-for-team-canada-at-olympics?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And there are other teams than Canada and USA: > 🇨🇭Nino Niederreiter: "We know what we can do. We want to poke the bear. We know 🇨🇦 is going to be the heavy favourites but we know we don't have to be scared of being out there." > > on facing Josh Morrissey: "I'm going to go forecheck him as hard as I could"[https://t.co/cA93leb4Dh](https://t.co/cA93leb4Dh?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [February 8, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2020629168405590292?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Tre Kronors backpar & kedjor på första ispasset 🇸🇪 > > Forsling - Dahlin > Hedman - Andersson > Broberg - Karlsson > Ekman-Larsson - Lindholm > > Kempe - Eriksson Ek - Nylander > Bratt/Forsberg - Lindholm - Raymond > Pettersson - Zibanejad - Rakell > Landeskog - Holmberg - Wennberg/Johansson > > — Adam Johansson (@adamjjohansson) [February 8, 2026](https://twitter.com/adamjjohansson/status/2020643209416761490?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The story on line three, from reading a few Tweets from Swedes, is that Elias Pettersson played centre, but he and Zibanejad split the faceoff chores. Also, Pontus Holmberg with a spot on the Olympic roster. How good is that? Team Canada Men don't play until Thursday, so there's lots more time to see some potential line combinations in practice. Auston Matthews is Team USA captain, neither of the other two Leafs got a letter, but that William Nylander fellow is likely going to be counted on to score some goals. Sweden plays on Wednesday at 3 pm Toronto time against the host Italy. That's it for today, and go Canada go this afternoon. Oh, and Mikaela Shiffrin came ready to talk to the press: > Mikaela Shiffrin was asked how she feels representing the United States at the Olympics despite the political tensions in the country. The two-time gold medalist quoted Nelson Mandela as part of her answer. [pic.twitter.com/6boKmwTVSZ](https://t.co/6boKmwTVSZ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — USA TODAY (@USATODAY) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/USATODAY/status/2020203068977983564?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Always be ready. ### Marlies make quick work of the Thunderbirds after a wild start to the game URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/marlies-make-quick-work-of-the-thunderbirds-after-a-wild-start-to-the-game/ Last updated: 2026-02-13T03:34:24.000Z It took all of four seconds on the game clock for Saturday's game to pick up where the last game between these two teams started off. > THIS ONE WAS BREWING 👊 [pic.twitter.com/RpadI5b8IP](https://t.co/RpadI5b8IP?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Springfield Thunderbirds (@ThunderbirdsAHL) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/ThunderbirdsAHL/status/2020246299397050693?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The first 15 seconds of game time speak for themselves on the penalty list. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/02/image-6.png) ### Highlights Things then settled down and the Marlies went to work, scoring three goals in the first period. > BANG BANG 💥 > > Vinni Lettieri goes post and in to get us going early! [pic.twitter.com/9Fm7geD4cj](https://t.co/9Fm7geD4cj?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2020246878500122780?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Then Logan Shaw shows up on the scoresheet as he does almost every single game, this time with his 15th goal of the season. > OH CAPTAIN, OUR CAPTAIN 👑 > > Logan Shaw rips one through traffic from the point [pic.twitter.com/JDX2REIR3T](https://t.co/JDX2REIR3T?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2020251128554832307?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And then Pezzeta simply walks into the slot and shoots and the Thunderbirds coach can't possibly be happy with this one. > HAMMER IT PEZZ 😤 > > Michael Pezzetta keeps it rolling off a great feed from Reese Johnson [pic.twitter.com/aB6bejqYgq](https://t.co/aB6bejqYgq?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2020252180695912890?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs now chased Vladim Zherenko from the net, replaced by Georgi Romanov at the start of the second period, an undrafted goalie from Russia who has played a handful of NHL games for the San Jose Sharks, and that brings us to the only Thunderbirds goal in the game and it was from Calle Rosén. Yes, that Calle Rosén who played for the Marlies and the Maple Leafs, and was a part of the famous or infamous Nazem Kadri for Tyson Barrie and Alex Kerfoot trade [back in 2019](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-trades-nazem-kadri-tyson-barrie-colorado-avalanche-nhl-trades-maple-leafs-news/). He appears to take advantage of a defence breakdown and out-flanks the Marlies for an easy goal. It was their only goal, but it is kind of a big error by the Marlies. > sneaky, sneaky 4⃣3⃣ [pic.twitter.com/yrPElAZh2W](https://t.co/yrPElAZh2W?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Springfield Thunderbirds (@ThunderbirdsAHL) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/ThunderbirdsAHL/status/2020270276798533639?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies didn't let up though and scored two more in the third period, including this fantastic tip-in goal by Luke Haymes, his 11th goal in 38 games. > Quilly ➡️ Haymer 👑 > > Jacob Quillan and Luke Haymes connected for a massive insurance goal to help us to the win today! [pic.twitter.com/XS9UM8UmUr](https://t.co/XS9UM8UmUr?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [February 8, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2020321749901144490?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### All-Star Break The Marlies now go into the AHL All-Star Classic break, with their next game on Friday February 14 in Laval against the Rocket, followed by hosting the Rocket at the Family Day game at Scotiabank Arena on February 16. One player who isn't getting a break is Artur Akhtyamov who will go the AHL All-Star Classic this week which is being hosted by the Rockford Ice Hogs, located in Illinois in an exurb of Chicago. Basically the Chicago equivalent of the Marlies but they play in Barrie instead of in Toronto. John Gruden said that the trip was well earned. "He's been really good for us and there's a reason he got voted to the All-Star game. He's a great young talent who works extremely hard at his craft." Bo Groulx added "He deserves it. He's been huge for us all year. He's been putting in the work on and off the ice," adding "He's going to come out even more confident after the break." Gruden said the rest of the players have earned their time off. "The guys deserve a break. They've worked extremely hard this last month, since Christmas, they deserve some time away to recharge and then understand when we get back we've still got a lot of work to do." Groulx said "I think it's just great to get away from the rink for a little bit, get some rest and get our minds right for a really big last stretch of the season." The Marlies have played 17 games since Boxing Day and they have won 10 of them, while five of the losses have been in OT or a shootout, garnering an extra five standings points. Here is how the North Division looks as of this morning. The Marlies are still tied for third place with the Cleveland Monsters, though the Rochester Americans remain in the mix. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/02/image-5.png) League wide, the Providence Bruins are at the top of the Eastern Conference, and the Grand Rapids Griffins are top of the Western Conference, both teams with 35 wins in 44/45 games, and looking like unstoppable forces. I have to think one of those two will make it all the way to the Calder Cup Final. The Marlies have lost both games to the Bruins played this season, but one was an OT loss, so there's hope for a pathway there. The All-Star Classic is changed up this year to be on a Tuesday and Wednesday instead of the normal Sunday and Monday. One thing to watch out for will be news from AHL President Scott Howson's address to the media and the rumoured relocation of the Bridgeport Islanders to Hamilton at the newly renovated TD Coliseum. This may possibly be formally announced there. Having a Hamilton team back and the potential for back-to-back "QEW Coliseum Series" would be very fun. Here's John Gruden post-game. "Lovely Rockford," oh John. ### Sunday's FTB: Stay inside! URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sundays-ftb-stay-inside/ Last updated: 2026-02-08T22:52:20.000Z Today will be a frosty day in Ontario. The forecast for the Toronto area has temperatures dropping as low as -20 this morning, with strong winds making it feel much colder than that. The good news is there's lots of sports to watch on TV from the Olympics to some Super Cup or something thingy that will take hours to play and that's after 12 hours of pre-game coverage which has probably already started. In actual hockey news, Canada's Women's hockey team made their delayed debut yesterday and defeated the Swiss team 4-0\. It may not seem that lopsided form the score, but when you look at the simple shots-on-goal stat it's 55-6 in favour of Canada. Credit where it's due to the Swiss goalie Saskia Maurer who stopped all but 4 of those 55. It was Toronto's own Big Spoon who got the first goal for Canada. > Spooner scores our first goal in Milan! 🥳 > > Spooner marque notre premier but à Milan! 🥳[#MilanoCortina2026](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MilanoCortina2026?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [@natspooner5](https://twitter.com/natspooner5?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/eySIklmstT](https://t.co/eySIklmstT?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/HockeyCanada/status/2020245675540377742?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Then Canada's power play got to work. > More power-play magic! 🔥 > > L’attaque massive qui frappe à nouveau! 🔥[#MilanoCortina2026](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MilanoCortina2026?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)[pic.twitter.com/svTXdgHLg8](https://t.co/svTXdgHLg8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/HockeyCanada/status/2020257426994610316?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) HONK! > Gosling's first Olympic goal! 🤩 > > Un premier but de Gosling sur la scène olympique! 🤩[#MilanoCortina2026](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MilanoCortina2026?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)[pic.twitter.com/Uegwty9EVL](https://t.co/Uegwty9EVL?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/HockeyCanada/status/2020261870700229001?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And one more wrapped it all up from another Toronto Sceptres player. > Watts scores her first Olympic goal! 👏 > > Watts marque elle aussi son premier but aux JO! 👏[#MilanoCortina2026](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MilanoCortina2026?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)[pic.twitter.com/CCtJw7MAea](https://t.co/CCtJw7MAea?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/HockeyCanada/status/2020263358629568651?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The next game for them is Monday against Czechia, and then Tuesday they have what will no doubt be a huge event game against the USA. Here's a guide to what's happening at the Olympics today. [Day 2: What to watch with Team Canada at Milano Cortina 2026It’s Day 2 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Want to know which Team Canada athletes are in action and what medal events are happening?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/team-canada-512x512-2.png)Team CanadaPaula Nichols![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/TC_MiCo26_DailyPreview_Day2_Feature.png)](https://olympic.ca/2026/02/07/day-2-what-to-watch-with-team-canada-at-milano-cortina-2026/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies completed their last game before the AHL All-Star Classic last night at the Coliseum, winning 5-1 against the Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis Blues affiliates). The two teams have a bit of history with each other, including a huge brawl from an earlier game this season in Springfield, so it's no surprise there was some fighting in this game, and that it started literally off the first puck drop, clocked at four seconds into the game. By 15 seconds of game time they were up to three fights, but then things mostly settled down. I have more on the game over here: [Marlies make quick work of the Thunderbirds after a wild start to the gameThree fights in the first 15 seconds.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-395.png)PPP LeafsSpecies![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/55083801428_90f9ad10c9_k-1.jpg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/marlies-make-quick-work-of-the-thunderbirds-after-a-wild-start-to-the-game/) But if you want to see a highlight now, you all know I love the tip-in goals, so here's one from the game by Luke Haymes. > HAYMER WITH THE TIP ⚡️ > > Luke Haymes extends the lead! [pic.twitter.com/jmY0hiJT4G](https://t.co/jmY0hiJT4G?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2020278558426362277?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And here's the game pack, including the action at the start of the game. Enjoy Super Duper Sunday, and stay warm, perhaps with a hot and rich pasta dish. You have to love any Italian recipe where "the key is a generous amount of fat". [Rachel Roddy’s recipe for pork ragu with herbs (for gnocchi or pasta) | A kitchen in RomeMarbled flesh and fat are key to this rich, succulent, dense ragu, boosted with powerful notes of bay, sage and rosemary![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-512-13.png)The GuardianRachel Roddy![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/2337.jpg)](https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/feb/05/pork-ragu-herbs-gnocchi-pasta-recipe-rachel-roddy?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Saturday's FTB: Another try at a Team Canada game URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/saturdays-ftb-another-try-at-a-team-canada-game/ Last updated: 2026-02-07T11:00:06.000Z Team Canada Women face off against Switzerland today at 3 pm. [News National TeamsAlle offiziellen News über die Schweizer Eishockey- Nationalmannschaften der Frauen, Männer und Junioren. Spiele, Ergebnisse und Infos zu Kader und Staff.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-small.png)Swiss Ice Hockey Federation![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/favicon-small.png)](https://www.sihf.ch/de/national-teams/news/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com#/article/2026-02-06/schweizer-eishockeynationalteam-der-frauen-nimmt-nicht-an-der-eroeffnungsfeier-der-olympischen-spiele-milano-cortina-2026-teil) > **A positive norovirus case was detected in the Swiss women's national ice hockey team last night.** > > The athlete's positive test result was only received after today's opening victory against the Czech Republic and shortly before the opening ceremony. The affected athlete had been housed in a single room since arriving at the Olympic Village on Monday, February 2, 2026, and isolated from the team since the onset of symptoms. She has been symptom-free since this morning. As a precautionary measure, the team was isolated after the match, in close consultation with the on-site medical team and after consulting with experts. > > Therefore, it was decided that the women's national team will not participate in today's opening ceremony of the Milan 2026 Winter Olympics. So far, no other Swiss player has shown symptoms. We'll see if that develops into anything. I watched a lot of the opening ceremonies, and it was interesting enough, uniquely formatted with athletes at each venue, which made it more relaxed and you got to see personalities. The CBC coverage was, to put it mildly, not informative, not entertaining and actually sort of weird. Like were their production notes lost in a hard drive crash or what? Peter Mansbridge they were not. Former Leaf sighting with Mikko Lehtonen as one of Team Finland's flag bearers. --- > To welcome our Olympians and Paralympians to Team Canada, we surprised all 65 men’s, women’s and para hockey players with a one-of-a-kind box. 🇨🇦❤️ > > In honour of the players, [@TimHortons](https://twitter.com/TimHortons?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) is donating $40,000 to the [#HCFAssistFund](https://twitter.com/hashtag/HCFAssistFund?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) to help more kids access Canada's game. 👏 [pic.twitter.com/6tCXouqf8Y](https://t.co/6tCXouqf8Y?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) [February 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/HockeyCanada/status/2019785504481272182?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Prosecutors to withdraw felony charge against Penn State hockey star Gavin McKennaProsecutors in Centre County say they will be withdrawing the felony aggravated assault charge against Penn State’s star hockey player Gavin McKenna.McKenna was![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-32x32.png)WJACRyan Graffius/Gary Sinderson![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/7d573ebf-fbda-4716-9e28-6287a30ab6ee-BWMCKENNA.png)](https://wjactv.com/sports/penn-state/prosecutors-withdraw-felony-charge-against-penn-state-hockey-star-gavin-mckenna-assault-case-court-pennsylvania-centre-county-investigation?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Older gay men built their own hockey fandom. Then came ‘Heated Rivalry.’The hit show is an unexpected invitation for some older gay hockey fans to reflect on love, acceptance and coming out.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-334.png)The 19thSara Luterman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/HeatedRivalry-2x3-1.jpeg)](https://19thnews.org/2026/02/heated-rivalry-older-gay-men-acceptance/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) You have to read well down into the above article to find that actual hockey fandom mentioned, but it was the most interesting part of the story. Charlie McAvoy would like to show you the principle point of contact: > [pic.twitter.com/e4WUZ18YnE](https://t.co/e4WUZ18YnE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Charlie McAvoy (@CMcAvoy44) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/CMcAvoy44/status/2019927366185697381?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > As she begins her 5th winter games, Vancouver Goldeneyes forward Michelle Karvinen reflects on her journey that started right here in Vancouver 💙 [pic.twitter.com/vO7BpBO9E6](https://t.co/vO7BpBO9E6?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Vancouver Goldeneyes (@PWHL\_\_Vancouver) [February 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5F%5FVancouver/status/2019977446326694195?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Fifth Olympics and still a major force. So, one thing that was mentioned in the opening ceremony was the youngest player and the oldest player in the games. I hope you don't think I've remembered them, but the youngest is one year younger than Macklin Celebrini, and the oldest is four years older than Sidney Crosby. And that is it for today. Have a great day, and I hear there's some sort of sports event not in Italy this weekend. If you know what that is, have fun watching it. ### Friday's FTB: Olympic Opening Ceremony URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-olympic-opening-ceremony/ Last updated: 2026-02-06T11:00:51.000Z Yesterday Team Canada Women saw their game postponed due to illness within the Finnish team. There are some Olympic events this morning, and a few preliminary round hockey games for the women, but everything stops in the early afternoon for the opening ceremonies at 2 pm. --- NHL players can still be moved to the AHL, but if they require waivers, they are not required to report until February 17\. There are limits on who can't be waived that amount to no regular NHLer or recently regular NHLer. So teams will not dump their entire depth into the AHL for three weeks. There were a lot of players moved to the AHL yesterday, but none by the Leafs. In this more recent story on the Gavin McKenna arrest, there are some quotes from the police: [Police officer says man needed jaw wired shut after being punched twice by McKennaA police affidavit about the arrest of top National Hockey League prospect Gavin McKenna says he was allegedly caught on video punching a man twice in the face, resulting in surgery for a fractured jaw that needed to be wired shut.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-208.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/UPOBWYNMOLPDDK7IT2KAIOD5MM.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/police-officer-says-man-needed-jaw-wired-shut-after-being-punched-twice-by-mckenna/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Canadian women’s hockey GM Gina Kingsbury says none of their players are sick. > > She adds the team isn’t considering leaving the village “we’re going to trust that the IIHF, the IOC will take the precautions to make sure the athletes are safe in the village.” [#Olympics](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)… [pic.twitter.com/aeB3b3MBh6](https://t.co/aeB3b3MBh6?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Claire Hanna (@clahanna) [February 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/clahanna/status/2019522655343485112?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > ROSTER UPDATE | Seth Jarvis has been added to 🇨🇦's Men's Olympic Team, replacing Brayden Point. > > MISE À JOUR | Seth Jarvis s’ajoute à la formation de l’équipe olympique masculine du 🇨🇦 en remplacement de Brayden Point.[#MilanoCortina2026](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MilanoCortina2026?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [@hockeymanitoba](https://twitter.com/hockeymanitoba?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/2MWLrdviau](https://t.co/2MWLrdviau?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) [February 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/HockeyCanada/status/2019524587646775615?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Sanheim ready to do ‘anything’ to help Team Canada win gold at Olympics | NHL.comFlyers defenseman earned spot in rotation at 4 Nations Face-Off, ready to do same in Milan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-195.png)NHL logoAdam Kimelman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/m3geqxxbh5gmqxyje50h.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/olympics/philadelphia-flyers-travis-sanheim-will-do-anything-to-help-canada-win-olympic-gold?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that's it for today. Happy Friday everyone. ### Thursday's FTB: NHL off, Olympics on URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-nhl-off-olympics-on/ Last updated: 2026-02-05T12:54:43.000Z Olympics today: Team Canada Women vs Team Finland today at 3:10 pm ET in the Milano Rho arena (the one in the convention centre, not the new one). This game is available in English and Inuktitut on GEM and in French on [ICI TOU.TV](https://ici.tou.tv/section/olympiques?utm%5Fsource=info-web&utm%5Fcampaign=mn-jomilan-&utm%5Fmedium=interne&utm%5Fterm=tou.tv&utm%5Fcontent=direct-info-url). Live coverage of other events starts at 3:55 am ET on CBC GEM. UPDATE: the Canada - Finland game has been postponed to February 12 due to illness on the Finnish team. --- > Should Canada roll out Marchand, Bennett & Wilson as linemates? > > WATCH: [https://t.co/7Apjj44RQS](https://t.co/7Apjj44RQS?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/SIkm2Py3W1](https://t.co/SIkm2Py3W1?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [February 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2019160239975588247?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I would not actually object. Now, the news rundown: [Rangers deal Panarin to Kings ahead of Olympic roster freezeThe New York Rangers have traded winger Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a conditional third-round pick and prospect Liam Greentree.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-207.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/LNGK4DDOKFGQXKOGLKQPLJ6B4I.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/rangers-deal-panarin-to-kings-ahead-of-olympic-roster-freeze/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) They have signed him to a two-year extension at $11 million AAV, and the Rangers retained 50% of his salary for this season. The take was modest, a good but not elite prospect in Liam Greentree, and a conditional third-round pick. The conditions can turn that pick into a second-rounder if they win a playoff round, and the will also get a fourth-rounder if they win two rounds. Panarin with a full NMC, chose the team he wanted to play for, and the Rangers had no other options. St. Louis traded Nick Bjugstad to New Jersey: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/02/HAVlPWBWMAAXGoU-1-.jpg) And the Penguins' Caleb Jones has been suspended under the Performance Enhancing Substances Program. Like most rules in the NHL, this is a collectively bargained set of rules, and there is little to no motivation by the NHLPA to seek to change this. The NHL has never made any indication they want changes either, and there are very few infractions. > [https://t.co/2GBVfiHKX8](https://t.co/2GBVfiHKX8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/9wmlZfLMpk](https://t.co/9wmlZfLMpk?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) [February 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/penguins/status/2019145818708529513?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There are no trades now until midnight on February 22, but players can sign extensions during the break. Some NHL players will leave early for the Olympics in order to be there for the opening ceremony. The charters for the bulk of them leave on Saturday. Leon Draisaitl is definitely going early: > Leon Draisaitl wird Fahnenträger von [#TeamD](https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamD?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 🔥 > > Unser NHL-Star wird bei der Eröffnungsfeier in Mailand die deutsche Fahne tragen! 🇩🇪😍 Das bestätigte der DOSB am heutigen Abend! 🤩 > > Herzlichen Glückwunsch, Leon! 👏[#debteams](https://twitter.com/hashtag/debteams?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#eishockey](https://twitter.com/hashtag/eishockey?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#olympics](https://twitter.com/hashtag/olympics?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#fahnenträger](https://twitter.com/hashtag/fahnentr%C3%A4ger?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/kfUbhUsTq7](https://t.co/kfUbhUsTq7?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (@deb\_teams) [February 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/deb%5Fteams/status/2019092017892991183?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) So is David Pastrnak: > Pasta a Lůca v čele! ❤️‍🔥 Těšíme se! [@milanocortina26](https://twitter.com/milanocortina26?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/rMSAytMibH](https://t.co/rMSAytMibH?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Český olympijský tým (@olympijskytym) [February 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/olympijskytym/status/2019089243826512212?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) His co-flag bearer is a biathlete. [10 questions about NHL teams and players as we head to the Olympic breakWill teams that are sending fewer players to the Olympics have a playoff race advantage? Who might push up from the East? How does the trade freeze work? Justin Bourne answers 10 questions heading into the NHL’s Olympic break.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/oly.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/10-questions-about-nhl-teams-and-players-as-we-head-to-the-olympic-break/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Gavin McKenna Facing Felony Charge After Incident On January 31McKenna faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/cropped-Onward-State-Lion-2.png)Onward StateJack Anderson-Jussen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/DSC02610.jpg)](https://onwardstate.com/2026/02/04/gavin-mckenna-facing-felony-charges-over-incident-at-doggies/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And to help you all in navigating the Leafs choices, their cap space: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/02/6983d4914601c-1-.png) They aren't exactly short on cap space next year, and have many options open to make more, add players, etc. ### Wednesday's FTB: What if they had a trade deadline and nobody came? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-what-if-they-had-a-trade-deadline-and-nobody-came/ Last updated: 2026-02-04T11:00:32.000Z Today at 3 pm the Olympic trade freeze goes into effect. It lifts on February 22 at midnight. So far, there have been no major deals beyond the trade of Rasmus Andersson, the end of a drama that went on way too long and consumed way too much attention. [\- TSNTSN’s Hockey Insiders on Team Canada replacing the injured Anthony Cirelli, teams waiting for prices to drop in St. Louis, the latest on Artemi Panarin, how the market looks ahead of Wednesday’s roster freeze, and how open-minded the Predators’ GM search will be.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-206.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F02-03-2026-2Ft_77578631df7240ee8d2eb463b6cf3746_name_2026_2_3_2b03bd25_d19c_4ba8_a6bb_be13977a209c_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/02/03/insider-trading-bennett-finally-gets-call-from-team-canada/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Also in this Insider Trading bit, beyond the headline story, is the shocking news that no one wants to pay big prices for the St. Louis players. Is Armstrong really clever or is he that guy on Marketplace who asks too much and has a garage full of junk. Now, here's the thing, you can't actual empty the garage in the NHL. You actually do need players, so when it comes to the Leafs, again I ask you who is replacing all these guys you want to fantasy trade? Go look at this: [https://puckpedia.com/players/search?q=2025-26-ufa](https://puckpedia.com/players/search?q=2025-26-ufa&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Bobby McMann is 17th on this list by points. Who are you replacing McMann with? I will freely admit I'm not a big fan of the game of trying to get rid of an entire team because things aren't going well, but... who do you foresee playing on the Leafs next year? Or is that all hazy future problems that can be solved by a trip to Costco? Imagine you sell all your furniture at a big yard sale. You got how much for that dining room set? Whoo hoo! And where exactly are you eating your dinner? Oh, and that sofa went for way more than you thought, and if you still had a TV you could sit on the floor to watch it. I can't stop seeing this dilemma this way. --- Okay, to cover this off again: please don't spread bogus rumours about trades. Try to learn the difference between a guy said on the radio what he would do if he was GM and a guy said he heard the team is doing a thing. We have had a few years where blogs trying to monetize junk content disappeared, but now that you can get an AI agent to make it for you and produce the content, it's cost effective to pour our slop for the clicks. And people who like being liked on social media will repeat it. The onus is on you to ignore it. --- The NHL actually does chug along for a couple of more days, but I'm extremely burnt out by the pace of this season and I look forward to the break. Olympic hockey starts tomorrow with Team Canada Women playing Finland in the afternoon, and I am really looking forward to just cheering for a team that no one wants to see lose. All these games are on during the day, so I doubt we'll need a GDT for any of them. [Luukkonen out for Olympics, replaced by Korpisalo on Team Finland | NHL.comBruins goalie added to roster for Milano Cortina Games![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-194.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/rzhuie4zdazhsbyg6kcj.jpg)](http://nhl.com/news/joonas-korpisalo-replaces-ukko-pekka-luukkonen-on-finland-roster?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/henrik-lundqvist-ice-hockey-exclusive-goaltending-olympics-milano-cortina-2026-medal-predictions](https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/henrik-lundqvist-ice-hockey-exclusive-goaltending-olympics-milano-cortina-2026-medal-predictions?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And about last night... After the first period it was tied at zero-all. The Leafs played the kind of fast and faintly chaotic game they'd used in Calgary, and had some chances, but didn't get any actual goals. In the second, it looked like William Nylander and Matias Maccelli were going to team up for a goal, but Connor Ingram nullified the first chance. The shot from Jake McCabe and a tip by Maccelli opening the scoring. > Matias Maccelli scores the game's first goal 🚨 > > between the legs deflection [pic.twitter.com/9FfuOkWFs0](https://t.co/9FfuOkWFs0?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2018879887059091964?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Oilers got one back and in an eyeblink, the Leafs took the lead again on a Matt Knies goal. > What a rip from Jake Walman 🎯 > > The Oilers are on the board 🛢️ [pic.twitter.com/Jq1ezgAsF0](https://t.co/Jq1ezgAsF0?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [February 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2018883399407038724?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Matthew Knies answers QUICK for the Leafs 🍁 [pic.twitter.com/k8YV7etWEY](https://t.co/k8YV7etWEY?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [February 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2018883678450176303?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There was also a fairly predictable fight when Brandon Carlo laid a hit on McDavid: > Carlo vs Nurse [pic.twitter.com/vBpzjTKstt](https://t.co/vBpzjTKstt?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2018879035573514260?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In the third period, Kappy (yes I'm calling him that) tied the game. > Kapanen sends the Leafs' defence to the shops and fires the puck past Stolarz. > > 📹: Sportnset [pic.twitter.com/iVBNBUI5Tc](https://t.co/iVBNBUI5Tc?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) [February 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/OilersNation/status/2018893932151628242?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I don't know what happened to him after he left the Leafs, and that deal was one of those too good to pass up trades, but then again, I wish he was still here. I can't really reconcile those two truths. But I'm glad for him getting back to himself in Edmonton. It's not "oh so Leafy" that he scored, it's just how it goes for every team. I think this is why I don't have any appetite at all for a big clear out sale. I like these guys they have now, and none of them are "the problem" and a lot of them were surplus value when they were acquired. The Leafs need more of that, not less. I don't want to sit on the floor to watch TV. And as I typed that, Mr. John Tavares scored on a power play. (How did the Leafs get a power play? Maybe by having the puck, eh?) Actually it was a five-on-three, so a true unicorn. > TAVARES TIP!! [pic.twitter.com/7KKtarjVIU](https://t.co/7KKtarjVIU?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [February 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2018896615378198916?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And I hadn't even had time to look for a video and Max Domi to Matias Maccelli created a goal on the remaining power play time. > CELLI OUT HERE DOUBLE DIPPING! [pic.twitter.com/zHjKzqEVJA](https://t.co/zHjKzqEVJA?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) [February 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/2018897557502775665?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Wait. Don't Domi and Maccelli just pass it back and forth until the heat death of the universe? Suddenly it was 4-2 Leafs. Bobby McMann sealed the deal with an ENG to make it 5-2 Leafs as the final score. Anthony Stolarz gets to go into the break on a high note after a good performance, and the Leafs are tantalizingly not quite as bad as they looked in the homestand. Tomorrow is the first day of Olympic hockey or the start of a break from the sport, whichever suits you. Until then, have a great Wednesday! ### GDT: Leafs take on the Oilers URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-take-on-the-oilers/ Last updated: 2026-02-04T01:00:03.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Edmonton Oilers 08:30 PM at Rogers Place Watch on: SN, TVAS ### [Preview: Leafs @ OilersOnly an 8:30 start, that barely counts as late.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-393.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1634024242828-74dd2ad26d12)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-oilers-2026/) > Craig Berube says there will be no lineup changes tonight except in goal. > > Anthony Stolarz gets the net tonight. [@BodogCA](https://twitter.com/BodogCA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — David Alter (@davidalter) [February 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/davidalter/status/2018826939038114297?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Leafs @ Oilers URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-oilers-2026/ Last updated: 2026-02-03T18:06:16.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Edmonton Oilers 08:30 PM at Rogers Place Watch on: SN, TVAS ### The Leafs last game was away on February 2 against the Calgary Flames, which Toronto won by a score of 4-2 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 26-21-9 for a 0.545 Points %. The Edmonton Oilers last played at home on January 31 against the Minnesota Wild. The Oilers lost by a score of 7-3 in regulation, and their current league record is 28-20-8 for a 0.571 Points %. ### Them The Oilers are second in the Pacific with a record not terribly different to the Leafs. They are a member of the 50% club, naturally since most of the league is. They're at the higher end, with 51% in Expected Goals and 50% in Corsi. Their power play is epic, however, and they have the best goal-scoring rate at five-on-four. At four-on-five, they are the worst team in the league by xG. They get some help from goaltending there. And how about that goaltending. Edmonton has three goalies who have played since their trade for Tristan Jarry. Calvin Pickard, now in the AHL, has been terrible, Connor Ingram has been average (and very much below average in his last few games), and Jarry, who was very good in Pittsburgh, has been below average in Edmonton. Their best performer? You got it, the guy they traded away in Stuart Skinner. So what does that add up to? Well that power play can take you places in the regular season. We'll see how they do come the playoffs, though. #### Lines Tony Brar via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/edmonton-oilers/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Connor McDavid - Zach Hyman Vasily Podkolzin - Leon Draisaitl - Kasperi Kapanen Matthew Savoie - Josh Samanski - Jack Roslovic Mattias Janmark - Curtis Lazar - Trent Frederic Mattias Ekholm - Evan Bouchard Darnell Nurse - Jake Walman Spencer Stastney - Ty Emberson Connor Ingram - confirmed starter Tristan Jarry ### Us No word on any lineup changes. If it were up to me, I'd sit Matt Knies for Easton Cowan because Knies looked beaten down and ineffective yesterday. #### Lines Last Game (2026-02-02) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Jake McCabe - Brandon Carlo Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Troy Stecher Simon Benoit - Philippe Myers Anthony Stolarz - confirmed starter Joe Woll ### The Game Just for those of us staying up, don't treat it like the last game of the season. Actually play it. ### Tuesday's FTB: Edmonton today URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-7/ Last updated: 2026-02-03T11:00:54.000Z Newish things: [Barry Trotz to step down as GM of Nashville PredatorsBarry Trotz announced Monday that he is stepping down as general manager of the Nashville Predators — although he will remain on the job until a successor is found.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caElliotte Friedman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CP173135694.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/barry-trotz-to-step-down-as-gm-of-predators/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There is so much trade chatter content, it's impossible to keep up with it. Okay, I didn't try, but if I had, I would have thrown up my hands, I promise you. Nothing. Not one single thing has been reported that is worth repeating at this time. And it is funny because a lot of prognostications were that this week would be when the big trades would happen. 🦗🦗🦗 Oh, wait, sorry: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/02/69811eee3605c-1-.png) And if you don't care about the Olympics and didn't read that post, the trade freeze begins tomorrow at 3 pm. And about last night, late, late last night... First I spent some time feeling sorry for myself when I realized the Leafs haven't done their California road trip yet. That's almost two months away, though, so plenty of time to forget so it comes as a shock. In the first few seconds of the game, William Nylander, who was not so much a presence in the Vancouver game as a name on the gamesheet, scored a beauty. > 35 seconds in [pic.twitter.com/VjCxBC1cVE](https://t.co/VjCxBC1cVE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2018525331813028055?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And then, to be honest, almost nothing occurred in the first period. Both teams struggle with offence in different ways, but the Leafs really struggled for the first part of the game. In the second period, they seemed to find their speed while passes connected and Nylander was Nylander: > forecheck, dish, finish [pic.twitter.com/YFsI2AyB3g](https://t.co/YFsI2AyB3g?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2018541776471208348?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Stecher's third from Nylander and Matthews [pic.twitter.com/03yOoxt7Co](https://t.co/03yOoxt7Co?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2018539968881119389?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Well and Naz can be Naz sometimes too: > Nazem Kadri beats Woll [pic.twitter.com/HUX8VyzMcD](https://t.co/HUX8VyzMcD?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2018540778323398693?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This one was a mess by the Leafs: > Joel Farabee brings Calgary within one [pic.twitter.com/b8T94eXWEV](https://t.co/b8T94eXWEV?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2018543123660767597?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) They took a one-goal lead into the third. Now, about that offensive struggle... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/02/20252026-20885-5v5.png) I took one look at that and said: scorer error. That is a really weird pattern for the Leafs, and the location for the Nylander goal is totally wrong, but the Maccelli goal is closer. It looks like the scorer is off by a few feet towards centre, but the Leafs were struggling, so maybe they *were* the ones off by a few feet. Not a lot got done by the Matthews line, and Scott Laughton led in xG in all-situations mostly on the strength of this: > shorthanded chance for Laughton [pic.twitter.com/yv01S0unAj](https://t.co/yv01S0unAj?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2018544323134971906?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Nylander kept it up in the third, coming close to scoring, or to setting up a goal, and he sure seemed to be inspiring the rest of the team. Not necessarily to the point of competence, though. More like madcap adventurism and a reliance on Joe Woll. > Joseph f--king Woll! [pic.twitter.com/pmlDxiYQGS](https://t.co/pmlDxiYQGS?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2018556743370907708?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And some Phil: > Myers clears the rebound and saves a goal [pic.twitter.com/lkhBqPY52h](https://t.co/lkhBqPY52h?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2018557072112304165?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Bobby McMann finished it off with an ENG, and the Leafs won 4-2\. I'll tell you, though, it wasn't Toronto playing like a team full of guys waiting to be traded. They played like a team desperately in need of a defenceman. Or three. See you later for the preview. ### PPP After Dark: Come sit by the fire with us to watch the Leafs and Flames URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ppp-after-dark-come-sit-by-the-fire-with-us-to-watch-the-leafs-and-flames/ Last updated: 2026-02-03T02:53:09.000Z I wish I could say this is the last 10:00 p.m. ET game of the season, but somehow there's still two more after this, but they're not until the end of March/beginning of April. Tomorrow night's game will also be kind of late with an 8:30 p.m. ET start, but that's not too bad. ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Calgary Flames 10:00 p.m. ET at at Calgary Saddledome Watch on: TVAS, TSN4, SNW, ESPN+ Here's our preview of the game. [Preview: Leafs @ FlamesStay up late! Again!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-391.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1636148948526-90d231bebf49)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-flames/) ## GO LEAFS GO! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/02/image-4.png) So snuggle up here with us to watch the game, as there's more snow on the way right now. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/02/image-3.png) ### Preview: Leafs @ Flames URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-flames/ Last updated: 2026-02-02T19:25:09.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Calgary Flames 10:00 PM at Scotiabank Saddledome Watch on: TVAS, TSN4, SNW ### The Leafs last game was away on January 31 against the Vancouver Canucks, which Toronto won by a score of 3-2 in a shootout. The Leafs have a record of 25-21-9 for a 0.536 Points %. The Calgary Flames last played at home on January 31 against the San Jose Sharks. The Flames won by a score of 3-2 in regulation, and their current league record is 22-26-6 for a 0.463 Points %. ### Them Zayne Parekh returns to the lineup for the Flames, playing in his first NHL game since November. He will also play on the second power play unit. Calgary is a 50% club team with their Corsi at 51 and Expected Goals at 49\. They have a much more effective offence than defence, but their shot quality is poor. Their power play is very poor quality, and they score well under expected by Moneypuck's model. Their PK is good, though, and they get good goaltending shorthanded. Devin Cooley has had a great season, while tonight's starter, Dustin Wolf, has been below average and is out of the range of what you'd call a starting goalie. Joe Woll has similar results overall. #### Lines [Today's lines: ](https://x.com/Fan960Steinberg/status/2018378221117743427?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Yegor Sharangovich - Mikael Backlund - Matt Coronato Connor Zary - Nazem Kadri - Joel Farabee Jonathan Huberdeau - Morgan Frost - Matvei Gridin Ryan Lomberg - Martin Pospisil - Adam Klapka Kevin Bahl - Zach Whitecloud Yan Kuznetsov - MacKenzie Weegar Joel Hanley - Zayne Parekh Dustin Wolf - confirmed starter Devin Cooley ### Us The only change is on defence, with Morgan Rielly not playing, and Marshall Rifai in the pressbox. > Morgan Rielly will not play tonight per Craig Berube. Says won’t play Edmonton either and out for the break. No specifics on injury. Said ailment was lingering for a bit before the game. [@BodogCA](https://twitter.com/BodogCA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — David Alter (@davidalter) [February 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/davidalter/status/2018403795105911126?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Ekman-Larsson and McCabe are on the power play units, and nothing illustrates the problem this team has on defence better than Jake McCabe as the next man up. #### Lines [Today's Lines: ](https://x.com/davidalter/status/2018393413398528409?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Jake McCabe - Brandon Carlo Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Troy Stecher Simon Benoit - Phil Myers Joe Woll - starter Anthony Stolarz ### The Game The Leafs have played two pretty good games in a row. The score doesn't match that level, but then, that's how hockey works. That's why you have to aspire to more than pretty good. This is a winnable game, so maybe they will. Aspire to a little more, do a little more and maybe even win it. ### All things Olympics: The games, the trade freeze, the horrible schedule after URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/all-things-olympics-the-games-the-trade-freeze-the-horrible-schedule-after/ Last updated: 2026-02-02T13:00:20.000Z It will soon be Olympic break time in the NHL. Meanwhile, the PWHL actually began their break on January 29\. The 2026 Winter Olympics start in Milano Cortina on February 4\. The opening ceremony is actually on Friday, February 6 and that will air at 1:50 pm ET on CBC and CBC GEM in Canada. NHL players will arrive after the ceremony for the most part, so some will take the opportunity to arrive early and march with their teams. Canadian viewers can watch most events on TV on the CBC or online via [CBC.ca](https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and GEM. There is usually live coverage of multiple sports in a studio-hosted format – the television broadcast feed – as well as dedicated streams of specific events. Naturally the hockey games featuring Team Canada will be covered in full live. Other hockey games will likely be available live. Watching via GEM is easier if you make an account and sign in. [The Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games | CBC GemYour Olympic destination is on GEM where you can watch the sports events live, the replays, the highlights, the upcoming competitions and more!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-333.png)CBC Gem![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/b5f730f9-6370-3e98-79f4-1b943d16bdce-4210.jpg)](https://gem.cbc.ca/section/olympics?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Discovering the availability in America for all Olympic events is a project American residents will have to take up on their own. NBC is the rights-holder: [Homepage | NBC OlympicsVisit NBCOlympics.com for live streams, highlights, schedules, news, athlete bios and more from Milan Cortina 2026.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-180x180-22.png)NBC Olympics![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/MiCoDefaultThumbnail.jpg)](https://www.nbcolympics.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Note the time difference. Milan is six hours ahead of Toronto, so the latest you can reasonably start a hockey game is late afternoon in the eastern time zone. ### Overtime and Points Both the men's and women's tournaments use a three-point system like the PWHL has: 3 points for a RW, 2 for a OTW, 1 for a OTL, 0 for a L. Overtime is three-on-three with a shootout for all games except the gold medal game. It is five minutes of overtime in the preliminary round, 10 minutes in the playoff games and 20-minutes of sudden death with no shootout in the gold-medal games. The shootout procedure will get explained on TV when and if it's required, but it is the IIHF standard method as are the ordering criteria and tie-breaking methods used in both tournaments. ### Rules The IIHF uses a unified rulebook for all hockey, with some very short segments outlining the differences for women's games which are mostly equipment related. The big difference between the IIHF rules and the PWHL is the way body contact is regulated. The IIHF has not moved toward the PWHL standard, but all players will fully understand the differences. How referees will call body contact is usually where the confusion lies. In general the IIHF rulebook is identical to the NHL's with a short list of differences. Icing is not hybrid, it is a "will it cross the goal line" standard. There is no trapezoid in IIHF hockey. The goalie interference rules are widely misunderstood, but it is not true that an opposing player in the crease automatically constitutes goalie interference. Again, the question will be how a mixed crew of referees will call this rule. The illegal check to the head rule is written differently and this is a complex question beyond the scope of this article, for a look at the different approach to the language, this touches on it: [PWHL vs NHL Illegal Check to the Head rulesA comparison.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-389.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1494351371732-4eb1bbd97b5b)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/pwhl-vs-nhl-illegal-check-to-the-head-rules/) The NHL Department of Player Safety will be involved in the supplemental discipline at the Olympics, so again it's a question of how these differences will be interpreted. There are no rules about the form supplemental discipline will take. ### Team Canada Women For following the games and results, the [IIHF site](https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/olympic-w?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) is a handy one-stop shop for the event. The schedule, scores, teams and standings are all there in a format that is familiar to World Championship fans. Hockey Canada also provides all this information on their site as well. Canada opens against Finland on Thursday, February 5, and most of Canada's games are afternoon starts at around 3 pm ET. The women's tournament is run differently to the men's but it uses what is recognizable as the old IIHF women's format (which is about to be changed, but that's a problem for the summer). There are two groups of five teams, and each team plays within their group exclusively in the preliminary round. This round serves to order the teams in the top group: Canada, USA, Czechia, Finland and Switzerland. All five are guaranteed a trip to the quarterfinals. The second group is ordered as well, and the top three teams move into the quarterfinals. That group consists of Sweden, Japan, Germany, France and the hosts, Italy. Normally, that place would be taken by Hungary or Denmark. There are no placement games. The women's quarterfinals begin on Friday, February 13, and the medal games are on Thursday, February 19\. The rest days in the playoff rounds are much more numerous than at a world championship. The PWHL is back in business a full week after the gold medal is given out. ### Team Canada Men NHL players depart for the games around February 7, so whoever is on that plane is on the roster. There is some flexibility for adding injury replacements, but it's not wide open due to doping protocols. The [IIHF site for the men](https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/olympic-m?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) gives you all the information you need, while the games are covered on NHL.com as well via the usual schedule section. Canada starts on day two of the tournament with a game against Czechia on Thursday, February 12\. That game is at 10:40 am ET, and several of the preliminary men's games for Canada are on in the morning in the eastern time zone. The men's tournament has three groups of four teams each. Canada is in Group A with Switzerland, Czechia and France. The Olympics use a unique format for the men's tournament that is closer to the women's than to what the Men's World Championships uses. Each group plays a preliminary round within their group. The results of that round are combined into a full ordering of all 12 teams. The first four teams will receive a bye into the quarterfinals and are the home teams for those games. The other eight teams play in a single-elimination qualification round with the four winners moving on to the quarterfinals. Once that is set, the tournament continues as you'd expect with a re-seeding of teams going into the semifinals. The men's gold-medal game is on Sunday, February 22 at 8 am ET. Like the recent WJC, the Olympics allows a playing roster of 20 skaters and 2 goalies. There is no rule or even common practice about how the extra skaters are used. So a team can choose forwards or defence according to their needs for the extras. From an [early rundown on rule differences](https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/olympic-ice-hockey-nhl-rules-difference?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): > **Is ice hockey fighting allowed at the Olympic Games?** > Fighting may be part of ice hockey’s culture, sometimes even part of the spectacle, but it has no place at the Olympic Winter Games. The IIHF rulebook is explicit: fighting is not part of international hockey’s DNA. Players who drop the gloves in Olympic competition face major penalties and possible ejection. It's totally not allowed and we might penalize you for it, how is an open question. How this will actually play out is something we'll find out when the players do. ### Trade Freeze The NHL has an Olympic trade and player movement freeze, and I will defer to the expert in [PuckPedia](https://puckpedia.com/news/olympic-roster-freeze?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). The freeze runs from Wednesday, February 4 at 3 pm to February 22 at one minute to midnight. That is, of course the same day as the gold-medal game. The first NHL games played after the Olympics are on Wednesday, February 25, and the Leafs start a back-to-back that evening. No trades can be filed during the freeze, but that doesn't mean GMs can't talk to each other. The trade deadline is 12 days after the freeze ends on March 6 at 3 pm. There is a complex set of rules about which waiver-exempt players can be sent down during the freeze which you can read at the link above, and there are regular waivers allowed, but any player waived after their final game before the freeze doesn't have to report until February 17\. The Leafs play on the road in Edmonton the day before the freeze begins, so they are in a bit of bind if they want to put any waivers-requiring player in the AHL for the break. They'd have to waive them before that game. They essentially solved this problem in advance by waiving Dakota Mermis, and sending him and Henry Thrun down already and recalling Marshall Rifai. Rifai's waiver exemption will still be valid come the freeze and he can return to the AHL. The only likely forward to be sent to the Marlies is the exempt Easton Cowan. ### Paying the Price The Leafs play three games in the final four days of February. They then play 15 games in March and seven games in 15 days in April. Anyone who believes that's a reasonable schedule for NHL hockey is living in a fantasy land. There is reportedly already some clues dropping in the NHL offices that in two years when they do the World Cup and also play 84 games, they can't do this again. ### Helpful Resource This post lists the men's schedule in condensed form and has broadcasters for several countries around the world: [https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/mens-ice-hockey-tournament-milano-cortina-2026-preview-schedule-watch](https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/news/mens-ice-hockey-tournament-milano-cortina-2026-preview-schedule-watch?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Monday's FTB: Four more NHL days URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-four-more-nhl-days/ Last updated: 2026-02-02T11:00:06.000Z The NHL plays for four more days this week, but the Leafs, naturally have their schedule packed into two of them. Tonight it's Calgary with a 10 pm start, and tomorrow is Edmonton at 8:30. Last game, Morgan Rielly left injured, and we've yet to hear how badly. The Leafs currently have one extra defender on the roster, so they could just play without Rielly if they have to and not recall anyone. We'll see how they decide to handle this. The subject of fanciful trade rumours is out of action for a few weeks: [Blues’ Thomas has procedure on leg, out until after Olympic breakSt. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas had what the team described as a minor procedure on his leg and will be out until after the Olympic break, it was announced Saturday evening.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-204.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/TLGULYID344M3G3WURM4BYKF44.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/blues-thomas-has-procedure-on-leg-out-until-after-olympic-break/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I'm confident many more fanciful ideas will be out there. [Oilers place veteran G Pickard on waiversThe Edmonton Oilers announced on Sunday that they have placed veteran goaltender Calvin Pickard on waivers.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-205.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CZ47KTGXOVHYVOA7YH26MG35X4.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/oilers-place-veteran-g-pickard-on-waivers/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I'd joke the Leafs should take him and trade all three of their goalies, but too many would think that's a good idea. Tank forever! Never trade another draft pick! Profit! It's an interesting move, though, when Washington has two injured goalies. [Minten named NHL Rookie of the Month for January | NHL.comBruins forward had 8 goals, 6 assists in 14 games![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-193.png)NHL logoNHL Public Relations![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/tzqovlfoqbk2mbfmsouh.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/fraser-minten-named-nhl-rookie-of-the-month-for-january-2026?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) While this is about what I expected... [2026 Winter Olympics: Ice hockey venue will not be ready for start of GamesWinter Olympics organisers admit the new ice hockey arena in Milan will not be finished in time for the first match of the Games – but it is “absolutely certain” all scheduled fixtures will be played there.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/touch-icon-512.239d26b83e-1.png)BBC SportByEmma SmithBBC Sport journalist at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/c8060c10-fec4-11f0-9afc-a9b26553ef25-1.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/sport/ice-hockey/articles/cq6vdpnelvzo?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ... there are multiple reports that the ice itself is going to be fine, and that's the most important part. Here, you get a good view of the ice surface while some pump up the workers meeting is going on: > My first look at Santagiulia Ice Arena, home for Olympic hockey here in Milano. [#TusksUp](https://twitter.com/hashtag/TusksUp?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [#NHL](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHL?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [@kslsports](https://twitter.com/kslsports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [@KSL5TV](https://twitter.com/KSL5TV?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/fIdGZJjE9q](https://t.co/fIdGZJjE9q?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sam Farnsworth (@Samsworth\_TV) [February 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/Samsworth%5FTV/status/2017970866865209669?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) A fun interview with Marie-Philip Poulin: [**5 questions with the captain of Canada’s Olympic hockey team**](https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.7068848?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) (Don't call her Captain Clutch.) Okay, that's enough to get you started on Monday, later there is a rundown on what you need to know for the Olympics, and much much much later there will be a preview for tonight's game. Happy Monday, and remember, you can now claim you survived January, 2026, and that's not nothing. A little extra: > WE'VE GOT A GOALIE FIGHT AT THE STADIUM SERIES GAME 💥 [pic.twitter.com/Ji7GQrM6HU](https://t.co/Ji7GQrM6HU?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [February 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2018137274634916147?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Elite positioning. Elite control. Even in a scrum… [#WeAreGoldStar](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreGoldStar?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)! [pic.twitter.com/RP9aLmGjiT](https://t.co/RP9aLmGjiT?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Dan Milstein (@HockeyAgent1) [February 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/HockeyAgent1/status/2018144820418457909?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Marlies snatch one point from the Rocket in their return to Toronto URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/marlies-snatch-one-point-from-the-rocket-in-their-return-to-toronto/ Last updated: 2026-02-02T00:27:36.000Z The Marlies hosted the Laval Rocket last night, the top team in the division. It was a battle of a game, with the team's trading goal until it went to OT where the Marlies lost, 3-2\. But it at least salvaed a point to keep them up to pace in the crowded middle of the North Division. Here are the current standings in the North Division, sorted by points %. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/02/image.png) The Marlies are now tied for third, though the tie-breaker goes to the Crunch. Every team is now in a chess game in the standings, with each division match-up meaning more and more with less than 30 games left in the season for most teams. The Rochester Americans are right on their heels and the Marlies don't want to once again drop into that play-in round used by the AHL. The Marlies had Dennis Hildeby in net, freshly returned from his call-up to the Maple Leafs to cover for Anthony Stolarz, and playing in his first Marlies game in three months. The Rocket had highly-touted goalie prospect Jacob Fowler in net, who has had ten games with the Canadiens this season at only 21 years-old. These two teams have a classic rivalry history, and so there's no surprise some fights broke out with Dakota Mermis taking out Jared Davidson quite easily while William Trudeau and Resse Johnson stale-mated each other. On the whole of the game for the Marlies though, it was about setting up a shot and getting it past Fowler who really was fantastic in the game. ### Highlights Ryan Kirwan is a player who was undrafted and spent his development time in the NCAA for three years with Penn State and then one with Arizona State. He's spent most of his time with the Cincinnati Cyclones, but had a chance with two games on the Marlies last season, and now played his second game this season and notched his first AHL goal. > RYAN KIRWAN WITH HIS FIRST AHL GOAL!! [pic.twitter.com/Ei6aU0alKV](https://t.co/Ei6aU0alKV?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [January 31, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2017744269163851853?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I asked Kirwan about what he's learning on his time with the Marlies and he said it's about "habits, focusing on what these guys do and what makes them pros. There's a lot of amazing players in there and lots of NHL games and lots of AHL games in there." John Gruden said the leadership group goes out of its way to make that happen. "We're as coaching staff fortunate to have Benning and Shaw and Mermis and Johnstone and Johnson, and just the older group of guys are very welcoming. They they go about their business right. They prepare like pros should, you know." Gruden added, "This is still the second best hockey league in the world as far as I'm concerned, and if guys want to play there, they're going to have to still prepare like they're there, so for these young guys to learn from that is special and they're fortunate, and again, it makes our job easy as well." Fowler lived up to his hype in the game, shutting down the Marlies with great saves multiple times. > GATOR 🛑 [pic.twitter.com/PmtcW1W8Lc](https://t.co/PmtcW1W8Lc?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) [February 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/RocketLaval/status/2017753801483067787?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Marlies stayed down 2-1 late into the third period when Noah Chadwick got the second shot past Fowler and tied up the game with only 1:03 left on the clock. > CHADDY KNOTS IT IN THE CLOSING MINUTES! [pic.twitter.com/X92CahVxxs](https://t.co/X92CahVxxs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [February 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2017756730583548012?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Chadwick wound up in the Top 10 of our Leafs Top 25 Under 25 in the summer. You can find his profile and discussion about his abilities here: [2024 T25U25: Noah Chadwick is #10Who is he, really?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-390.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1522448023466-b1c85da46df0-1)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2024-t25u25-noah-chadwick-is-10/) The game went to OT and as mentioned earlier, the Rocket won it. The goal was by Laurent Dauphin who is the leader in points for the Rocket at 49 in 40 games. ### Next Game The Marlies will set sail again across Lake Erie to play the Cleveland Monsters on Tuesday before coming back to Toronto to face the Springfield Thunderbirds. Then they get a week off for the AHL All-Star Classic before returning to a gruelling schedule of 8 games in 15 days. Here is the game recap. ### Sunday FTB: Leafs beat the worst team, clear bar lying on floor URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sunday-ftb-leafs-beat-the-worst-team-clear-bar-lying-on-floor/ Last updated: 2026-02-01T11:00:59.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! It's always fun when the Leafs head into Vancouver on a Saturday night. We get the good ol' 'oh boo, 4PM local start, league caters to Toronto' to start and finish it with a 'thank you for beating us, and keeping out pick high'. It was a shootout loss, so they barely beat the Canucks, but Morgan Reilly got the hometown W, and Auston Matthews pulled off the game winner. > POV: Auston Matthews is trying to end the shootout [pic.twitter.com/9u1mRWpE6z](https://t.co/9u1mRWpE6z?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [February 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2017794944279122019?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Toronto Marlies didn't fare as well, with the Laval Rocket defeating the little Leafs 3-2 in overtime. Ryan Kirwan scored his first Marlies goal in the loss. [TheAHL.com | The American Hockey League![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/AHL90_500-300x300-1.png)The American Hockey League\>> Patrick Williams archive![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/AHL90_500.png)](https://theahl.com/stats/game-summary/1028447?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Toronto Sceptres and the PWHL are already on their Olympic break, because the women's tournament begins on Thursday with Sweden and Germany kicking things off at 6:10 AM. Canada begins their quest for gold facing off with Finland. Puck drop is 3:10 PM Toronto time for that one. Of course we can't mention Olympic hockey without seeing if the arena will be done by Thursday? [2026 Winter Olympics: Ice hockey venue still being built five days before GamesOlympic organisers face a race against time to finish the new ice hockey arena in Milan - five days before the venue is due to host its first match.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/touch-icon-512.239d26b83e.png)BBC SportByEmma SmithBBC Sport journalist at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/c8060c10-fec4-11f0-9afc-a9b26553ef25.jpg)](https://www.bbc.com/sport/ice-hockey/articles/cq6vdpnelvzo?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) A rough go in another always fierce Oshawa Generals vs Peterborough Petes game. This time it's a dirty mid-fight slew foot, and a few on-ice punches for good measure. I'm sure there's a suspension coming for Adam Levac. > We may see our first slewfoot suspension of this [#OHL](https://twitter.com/hashtag/OHL?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) season as Adam Levac pulls out one of the most intentional and dirtiest ones you'll see. They're paired up well away from the scrum and he slewfoots then starts throwing punches [#OHLSuspensions](https://twitter.com/hashtag/OHLSuspensions?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/CHunRDgqNY](https://t.co/CHunRDgqNY?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Generals Live (@GeneralsUpdates) [January 31, 2026](https://twitter.com/GeneralsUpdates/status/2017447944476033530?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, let's go back to 1924\. When hockey at the Olympics was played outdoors with the Alps as the background. [This Day in History, 1924: Canada slaughters the opposition in hockey at the first Winter OlympicsCanada won gold in hockey, but Norway led the first Winter Games with four golds![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/icon-vs-1.png)Vancouver SunJohn Mackie![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/30jan-news-p8-main_97342184.jpg)](https://vancouversun.com/news/day-history-1924-canada-wins-gold-hockey-first-winter-olympics?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) We even have some film of the games! Enjoy your day everyone! ### Toronto @ Vancouver URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/toronto-vancouver/ Last updated: 2026-01-31T23:30:27.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Vancouver Canucks 07:00 PM at Rogers Arena Watch on: SN, CBC ### [Preview: Maple Leafs and CanucksLurching along together.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-388.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1744616004851-0992bfcf96c1)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-maple-leafs-and-canucks/) ### Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Maple Leafs and Canucks URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-maple-leafs-and-canucks/ Last updated: 2026-01-31T19:07:04.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Vancouver Canucks 07:00 PM at Rogers Arena Watch on: SN, CBC ### The Leafs last game was away on January 29 against the Seattle Kraken, which Toronto lost by a score of 5-2 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 24-21-9 for a 0.528 Points %. The Vancouver Canucks last played at home on January 29 against the Anaheim Ducks. The Canucks won by a score of 2-0 in regulation, and their current league record is 18-31-5 for a 0.380 Points %. ### Them The Vancouver Canucks are trying to sort things out so Elilas Pettersson the defenceman doesn't have to use his second name. If that sounds like fun, I would bet the Cauncks fans have a different perspective. The wheels are off, the team is off the rails, it's a dumpster fire, they're done, flip 'em over and do the other side. So that means they are the single most unpredictable team in the NHL. They want to beat the Leafs though, especially that 2C. #### Lines Jeff Paterson via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/vancouver-canucks/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Evander Kane - Elias Pettersson - Conor Garland Filip Chytil - David Kämpf - Linus Karlsson Drew O'Connor - Aatu Räty - Jake DeBrusk Liam Öhgren - Max Sasson - Jonathan Lekkerimäki Elias Nils Pettersson - Filip Hronek Marcus Pettersson - Tom Willander Pierre-Olivier Joseph - Tyler Myers Kevin Lankinen Nikita Tolopilo ### Us Several wheels have missing nuts and they wobble alarmingly, they bump on and off the rails quite a lot and there is a very strange odour of garbage and smoke sometimes. William Nylander is back, so Jacob Quillan drops out, and Marshall Rifai, who was looking like he could make the team in training camp, gets a shot. He has only played in 12 games this year in the AHL, so he's the least injured and best conditioned defender the team has. Rifai got in a couple of NHL games two years ago, but did not play last year outside the Marlies. He's 27, which counts as a baby on the Leafs defence corps. Easton Cowan, who has not been on fire lately (in the good way) gets a rest day. #### Lines David Alter via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Marshall Rifai - Troy Stecher Joe Woll Anthony Stolarz ### The Game I was going to say something like "[things fall apart](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43290/the-second-coming?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)", but as much as I genuinely mean it when I say this sport is an enactment of the human struggle, it seems a bit much these days to imbue a hockey game between two troubled teams with that much meaning. Nonetheless they do struggle to keep things whole, and we watch them do it, critical in the excess of every moment. Note: no confirmation on either starting goalie. ### Saturday's FTB: Whale watching URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/saturdays-ftb-whale-watching/ Last updated: 2026-01-31T11:28:46.000Z 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The perfect time for a game for Leafs fans on a Saturday night! We will have the return of William Nylander to the lineup and hopefully he gives the metaphorical finger to the Canucks fans in attendance by scoring a lot and helping the Leafs win, snap the losing streak, and kick-off a maybe possibly sort of potential pathway back to the playoffs. Yes, that's a long shot, but it begins with actually winning a game, and tonight they face the literal last place team in the whole league, so if you can't win this one... We'll have our preview of tonight's game out later this morning. You can listen to Berube here while you wait and the final question includes the "put pucks deep is a winning recipe" remarks. The Marlies have their first home game in weeks tonight at the Coliseum, playing the Laval Rocket at 5:00 p.m., note that start time is an hour later than normal for a Saturday game. And here's an interesting and detailed update on two of the Leafs Swedish prospects playing for Leksand, Tinus Luc Koblar and Victor Johansson, as told by a Leafs development coach Tomas Pacina. ### Other News More trouble for the Regional Sports Networks in the US. The media group that broadcasts games for the Hurricanes, Red Wings, Kings, Wild, Predators, Blues and Blue Jackets may file for bankruptcy as early as next week, and the NHL would be forced to invoke contingency plans immediately, including offering rights to local TV stations, but they would also make all of the teams' regional games available free on the NHL app. [Sources: Main Street could be headed for liquidationUnless 11th hour financing can coerce its nine MLB teams to stay put, Main Street Sports Group could have little choice but to file for Chapter 7 and immediately liquidate its business next week, sources have told SBJ.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-19.png)Sports Business JournalTom Friend![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/APLIJDR2OFFORESIWAWYN24PI4.jpg)](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/01/30/sources-main-street-could-be-headed-for-liquidation/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Enjoy your Saturday with hockey. While there was only one game yesterday–Columbus beat Chicago 4-2–there are 14 games on the calendar for today, with the first starting at noon ET. And remember, if you can turn a bag of spuds into an elegant dinner, maybe you can do that with a bag of buds, I mean, not dinner, but into an elegant playoffs, or... this metaphor has gone off the rails. [Meera Sodha’s vegetarian recipe for patates yahniSometimes, all that’s required for supper is simply stewed Mediterranean vegetables and potatoes with a dollop of yoghurt on top …![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-512-12.png)The GuardianMeera Sodha![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/3630.jpg)](https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/jan/31/vegetarian-patates-yiachni-recipe-vegetable-stew-meera-sodha?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Until later today, let's enjoy the soundtrack of the OG whale team. ### Friday's FTB: Stay up tonight too if you like URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-stay-up-tonight-too-if-you-like/ Last updated: 2026-01-30T11:00:38.000Z Yesterday Brad Treliving hopped onto the radio because, it seemed, the Athletic posted a story about their reorganization of the sports medicine department. It was kinda boring to be honest, but I'm not sure I'm going to buy a string of pearls to clutch over the Athletic's take. The Leafs are down and out and this won't be the only distinct kicking motion aimed at the team. The rest of the bit: Insider Trading has Darren Dreger saying the Leafs are not ready to make the call on the season. [Insider Trading: Extension key to Panarin trade marketGino Reda is joined by TSN Hockey Insiders Pierre LeBrun, Chris Johnston, and Darren Dreger to discuss who the possible suitors are for Artemi Panarin’s services, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ plans heading into the Olympic break, and the status of the rink at The Winter Olympics in Italy on Insider Trading.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-203.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/RDHRIJ7SXVFERKNREPEO23XLNI.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/insider-trading-extension-key-to-panarin-trade-market/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) But since Treliving stayed in Toronto to meet with his various departments, they aren't far away from decisions either. Expect to hear a lot of trade rumours as the market gets tested. [William Nylander skates with Maple Leafs, could return on weekend![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Willy.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nylander-skates-with-maple-leafs-could-return-on-weekend/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > [#Canada](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) women’s hockey team getting ready to board the flight from Montreal to Milan [pic.twitter.com/GevppnqlgB](https://t.co/GevppnqlgB?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Chris Edwards (@CEdwardsTSN) [January 30, 2026](https://twitter.com/CEdwardsTSN/status/2017031250871976329?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Chris Johnston has an update on the main arena in Milan up there at that Insider Trading link. They've got the ice all redone, and the interior is on track to be finished. The women play a lot of games at the second venue which had a practice tournament some weeks ago, and all went well. It looks like what it is – a smaller temporary facility, but it works. [PWHL’s Poulin rocks ‘Great Canadian Jersey’ at game | NHL.comVictoire forward donated jersey for project, shows off national pride before Olympic break![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-192.png)NHL logoChristopher Detwiler![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/hby8ykpthhu0s8yohvjl.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/short-shifts/pwhl-marie-philip-poulin-great-canadian-jersey?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Crazy scene for Capitals in Detroit: > 1) Logan Thompson not dressed; took a shot off the mask last game > 2) Charlie Lindgren injured at the end of OT > 3) Stays in for shootout...wins when Larkin hits crossbar > 4) Carried off by his teammates[pic.twitter.com/Oj7tFeqWBx](https://t.co/Oj7tFeqWBx?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [January 30, 2026](https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2017080676462326226?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) By the way, Thompson is likely Canada's best goalie, and he is just day-to-day, so it's not a concern for his Olympic participation. How did the Leafs do? Well, the first SOG went in for Seattle and it went from tied to 3-1 in less time than it takes to read this sentence, but the Leafs actually played one of their better games. They had the puck a decent amount, shot it from decent places and got to 3-2 on the power play. Shane Wright got one by Anthony Stolarz – beat him clean – and this is what playing with weak goaltending looks like. A bad defensive play ends up in the net a lot more often. This is the trouble with all that earlier inept losing, you are under pressure to win every game, and sometimes you just don't. Shit happens. Final score was 5-2 with one ENG padding the total for the Kraken. You can't choose to win, you can choose to do the things that lead to winning, and they did better last night than they did in the homestand. Yes that is damning them with faint praise. Next game is Saturday, see you then. ### GDT: Leafs @ Kraken URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-kraken-2/ Last updated: 2026-01-30T02:30:47.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Seattle Kraken 10:00 PM at Climate Pledge Arena Watch on: ESPN+, HULU, TVAS, SNO ### [Preview: Leafs in SeattleIt’s a late one.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-387.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1556305078-869cc33a1b51)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-in-seattle/) Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Leafs in Seattle URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-in-seattle/ Last updated: 2026-01-29T20:12:17.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Seattle Kraken 10:00 PM at Climate Pledge Arena Watch on: ESPN+, HULU, TVAS, SNO ### The Leafs last game was at home on January 27 against the Buffalo Sabres, which Toronto lost by a score of 7-4 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 24-20-9 for a 0.538 Points %. The Seattle Kraken last played at home on January 27 against the Washington Capitals. The Kraken won by a score of 5-1 in regulation, and their current league record is 24-19-9 for a 0.548 Points %. ### Them The Kraken have almost the identical record to the Leafs which puts them in contention for a wild card playoff slot along with a smaller list of other teams than you get in the east. They have the identical Corsi % and are just slightly worse by xG, but they get to those percentages by different paths. The Kraken have the worst offensive xG pace in the NHL while Toronto is just really bad. Seattle is slightly better at xG against. This is a distinction without a significant difference, however. Their power play is tepid, and they haven't been profoundly lucky there, while their PK is bad and their actual goals allowed per 60 leads the NHL. The Leafs have been trending towards better in both special teams, so that's the first major point of difference. Their goalies have been a mixed bag, with Joey Daccord as the picture of average, Philipp Grubauer a little better, and Matt Murray gloriously brilliant in five games until he got hurt. #### Lines Last Game (2026-01-27) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/seattle-kraken/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Jared McCann - Matty Beniers - Jordan Eberle Berkly Catton - Chandler Stephenson - Eeli Tolvanen Jaden Schwartz - Shane Wright - Kaapo Kakko Ryan Winterton - Frederick Gaudreau - Jacob Melanson Vince Dunn - Adam Larsson Jamie Oleksiak - Brandon Montour Ryan Lindgren - Ryker Evans Joey Daccord - likely starter Philipp Grubauer ### Us No one sets out to be the twin of the Kraken, but here we are. William Nylander skated as an extra today with Jacob Quillan (who would have to come off the roster to make room for him) so it looks like his debut will not be tonight. But this was his first full participation in a practice or skate. If this changes, we'll likely notice at gametime. #### Lines [From morning skate](https://x.com/davidalter/status/2016959876325359836?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - Matthew Knies Nicholas Robertson - Nicolas Roy - Calle Järnkrok Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Easton Cowan Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Anthony Stolarz -starter Joe Woll ### The Game This might not be a popular opinion because hate watching is so en vogue, but I'd like the team to play well, to feel joy in the game, pride in themselves and to make the playoffs just for the hell of it. Why not give it a whirl? ### Thursday's FTB: One more road trip URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-one-more-road-trip/ Last updated: 2026-01-29T11:00:34.000Z Newsish things first: This business of openly scratching healthy players because you want to trade them is now firmly NHL SOP. [Rangers’ Panarin to be held out through Olympic break for roster management purposesArtemi Panarin will not be in the New York Rangers lineup on Wednesday against the New York Islanders for roster management purposes and is not expected to play again before the Olympic break, according to TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-201.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/R33ABGTZ6RACVJF56PNFLOV22I.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/rangers-panarin-to-be-held-out-through-olympic-break-for-roster-management-purposes/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I'll be shocked if he makes it to the break as a Ranger. [Canadiens fire goalie coach RaymondThe Montreal Canadiens announced on Wednesday that the team has relieved goalie coach Eric Raymond of his duties.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-202.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/IGSUDQ3PXZFG5GJTOO6M4CKPSA.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/canadiens-fire-goalie-coach-raymond/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Flames mailbag: Trade deadline buzz swirling around key playersWith just over a month away from the March 6 trade deadline, Pat Steinberg’s latest Flames mailbag has a certain theme to it.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caPat Steinberg![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/whitecloud.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/flames-mailbag-trade-deadline-buzz-swirling-around-key-players/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > The Maple Leafs have assigned D Henry Thrun and D Dakota Mermis to the Toronto Marlies (AHL). > > D Marshall Rifai has been recalled from the Marlies. > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [January 28, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2016633363713368442?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Dakota Mermis cleared waivers after his LTIR conditioning stint. He can now play over the break on the Marlies. Marshall Rifai gets a chance to ... well, I don't know if he'll play or not. There will be something posted here later on this week on the trade freeze rules. It's not exactly like the Holiday Roster Freeze. Okay, and now this stuff: [Maple Leafs should be deadline sellers, but have bigger questions to answer firstWaking up today, back at the bottom, the Toronto Maple Leafs step off the season-long roller-coaster onto a totally different landscape. Justin Bourne has some thoughts as to what has to happen next.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-13-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-should-be-deadline-sellers-but-have-bigger-questions-to-answer-first/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) So first off, this sellers/buyers thing is an artificial construct that simplifies what teams do down to a false dichotomy – that sports talk classic – so everyone can pick a side and shout out their slogan. No one is buying or selling anything, first of all, and that's not just semantics. Teams trade away a player to clear cap space, to remove term on a player for future flexibility, to get rid of someone they don't want, to get a big return because the deadline makes other GMs more reckless, and likely a bunch of reasons I haven't thought of. Teams trade for players to fill holes, to take advantage of teams clearing cap space, to get someone of a better fit in age or ability and all sorts of other reasons that aren't "get a rental." And to be clear, the Leafs weren't in the market for rentals long before the zeitgeist decided they should be "sellers." We are, as of this afternoon, six days from the start of the trade freeze. When it ends, there are 11 full days leading up to the trade deadline day. In a normal season, these are the dullest days ahead of the deadline, as everyone who has waited this long, waits a little longer to get a little more salary proration bang for their buck. This season, who knows. But as Justin Bourne talks about (and ignore the headline), whether they make the playoffs or not is not really the question that matters. Let me lay this out how I've been thinking about it, not too differently from Bourne: So, Craig Berube said something almost true about this homestand, that the Leafs scored enough to win the games. They did that three times. So what if they'd won them? How would you feel? Or what if they go on the roadie and win all four? What then. Lose five then win four, or win every other one, it makes no difference. The order you do things doesn't matter, but it sure makes fans' brains pop off in differing colours depending on the sequence. If the Leafs win all four, the zeitgeist will dart off in a whole new direction. But that's feelings. And your feelings and mine, or your optimism or your pessimism or hope or whatever you like to call it, don't mean a damn thing. What the team needs to do, so by team I mean all of the management people. I'm not going to prop up the fiction that everything is one guy making decisions on his own here. The team needs to look at who the players are, what they have shown they can do – play well enough to win against the Avs and badly enough to be an embarrassment against the Avs – and ask what difference if makes if they come 10th, 15th or 20th in the NHL this year. It doesn't mean a damn thing. And any of those outcomes is possible because the middle rank of the NHL is big, is full of flawed teams that meet each other over and over and see if their flaws compound or cancel each other out, and someone has to win each game. Anything can happen with those standings. Again, it does not mean anything. And I don't think that's news to the Leafs. Yes, you'll see dudes on the radio, people on TV panels, randoms on social media shrieking in tones of high agitation about how the Leafs should trade all these guys, all of them! Clean house! Get rid of the core players. Whoops it wasn't Marner all along, trade guys until you figure out who the guilty are! Like China reorganizing their military. This is just not going to happen. The core players have full NMCs and just spare me the stories about how they can put the guy on waivers, that'll learn him, and then they can trade him and the team will have no players, but that's fine because the point is to be enraged! We don't need a team for that! The Leafs actually do need a team, and what they need to do is to decide how to make trades of various kinds and come out better. Trade Bobby McMann and Max Domi and Brandon Carlo and bundle up those picks, and oh, wait, Matias Maccelli and Nic Roy and Scott Laughton and think of the pile of picks!! Wheee! And then you need to go find five regular roster NHLers again before next year. Please don't say the word Marlies, please. The Leafs would be looking for lower end guys, that's good, and they can get those guys in free agency, and they also get to pick six times in the fourth round, whooo hoo, and... uh... How is that better? Last summer was deeply weird, a thing you have to conveniently forget if you want to be mad online that Brad Treliving didn't sign a hot like burning winger to replace Marner. This summer might not be quite so bizarre, but the cap is going up and a lot of teams in that middle group might think they just need one guy and they'll be competitive, and you know, the Leafs can't think like that. I don't see any indication that they do, and no, doomer prophesies don't count. They also can't decide to rip it all down. Well, sure they could, it would be mostly like Pittsburgh's version though where they were never going to actually trade any of their core but they coasted with crap goaltending to lose bad for a couple of years – and even then they didn't lose that much. But I don't think the organization wants that. I think they want to try a gentler retool, where they make moves in and out to improve where they lack skill and to create the cap space to fit in any actually meaningful free agents should those materialize. There is no store to buy and sell at. There is no infinite supply of players. You can't make a shopping list and go get them. The Leafs, like every other team can only act within the realm of the possible. And I don't think it does matter how many games they win or when they do it. So to specifics: No they aren't going to: - trade the goalies - try to ditch Auston Matthews, William Nylander or John Tavares - dump every peripheral player with term who can actually add value on the third or fourth line - trade all the defencemen you don't like They might: - see what Morgan Rielly thinks of a move, but he's got the full NMC - trade Scott Laughton if someone wants to overpay, and the same goes for Bobby McMann - look at Nick Robertson's arbitration case and ask if this isn't the time to trade him at his highest value to date - trade some of their truly prodigious collection of depth defenders Now, to be clear, these moves are just asset management stuff, they aren't going to return big shiny returns that will get the team meaningful players for next year. Which is why, if the most unlikely thing happens and they fall down to the bottom 15 and win a lottery, they would trade that first-round pick at the deadline, guaranteed. This is not a pretty picture. It wasn't last summer, and it wasn't when Dubas left either. And I can name a big handful of you who knew that at the time. And of course, the Leafs know a lot of things we don't. Is Chris Tanev ever playing again? What's really wrong with Matt Knies? Who else needs to miss some considerable time? And they also have noticed the age of some of their key performers like Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jake McCabe. Their view of the possible is a lot more clear than mine is. This is not a task I envy anyone to have to undertake. It's not just so simple, they just need to do this and that and then it will just be fine and if they weren't so stoopid they'd have done this already. Firing people isn't going to change this reality, either. Although, if you think I'm a fan of the current management and coaching cadre just because I don't rant on about it every five seconds, think again. Brad Treliving was a profoundly ill-considered choice for GM. Brendan Shanahan is not missed by me. Now, having said that: Set the popcorn bag back down and resign yourself to waiting, because I don't think the Leafs are doing anything dramatic or cathartic or validating to your feelings in the next two weeks (with the big vacation in the middle). Lou Lamoriello said a decade or so ago that you can't fill one hole by digging one somewhere else, and that's been the story of the Leafs ever since. We will see where this goes. Watch the late one tonight or don't, it's up to you. ### Sceptres Gameday: URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday/ Last updated: 2026-01-28T22:10:36.000Z ### Toronto Sceptres @ Montréal Victoire 6:30 PM ET @ Place Bell, Laval **Watch in Canada:** TSN, RDS **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com All eight teams play today, the last day before the Olympic break, and this is the picture heading into today's action: | PWHL | GP | GR | PTS | W | OTW | OTL | L | PCT | GF | GA | | -------------------- | -- | -- | --- | - | --- | --- | - | ----- | -- | -- | | Boston Fleet | 13 | 17 | 28 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0.718 | 30 | 20 | | Minnesota Frost | 14 | 16 | 25 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0.595 | 44 | 30 | | Montréal Victoire | 14 | 16 | 24 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0.571 | 30 | 21 | | New York Sirens | 15 | 15 | 23 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0.511 | 34 | 37 | | Vancouver Goldeneyes | 15 | 15 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 0.422 | 30 | 35 | | Ottawa Charge | 15 | 15 | 19 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0.422 | 36 | 39 | | Seattle Torrent | 13 | 17 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0.410 | 29 | 36 | | Toronto Sceptres | 15 | 15 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 0.378 | 27 | 42 | To say that's not good for Toronto is an understatement, but this is just halfway through the season so there is a lot of room to get some three-point wins in regulation and change that picture dramatically. But they aren't the only team who can say that. The standings are seriously wide open, with only Boston with so many wins they can comfortably absorb bad games. I think it's now more clear than ever that while the Sceptres aren't scoring – they do have some bad shooting luck with good players who are getting a lot of shots not getting goals – the real problem here is goals against. This is a goalie-first league still. The league average Save % (a team stat) is .926\. The Sceptres are at .911 not counting ENGs. And that's the main reason they are last. But that *is* a team stat, so there is absolutely going to be an element of skater responsibility to their situation. You can't find a smoking gun in Shots on Goal allowed per game. There just isn't enough to go on in only 15 games, an interesting coaching dilemma in the PWHL to be sure. But the Sceptres are not giving up too much, that's actually Ottawa, and even they aren't beyond what a goalie can account for if they're better than average. | Team | SA per GP | | ---- | --------- | | BOS | 25 | | MTL | 26 | | NY | 27 | | TOR | 28 | | MIN | 28 | | VAN | 30 | | SEA | 31 | | OTT | 32 | So that's the picture. Whatever the mix is between how the team plays and how well the goalies do, the Sceptres can't just continue on and hope their shooting luck changes and it all become sunny and happy. Getting more goals ain't gonna hurt though. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/G_uHf7eXAAABLbl-1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/G_yBvK6XcAAyl-N-1-.jpg) ### 2026 NHL Draft: What If Toronto Has A Top 5 Pick? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2026-nhl-draft-january-watch-list-for-a-top-5-pick/ Last updated: 2026-01-28T13:00:44.000Z I've been mulling on whether it's worth writing a draft watch list about potential top five picks that Toronto could select if they wind up with one. I wasn't planning to for the longest time because: 1. I assumed Toronto was still likely to make the playoffs, even if its just as a wild card they cling onto 2. It seemed like such a longshot for Toronto to wind up missing the playoffs 3. They couldn't just miss the playoffs, they have to either being so bad they finish in the bottom five or winning one of the lotteries and moving up 4. Toronto has to not trade away the pick to improve their roster right now Honestly, that second point was what's been holding me back, but since I'm now at the point where I actually do think they're more likely to miss the playoffs than to get back in, I figured... what the hell. I've never been able to write about draft prospects at the top of the draft, so at least it could be fun. Personally, while I never do rankings there are 8 players I would consider with a top five pick as of right now, and there's a pretty steep dropoff after that. Conveniently, half are forwards and half are defensemen! ## FORWARDS ### Ivar Stenberg The guy I would take with the first overall pick? Stenberg. Like McKenna, he is a late 2007 birthday, making him one of the oldest players in this draft. He's also 6'0", like McKenna, and has been a hyped top forward prospect after dominating up through junior. That's where the comparisons end. Stenberg may not have the same high octane skill as McKenna, but he is a much better player off the puck and a more complete player overall (in my opinion). He's more physical and can handle physical play better. He plays an aggressive, relentless and high pace style that I love. He likely won't be a guy contending for the Selke as a top defensive forward, but he could be only a tier or two below that. At worst, he will not be a major liability like McKenna has looked to me at times. Stenberg's offensive potential also looks more suited to pro hockey, to me. His 28 points in 29 games in the SHL this year are good for a tie for 25th in the league but is tops for his age group by a long way. It would also be a point per game pace for his draft year that would be ahead of the Sedins and Forsberg. He has plenty of skill, speed and creativity, but he's also a high effort guy who looks more mature and responsible than McKenna. ### Gavin McKenna McKenna is the most purely skilled player in this draft, there's no question in my mind about that. He will produce points and produce a lot of them. He is an extremely gifted playmaker, and loves having the puck on his stick. He makes some plays that can make you want to tear your hair out, but he can also pull off some brilliant plays that make your jaw drop. Because he's so skilled he can pull things off more often than not, so he winds up still having an excellent offensive impact overall. But I have concerns about the rest of McKenna's game. First, I'm worried his offensive skill will wind up being more as a perimeter playmaker, without an elite impact beyond that. He has a good shot and good puck handling, but he's not that big of a player and doesn't play that physical. He's also pretty poor defensively – maybe not Domi-levels of catastrophically bad, but below average at least. I was not very impressed with for his World Juniors performance in those areas, which did sour me a bit on him even if he had 14 points in 7 games. That's just the player he is. Now, those areas of concern are not so extreme that I think he's a bad player overall. He's still so skilled that you easily take him in the top five if he's available when your pick comes up. The only question for me is if I'd take him first overall over Stenberg... it's very close to me, but given my usual preferences for players I'm leaning to the Swede as of now. ### Tynan Lawrence Assuming Toronto doesn't wind up with a top two pick, if they want to use this opportunity to draft a top center then there are two options for me. The debate for me is between Caleb Malhotra and Lawrence, and right now I'd lean towards the latter. His season hasn't been smooth sailing – he won the Hlinka with Canada in the summer as one of their top centers, but missed the start of the season in the USHL due to injury. He had 10 goals and 17 points in just 13 games before he made the jump to Boston University in the NCAA, despite being a young 17 year old with an August birthday. So far, he's been adjusting and has only one goal in 7 games. Lawrence's game is based on a combination of speed, smarts and skill. He has a lot of potential as a true two-way center, with elite offensive skill and defensive impacts. He is smart with his positioning, and his off puck play is very strong – he does a lot of those little things you love to see. He plays at a high pace thanks to his very good/elite skating. He also has a very good shot and can really finish chances at a high level. My biggest concern for him is he's not as good handling or passing the puck as you may want from a top 5 guy. Neither are bad, to be clear, but they're definitely the things he needs to work on the most, and it's the most noticeable on his transitions. Part of my preference for Lawrence over Malhotra is just that I've seen a good chunk of Lawrence since last season. I watched a lot of Muskegon in the USHL last season because of Vaclav Nestrasil (sigh), and despite Lawrence being a young 16 year old he was arguably their best overall player – especially in the playoffs. I do not doubt that he can stick at center, and he plays with a lot of pace and speed while being defensively responsible. ### Caleb Malhotra The advantages that Malhotra has over Lawrence are his size (6'2" vs 6'0"), playmaking and two-way play. Lawrence isn't a slouch for either of the latter two areas, but Malhotra just seems to be a bit better. He's also been only on an upward trajectory all season with how he's constantly improved, and... honestly I'm kind of talking my way into leaning more towards him as I'm writing this. As a passer, Malhotra is able to feed pucks into dangerous areas. Because he has good size, he's strong along the boards during the cycle and has very valuable skills when it comes to getting the puck off the boards and into the slot. He has a lot of the little skills that I love to see in players. As a two-way center, he can be relentless at pressuring the other team to create steals and turnovers and to dissuade them from creating more high danger chances. His physical play is quite strong, and he's only getting better in that area since he's grown a couple of inches since the summer. My biggest question mark with him is his ability to skate and play with the same high pace as pro hockey will require. That's where Lawrence I think has a more significant edge, that and his shot/goal scoring. Malholtra has the definite advantage with his size and passing. Overall, it's very close for me. ## DEFENSE ### Keaton Verhoeff Now we get to the defense, and I'll start with Verhoeff. He started the season with enough hype to be considered the main threat to McKenna for first overall. While the hype cooled a bit since then he's still considered to be the top defenseman according to most draft rankings I've seen – though it's not so clearcut to me. Right now, I will not say that I think any of these four defensemen are better prospects than the others. The big advantages Verhoeff has over the other three are all about his potential. He's the biggest (6'4" and 212 lbs), he's right handed, he's among the youngest with a June birthday, and he has made a lot of significant improvements this season. Despite being one of the youngest players in the NCAA, he's tied for 17th among all defensemen in points (6 goals, 11 assists in 22 games). He also got onto Canada's roster at the World Juniors as a 17 year old, and honestly I was pleasantly surprised with how his play looked overall. Verhoeff was considered more polished as an offensive defenseman to start the season, and his skill in that area has held up. Where he's shown a lot of improvement as the season has progressed is on defense, where he's had a very strong impact. He's got a very good combination of size and skating, though I wouldn't consider him as one of the top skating defenders in the draft. My biggest concern with him is his ability on transitions, which lags behind his impacts in the offensive and defensive zones. While he's considered more raw, he's also considered to have the biggest potential. ### Chase Reid Honestly, for me I flip flop between liking Reid and Carels (next one mentioned below) the most. As of now, I lean towards Reid because of his potential. Simply put, Reid is already one of the best overall defensemen in the OHL this season – though his current strengths are greater on the offensive side. Despite being a 17 year old, Reid is sitting second in the OHL among all defensemen in points (44) and goals (18) in 39 games played. Reid is an American playing for the Soo, and on the older side with a December 2007 birthday. He made Team USA's World Juniors roster and wound up being used as one of their top defensemen, especially when Cole Hutson got hurt and missed time. He tied for the team lead in points by defensemen with 4 in 5 games. Why I like him a lot is that he also has pretty good size (6'2"), is a right handed shot, is arguably both the best skating and offense-generating defensemen in this draft. His involvement in offense is all encompassing. He has a good shot and can be a legitimate scoring threat. He's also an elite passer and playmaker who has top impact levels getting it out of his own end, getting it into the offensive zone, and creating scoring chances for his teammates as he quarterbacks possessions from the point. He drives offense not just with the puck, but his movements and activations is done with a high level of intelligence and creates chaos with how it influences the positioning of the defenders. The two concerns about his game are his risky decision making, and his defensive projection at higher levels. In junior, he rates out with an extremely high defensive impact. For me, I look at Reid and I see a guy who could be Morgan Rielly at worst, but potentially much better defensively as well. Considering he's already very good on defense in junior, I think he's more likely to be better than that in the future than not. That's why I'm so high on him. ### Carson Carels Carels is the youngest of the defensemen I mention here, with a later June birthday than Verhoeff. He's also 6'2", like Reid, but is heavier and more solid physically. While he's no slouch offensively (40 points in 37 games in the WHL), his strengths as a prospect are more on the defensive side. I'd say Carels plays more of a mature, pro-ready game that coaches will love compared to Reid, which makes him a 'safer' prospect. I quite liked what I saw from Carels at the World Juniors for Canada. He wasn't used in a top role but, considering his age, I thought he looked solid – like a more balanced and broadly skilled version of Ben Danford. The concerns for Carels are that... well, he's 'safer'. While he can contribute offensively and is more likely to be more reliable defensively, he is nowhere near as good at having a high level impact on the offense or at moving the puck up the ice. Again, he's no slouch in those areas, it's just not his biggest strength or as good as Reid. Honestly, picking between Reid and Carels probably mostly comes down to what kind of defenseman you prefer. I lean Reid, but I wouldn't be disappointed with Carels at all. ### Albert Smits Smits is a guy I'm including mostly because some scouts and rankings have him ahead of Reid and/or Carels. I don't know as much about him as the other three, since I've only seen him at the World Juniors. I would say he's more similar to Verhoeff in that scouts seem to love his projection and all around ability to eat a lot of minutes and just be solid and reliable at everything. He's from Latvia, playing in Finland's top pro league where he has 13 points in 34 games. He was on Latvia's World Juniors team and had one of the highest ice times in the tournament. He's on the older side with a December birthday, but he's also on the bigger side at 6'3" and 205 lbs. Smits probably leans more towards being a good defensive defenseman, in fact I get the impression he may already be the most polished and could have the highest projection in that area. Like Verhoeff and Carels, he has a solid base on offense so he won't be an all-defense guy, but he may also have the weakest projection in that regard of the four. He's got a lot of range with his reach and mobility, which helps a lot on his defense. ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Wednesday FTB: Stuck in a rut, on and off the ice URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesday-ftb-stuck-in-a-rut-on-and-off-the-ice/ Last updated: 2026-01-28T12:21:56.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! Boy what a fun time we're having, eh? All snowed in, trying to navigate slick streets, unkept sidewalks, and temperatures that will freeze your Winnebago. Yesterday I spent some time sideways in a ditch, and I was wondering how this felt so familiar. > It's a little slanty outside. > > — [Adam ✊ (@elseldo.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ps25cmuryi4fgkb5zcrdyfmt?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [2026-01-27T19:44:45.381Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ps25cmuryi4fgkb5zcrdyfmt/post/3mdgjhkdse22x?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Stuck. Spinning your wheels. Not making progress no matter how much you try to do the same thing over and over and over. Cold. Lonely. A little hungry.... Sorry, I've lost my train of thought. So the Leafs played last night. Ah there it is. The Buffalo Sabres are having a pretty good season for themselves. They may even make the playoffs for the first time in 14 years. It's very disappointing. Then we have these bums who are constantly letting in five or more goals. A 7-4 loss. Absolutely unacceptable, yet so easy to accept. It will be a fun couple of week before the Olympics. The more fun with lots of "why can't Matthews perform like that here" stories. It was supposed to be a special night, with it being the 50th anniversary of Darryl Sittlers 10 point game. The Leafs celebrated him well enough before the game, even if they forgot about him during. An incredible achievement, and a stark reminder that this is the highlight of the past half century for the Leafs. Yeah! Over at the CCC, the Sceptres are in need of a big post-olympic break turnaround. [Toronto Sceptres’ road to a playoff spot won’t be an easy oneBut despite rocky first half, belief is high that turnaround is possible. Read more.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/icon-tsun-11.png)Toronto SunMike Ganter![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/0128-elaine-chuli-toronto-sceptres.jpg)](https://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/pwhl/sceptres-road-playoff-wont-be-easy?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Speaking of the Olympics, we're coming to the end of an era for two big stars. [Captain America vs. Captain Clutch: Knight and Poulin face off for 5th and perhaps last Winter GamesTeam USA’s Hilary Knight and Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin have gone at it for nearly 17 years and over 100 games in an intense but friendly rivalry involving two of the greatest players in the history…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-196x196-1.png)Associated PressJOHN WAWROW![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/rawImage-1.jpg)](https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/captain-america-vs-captain-clutch-knight-and-21319296.php?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The New Jersey Devils got some business done ahead of the deadline. Moving an expiring vet in Ondrej Palat out for a younger player. [Devils trade Palat, picks to Islanders for TsyplakovThe New Jersey Devils traded forward Ondrej Palat, a 2026 third-round pick, and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the New York Islanders for forward Maxim Tsyplakov, the teams announced Tuesday.The Devils aren’t retaining any of Palat’s $6-million cap hit. The 34-year-old is signed through 2026-27 and has a 10-team trade list. He ranked 24th on theScore’s trade deadline big board.Palat has recorded four goals and 10 points in 51 games this season, with just two goals and no assists in his last 11 contests. The Devils held him out of Tuesday’s outing against the Winnipeg Jets for roster-related reasons.The Czech native will represent his country at the Olympics in February. A two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021, Palat has appeared in 155 playoff games - ninth-most among active NHLers.Palat has totaled 181 goals and 515 points in 876 career contests between Tampa Bay and New Jersey. He’s compiled 38 goals and 92 points in 248 games since signing a five-year, $30-million contract with the Devils in 2022.Tsyplakov has struggled significantly in his sophomore NHL campaign, registering one goal and two points in 27 games. He notched 10 goals and 35 points in 77 appearances last year, his first season in North America after seven campaigns in the KHL.The 27-year-old inked a two-year pact with a $2.25-million cap hit in July.The Devils free up $3.75 million of cap space with the transaction.The Islanders also acquired defenseman Carson Soucy from the New York Rangers on Monday.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-18.png)theScoreKyle Cushman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/w768xh576_GettyImages-2253929435.jpg)](https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/3465731?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Minor hockey should just be about kids enjoying and learning the game. Then adults get involved and try to relive their dreams that never came true. [Clubs cast GTHL lawsuit as ‘vindictive’ battle for control of minor hockeyTeams respond to lawsuit with letter accusing league of using the courts as a ‘retaliatory measure and scare tactic’ to preserve unchallenged control over its members.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-200.ico)TSNRick Westhead![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/RTXHD57KHUSNIPNLANMZOLMX3I-1.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/other-sports/article/clubs-cast-gthl-lawsuit-as-vindictive-battle-for-control-of-minor-hockey/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Financial abuse, and then there's secret recruitment and player testing. [OHF Tampering Update: Upholding Integrity, Fairness, and Player Well-Being Across Minor Hockey - GTHL CanadaAmendments have been made to correctly identify Streetsville Tigers Hockey Club, rather than Streetsville Minor Hockey. The Ontario Hockey Federation is providing a public update on tampering allegations and resulting sanctions since the introduction of open player movement in Minor Hockey in December 2024\. This update reflects the OHF’s continued commitment to its core organizational![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/cropped-GTHL_logo.svg_-270x270.png)GTHL Canada - GTHLStephanie Coratti![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/tamperingthumbnail.jpg)](https://gthlcanada.com/ohf-tampering-update-upholding-integrity-fairness-and-player-well-being-across-minor-hockey/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I'm kinda glad my kids never left house league. That's a depressing end. Here's some more Sittler video. Enjoy your day! > Relive every point from Darryl Sittler's 10-point record-breaking night almost 50 years ago! 🙌 [pic.twitter.com/Ch7lptFWkk](https://t.co/Ch7lptFWkk?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [January 28, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2016301830817419630?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### GDT: Sabres at Leafs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-sabres-at-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-01-27T23:30:13.000Z ### Buffalo Sabres @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: TSN4, MSG-B ### [Preview: Leafs face the SabresThe last home game before the break needs to be a good one.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-386.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1551384051-7400776bbd49)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-face-the-sabres/) ### Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Leafs face the Sabres URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-face-the-sabres/ Last updated: 2026-01-27T17:30:50.000Z ### Buffalo Sabres @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: TSN4, MSG-B ### The Leafs last game was at home on January 25 against the Colorado Avalanche, which Toronto lost by a score of 4-1 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 24-19-9 for a 0.548 Points %. The Buffalo Sabres last played away on January 24 against the New York Islanders. The Sabres won by a score of 5-0 in regulation, and their current league record is 29-17-5 for a 0.618 Points %. ### Them There will be lots of talk about the Sabres being hot right now, and of course, the hot hand is real so enough said. But in reality the Sabres played very okay-ish for close on two months and have played very good hockey at five-on-five for one month since then and rather bad for the other. Their goal differential didn't match their play for most of December, but it has been great lately as their play has backslid a bit. If that sounds like the goaltending turned good to you, you win a prize. That's exactly what has happened. Over the whole season their Corsi and Expected Goals % puts them in the 50% club, with the xG within one point of 50, but that understates their more recent play by. They have a 52% Goals For over the entire season at five-on-five, so even their "bad" play wasn't so bad. Their power play has been very poor with not much improvement from shooting skill/luck. Their PK is pretty good, not great, but they've had really good goaltending there. Their team Save % is tenth in the NHL. But again, do not "just one thing" it and claim that's all they have going for them. Alex Lyon has been the better goalie overall. #### Lines Rachel Lenzi via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/buffalo-sabres/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice Zach Benson - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch Jason Zucker - Ryan McLeod - Jack Quinn Josh Doan - Noah Ostlund - Konsta Helenius Jordan Greenway - Peyton Krebs - Beck Malenstyn Mattias Samuelsson - Rasmus Dahlin Bowen Byram - Owen Power Zach Metsa - Michael Kesselring Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen - likely starter Alex Lyon ### Us William Nylander said he is going to try to play on the coming road trip, perhaps in Seattle, but that's not for sure yet. In the interim there has been some roster talk and some action around the idea that Scott Laughton should play more. Some have said this is because he scored a goal in a game where his ice time was low, but of course, we all know goals appear randomly across the full season relative to a player's base skill, right. Right? No, okay, so goals come in bunches from magic and the hot hand is totally real, so that means he should have played more. Craig Berube said he wanted to get him a bigger role, and he played him as a winger on John Tavares's line in the next game, necessitating Jacob Quillan coming in as the 4C. This was against the Avalanche. Now, let's think this through. The Avs didn't need to win that game. They are very much in the coast to the playoffs portion of their season. They can prioritize health, happiness, individual goal records, fun, whatever the hell they like. That's the reward for all that winning. So they didn't need to stir themselves to play the Leafs hard, particularly not on the road. They got a couple of goals early, and they just maintained. By the end of the game, they'd added some more without really trying all that hard. Quillan was not up to the task, and during the maintaining period by the Avs, he didn't play. Once it was 3-0 he started getting shifts occasionally and finished with 6:15 in all-situations with no special teams play. That was a waste of a roster spot in order to do this Laughton promotion a lot of people clamored for. Laughton played just under 14 minutes at five-on-five and did his usual special teams shifts. When Quillan sat down, he started playing on the fourth line, and when Quillan stood up, he stayed on that line playing with Quillan and either Steven Lorentz or Easton Cowan. So that experiment is now over, per the lines below from practice. Who thought this was a good idea, Berube himself or Brad Treliving? I believe I'm supposed to answer that with a short declarative as if I know for sure, but I don't know, so I won't. I think the entire exercise was absurd, though. Goals aren't magic indicators of ability to do the things on the ice that lead to winning games, and Laughton's ability in that long list of things has a natural level where he is a value add. Top six ain't it. Matias Maccelli is just ever so slightly better in a way that might generate more offensive flow, but not in a way that is particularly significant. He shouldn't be in the top six either. But then the Leafs just didn't sign Juni Korn, the hottest winger out there, so this is who they have. #### Lines Mark Masters via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice and confirmed today as the playing roster: Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - Matthew Knies Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Joe Woll - confirmed starter Anthony Stolarz ### The Game The Leafs drifted back into a total lack of control over the puck all over the ice in the last few games. Passes were stupid and didn't connect, players were standing still to receive them, allowing a lot of legs and sticks to proliferate in between. Puck carrying worked as long as no one tried to take it. Taking it proved easy and exiting the zone remained painful to watch. Play devolved into individual acts that didn't allow for any flow to the game. Eventually they just reacted to the other team until the final horn. So, you know, don't do that. This is also the Sittler appreciation game, and there will be lots of old faces on hand to honour him. > Ahead of tonight's game, the [@MapleLeafs](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) will be honoring Darryl Sittler's historic 10-point night that occurred nearly 50 years ago! 🔟 > > Read more about Sittler and this seemingly untouchable record ⤵️[https://t.co/Ahzt2dtJZi](https://t.co/Ahzt2dtJZi?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL Media (@NHLMedia) [January 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHLMedia/status/2016193644500275225?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And this is a lot of Leafs content, so have a listen: [\- TSNTSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger joins Gino Reda to discuss the closed-door meeting Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube had with the team’s leadership, the timeline for William Nylander’s return from injury, how the Sabres should handle contract talks with pending UFA Alex Tuch and the possibility that the Canucks shut down Thatcher Demko for the rest of the season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-199.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F01-27-2026-2Ft_f2e54d0364aa41078b183a09aa2e1e8a_name_2026_1_27_d7e5e2a7_aefa_4758_88af_b92f8205a3fd_png_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/01/27/early-trading-what-happened-during-leafs-closed-door-meeting/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Maple Leafs Prospect Report: January 27th News and Stars URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-prospect-report-january-27th-news-and-stars/ Last updated: 2026-01-27T13:00:00.000Z It's been a while since my last prospect report. Ironically, despite losing my full time job I haven't had as much time to watch games as I used to. But I've been watching what I can and following the rest on social media and the boxscores, so let's see who's been hot! ## Victor Johansson (LD, 4th rounder 2025) **Since Jan 6**: 3 assists in 3 games in the SHL **Season to date**: 3 assists in 5 games in the SHL Johansson's weird season continues, but we have more positive news this month. After the World Juniors where he only played around 13 combined minutes in two games, he was returned to his loan in the Allsvenskan league for two games. They were pretty uneventful, but they were apparently enough of a 'get back in game shape' tune up to get called up to Leksands SHL team to join Koblar. He's played three games since then, playing between 13:27 and 17:05\. What I've seen from Johansson has been promising but not spectacular. He's been pretty sheltered from what I can see, and he seems to be handling the pace of the SHL better than I was expecting him to – his time in the Allsvenskan likely helped with that. But he is definitely still adjusting to the greater size and strength of these fully matured, top pro-level competition. If (hopefully) he sticks in the SHL for the rest of the season, what I hope to see from him is an ability to adapt to the level defensively. Being a good passer and driving transitions is great and all, but I want to see him able to play at least adequate defense for the level by the end of this season. 0:00 /0:21 1× ## Nick Moldenhauer (RW, 3rd rounder 2022) **Since Jan 6**: 3 goals, 2 assists (5 points) in 5 games **Season to date**: 6 goals, 12 assists (18 points) in 24 games I'll give credit to Moldenhauer, he may have largely struggled in the NCAA compared to the hopes and expectations, but this season he's seemed to have found an identity. Ironically, despite being on his best offensive pace in all three of his seasons in college it's ***not*** an offensive identity. He's become more of a defensive/role player in the middle six. That said, after going on a mini-tear against Notre Dame and Minnesota a couple of weeks ago, his point per game pace is three times higher than last season and well ahead of his freshman season. I'm still doubtful he'll get a contract at the end of his NCAA career, unless he absolutely goes off next season as a top college player in his final year. While being a smart, defensively sound supporting winger is something that can be useful, he's small for such a role and he isn't so good at doing those things that I can see him being that successful even in the AHL. > Spence makes its 2-0 with help form Moldy and Fantilli [pic.twitter.com/zrz6SsiF9m](https://t.co/zrz6SsiF9m?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) [January 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/umichhockey/status/2009790949027635622?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Tyler Hopkins (C, 3rd rounder 2025) **Since Jan 6**: 2 goals, 4 assists (6 points) in 6 games **Season to date**: 15 goals, 18 assists (33 points) in 39 games Since being traded from Kingston to Guelph, Hopkins found himself in a familiar role. That is to say, a top line centre on a not very good offensive team. Even though Guelph traded for Hopkins, they also traded away all their best players who are in their final junior season. This is likely because they are hosting the Memorial Cup next year and want to aggressively build a good team. So acquiring Hopkins, who can still return to them next season (unless he jumps to the NCAA) makes sense, and so too does trading away players that won't be able to. Still, it's meant that Hopkins continues to get a top role. He has 8 points in 10 games since landing in Guelph, with 6 of those coming in the last 6 games. I've only seen one of his games since the trade so I can't speak all that confidently on how he's looked overall on a new team, but that will come. For now, let's appreciate this absolute bomb of a one-timer he showed off for his first goal with the team. > Welcome to the Royal City, Tyler Hopkins![#RaiseTheCup](https://twitter.com/hashtag/RaiseTheCup?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [@MapleLeafs](https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/dUsIROBxDp](https://t.co/dUsIROBxDp?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Guelph Storm (@Storm\_City) [January 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/Storm%5FCity/status/2007247985906987363?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### News & Notes **Sam McCue (LW, 7th rounder in 2024)** – When McCue was traded from Brantford to Ottawa, he only played in one game for his new team in December before getting hurt. He finally returned on January 17th and has played in 5 games since. He has 1 goal and 3 assists in those games, with all of the assists coming in his second game back. He's going to the NCAA next season, but I consider him a huge long shot at this point. His skating is poor and his involvement/impact on the play is so low that I can't even consider him much of a role player. **Matthew Lahey (LD, 7th rounder in 2024)** – I had stopped following Lahey this season, his freshman year with Michigan State in the NCAA, because until the new year he hadn't played in a single game. However, as of January 9th he's been used as a 7th defensemen in every game. He actually has two assists so far in six games, which isn't a lot but considering his usage that's still pretty surprising to me considering how much of a null offensive factor he was in junior. His first assist came on a nice pinching play to create a turnover in the offensive zone. His other was a deflection from his point shot. > You won't see it in this clip, but Porter Martone ties it at 1-1! > > Matt Lahey with his first career assist! [pic.twitter.com/uvdnmaWM5h](https://t.co/uvdnmaWM5h?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Michigan State Hockey (@MSU\_Hockey) [January 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/MSU%5FHockey/status/2010126935771205660?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Tuesday's FTB: The Sabres fly in for the Leafs final home game before the Olympic break URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-leafs-final-home-game-olympic-break/ Last updated: 2026-01-27T12:20:14.000Z It's actually an interesting question. Do the Buffalo Sabres fly to Toronto, or do they bus it in? I have no idea at all, but I think they would normally drive here, but current conditions may mean they chartered a flight instead. In any case, the Leafs start the countdown to the Olympic break tonight with the final five games, and this one will be the final home game. After tonight, the Leafs hit the road to go back out west and do the Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton circuit, and yes that means more games at 10:00 p.m. ET, except for Vancouver which is the HNIC game, and is logically positioned for the Toronto fan base that matters at 7:00 p.m. ET, so we can all enjoy the rage of Canucks fans about the time of the game. We'll have our preview of the game out later this morning after morning skate with the lineups. Here's the video of Willy addressing Fingergate. Speaking of Olympics, Auston Matthews is all in for Team USA. [Matthews says U.S. has what it takes to win gold at 2026 Winter Olympics | NHL.comMaple Leafs captain believes near-miss at 4 Nations will pave way to top prize![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-191.png)NHL logoMike Zeisberger![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/repxli43al4bytuihytq.png)](https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/olympics/auston-matthews-says-usa-has-formula-to-win-gold-at-milano-cortina?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Other News I think you can figure out on your own what is being said here by our old Leafs prospect Sean Durzi, who is now migrated from the Kings to the Utah Utahs. > Sean Durzi was FURIOUS at Declan Carlile in the penalty box after the two got into a scuffle 🤬 [pic.twitter.com/27RRGKLmgz](https://t.co/27RRGKLmgz?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — B/R Open Ice (@BR\_OpenIce) [January 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/BR%5FOpenIce/status/2015970467765444947?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) A trade happened, or at least was finalised late last night. > As Carson Soucy sits out tonight for NYR for ‘roster management’ a deal is in place to send him to Islanders as [@vzmercogliano](https://twitter.com/vzmercogliano?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) reported earlier today. > > Return is a 2026 third round pick, per ESPN sources. > > — Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) [January 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/emilymkaplan/status/2015955887253229638?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Speaking of the Islanders, we'll learn today of the fallout from Brian Rust elbowing Brock Boeser's head at the very end of the Canucks-Islanders game on Sunday. [Rust to have Player Safety hearing for actions in Penguins game | NHL.comForward facing discipline for illegal check to head against Canucks wing Boeser![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-190.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/iypkqjdxdjcjer02gaj0.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/bryan-rust-to-have-player-safety-hearing-for-actions-in-penguins-game?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Enjoy your Tuesday and have some good wings. ### Monday FTB: snowed in URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/monday-ftb-snowed-in/ Last updated: 2026-01-26T11:00:33.000Z The Leafs hosted their annual kids game, and lost 4-1 to the Colorado Avalanche. Brock Nelson scored a hat trick. Domi ruined the shutout for Blackwood in garbage time, but otherwise the handful of chances the Leafs had didn't go in, but they did for the Avs. Joseph Woll stopped 33 of 36 in the loss. The Leafs were outshot 33-37, but won 56% of the faceoffs and had twice as many hits as the Avs. Moral victory for some? [Nelson scores hat trick, Avalanche defeat Maple Leafs | NHL.comOlympics-bound forward gets 2 goals in 1:12 during 1st period, Blackwood makes 32 saves for Colorado![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-189.png)NHL logoDave McCarthy![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/opdrkzcaiw5zagyqulhb.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/colorado-avalanche-toronto-maple-leafs-game-recap-january-25-2025?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Here's the players talking after the loss. And a transcript instead. [Craig Berube on the Leafs’ energy on the bench during a fourth straight loss: “It’s quiet, and that’s not going to help... You have to cheer for your teammate, and you have to have energy no matter the situation”Craig Berube addressed the media after his team’s 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, which dropped the Maple Leafs’ record to 24-19-9\. On his takeaways from the loss: I thought we came out and were fine. We made two puck-play mistakes, and it was in our net. Execution was the cause of a couple of \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500-82.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/berube-pg-leafs-avs.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/01/25/craig-berube-on-the-leafs-energy-on-the-bench-during-a-fourth-straight-loss/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [\- TSNThe fading Maple Leafs lost to the Avalanche on Sunday to drop to 0-3-1 on their current homestand. The TSN Hockey panel breaks down the Leafs’ lackluster performance against Colorado and the questions that will continue to come up if Toronto can’t turn things around quickly.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-198.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F01-25-2026-2Ft_ee054e4b26424537bdf3584d14508d46_name_2026_1_25_b899e6c0_4648_4bca_86de_02e0ac68e867_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/01/25/oneill-thats-the-second-game-in-a-row-where-the-leafs-were-simply-outclassed/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) William Nylander and the other Leafs injured/scratches got a lot of camera time on the broadcast. Eventually, Willy got fed up and he flipped them the bird. He made an instagram reel after about it to ease the tension. > This guy rules > > — [big time leafs guy (@mostlyleafies.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:odhem43mw2ysncgd7jo67sgw?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [2026-01-26T00:30:05.493Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:odhem43mw2ysncgd7jo67sgw/post/3mdbyhwgnq223?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Marshall Rifai got a one-game suspension and has sat out yesterday's game already. > Toronto’s Marshall Rifai has been suspended for one game as a consequence of his actions in last night’s game at Springfield.[https://t.co/ANJAh9woRY](https://t.co/ANJAh9woRY?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — AHL Communications (@AHLPR) [January 24, 2026](https://twitter.com/AHLPR/status/2015188360592331182?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The NBA postponed their game on Saturday after Alex Pretti was murdered. The murder happened very close to the Timberwolves arena. The Minnesota Wild's arena is far enough up the road in St. Paul that their game on Saturday wasn't postponed. We'll see what happens in the coming days from the NHL's side, but the NBPA has released the following statement. > STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION (NBPA) AND ITS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON THE FATAL SHOOTING IN MINNEAPOLIS BY ICE > > — [MarcJSpears (@marcjspears.bsky.social)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:lyrhzsfcnpthqs3t5ks6pqzv?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [2026-01-25T20:52:09.909Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:lyrhzsfcnpthqs3t5ks6pqzv/post/3mdbmcalgrk2w?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs outdoor practice was cancelled over the weekend, probably for the best all around. [Open Practice Cancelled Due To Weather Conditions | Toronto Maple LeafsWith the safety of our fans as a top priority, the Maple Leafs Open Practice scheduled for Monday, January 26 at 11 a.m. ET at Mattamy Athletic Centre has been cancelled due to extreme weather conditions. We thank fans for their understanding and encourage avoiding non-essential road travel.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-188.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ubgyuzev96hwof53m4il.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/open-practice-cancelled-due-to-weather-conditions?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Last but not least, did anyone expect the Penguins to be 2nd in the Metro and 8th in the NHL? They just swept their four-game northwestern road trip. Crosby has more goals than Matthews, and I hate to say it but Justin Brazeau has more goals and points than Nick Robertson. And do the Oilers regret trading Stuart Skinner? ### Afternoon Game Day: Leafs host the Avalanche URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/afternoon-game-leafs-avs/ Last updated: 2026-01-25T18:01:26.000Z ### Colorado Avalanche @ Toronto Maple Leafs 01:30 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: NHLN, TVAS, TSN4, ALT ### The Leafs last game was at home on January 23 against the Vegas Golden Knights, which Toronto lost by a score of 6-3 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 24-18-9 for a 0.559 Points %. The Colorado Avalanche last played at home on January 23 against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Avalanche lost by a score of 7-3 in regulation, and their current league record is 34-6-9 for a 0.786 Points %. ### Them Scott Wedgewood returns to the lineup after the birth of baby number two. #### Lines Ryan Boulding via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/colorado-avalanche/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Victor Olofsson - Nathan MacKinnon - Martin Necas Artturi Lehkonen - Brock Nelson - Valeri Nichushkin Taylor Makar - Jack Drury - Gavin Brindley Zakhar Bardakov - Parker Kelly - Joel Kiviranta Sam Malinski - Cale Makar Josh Manson - Brent Burns Jack Ahcan - Samuel Girard Mackenzie Blackwood - likely starter Scott Wedgewood ### Us There won't be morning skates today since the game starts at a time plausible if it were in Italy, not Toronto. There was no practice yesterday and while Dakota Joshua and William Nylander are skating, there is no timeline on the return for either, but it seems plausible Nylander will be back soon-ish, and Joshua will be sometime after the Olympic break. Below is the lineup from last game, however: > Craig Berube says Jacob Quillan will slot in for Calle Jarnkrok today. With another centre option, it gives him an option to move Scott Laughton up the lineup. [@BodogCA](https://twitter.com/BodogCA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — David Alter (@davidalter) [January 25, 2026](https://twitter.com/davidalter/status/2015461276101611810?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) #### Lines Dave McCarthy via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - Matthew Knies Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Joe Woll - confirmed starter Anthony Stolarz ### The Game This is game 52, not 82\. There's 30 more where this one came from, and there will be ups and downs. You can't play at 110% all the time. In each game, in each moment of each game, all anyone can do is be who they are as best they can in that moment. That's my super hot take on this team and this season. I make no predictions on this game or the standings. ### Not The Game Okay. Things are hard right now for many. People are angry upset, horrified, and feeling powerless, and it bubbles out of them in unexpected ways. Compassion is a radical act in this world, so be a radical as best you can. ### Sunday FTB: afternoon hockey in a snow storm URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sunday-ftb-afternoon-hockey-in-a-snow-storm/ Last updated: 2026-01-25T11:00:19.000Z The Leafs will host the Colorado Avalanche in a rare Sunday afternoon game. The Avs come in with a record of 34-6-9, with one of those loses coming against the Leafs just a couple weeks ago. Nevertheless, they'll be a tough team to beat. The Avs are either first or second in 5v5 shots, goals, expected goals, scoring chances, and high danger scoring chances this season. Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL in goals (38) and points (87). His 30 even strength goals is also nine more than the Leafs leader, Auston Matthews. Their goalie, Scott Wedgewood, is second in league SV% at .918\. Joseph Woll, the likely starter, has a .912\. Their power play is pretty bad, though they draw more penalties than they take. I think that's a product of having the puck so much. They're fast, talented, and full of confidence. But maybe not complete confidence as they dropped a stinker against the Flyers (7-3!) on Friday. Look away, Species. All seven of the other Atlantic Division teams played last night, four of them won. Florida won in Minnesota in overtime. Detroit over Winnipeg. Boston over Montreal in the Heated Rivalry Bowl. And Buffalo blanked the Islanders. We thank Mason for beating the Lightning, and a hearty LOLSENS as they lost 4-1 to Carolina despite out-shooting them 36-19\. Buffalo and Carolina had a minor trade. [Sabres acquire D Bayreuther from Hurricanes for F NeuchevThe Buffalo Sabres have acquired defenceman Gavin Bayreuther from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for prospect forward Viktor Neuchev, according to TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-196.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/GK2B6WMER5ERTMF6656HODSYYY.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/sabres-acquire-d-bayreuther-from-hurricanes-for-f-neuchev/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is where the Canucks are now. [The dilemma the Canucks face at the 2026 NHL Draft if they select 3rd

We’re just a few short weeks away from the February Olympic break. With roughly 30 games remaining on the NHL schedule, the runway to cover ground is shrinking by the day. And sitting dead last with a healthy cushion in the NHL standings, there is a very real chance the Vancouver Canucks will arrive in…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-332.png)Canucks ArmyDave Hall![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-82)](https://canucksarmy.com/news/dilemma-vancouver-canucks-face-2026-nhl-draft-select-3rd?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs are baffling. [Craig Berube on the Leafs’ inconsistency of late: “We make the game harder on ourselves than we need to... That is the baffling thing for me”After Saturday’s optional practice, Craig Berube discussed his players coping with a grueling schedule ahead of the break, Scott Laughton’s ice time against Vegas, William Nylander’s status, and the number of stitches he received after his gym accident. Why did you decide not to hold a full practice today? Berube: We played yesterday, we practice \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500-81.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/berube-banged-up.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/01/24/craig-berube-on-the-leafs-inconsistency-of-late/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Hopefully Nylander returns soon. He was out with Joshua on a day Berube cancelled practice. [Maple Leafs’ William Nylander, Dakota Joshua return to practice![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Toronto-Maple-Leafs-right-wing-William-Nylander.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-william-nylander-dakota-joshua-return-to-practice/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [‘It’s a grinding time’: Berube cancels practice as Leafs struggle to find energyThe Leafs did not like their performance in Friday’s 6-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday. The league-leading Colorado Avalanche will be visiting Scotiabank Arena on Sunday. So, why did the team cancel Saturday’s practice? Mark Masters has more.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-197.ico)TSNMark Masters![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/NAENBBDVVNGHFGL7YRLGMU4LRQ.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/its-a-grinding-time-berube-cancels-practice-as-leafs-struggle-to-find-energy/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Stay warm everyone! Let this be the hour we draw shovels together! ### Saturday FTB: The AHL is returning to Hamilton. Why? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/saturday-ftb-the-ahl-is-returning-to-hamilton-why/ Last updated: 2026-01-24T11:08:04.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! Word started spreading more seriously lately about the new anchor tenant for TD Coliseum in Hamilton. It's not the PWHL. It's not the OHL. It's the long rumoured return of the American Hockey League to the Steel City. Now will it be a nice popular teams affiliate? Hamilton has hosted AHL teams for the Montreal Canadiens, who have a strong following in the area. Also the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks, Canadian team that should be attracting the weirdos who are all "Canada's team!" in the playoffs. But not this time. The best team to relocate would be the Toronto Marlies, but the current set up sharing a practice rink with the Leafs is too good to ever pass up. So who is potentially coming to Hamilton? The Bridgeport Islanders. Of course. When you get the New York Islanders affiliate to play in Hamilton you have to do it. Everyone in Niagara and the GTHA are crazy for the Islanders. Can't get enough of them. Alright, it's basically coming down to Bridgeport, Connecticut is not a hockey town. There's been very little support for the team there, attendance is usually below 4,000, and hey it's a shiny newly renovated arena in an area you would consider a hockey madhouse. I don't buy it though. Hamilton rarely averaged more than 4300 people through the AHL and OHL years before the renovation. I would go to Toronto for a Marlies game before going to a Bulldogs game, because why would I go root for the Habs farm team? Hamilton is a small NHL market, a large OHL and AHL market, but they just can't seem to be bothered to go to any games. Unless it's the finals, then they'll sell out the lower bowl. I attended two CHL games at the former Copps Coliseum, but they were the Top Prospects game and the OHL Finals so my experience there is skewed to a packed house. Then there's the costs. Instead of an hour drive between cities you're getting into 11 or 12 hours of driving. Or a drive to Toronto a flight to New York then a drive out to Long Island. If the Hamilton Islanders can't improve long term on attendance - and all the pressure is on the New York Islanders GM to draft and sign well enough to build a strong minor league team - then this will just be a temporary home, and another failed hockey team in Hamilton. I hope it works and the city embraces them but, history says otherwise. Last night Mitch Marner came back to Toronto for the first time.since leaving this summer. Reactions were mixed but we didn't go full Islanders so that's good. > Leafs Nation thanks Mitch Marner in his return to Toronto! 👏 > > 📺: [@Sportsnet](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ [https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF](https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/bZrDYLL8hd](https://t.co/bZrDYLL8hd?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL (@NHL) [January 24, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHL/status/2014858977658495246?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Once again the Maple Leafs let in six goals in a loss, a recent trait they need to remove. It was a night for reunions, and none good. Sarah Nurse helped the last place Vancouver Goldeneyes defeat our Sceptres 5-0. [Nurse scores twice against her former Toronto teammates, Goldeneyes beat Sceptres 5-0Sarah Nurse scored twice against her former Toronto teammates and the Vancouver Goldeneyes beat the Sceptres 5-0 on Thursday night. Former Toronto goalie Kristen Campbell made 24 saves, and Izzy…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-196x196.png)Associated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/rawImage.jpg)](https://www.nhregister.com/sports/article/nurse-scores-twice-against-her-former-toronto-21310841.php?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is after a 6-4 loss to the Seattle Torrent on Wednesday. How are the Marlies doing? Barely in a playoff spot? Fantastic. Enjoy your snowy Saturday everyone, there's no Leafs game tonight. Up next is a Sunday afternoon game vs the Avalanche. Fitting based on the expected weather. ### Vegas visits Toronto URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/vegas-visits-toronto/ Last updated: 2026-01-23T23:30:34.000Z ### Vegas Golden Knights @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: SN, TVAS, SCRIPPS [Preview: Vegas @ LeafsStolie the Goalie is back.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-385.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1550958816-31a3c0e3e2c8)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-vegas-leafs/) Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Vegas @ Leafs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-vegas-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-01-23T17:27:20.000Z ### Vegas Golden Knights @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: SN, TVAS, SCRIPPS ### The Leafs last game was at home on January 21 against the Detroit Red Wings, which Toronto lost by a score of 2-1 in overtime. The Leafs have a record of 24-17-9 for a 0.570 Points %. The Vegas Golden Knights last played away on January 22 against the Boston Bruins. The Golden Knights lost by a score of 4-3 in regulation, and their current league record is 24-13-12 for a 0.612 Points %. ### Them We just played this team, you don't need an update. But I bet you know the name Pavel Dorofeyev now. Rasmus Andersson needs a visa to play in the US so he did not play with the team yesterday, but he likely will play tonight rearranging the pairings below. Akira Schmid played yesterday, so Adin Hill should get the game tonight. #### Lines Danny Webster via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/vegas-golden-knights/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's game in Boston. Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Mark Stone Reilly Smith - Mitch Marner - Pavel Dorofeyev Braeden Bowman - Tomas Hertl - Keegan Kolesar Cole Reinhardt - Tanner Laczynski - Alexander Holtz Jeremy Lauzon - Shea Theodore Noah Hanifin - Kaedan Korczak Ben Hutton - Dylan Coghlan Adin Hill Akira Schmid ### Us No William Nylander yet, but Anthony Stolarz showed up after his few days practicing with the Marlies and is starting the game. > D Henry Thrun has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [January 23, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2014721325256921401?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Brandon Carlo both skated, and both appear to be able to play. The recall of Thrun may just be precautionary. #### Lines [From this morning](https://x.com/DaveAMcCarthy/status/2014723026726617301?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com): Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - Matthew Knies Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Anthony Stolarz - confirmed starter Joe Woll ### The Game I have one thought on Mitch Marner. If he scores a goal the rink announcer has to say his name like he plays for the other team. I bet he's practised. The rest of it is much ado about nothing with a lot fewer laughs than the play. I would love a regulation win (hilariously, the Vegas fans are saying the same thing). ### Friday's FTB: The Toronto Marlies have set sail URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-the-toronto-marlies-have-set-sail/ Last updated: 2026-01-23T13:57:38.000Z It's boating season! (looks out window) Or, well not really, but it is boat show season, so the Marlies have hit the road while their arena is temporarily turned into a lake. Technically, the "road trip" started with a visit to the Senators in Belleville on Saturday the 10th, but they of course only bused it there and came back to Toronto that same night. The real travel began with a trip to Iowa to play the Wild last week where they won both games, including a comeback win where the power play really clicked. > Borya a big fan of double dippin' 😌 [pic.twitter.com/Xa3w3vZ2CR](https://t.co/Xa3w3vZ2CR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [January 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2012693281453326544?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That was the easy part of this extended road trip. The Wild sat at last place in the Central Division, having won only 10 of 36 games, though interestingly two of those ten wins were against the Marlies when they came here back in November, one of which was a 7-2 rout. Now the Marlies face a gruelling schedule travelling through the Atlantic Division where they will face the Thunderbirds, Wolf Pack, and Bruins, all three games in three straight days; seriously the most challenging time of this season's schedule. The turnaround time between playing the Wolf Pack in Hartford on Saturday to playing the Bruins in Providence on Sunday is only about 18 hours. But that's life in the AHL. Also on the road because of the boat show are the Toronto Sceptres, and if you stayed up late to watch them play last night in Vancouver you are probably reevaluating your life choices this morning. The Sceptres lost to the Goldeneyes 5-0, and of course two of those goals were by an ex-Sceptre. > WELCOME TO THE SARAH NURSE SNIPE SHOW 🤩 [pic.twitter.com/pfUgiwzFtT](https://t.co/pfUgiwzFtT?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Vancouver Goldeneyes (@PWHL\_\_Vancouver) [January 23, 2026](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5F%5FVancouver/status/2014563478267429336?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, we come to the Leafs, who will be playing the Vegas Golden Knights this evening, a team that has many familiar player names on it, including one in particular that we all know will be talked about non-stop all night long, so I will spare you reading about it here as we will have a preview of tonight's game out after the morning skate. Until then, enjoy your day, and watch Crosby dunking on the LOLOILERS last night where the Penguins won 6-2. > Sid with an absolutely RIDICULOUS redirection and it’s 3-0 Penguins 3 minutes in 🤯 [pic.twitter.com/wUlduVG3Lj](https://t.co/wUlduVG3Lj?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — B/R Open Ice (@BR\_OpenIce) [January 23, 2026](https://twitter.com/BR%5FOpenIce/status/2014523099962642489?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) y ### Thursday's FTB: Another player leaves the ice URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursdays-ftb-another-player-leaves-the-ice/ Last updated: 2026-01-22T11:00:43.000Z The Sceptres have another late night game tonight, this time in Vancouver: [Sceptres Road Trip: Stay up lateTwo 10 pm start times this week![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-383.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1668101595293-91327d53cf0b)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-road-trip-stay-up-late/) Various newsy things: > Josh Doan has signed a seven-year contract with the [@BuffaloSabres](https://twitter.com/BuffaloSabres?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)! 🦬 > > Full breakdown ⤵️[https://t.co/NvXKjkUfGJ](https://t.co/NvXKjkUfGJ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL Media (@NHLMedia) [January 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHLMedia/status/2014115729780461568?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Joseph Woll on regrouping: > > "I write stuff down ... My mind can spin & spin on games like, I imagine, a lot of other people. For me, it helps to kind of put it to rest. I know I can let it go because I've taken what I need from it & can just flush it"[https://t.co/Cf5I4XkDMy](https://t.co/Cf5I4XkDMy?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [January 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2014097666972450833?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > The Vegas Golden Knights are reportedly looking to sell a 10% stake in the franchise for $200 million. This will remain Bill Foley's team, but Vegas is one of a few franchises looking at the league landscape and considering a partial sale. > > FULL EPISODE: > 🖥️Watch:… [pic.twitter.com/zN4aPvVQkf](https://t.co/zN4aPvVQkf?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) [January 21, 2026](https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/2014072714323976663?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Jones out for Olympics, replaced by LaCombe on Team USA | NHL.comDucks defenseman added to roster for Milano Cortina Games![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-187.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/pwoaeb0kxwva6un7x9ew.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/seth-jones-replaced-by-jackson-lacombe-on-team-usa-olympics-roster?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Chris Cuthbert on the broadcast last night reported that Dakota Joshua should resume skating next week. About last night... The Leafs were a very different team to who they were last game. They got the first goal in a fast-paced period: > Laughton holds the line and the trio score [pic.twitter.com/86bH9tmIzR](https://t.co/86bH9tmIzR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2014131424329159163?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Easton Cowan did that thing he does too much: > Cowan to the box for holding [pic.twitter.com/gJeZhztG6W](https://t.co/gJeZhztG6W?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2014131653828874258?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) But the Leafs killed it. Carlo saved a goal: > Carlo parked it and stopped it [pic.twitter.com/pTvx9KBofe](https://t.co/pTvx9KBofe?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2014134486053617839?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And, as seems to be a regular thing, a player left the game: > Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been in the dressing room for some time [pic.twitter.com/Bf5uxVmAga](https://t.co/Bf5uxVmAga?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2014136152228327769?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Joe Woll with a big save at the end of the first: > huge crowd in the crease but Woll stops it [pic.twitter.com/n5ebM5XKVe](https://t.co/n5ebM5XKVe?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2014137846710296823?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And then a not terribly good job of defending a rush against ended the period with the game tied: > Simon Edvinsson ties it late [pic.twitter.com/wr0oAkofr2](https://t.co/wr0oAkofr2?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2014138264806957336?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The second was made up of a string of penalties with no scoring on the power plays. Scott Laughton drew a penalty shot (and he and everyone else wishes it had been a power play.) > penalty shot for Laughton [pic.twitter.com/uLnWSeJNDG](https://t.co/uLnWSeJNDG?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2014150611428585665?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Laughton loses the puck on the attempt [pic.twitter.com/eF2cMRpTmh](https://t.co/eF2cMRpTmh?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2014150903301800144?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Benny ended the second with a bang: > Benoit drops Raymond [pic.twitter.com/1an5GOql7S](https://t.co/1an5GOql7S?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2014152686212420067?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) After two the Corsi was dead even at five-on-five, but the xG disparity is obvious below. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/20252026-20788-sva.png) And even more so in all-situations (each team had two power plays): ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/20252026-20788-all.png) None of which matters because the game is as tied as it was at puck drop. Matt Knies did not appear immediately for the third period which left the leafs 11/5 for six minutes. The third period involved a lot of playing for the tie late in the game and a dominating performance by Detroit that got them zero goals. The Leafs conceded the field pretty much non-stop in what sure looks like worrying about losing more than trying to win. Overtime is now an anxious affair without William Nylander and with no OEL, it was even more of a struggle. Woll had to be great, Morgan Rielly had to save a goal, and Auston Matthews missed an open net. Dylan Larkin won the game. 2-1 Detroit was the final. Play of the game, though: > LOL the puck was long gone [pic.twitter.com/vgRQ8i5vCS](https://t.co/vgRQ8i5vCS?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 22, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2014166809046364625?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Fifty games and 57 points means the Leafs have to play at .641 the rest of the season to get to 98 points. No one is sure 98 points is enough either, but we have to pick some number. They are currently at .570. Just to quantify that a little more, a .570 pace gets you 93 points. Okay, that's all for today, have a great day and we're back at it on Friday. ### GDT: Leafs host Detroit URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-host-detroit/ Last updated: 2026-01-21T23:30:03.000Z ### Detroit Red Wings @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: TNT, truTV, HBO MAX, SN, TVAS ### [Preview: Red Wings @ LeafsToronto plays a different looking Wings team to who the met early in the season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-382.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1618215307516-f6e75ace7b6d)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-red-wings-leafs/) ### Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Red Wings @ Leafs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-red-wings-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-01-21T17:30:43.000Z ### Detroit Red Wings @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: TNT, truTV, HBO MAX, SN, TVAS ### The Leafs last game was at home on January 19 against the Minnesota Wild, which Toronto lost by a score of 6-3 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 24-17-8 for a 0.571 Points %. The Detroit Red Wings last played at home on January 18 against the Ottawa Senators. The Red Wings won by a score of 4-3 in overtime, and their current league record is 30-16-4 for a 0.640 Points %. ### Them Who are the Red Wings? Are they good? I ask because last season they flirted with a playoff spot that seemed very precarious, and so it turned out to be. This year, they are more solidly in the mix, and led the Atlantic division for a time. To answer my question, I decided to stick to Moneypuck's information this time. There is understood now to be a problem with the way he NHL records some shots and the result is some Expected Goals models where every goalie is great and every shooter is terrible. Moneypuck seems to have successfully corrected for this. At five-on-five, the Wings have been below 50% in Corsi most of the time since the start of December after what was a good start to the season. They are negative for Corsi and Expected Goal differential on the season, by quite a bit. They do just make the 50% club, by having both figures hit 49%. They are, in other words, a muddy middle team, not significantly dissimilar to the Leafs at five-on-five. The Leafs are at 48% in xG and a few more good games and they will officially be mired in the mud with most of the rest of the league. Change the view to all-situations and the picture for the Red Wings alters dramatically. They become a top-10 team in Expected Goals %, and the reason is all down to their genuinely very good power play. They score very slightly under expected, but they're so good, it's what is floating their mediocre selves up the standings. This article will tell you goalie John Gibson is on a roll: [Gibson on a roll during 1st season with Red Wings | NHL.comGoalie has won 6 in row entering Atlantic showdown with Maple Leafs![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-186.png)NHL logoNicholas J. Cotsonika![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/bogtvhlpiunddplpwtqn.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/john-gibson-taking-the-lead-during-detroit-red-wings-playoffs-push?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) But overall this season, he's a low-end quality starter, which makes him dramatically better than Cam Talbot. Together they've been good enough to give Detroit a team Save % of 0.892, and they save over expected right on zero. The definition of average. In the east today, particularly the Atlantic a truly mediocre team with one exceptional aspect to their game can be a division leader. #### Lines Ansar Khan via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/detroit-red-wings/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice. Marco Kasper - Dylan Larkin - Lucas Raymond Alex DeBrincat - Andrew Copp - Patrick Kane Emmitt Finnie - J.T. Compher - James van Riemsdyk Elmer Söderblom - Michael Rasmussen - Mason Appleton Simon Edvinsson - Moritz Seider Ben Chiarot - Axel Sandin-Pellikka Albert Johansson - Jacob Bernard-Docker John Gibson - confirmed starter Cam Talbot ### Us Matthew Knies is set to play again today even though he took practice off yesterday. William Nylander is not even skating, so it's a no on him. At this point, it might be a no for long enough to make Team Sweden very unhappy, but no one is confirming that yet. Troy Stecher was not at practice but should play as well. #### Lines Yesterday's practice from [Mark Masters](https://x.com/markhmasters/status/2013659674898239550?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) adjusted for Knies and Stecher in the lineup: Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - Matthew Knies Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Joe Woll - confirmed starter Dennis Hildeby ### The Game I barely watched the Leafs first game back after the road trip. It was terrible, they were terrible, and there was no point to it. They can't afford to do that more than once in 10 games, so we better see some serious play as they keep it going to the break. ### Wednesday's FTB: Today we find out if the Red Wings are good URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-today-we-find-out-if-the-red-wings-are-good/ Last updated: 2026-01-21T11:00:31.000Z A couple of days ago, the Sharks traded for someone on all the trade bait lists, and now this: [Penguins eyeing Robertson as target? — The Fourth PeriodIf the Dallas Stars take calls on Jason Robertson, the Pittsburgh Penguins want in that race, according to a report.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-193.ico)The Fourth PeriodRumours![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/header_robertson-1.jpg)](https://www.thefourthperiod.com/jan-2026/penguins-eyeing-robertson-as-target?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And I officially don't understand the NHL. I get that teams are growing closer in terms of the standings and in terms of more meaningful measures of quality, but surely the Sharks aren't really in the mix for playoff success? And they traded for Keifer Sherwood with no idea of whether he will sign an extension or not. Pittsburgh made another interesting move of minor players yesterday: [Penguins acquire D Solovyov from Avalanche for F Puustinen, seventh-round pickThe Pittsburgh Penguins acquired defenceman Ilya Solovyov from the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday in exchange for forward Valtteri Puustinen and a 2026 seventh-round draft pick.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-194.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/EA4DXDADTVDEXMO7ZPBPOM3KHA.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/penguins-acquire-d-solovyov-from-avalanche-for-f-puustinen-seventh-round-pick/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) They have a lot of defenders, and it seems like they want to be the defence store for the deadline. Colorado got back a bona fide AHL star, and not someone they need to have on the NHL roster. Anthony Stolarz in on an LTIR conditioning stint with the Marlies, but it seems it might just be for practice time. [\- TSNTSN’s Hockey Insiders on the Senators’ remaining resilient, Anthony Stolarz nearing a return with the Leafs, the Flames and Nazem Kadri/Blake Coleman, Rangers GM Chris Drury meeting with his ‘no move’ players, and the Sharks’ options with Kiefer Sherwood.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-195.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F01-20-2026-2Ft_cdfabdac041346d7a818c0b862320388_name_2026_1_20_fc2c98b9_437f_4137_a6d4_7ac932bb4589_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/01/20/insider-trading-sens-stay-focused-and-strong-amid-off-ice-challenges/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The expectation is the Leafs will simply send Dennis Hildeby down when Stolarz is ready to play. After all, in a couple of weeks, the Marlies are where the only games are, so having him there now is ideal. [Maple Leafs’ Nick Robertson talks changing agents, next contractThe Robertson brothers will soon be negotiating the most important — and, potentially, contentious — contracts of their NHL careers, and they’ve hired a new agent to do so. Luke Fox talks to Nick Robertson about the decision to change things up.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caLuke Fox![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/robertson.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-nick-robertson-talks-changing-agents-next-contract/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Fraudsters impersonating OHL teams, targeting small businesses in vendor scam | Globalnews.caThe Ontario Hockey League is warning small businesses that fraudsters are impersonating its teams in a vendor scam that has been going on since at least late October.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/134ef81f5668dc78080f6bd19ca2310b-12)Global NewsAaron D’Andrea![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/London-Knights.jpg)](https://globalnews.ca/news/11621286/ohl-email-vendor-scam/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Brodin, Carlsson unlikely to play for Team Sweden at Olympics: report | NHL.com‘Operating under the assumption’ Wild defenseman, Ducks forward won’t be ready![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-185.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/u6wdsgh88eidd9ozawi6.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/jonas-brodin-leo-carlsson-olympics-team-sweden-injury-update?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The full Linus Ullmark video: Preview for tonight's game will be out later, have a great day! ### Sceptres Road Trip: Stay up late URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-road-trip-stay-up-late/ Last updated: 2026-01-21T02:00:30.000Z ### Toronto Sceptres @ Seattle Torrent Jan 20 @ 10:00 PM ET in Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle Watch in Seattle on Fox 13+ Watch in Canada on Prime Video ### Toronto Sceptres @ Vancouver Goldeneyes Jan 22 @ 10:00 PM ET in Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver Watch in Canada on Sportsnet ### **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com Toronto, Seattle and Vancouver are fifth, seventh and eighth respectively prior to the first game of the Sceptres' western road trip – their first ever. Tonight is also the CJ Jackson bobblehead giveaway night. PWHL teams do not offer lineup news much more than an hour before game time, so look for the lineups in comments. Use this post to watch both games, and if the Sceptres take six points from this trip, they will have set themselves up for a more relaxing Olympic break. If they don't, there is one more game against the Victoire next Wednesday. Go Sceptres Go! ### Tuesday's FTB: The Leafs get lost in the wilderness URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-the-leafs-get-lost-in-the-wilderness/ Last updated: 2026-01-20T12:30:06.000Z The Maple Leafs return to Toronto from their Rocky Mountain road trip did not go well last night with a 6-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild. The Wild scored early and then dominated the second period. The Leafs attempted a comeback in the third period but it was too late. Stuff like this cannot happen. > Ryan Hartman makes it 2-0 [pic.twitter.com/zY452wAu9O](https://t.co/zY452wAu9O?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2013418078504116351?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Here's what the Leafs themselves had to say about the game. The Leafs are playing at home again tomorrow against the Red Wings, ### Other News The Sharks Panthers game was fun. Tkachuck played in his first game of the season and Desharnais was having non of his BS. > Vincent Desharnais welcomed Matthew Tkachuk back with a big hit 👀 [pic.twitter.com/iUZK0K8oF7](https://t.co/iUZK0K8oF7?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [January 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2013406635226521986?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And then this happened. > WE GOT A GOALIE FIGHT 🚨‼️ > > BOBROVSKY AND NEDELJKOVIC 🤯 [pic.twitter.com/8rKnPxCl3N](https://t.co/8rKnPxCl3N?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — B/R Open Ice (@BR\_OpenIce) [January 20, 2026](https://twitter.com/BR%5FOpenIce/status/2013423018064642203?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And here's one you don't see every day. They say he's going to be fine, though he may have his licence suspended. [Avalanche’s Valeri Nichushkin injured in car accident before game vs. Capitals![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caAssociated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CP175589424.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/avalanches-valeri-nichushkin-injured-in-car-accident-before-game-vs-capitals/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Speaking of suspensions. > [#PWHL](https://twitter.com/hashtag/PWHL?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) disciplinary action: > > New York Sirens F Taylor Girard has received a 4-game suspension for leaving the bench to join an altercation at the end of the Takeover Tour game in Washington D.C. > > According to the rulebook, it’s an automatic 4 game suspension. [pic.twitter.com/y6eWot8X3y](https://t.co/y6eWot8X3y?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PWHL Source (@PWHLSource) [January 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/PWHLSource/status/2013392575860760596?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) If you want to stay up late, the Toronto Sceptres are playing the Torrent in Seattle tonight at 10:00 p.m. ET. Better have a nap in the afternoon for that one. ### GDT: Leafs host Minnesota URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-host-minnesota/ Last updated: 2026-01-20T00:00:36.000Z ### Minnesota Wild @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:30 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: Prime, FDSNNO, FDSNWI ### [Preview: Wild in TorontoPrime game in Canada, so a 7:30 pm start time.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-381.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1689595309145-f43935b588dd.jpeg)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-wild-in-toronto/) Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Wild in Toronto URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-wild-in-toronto/ Last updated: 2026-01-19T17:14:12.000Z ### Minnesota Wild @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:30 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: Prime, FDSNNO, FDSNWI ### The Leafs last game was away on January 17 against the Winnipeg Jets, which Toronto won by a score of 4-3 in overtime. The Leafs have a record of 24-16-8 for a 0.583 Points %. The Minnesota Wild last played away on January 17 against the Buffalo Sabres. The Wild won by a score of 5-4 in overtime, and their current league record is 27-13-9 for a 0.643 Points %. ### Them The Wild recently suffered some injuries, so this isn't quite the full team today. They are missing Joel Eriksson Ek, Matt Boldy, Jonas Brodin and Marcus Johansson. The Wild are very strong in net and that stability and reliability gives Minnesota its strength in the face of adversity. They have the second best team Save % behind the Avalanche, and are virtually tied with the Islanders. By more advanced measures Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt are good to very good, not in the excellent position of the Islanders. They don't need to be better because the team has their backs. At five-on-five, the Wild are one of the 50% club, with 48% Corsi and 50% xG. Their rate of shots against has been their big weakness at times, and they'd be last in the NHL by that measure without Toronto to cushion them. They make for that problem a great deal by the quality of shots they allow – their 12th best in the NHL by that measure. But in that middle of the NHL area, there isn't a significant difference between them at 2.72 and Toronto (19th) at 2.8\. In other words, rankings can mislead by allowing you to assume significance when there isn't one. What the Wild manage to do with these muddy middle numbers is shoot the puck more than you'd expect and improve on that a tiny amount with xG. Their power play averages out to be identical to the Leafs by rate of Expected Goals, but they have scored a little bit more. They allow a lot of quality shots shorthanded, like the Leafs do, but their goaltending helps a bit. So what is the difference between this team and the Leafs? One plays in the west, the other the east. #### Lines Last Game (2026-01-17) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/minnesota-wild/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and the same as today's skate with a possible third pairing change. Kirill Kaprizov - Ryan Hartman - Mats Zuccarello Yakov Trenin - Danila Yurov - Vladimir Tarasenko Marcus Foligno - Hunter Haight - Vinnie Hinostroza Ben Jones - Nico Sturm - Tyler Pitlick Quinn Hughes - Brock Faber Jacob Middleton - Jared Spurgeon Daemon Hunt - David Jiricek Filip Gustavsson - starter Jesper Wallstedt ### Us > F Jacob Quillan has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [January 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2013266840412144054?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Craig Berube on William Nylander's groin injury: > > "I don't know how long the timeline will be for him ... I'm not sure when he's going to be on the ice"[@TSN\_Sports](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [January 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2013288310953693336?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Berube on Knies dealing with nagging injury: > > "It's obviously bothering him a lot for quite some time & hasn't gotten really that much better other than when he gets some breaks. Like Christmastime & stuff, he comes back & he feels better. It's an ongoing issue."[@TSN\_Sports](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [January 19, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2013287796757115311?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) #### Lines [From morning skate](https://x.com/markhmasters/status/2013274866359623701?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) with Knies as a gametime decision, this is the group without him. Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - Scott Laughton Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Joe Woll - starter Dennis Hildeby ### The Game The Leafs lost a game they had in the bag, and then won one they didn't "deserve" and have come home better than what most even hoped for, but still only on the threshold of having a postseason. Keep at it, that's the only way to cross that threshold. ### Monday FTB: A Wild welcome home URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/monday-ftb-a-wild-welcome-home/ Last updated: 2026-01-19T11:37:03.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! Tonight we will once again be treated to Maple Leafs hockey as the Minnesota Wild are in town to try and start our week off wrong. I have faith in our Maple Leafs that they will do what is needed and come through for us. And not even the best doctors in Stockholm will prove me wrong. It was a day for trades yesterday. First up in the PWHL, expansion Vancouver may be tossing in the towel. > TRADE ALERT - The Ottawa Charge has acquired forwards Michela Cava and Brooke McQuigge along with defender Emma Greco from the Vancouver Goldeneyes in exchange for forwards Mannon McMahon, Anna Meixner and Anna Shokhina. 📰https://bit.ly/4qTQGgW > > — [PWHL (@thepwhl.com)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:6y5lt7n7msot7rm3mgom3knp?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [2026-01-19T01:30:40.996Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:6y5lt7n7msot7rm3mgom3knp/post/3mcqiltc2p22k?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Two Anna's! Makes me wonder how often a name is repeated in trades. I wish I had an office job still, it was much easier to look that stuff up when it was done to avoid work. A big name moves in the NHL as the Vegas Golden Knights continue in their tradition of moving term signed fan favourites for a big name to win now. [Flames trade Rasmus Andersson to Vegas Golden Knights

Rasmus Andersson’s tenure with the Calgary Flames has come to an end. The Flames have traded Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for defenceman Zach Whitecloud, college defenceman Abram Wiebe, a 2027 first-round pick and a conditional 2028 second-round pick. The Flames are retaining 50% of Andersson’s cap hit in this trade. The…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-328.png)Flames NationRyan Pike![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-80)](https://flamesnation.ca/news/report-flames-trade-rasmus-andersson-to-vegas-golden-knights?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Full trade is Rasmus Andersson with 50% retention to Vegas for Zach Whitecloud, a 2027 1st, and a 2028 2nd. The first round pick is top 10 protected and the second round pick becomes a first if the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup with year. Two teams getting deals done ahead of the Olympic break. Will this force the hands of other GMs, or be a one off? Ryan Nugent-Hopkins became the first player to play 1,000 games for the Edmonton Oilers. I think he'll be an Oiler for life. [Nuge Week: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ top 10 most memorable moments ahead of his 1000th game

In Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ rookie season, there was a stretch where he was out of the lineup for a month due to injury. In his first game back, against the Detroit Red Wings, he absolutely dangled future Hall of Famer Niklas Lidstrom — so much so that some joked ‘Nuge’ had deked him into retirement after…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-330.png)Oilers NationSean Panganiban![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-81)](https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-ryan-nugent-hopkins-top-10-moments-ahead-of-1000th-game?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Oilers know how to keep from spoiling the party and defeated the St. Louis Blues 5-0. The PWHL takeover tour hit Washington DC as the Sirens and Victoire put on one heck of a show. > PHYSICAL game in Washington ends in fists flying 😳 [pic.twitter.com/uY7ceVlPsN](https://t.co/uY7ceVlPsN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Jocks In Jills (@JocksInJills) [January 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/JocksInJills/status/2013011880038588820?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The game also set a new US attendance record for women's hockey, with 17,228 in attendance. [PWHL BREAKS U.S. WOMEN’S HOCKEY ATTENDANCE RECORD AT CAPITAL ONE ARENA IN WASHINGTON, D.C.Record-setting crowd of 17,228 marks highest-attended in-arena game in U.S. women’s hockey historyWashington, D.C. (January 18, 2026) — The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) set a new benchmark for women’s hockey in the United States on Sunday,…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-331.png)Professional Women's Hockey League![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/1200x800DC_Final)](https://www.thepwhl.com/en/news/2026/january/18/pwhl-breaks-us-womens-hockey-attendance-record-at-capital-one-arena-in-washington-dc?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Canada was looking for a perfect tournament at the Women's U18 Championships, but the US played spoilers in the final and won 2-0. [USA defeats Canada to capture gold at U18 Women’s World ChampionshipCanada’s unbeaten run at the Under-18 women’s world hockey championship came to an end Sunday.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-191.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/7VSGRWURFRHMXHP4UMDFI5GB64.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/hockey-canada/article/usa-defeats-canada-to-capture-gold-at-u18-womens-world-championship/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) More and more players are close to dropping out of the Olympics with injury. And the tournament hasn't even started yet. [Which injuries will have biggest impact on Olympic hockey?Leo Carlsson, Brayden Point and Seth Jones are among those ailing ahead of Milan Cortina. Plus, what to watch in the NHL this week.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-192.ico)ABC30 Fresno![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/r1602291_1296x729_16-9.jpg)](https://abc30.com/post/injuries-will-have-biggest-impact-olympic-hockey/18431279/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, our former friend JvR had a great goal for Detroit. > JAMES VAN RIEMSDYK. MY GOODNESS! 🤯 [pic.twitter.com/yCsifsCCw4](https://t.co/yCsifsCCw4?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [January 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2013037736593113315?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Okay. Now I know he's a Red Wing. Enjoy your day everyone! ### Sunday's FTB: Leafs coming home URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sundays-ftb-leafs-coming-home/ Last updated: 2026-01-18T11:00:03.000Z It had seemed at one point yesterday as though a trade of Rasmus Andersson was imminent, but then he dressed and played for the Flames last night. This has to be a really tough position for a player. Artemi Panarin is now also in the same boat. [Bruins, Golden Knights among teams in the mix for Flames’ AnderssonThe Calgary Flames continue to shop defenceman Rasmus Andersson and there are four teams in the mix for his services, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-189.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/H3MFJ52GJFDXBKAIZY4C57OT5I.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/bruins-golden-knights-among-teams-in-the-mix-for-flames-andersson/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Rangers brace for changes in midst of ‘disappointing’ season | NHL.comDefeat Flyers 1 day after GM says roster shakeup is coming![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-184.png)NHL logoDan Rosen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/p4keuorbrjmjzrn8hmqp.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/new-york-rangers-brace-for-roster-changes-in-difficult-season?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Schedule wise, there are two and a half weeks before the Olympic roster freeze, so it is entirely likely more trades will happen in the next few weeks. The Leafs schedule remains punishing, with a game tomorrow at home to Minnesota, another on Wednesday vs Detroit and the Vegas game is Friday with a Sunday afternoon game vs the Avalanche. And the schedule then continues every other day on a western road trip before the break. About last night... I'm going to let the heatmap do the talking for the first two periods: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/20252026-20762-all.png) That looks modestly okay because it's all-situations, but the Leafs rarely had the puck at five-on-five and did little of interest with it. Auston Matthews with the only goal: > the top line gets right out there and responds to the Connor goal [pic.twitter.com/6diXCSpVz4](https://t.co/6diXCSpVz4?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012698947920277513?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Winnipeg made it 3-1, and then OEL got it close: > sauce, screen, shot [pic.twitter.com/7UBbwiUN8k](https://t.co/7UBbwiUN8k?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012710705204498485?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) OEL and McMann tied it up. > right off the draw > > McMann's 15th and 50th of his career [pic.twitter.com/ePIIFtVhAe](https://t.co/ePIIFtVhAe?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012715618940674488?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Jets got a penalty off an acting job by Gabe Vilardi: > sold that one [pic.twitter.com/XV8TzI42g9](https://t.co/XV8TzI42g9?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012716554014638580?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > "What a f--king joke!" [pic.twitter.com/3oVcTDg20k](https://t.co/3oVcTDg20k?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012716805731582374?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Scott Laughton did a great "I was a Flyer" performance of anger over the call that got Jonathan Toews tossed from the faceoff circle. The Jets and most of the building thought they'd tied it up, but for the second time, the puck wasn't actually in. And to overtime, where Craig Berube did two interesting things: He played Matias Maccelli a lot, which was obviously because Maccelli was good all game, and likewise he played Max Domi a lot. And we all know Domi has what sure looks like a mental block about three-0n-three. But this time, it paid off: > MAX DOMI! OVERTIME WINNER! 🚨 [pic.twitter.com/WoEPtDYj1p](https://t.co/WoEPtDYj1p?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012719035700379727?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) His 200th game for the Leafs. Then all the emotions came out: > the assist celly > > vibes are high [pic.twitter.com/bkQpm4EZOn](https://t.co/bkQpm4EZOn?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012720152547037351?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > yes Craig! [pic.twitter.com/CErUBJc0ab](https://t.co/CErUBJc0ab?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 18, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012719211416535195?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that was a scrappy third period, and a nice redemption after the last OT loss. Honestly, not a great game, and fatigue is a going to be a factor for the next two weeks, but that was a good win. 4-3 Leafs The Leafs have to play at .619 to get to 98 points, and they are currently at .583. Have a great day, and see you tomorrow. ### GDT: Leafs @ Jets URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-jets-2026/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T23:30:32.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Winnipeg Jets 07:00 PM at Canada Life Centre Watch on: SN, CBC, NHLN ### [Preview: Leafs @ JetsNormal start time (for the east, that is).![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-380.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1591658522986-9eb791d2a89a)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-jets/) ### Sceptres Gameday: Sarah Nurse returns to the SBA URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-sarah-nurse-returns-to-the-sba/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T18:48:13.000Z ### Vancouver Goldeneyes @ Toronto Sceptres *Battle On Bay Street - Presented by Scotiabank* 3:00 PM ET @ Scotiabank Arena **Watch in Canada:** TSN **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com The Sceptres last game was away on January 14, where they lost in regulation 2-1 to Boston. Toronto has a Points % of 0.417 and are in sixth place. The Goldeneyes last game was on January 11 in Montréal where they lost 1-0 in regulation. Vancouver has a Points % of 0.333 and are in last place. The difference between these two teams is very minor in terms of wins and losses and goals for and against. They have pretty much identical problems - no goals on the power play, mid-ranked goaltending and low shooting percentages from their big volume shooters. Vancouver has the additional problem that defender Sophie Jaques is their top shooter, and running the offence through the defence is not a system that works very often. Toronto has the additional problem that no one has been lucky with the puck, and even team goal-leader Daryl Watts has a middling 11% rate of scoring. Toronto's issues seem like they might just be solved by the transit of the Earth and the unpredictable nature of the game, but Vancouver has more of a systemic issue to solve. I'd say time will tell, but time is short in this league. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/G-2SNoHXYAAb76--1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/G-4tLKyW0AA7ZGw-1-.jpg) ### Preview: Leafs @ Jets URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-jets/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T18:28:15.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Winnipeg Jets 07:00 PM at Canada Life Centre Watch on: SN, CBC, NHLN ### The Leafs last game was away on January 15 against the Vegas Golden Knights, which Toronto lost by a score of 6-5 in overtime. The Leafs have a record of 23-16-8 for a 0.574 Points %. The Winnipeg Jets last played away on January 15 against the Minnesota Wild. The Jets won by a score of 6-2 in regulation, and their current league record is 19-22-5 for a 0.467 Points %. ### Them Nothing much has changed since the Leafs beat the Jets in their last meeting on New Year's Day. The Canucks are saving the Jets from being in last place, but it is true the Jets are not as abjectly bad as their record implies. They struggle with possession at five-on-five, and they are particularly weak defensively, as they allow a lot of quality shots. Their power play is poor and they don't score much, but their PK is very good and the goaltending shorthanded has been excellent. Overall their team Save % is league average. They do have a good team Shooting %, and they have the puck enough that they should be scoring more, but they just don't generate enough offence. Their all-situations Goals for and against rate is a virtual tie. Add in a little sequencing bad luck in terms of when and how much they score, and you've got a low-end mediocre team masquerading as one of the worst teams in the NHL. Connor Hellebuyck has been good this year, but not even remotely his usual elite self. #### Lines Connor Hrabchak via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/winnipeg-jets/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Kyle Connor - Mark Scheifele - Alex Iafallo Cole Perfetti - Jonathan Toews - Gabriel Vilardi Nino Niederreiter - Adam Lowry - Vladislav Namestnikov Cole Koepke - Morgan Barron - Tanner Pearson Josh Morrissey - Dylan DeMelo Dylan Samberg - Elias Salomonsson Logan Stanley - Luke Schenn Connor Hellebuyck - starter Eric Comrie ### Us William Nylander is out for this game and the next one as well, and after that the timeline is unknown. One report has Calle Järnkrok back in the lineup, while another says Jacob Quillan will join the team in Winnipeg, possibly just as an emergency extra. No Simon Benoit again tonight. #### Lines From various reports but mostly [Joshua Kloke](https://x.com/joshuakloke/status/2012567809113370888?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - Matthew Knies Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Troy Stecher Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Philippe Myers Dennis Hildeby - starter Joe Woll ### The Game Same as it ever was. But don't count on the power play to help much. ### Saturday FTB: Start the streak again URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/saturday-ftb-start-the-streak-again/ Last updated: 2026-01-17T11:00:21.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! After back to back losses, and giving up six goals in each of those games, the Leafs are working their across the continent back to Toronto and play the second to last place team in the league: the Winnipeg Jets\*. I'm not getting cocky about where the Jets\* are in the standings at all. When you cheer for the Toronto Maple Leafs you don't take risks like that. I used to but oh how I've been burned. Yesterday Willian Nylander missed practice. Anthony Stolarz was on the ice. Are they ready to go? [Maple Leafs injury update: Latest on Nylander, Stolarz![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Will.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/maple-leafs-injury-update-latest-on-nylander-stolarz/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) He's still new right? Lessons to learn and whatnot. [Craig Berube on the message to Easton Cowan about his costly penalty in Vegas: “Just don’t reach there... Go through the guy, and it’s an easy play”After Friday’s practice, Craig Berube discussed the consecutive losses on the road, William Nylander’s status, Easton Cowan’s costly penalty in Vegas, and Anthony Stolarz nearing a return to the lineup. Do you think the last couple of losses have been tied to fatigue on the road? Berube: I didn’t feel like we were fatigued in \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500-80.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/craig-berube-leafs-practice-jan-16.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/01/16/craig-berube-on-the-message-to-easton-cowan-about-his-costly-penalty-in-vegas/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Next Friday is the big return. [Golden Knights’ Marner booed at home by Maple Leafs fans, setting stage for hostile trip to TorontoLAS VEGAS (AP) — There were all sorts of signs this wasn’t a typical January NHL game.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-icon-180x180-38.png)Toronto StarMark Anderson The Associated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/696ac7b62856a.image.jpg)](https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/golden-knights-marner-booed-at-home-by-maple-leafs-fans-setting-stage-for-hostile-trip/article%5F1155a0b9-3f80-52af-9092-978c4823a172.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The headline got me. It's so.... Descriptive and accurate. I don't know why I enjoy it. [“On the Ice, She’s My Enemy”: Engaged Lesbian Couple to Compete in 2026 OlympicsAnna Kjellbin and Ronja Savolainen play for the Toronto Sceptres and Ottawa Charge, respectively.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-188.ico)Them.Abby Monteil![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/2201988889)](https://www.them.us/story/hockey-lesbian-couple-2026-olympics-anna-kjellbin-ronja-savolainen?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, what are the odd habits you see players do between periods? Me? I don't get to rest. No intermissions in beer league. Enjoy your day everyone! ### Friday's FTB: Almost enough URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-7/ Last updated: 2026-01-16T11:00:24.000Z First, some news: Double A is going to Rockford! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/G-uvpNgWQAA-0Ov-1-.jpg) The goalies don't work very hard at the all-star games, so he'll be fine. Easton Cowan has some new bling, or he will once he gets back home: > New rings who this [pic.twitter.com/HyiV3iC3fo](https://t.co/HyiV3iC3fo?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — London Knights (@LondonKnights) [January 15, 2026](https://twitter.com/LondonKnights/status/2011836980800233532?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Insiders say the Rangers are calling it a season: [Insider Trading: Rangers hope to decide on Panarin, team direction before Olympic breakTSN’s Hockey Insiders discuss where the freefalling Rangers go from here, the latest on the Canucks and Kiefer Sherwood, what Calgary needs to consider for a Blake Coleman trade and Brayden Point’s Olympic status.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-186.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/TGGIHINFLNAGBAU4GQHR4SDT6U.png)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/insider-trading-rangers-hope-to-decide-on-panarin-team-direction-before-olympic-break/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) All that means that Artemi Panarin is now a big trade talk guy, and the Rangers are not looking to get Kiefer Sherwood, who it seems Vancouver is way, way overcharging for. Ray talking sense about what it means to rebuild, and how the reward for being really bad is luck of the draw. > "Everybody is tradable there." 👀[@rayferraro21](https://twitter.com/rayferraro21?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) on the Canucks set to make major trades in Vancouver.[#Canucks](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/IKIJBA6eXd](https://t.co/IKIJBA6eXd?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — OverDrive (@OverDrive1050) [January 15, 2026](https://twitter.com/OverDrive1050/status/2011947849743847536?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I do not get the raging desire to do this again now with the Leafs. Full disclosure, I tried to read this, and it's a heap of quotes from legal filings and lawyers, and nope: [GTHL lawsuit alleges decades of fraud by clubs over ice feesThe world’s largest minor hockey organization is seeking at least $700,000 in damages, alleging four member clubs siphoned hundreds of thousands of dollars from a system funded by the families of players, Rick Westhead writes.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-187.ico)TSNRick Westhead![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/RTXHD57KHUSNIPNLANMZOLMX3I.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/other-sports/article/gthl-lawsuit-alleges-decades-of-fraud-by-clubs-over-ice-fees/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Usually when I have this problem, I do the trick of just reading the first sentence of every paragraph, and nope. Every sentence is its own paragraph. I *think* this is good old fashioned fiddling of expenses (alleged) but I'm not sure. Interesting story: [Money is flowing freely in college athletics’ new world disorder. It’s no surprise that gambling is playing a role](https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/15/sport/ncaa-mens-basketball-gambling-analysis?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And now, about last night ... This was part of a feature about Bobby Hastings, Head Equipment Manager and how he spends every minute of every game: > absolute legend > > if a stick break, he'll have the new one ready to go [pic.twitter.com/0IzLkaxcUu](https://t.co/0IzLkaxcUu?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012026357749067891?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) After the very fatigued game in Utah, the Leafs came out ready to play, and the Toronto fans in the stands came out ready to risk getting a beer poured over their heads. Yes, they booed Mitch Marner in his own rink. The sideshow was quickly overshadowed by the game: > that's how you start a game [pic.twitter.com/0tmIgDdaow](https://t.co/0tmIgDdaow?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2011995156250280269?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > backhand beauty for Nylander's 17th of the season [pic.twitter.com/x8BTxRoTY8](https://t.co/x8BTxRoTY8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2011996962199941570?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Jake McCabe took a penalty, which is the cue for the Vegas offence to come to life. There is this one man who is the best player on the ice when there are less than 10 skaters. > Pavel Dorofeyev scores on the power play [pic.twitter.com/JHfLpRbLCB](https://t.co/JHfLpRbLCB?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2011998423252169051?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) No, it isn't Pavel. And then there's this guy: > McCabe finds Matthews in front for the shot pass [pic.twitter.com/MQrGtfrXYi](https://t.co/MQrGtfrXYi?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2011999834228629899?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The save of the game: > easy save of the year candidate [pic.twitter.com/bB9Dp8et8b](https://t.co/bB9Dp8et8b?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012005841226924253?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Adin Hill, playing his first game back after a long injury, was likely going to get pulled if he let that one in. After one it was 3-1 and both William Nylander and Oliver Ekman-Larsson had left the game. OEL after a hit, Nylander shortly after his goal. > Ekman-Larsson went to the dressing room [pic.twitter.com/uarnptYg16](https://t.co/uarnptYg16?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012002999095476601?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Nylander may have aggravated something here!? no way [https://t.co/QLemUNoljd](https://t.co/QLemUNoljd?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012005384589099289?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) But what about the shot clock? It doesn't count unless they deserve it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/20252026-20748-5v5.png) All-situations is needed to make it seem like Vegas was even on the ice. OEL came back for the second, but Nylander did not return to the game. McCabe took a second penalty, an accident this time, and the Leafs kept Vegas to no Shots on Goal. But Vegas got one back soon enough. > Keegan Kolesar scores to make it 3-2 [pic.twitter.com/9IklTlWMEV](https://t.co/9IklTlWMEV?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012011126197010700?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) McCabe dropped his stick as he was swapping out coverage with Matthews, in a defensive move that was actually pretty heartening from a team that's often disconnected in their own zone. Morgan Rielly had to defend by himself. Vegas finally took a penalty, and first Morgan Rielly made a great defensive play: > great shorthanded defensive play by Rielly before the goal [pic.twitter.com/hPEKYr17bQ](https://t.co/hPEKYr17bQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012015525619216809?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And then Matias Maccelli was robbed! By John Tavares: > JOHN TAVARES 🚨 > > PPG! Deflects Maccelli's shot! [pic.twitter.com/rG24vkihx9](https://t.co/rG24vkihx9?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012015101487038755?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > lol laughs afterward [pic.twitter.com/Wp6Om0ujYl](https://t.co/Wp6Om0ujYl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012015381653962900?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Stecher stops the tap-in [pic.twitter.com/OsL8MDDDVG](https://t.co/OsL8MDDDVG?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012016448903004344?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) After two, the Leafs had hemmed in Vegas quite a bit, and were playing very well, but they were allowing these chances against that would be very unfortunate if Joe Woll wasn't making some saves. With some help. After two, the game was very even in All-Situations, and the Leafs maintained their five-on-five advantage just barely. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/20252026-20748-all.png) Very early in the third, Easton Cowan took a bad penalty on a lazy defensive play. Six seconds in, and Pavel was scoring again. This one was all his. > Cowan to the box for high sticking [pic.twitter.com/hAPygSEIc5](https://t.co/hAPygSEIc5?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012023415025303877?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > another power play goal for Dorofoeyev [pic.twitter.com/isYVej03gT](https://t.co/isYVej03gT?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012023837710565574?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Woll saves a goal with his face. > ouch [pic.twitter.com/enX6CrjZ5C](https://t.co/enX6CrjZ5C?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012025658747339155?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Knies over to Laughton > > what a play [pic.twitter.com/zstSkQbS5t](https://t.co/zstSkQbS5t?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012027150023737550?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Laughton goal made it 5-3, and then Vegas scored on a play that might have been reviewable, but who wants another Vegas power play if you're wrong. > Mark Stone makes it 5-4 [pic.twitter.com/qqDRlvqkej](https://t.co/qqDRlvqkej?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012028148029014257?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Mitch Marner to Pavel Dorofeyev tied the game, but Toronto challenged for offside and it was very quickly confirmed. > return the hats [pic.twitter.com/sPVHwMvnHr](https://t.co/sPVHwMvnHr?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012031535973810547?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs almost won this game. Matt Knies had no stick defending in the final ten seconds, and the right choice was to take a penalty, get a faceoff, ice the puck. Instead they sort of dithered. > Tomas Hertl ties it with 7 seconds left [pic.twitter.com/gk4QseGUBA](https://t.co/gk4QseGUBA?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012032787214369208?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And without Nylander, and with some players who should never play at three-on-three, the Leafs were left with Matias Maccelli and John Tavares, who were tolerable, while Easton Cowan gave a fair impression of a guy who will be good at this one day, but Jack Eichel is a different class. > Jack Eichel ends it [pic.twitter.com/hKzbCVzyWE](https://t.co/hKzbCVzyWE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 16, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2012034470027936095?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs played a very good game for the most part with some exceptional play from Maccelli, Rielly, McMann and Matthews. Their defence is too weak for a team like Vegas, even when they are playing well and working as a unit out there. Leafs are in Winnipeg on Saturday with a 7 pm start, so that precludes a normal morning skate. We might find out tomorrow how William Nylander is. The Leafs now need to play at .629 the rest of the year to get to 98 points. They are at .574. That's all, have a great Friday! ### PPP After Dark: Vegas Nights URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ppp-after-dark-vegas-nights/ Last updated: 2026-01-16T02:09:41.000Z Ah, Las Vegas, after dark, where fortunes are made and lost at the tabled. What does the city hold for the Leafs tonight? How many times will Mitch Marner be mentioned during the broadcast? I will guess a lot. How many times will Mitch Marner score? I hope not a lot. ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Vegas Golden Knights 9:30 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena Watch on: ESPN, TSN4 ### Fortunately this is the last of the late night games, at least for a while. There's a trip to Seattle coming up at the end of January and another 10:00 p.m. ET start. Here's our preview of the game. [Preview: Leafs in VegasAnother tough western opponent.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-379.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1583207884889-d79abf0d0aa3)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-vegas-marnerpalooza/) ## GO LEAFS GO! ### Preview: Leafs in Vegas URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-vegas-marnerpalooza/ Last updated: 2026-01-15T19:52:07.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Vegas Golden Knights 09:30 PM at T-Mobile Arena Watch on: ESPN, TSN4 ### The Leafs last game was away on January 13 against the Utah Mammoth, which Toronto lost by a score of 6-1 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 23-16-7 for a 0.576 Points %. The Vegas Golden Knights last played away on January 14 against the Los Angeles Kings. The Golden Knights won by a score of 3-2 in overtime, and their current league record is 22-11-12 for a 0.622 Points %. ### Them You aren't imagining those lines below, the Golden Knights have been playing Mitch Marner at centre due to some injuries. Vegas is the king of the 50% club teams this season to date. Of that long list of teams with at least one of Corsi or Expected Goals within a point of 50%, they actually have xG up at 52%, marking the boundary line between the 50 percenters and the six good to great teams above them. Vegas gets its good rating in xG primarily from defending, but their Expected Goals pace on the power play is excellent, second only to the Oilers. They're also second to the Oilers is actual power play goal rate. Their PK is as good, but the goaltending there has been a bit off, leaving them merely mediocre. And goaltending is their big weakness. The team Save % is 27th in the NHL in all-situations. Akira Schmid is their only good goalie. #### Lines Last Game (2026-01-14) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/vegas-golden-knights/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Mark Stone Pavel Dorofeyev - Mitch Marner - Reilly Smith Keegan Kolesar - Tomas Hertl - Braeden Bowman Cole Reinhardt - Colton Sissons - Alexander Holtz Jeremy Lauzon - Shea Theodore Noah Hanifin - Zach Whitecloud Ben Hutton - Kaedan Korczak Adin Hill - likely starter Akira Schmid ### Us Some questions from morning skate, with Matthew Knies absent for maintenance, but Nick Robertson present. #### Lines [Morning skate](https://x.com/markhmasters/status/2011869761991311850?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), but Matthew Knies will come in and knock someone out: Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Nick Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Joe Woll - starter Dennis Hildeby ### The Game Don't take penalties, and persist and be dogged at five-on-five. Vegas is harder to score against than they are to defend if you keep it off special teams, so this has to be a win by defending and goaltending. ### Thursday FTB: Snow day! URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursday-ftb-snow-day/ Last updated: 2026-01-15T11:59:28.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! It's game day in Vegas, and as our Maple Leafs wake up in the desert looking at rocks and more rocks here in Niagara I'm waking up to lots of fluffy snow and cancelled school buses, which in my house means cancelled school. Not that it matters to me, neither rain, nor snow, nor..wait that's the US Post Office. I'm just going back to bed. But first, some news for you. Where are the Leafs? Who are the Leafs? What are the Leafs? When are the Leafs? Why are the Leafs? That's five of them.... [10 questions answered about where Maple Leafs stand right nowWith the trade deadline looming and the playoffs no longer a distant abstraction, Justin Bourne answers 10 questions about where the Leafs currenly stand.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-2026-01-06T223417.393.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/10-questions-answered-about-where-maple-leafs-stand-right-now/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Take that nerds! [Vibes, not stats, are driving Maple Leafs hot streak

All good things, right? The Toronto Maple Leafs‘ 8-0-2 run might be over, and somewhat predictably with the second half of a back-to-back but it’s worth taking a look at how things went so right and if it is a sustainable path to the playoffs. If the Maple Leafs were going to be a playoff…

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-327.png)The Leafs NationJon Steitzer![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-79)](https://theleafsnation.com/news/vibes-not-stats-driving-toronto-maple-leafs-hot-streak?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The grass, or rocks, aren't always greener it seems. The Toronto Sceptres aren't feeling much better. [Muller, Maloney each score as Fleet hand Sceptres fourth straight lossAlina Müller had a goal and an assist, Shay Maloney also scored a goal, and the Boston Fleet beat the Toronto Sceptres 2-1 on Wednesday night at the Tsongas Center.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caAssociated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Fleet-vs-Sceptres.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/pwhl/article/muller-maloney-each-score-as-fleet-hand-sceptres-fourth-straight-loss/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Only four wins in 12 games, but at least the expansion teams are keeping them from being in last. So it seems like going all in on sports gambling wasn't the safest bet.... [Sources: MLB teams want new Main Street financing by end of January to returnThe nine MLB teams with ties to FanDuel Sports Network have asked its parent company Main Street Sports Group to line up a new guarantor by the end of the month or they will almost certainly end their relationship for good, sources told SBJ.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-15.png)Sports Business JournalTom Friend![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/YVCN73A4QRDNDBGVAPACPE6ZVA.jpg)](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/01/14/sources-mlb-teams-want-new-main-street-financing-by-end-of-january-to-return/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Speaking of gambling, the trade deadline approaches. [8 teams primed to shape NHL trade marketThe upcoming Olympics are throwing a wrench into the usual flow of NHL player movement. There’s a league-wide roster freeze from Feb. 4-22, so we could see fireworks in February. Then the March 6 trade deadline. Let’s run through eight teams - four buyers and four sellers - that look primed to shape the trade market. (Note: salary cap information courtesy PuckPedia.)Calgary FlamesRecord: 19-23-4Role: SellerThe Flames need an infusion of high-end talent, and upside is best found at the top of the draft. Calgary sits 30th in points percentage and would benefit from dropping further in the standings to secure premium lottery odds.General manager Craig Conroy has four desirable pieces at his disposal to accelerate the process: right-handed defenseman Rasmus Andersson (29 years old, $4.6-million cap hit, pending unrestricted free agent), plus forwards Nazem Kadri (35, $7 million, contract runs through 2028-29), Blake Coleman (34, $4.9 million, 2026-27), and Ryan Lomberg (31, $2 million, pending UFA). Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesAndersson’s contract includes a six-team no-trade list, Coleman has a 10-team trade list, and Kadri has a 13-team no-trade list, which makes navigating the market somewhat tricky. Still, Conroy is taking on risk every passing day.Coleman, a proven playoff performer enjoying a solid season, was injured last week amid trade rumors. Not ideal. Andersson, whose value might be at its peak thanks to a strong first half and recent Olympic selection, will be putting his body on the line every shift for Team Sweden. Meanwhile, a handful of playoff-bound teams should be in hot pursuit of Kadri to upgrade at center.Carolina HurricanesRecord: 28-15-4Role: BuyerMost years during Rod Brind’Amour’s tenure in Carolina have followed a familiar script. Regular-season excellence. Success early in the playoffs. Disappointment once key saves and goals dry up in the second or third round.The organization has attacked the firepower issue head-on, acquiring high-profile forwards Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen and promising blue-liner K’Andre Miller in three blockbusters since March 2024\. (The Rantanen experiment, of course, was short-lived. He’s now leading the Stars’ attack.)Carolina will be creative. They will be bold. Just how bold they’ll be is the mystery. Jonathan Kozub / Getty ImagesDoes GM Eric Tulsky try to acquire a 2026 free-agency headliner in New York’s Artemi Panarin or Buffalo’s Alex Tuch? Does he opt for an immediate core piece in stud Blues center Robert Thomas? A reclamation project in Vancouver’s Elias Pettersson? A unique winger in the Canucks’ Kiefer Sherwood? A defenseman in New Jersey’s Dougie Hamilton, St. Louis’ Justin Faulk, or Anaheim’s Pavel Mintyukov? Somebody nobody’s thinking about?Carolina’s arguably better at asset management than any NHL team. Despite being in win-now mode, pulling the trigger on complicated deals, and locking up key youngsters, Tulsky has $16.9 million in cap space, five first-round picks from the next four drafts, and a solid prospect pool to work with.Also, unlike most buyers, the Hurricanes have two well-established, 25-year-old forwards to dangle in trade talks. Andrei Svechnikov and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, both in the rumor mill of late, are change-of-scenery candidates.Dallas StarsRecord: 27-11-9Role: BuyerDallas is on pace for 112 points - two shy of the franchise record set in its 1999 Stanley Cup season. Despite their dominant performance, the Stars have been overshadowed by Colorado, the team they’re most likely to meet in Round 2 of the playoffs.The Stars can’t expect to beat the Avalanche without improving the blue line. Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen form a reliably impactful top pair, but 24-year-old Thomas Harley needs help on the second unit. Harley has struggled this year in part because he’s spent nearly all of his five-on-five minutes alongside third-pair guys Ilya Lyubushkin, Nils Lundkvist, and Alex Petrovic.Veteran right-handed defensemen Andersson (Calgary), Hamilton (New Jersey), and Connor Murphy (Chicago) are three logical trade targets. Glenn James / Getty ImagesGM Jim Nill loves midseason splashes, bringing in superstar winger Rantanen last year and shutdown defenseman Chris Tanev in 2023-24.There are a few complicating factors this time around.The Stars’ salary cap situation is fuzzy. The club, which entered 2025-26 with virtually no cap space, is up to $3.3 million thanks to multiple players spending time on long-term injured reserve. That amount will triple if winger Tyler Seguin (torn ACL) is ruled out through the playoffs and placed on season-ending LTIR. A timeline update is expected after the Olympic break.Secondly, while Dallas isn’t completely devoid of futures, its draft capital is limited (no first-round picks in 2026 or 2028) and its prospect pool is shallow. Lastly, leading goal-scorer Jason Robertson is a pending restricted free agent. If Robertson’s returning, the Stars can’t handcuff themselves by absorbing a hefty multi-year contract (like Hamilton’s) without carefully plotting next steps.Dallas will almost certainly be active on the trade front. The extent of their activity is TBD.St. Louis BluesRecord: 18-21-8Role: SellerThe Blues, led by GM Doug Armstrong and head coach Jim Montgomery, are a down-bad team that can shake up the NHL landscape if it so chooses.This season has been extremely disappointing, and it’s blatantly obvious the roster requires major surgery. But turnover is easier said than done when the Blues’ UFA list consists of only Oskar Sundqvist, Mathieu Joseph, and Robby Fabbri. Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesThe intrigue instead surrounds the futures of first-line forwards Thomas and Jordan Kyrou, captain Brayden Schenn, top four defensemen Faulk and Colton Parayko, and starting goalie Jordan Binnington. Kyrou, Schenn, and Faulk seem more likely to be traded than the other three, but who knows?The front office is tasked with deciding which players should be part of the core moving forward, then navigating various no-move and no-trade clauses.Yet, it’s entirely possible Armstrong plays it conservative, moving the UFAs and just one or two others. After all, this is a franchise allergic to rebuilding.Detroit Red WingsRecord: 28-16-4Role: BuyerGM Steve Yzerman made only minor moves ahead of last year’s deadline, citing exorbitant prices relative to the caliber of players available. Captain Dylan Larkin later expressed disappointment with the lack of activity.The sequence of events could be much different in 2026, with Detroit on a 103-point pace, slotted second in the Atlantic Division, and holding 72.7% playoff odds. The Original Six franchise hasn’t looked this promising since its last postseason appearance in 2015-16 and has heaps of cap space ($26.9 million). Vitor Munhoz / Getty ImagesThe top of the lineup - Larkin, Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat, Moritz Seider, Simon Edvinsson - is humming, but Detroit’s depth leaves something to be desired. The two biggest needs are a two-way defenseman to beef up the second pair and a middle-six offensive contributor, preferably on the wing.St. Louis defenseman Faulk and Vancouver left winger Jake DeBrusk make sense as realistic but dreamy fits. “Dreamy” is an important word here, as both players have term left on their deals and some kind of trade protection.The Red Wings, who were frequently mentioned as a landing spot for Quinn Hughes in the lead-up to the Wild-Canucks blockbuster, are primed to go big-game hunting. The Eastern Conference is wide open, and Yzerman possesses the money, prospects, and young NHLers to complete a needle-moving trade.Vancouver CanucksRecord: 16-25-5Role: SellerThe Canucks’ front office this week dropped the ridiculous hedging (“hybrid retool”) and expressed a desire to rebuild in the wake of the Hughes trade.What a breath of fresh air. Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesBut, wait, Vancouver fans will be sold on this vision only when the club completes multiple transactions squarely aimed at the future. Remember, the Canucks are notorious for cutting corners and changing directions midstream.Nevertheless, if GM Patrik Allvin is truly serious about rebuilding, things could get interesting beyond the obvious trade chips of pending free agents Sherwood, Evander Kane, Teddy Blueger, David Kampf, and Lukas Reichel.Although core forwards Pettersson, Brock Boeser, and DeBrusk aren’t perfect players and carry onerous contracts, surely there are teams out there wondering if the right coach and linemates can spark a late-20s turnaround.Minnesota WildRecord: 26-12-9Role: BuyerWild GM Bill Guerin pulled off one of the biggest trades in NHL history in December. Yet he can’t be satisfied. Minnesota is guaranteed only two seasons with 2027 UFA Hughes, and the Central will be a gauntlet come playoff time.With goaltending and defense in excellent shape, forward is the top priority. It’s suboptimal that Joel Eriksson Ek is the lone legitimate top-six center. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesGuerin can pursue another needle-mover - think Nashville’s Ryan O’Reilly or St. Louis’ Thomas - or bring in a hard-nosed veteran, like Calgary’s Kadri or the Blues’ Schenn. The latter option isn’t the sizeable downgrade it might seem at first glance. Minnesota’s forward group is unique. Wingers Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy are two of the top play-driving wingers on the planet, meaning the Wild don’t necessarily need O’Reilly or Thomas.Minnesota has a fair amount of flexibility with $5.8 million in cap space and, if necessary, can try to carve out another $4 million or so by moving an underperforming pending UFA forward (Ryan Hartman or Vladimir Tarasenko).The 2024 David Jiricek trade and Hughes blockbuster have significantly eaten the team’s assets. The Wild don’t have a 2026 first-round pick, a 2026 second-rounder, or a 2027 second-rounder. But they do have a 2027 first and an above-average group of prospects.New Jersey DevilsRecord: 23-21-2Role: SellerThe Devils are last on this list for a reason. They’re a complete wild card.On one hand, GM Tom Fitzgerald remains hopeful the struggling squad can turn its season around and earn a playoff spot (the preseason expectation). In fact, he told reporters Wednesday that he’d like to add to the forward group.On the other hand, New Jersey is right up against the cap and handcuffed by numerous no-move and no-trade clauses. As a result, the Devils can’t buy until they sell. Essentially, Fitzgerald needs first to clean up the mess he’s made. Andy Marlin / Getty ImagesDawson Mercer and Cody Glass check the boxes of being useful forwards with relatively low cap hits and zero trade protection. But trading Mercer, in particular, would solve one problem while creating another.Hamilton, who was recently scratched, would be easy to move if he didn’t make $9 million a year and own a 10-team trade list. What a win it would be if Fitzgerald moved off Ondrej Palat, the underperforming veteran winger attached to a horrendous contract. Oh, right, Palat also has trade protection. The same goes for goalie Jacob Markstrom. Untangling the knot won’t be easy.John Matisz is theScore’s senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter/X (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-16.png)theScoreJohn Matisz![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/w768xh576_NHL_buyers_and_sellers.jpg)](https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/3454590?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Two things in this ongoing disaster of an arena: 1) Aw, what an itty bitty video board 2) The change rooms won't be finished for the women's tournament? [Olympic ice hockey arena hit with fresh criticism ahead of 2026 GamesJust days after it passed a weekend of test matches despite some well-documented issues, the controversial venue is facing scrutiny once again - this time over the size of its jumbotron.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/180-2.png)Daily MailOliver Salt![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/105509067-0-image-a-41_1768405139265.jpg)](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/nhl/article-15463261/olympic-ice-hockey-arena-jumbotron.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The NHL owners still aren't happy about sending the players to the games. [NHL owners feel ‘taken advantage of’ by Olympic officials ahead of MilanSome NHL owners feel like they’ve been taken advantage of by the IOC and the IIHF after agreeing to let NHL players participate in the Milan-Cortina Games but having the facilities fall short of expectations.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-17.png)Sports Business Journal![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/HS2IVBTZ4JFU7CKEKHKAITM7E4-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/01/14/nhl-owners-feel-taken-advantage-of-by-olympic-officials-ahead-of-milan/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, here's your daily Dougie Hamilton story. [Maple Leafs Reportedly Linked to Devils Defensemen Dougie Hamilton - The Hockey Writers Toronto Maple Leafs Latest News, Analysis & MoreThe Toronto Maple Leafs appear to have their eye on another defenseman who is currently on the trade block. This time, it’s New Jersey Devils blue liner Dougie Hamilton. After…![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/cropped-New_Logo_THW-270x270-17.png)The Hockey WritersSpencer Lazary![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/New-Jersey-Devils-Dougie-Hamilton.jpg)](https://thehockeywriters.com/maple-leafs-reportedly-linked-to-devils-defensemen-dougie-hamilton/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Enjoy your day everyone! ### Sceptres Gameday: Toronto @ Boston URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-toronto-boston/ Last updated: 2026-01-15T02:20:05.000Z ### Toronto Sceptres @ Boston Fleet 7:00 PM ET @ Tsongas Center - Lowell, MA **Watch in Boston:** NESN **Watch in Canada:** TSN **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com Toronto's last game was on January 6, where they were shutout 2-0 by New York. They have a Points % of 0.455 and a record of 4 W - 0 OTW - 3 OTL - 4 L. Boston's last game was on January 11, where they lost in a shootout to Ottawa 2-1\. They have a Points % of 0.697 and a record of 7 W - 0 OTW - 2 OTL - 2 L. The Sceptres last won a game at the end of December, and time is running out for them to move out of the sub .500 portion of the standings and into a good playoff spot. They are a few games away from the halfway point of the season, a marker they will pass just before the Olympic break. And they have a packed schedule after over a week off, with four more games after tonight before everything stops for a month. The Sceptres simply aren't scoring enough goals as their most pressing problem, but they also allow too many. Part of that goal-scoring problem is a power play that has a laughably low rate of success, worst in the league. It's only been 11 games, so that can be luck playing a big role, but that's part of the business of playing in this league – you have to have an answer if you get unlucky in one part of your game. You don't have 70 more games to make it up like in the NHL. Boston meanwhile has great success on special teams, allows very few goals and scores decently well. This is not going to be an easy game for the Sceptres, but they have to start winning some tough ones at some point. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/G-qJyyxW0AAv5vy-1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/G-qIaYgXkAAgVvQ-1-.jpg) ### Wednesday FTB: The ECHL returns to Trenton URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesday-ftb-the-echl-returns-to-trenton/ Last updated: 2026-01-14T11:00:31.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! Before last night the Leafs are making more people believe in them. Wins, big names showing up when needed, records being broken, it was all happening. Then.... I hate back to backs. However, here are some positive highlights! We have the night off tonight before the Leafs hit the strip and take on the Golden Knights, though I'm sure they'll take advantage of the bright lights of Paradise on their night off. Elsewhere in the hockey world the ECHL Utah Grizzlies are on the move after being displaced by the NHL's Mammoth. It's hard for a tier 3 team to compete with the NHL. Trenton, New Jersey -not Ontario - will welcome the Grizzlies to town, but the name is changing to the Iron Hawks. [Trenton Ironhawks to bring hockey back to Cure ArenaECHL minor league ice hockey is returning to Trenton in 2026\. Here are the details:![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)PhillyBurbs, PhillyBurbs![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/88159885007-screenshot-20260113-114438-1.jpg)](https://www.phillyburbs.com/story/news/2026/01/13/echl-announces-trenton-ironhawks-as-new-team-in-nj/88159831007/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) They will be the Colorado Avalanche's affiliate, mainly sharing players with the AHL Colorado Eagles. Welcome back to the hockey family, Trenton. Back at home the Maple Leafs will honour one of the biggest nights in hockey history on January 27th, when we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Darryl Sittlers 10 point night. [Toronto Maple Leafs to Celebrate The 50th Anniversary of Darryl Sittler’s 10-point Game on January 27 | Toronto Maple LeafsOn Tuesday, January 27, the Toronto Maple Leafs will honour legend Darryl Sittler and the 50th anniversary of his historic 10-point game as the team faces off against the Buffalo Sabres at 7 p.m. ET at Scotiabank Arena. The celebratory game marks Sittler’s achievement in 1976 when he scored six![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-183.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/avfpuonbypsqhblf5s8e.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/toronto-maple-leafs-to-celebrate-the-50th-anniversary-of-darryl-sittler-s-10-point-game-on-january-27?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It's nice to have a record bo one will break. Dougie Hamilton this, Douglas Hamilton that. All anyone wants to talk about is Dougie Hamilton. It's like talking to me at an IceDogs game in 2012. [Toronto Maple Leafs Looking to Add Dougie Hamilton?The Toronto Maple Leafs and the rest of the hockey world are waiting for the shoe to drop on a Dougie Hamilton trade.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/cropped-Favicon-270x270.png)Inside The RinkJeremy Ridgewell![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Hamilton-1200x600-1.png)](https://insidetherink.com/toronto-maple-leafs-looking-to-add-dougie-hamilton/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The OHL trade deadline is over. Who won? Who lost? The QMJHL also had their trade deadline, and you can listen to a recap here: [ALL 60: A CHL PODCAST - All 60: A CHL PodcastWelcome to the home of All 60: A CHL Podcast! After getting our feet wet with our first season of All 60 in 2024-25, we figured it was time to step up our game coming into the 2025-26 season!In addition to buying new equipment, coming up with new ideas and just trying to make the![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/lJlMd_wNhbjRpMe6aa0LHY48-scaled-2.jpg)All 60: A CHL Podcast -bySteve McLean![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/lJlMd_wNhbjRpMe6aa0LHY48-scaled-2.jpg)](https://all60chlpod.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Women's World Juniors are happening now and it's going as you'd expect. [Ismael scores three goals as Canada routs Sweden at U18 women’s hockey worldsSofia Ismael scored three goals as Canada defeated Sweden 9-2 Tuesday at the world under-18 women’s hockey championship.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-184.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/EFOFKGLD4VD3RMXF57D5H6TDAA.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/hockey-canada/article/ismael-scores-three-goals-as-canada-routs-sweden-at-u18-womens-hockey-worlds/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Who was the biggest Olympic snub? [2026 Olympic Guide: Which Snubs Should be Going to Milan?Diving into the Finnish, Swedish, American, and Canadian Olympic men’s hockey rosters to determine which snubbed players deserve to skate in Milan![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/cropped-LB-Hockey-Logo-2.0.png)LB-HockeyLouis Boulet![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Olympic-Snubs-Thumbnail.png)](https://lb-hockey.com/2026/01/13/2026-olympic-guide/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, Matthews set the goals record. So, what does it mean? [Auston Matthews scores 421 to break Mats Sundin’s record and become all-time Leafs goal-scorer. — Offside NewsThe Leafslet: A Toronto Maple Leafs Weekly Recap![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-185.ico)Offside NewsDennis Minter![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Leafs-1626.png)](https://offsidenewsco.com/news/the-leafslet-toronto-maple-leafs-recap-25-26-10?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Enjoy your day everyone! ### PPP After Dark: Late night activities URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ppp-after-dark-late-night-activities/ Last updated: 2026-01-14T02:06:14.000Z What goes on in the streets of Salt Lake City after dark? What creatures wander the shuttered shops, bathed in red light, and reeking of catnip? Probably people worried they should already be in bed because they have to be at work early tomorrow, present company included. If you managed to make it through last night's late game, we have another one for you! I hope you had a nap this afternoon because we will (hopefully) have lots more fun tonight, but the Mammoth are in a big fight for the Western Conference Wild Card playoff spot in the same way the Leafs are fighting for one in the east Wild Card spot. ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Utah Mammoth 10:00 p.m. ET at the Delta Center, Salt Lake City Watch on: ESPN+, HULU, TVAS, TSN4 ### Wait, this game is on Hulu? Hulu still exists? And it has NHL games on it? What? Anyway, here's our preview of the game. [Preview: Leafs in UtahIt’s a mammoth task to stay up late again.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-378.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1621603933126-6c216db10045-1)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-in-utah-2026/) In celebration of last night's overtime goal-scoring winner and lovely Canadian-born Swedish boy, here is your soundtrack for this game. ## GO LEAFS GO! ### Preview: Leafs in Utah URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-in-utah-2026/ Last updated: 2026-01-13T19:11:20.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Utah Mammoth 10:00 PM at Delta Center Watch on: ESPN+, HULU, TVAS, TSN4 ### The Leafs last game was away on January 12 against the Colorado Avalanche, which Toronto won by a score of 4-3 in overtime. The Leafs have a record of 23-15-7 for a 0.589 Points %. The Utah Mammoth last played at home on January 11 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Mammoth lost by a score of 3-2 in overtime, and their current league record is 22-20-4 for a 0.522 Points %. ### Them Utah is a very similar team to the Ottawa Senators in some ways. Both teams have excellent Corsi and Expected Goals percentages, and neither team looks good in the standings. For the Senators, it's all terrible goaltending. For Utah? One thing to note is that their Expected Goals offensively is better than their Corsi, so in other words, they don't create as much offence as it seems, they do create quality chances, though. That seems to me to leave them open to a particular kind of defending that focuses on dealing with dangerous chances near the net. Their power play Expected Goals and actual Goal rates are almost identical to the Avalanche, so very bad. Their PK is very poor, but their goaltending has created the illusion it's good. However, in all-situations their goaltending is about league average and they are 18th in the NHL. So, the Mammoth troubles are more complex than the Senators, and could likely be solved by importing some higher level of skill in their forwards. #### Lines Brogan Houston via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/utah-mammoth/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice. Clayton Keller - Nick Schmaltz - Lawson Crouse JJ Peterka - Barrett Hayton - Daniil But Michael Carcone - Jack McBain - Dylan Guenther Brandon Tanev - Kevin Stenlund - Liam O'Brien Mikhail Sergachev - Sean Durzi Nate Schmidt - John Marino Ian Cole - Nick DeSimone Karel Vejmelka - likely starter Vitek Vanecek ### Us There is no word on anything today for these teams, so assuming Nick Robertson is out, and Calle Järnkrok is in, then I've made some adjustments. #### Lines Last Game (2026-01-12) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Matthew Knies - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Bobby McMann Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Dennis Hildeby - likely starter Joe Woll ### The Game A good article on Maccelli from the Utah paper: ### [Matias Maccelli returns to Delta Center this week. Why didn’t it work out in Utah?](https://www.deseret.com/sports/2026/01/12/matias-maccelli-return-to-utah-toronto-maple-leafs/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That was a very physical and demanding game the Leafs played last night. Which is part of the deal, so no sympathy from me. Do it again, just as hard. Utah is a very meat and potatoes team, so you have to do that and show off the skill both. ### Tuesday's FTB: Working the late shift URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-working-the-late-shift/ Last updated: 2026-01-13T11:25:05.000Z The NHL has announced the location of this summer's draft. > The 2026 Upper Deck [#NHLDraft](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) is headed to Buffalo! 🏒 > > Read more about the [#NHLDraft](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)'s return to KeyBank Center ⤵️[https://t.co/gLdJqTZIut](https://t.co/gLdJqTZIut?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL Media (@NHLMedia) [January 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/NHLMedia/status/2010851821951078748?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) You should still be able to smell the teenager miasma from the Combine still by the time the draft goes down. First coach is out: [Blue Jackets fire head coach Dean Evason, hire Rick BownessThe Blue Jackets fired head coach Dean Evason and assistant coach Steve McCarthy on Monday, and hired veteran bench boss Rick Bowness to take Evason’s place.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/CP175212103.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/blue-jackets-fire-head-coach-dean-evason-hire-rick-bowness/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Red Wings retire Fedorov’s No. 91 jersey; says leaving Detroit was a huge mistakeThe Detroit Red Wings retired Sergei Fedorov’s No. 91 jersey, honoring the Russian great more than a decade after he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-182.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/GBMTHS7RANFARL6PVOWWPCDE3A.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/red-wings-retire-fedorovs-no-91-jersey-says-leaving-detroit-was-a-huge-mistake/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is an effort to make a narrative about the timing of injuries: [\- TSNBryan Hayes, Jamie McLennan and Jeff O’Neill discuss the current state of the Leafs’ goaltending situation with Anthony Stolarz returning to practice for the first time since November 11.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-183.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F01-12-2026-2Ft_e80d458b4d4147139ef498dbb3d7e76e_name_2026_1_12_2d94ce89_9e58_499f_85df_3c911c5484e2_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/video/2026/01/12/o-dog-on-stolarzs-comeback-youre-gonna-have-to-sit-and-watch-woll-and-hildeby/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That said, this is going to be a process that will need to respect everyone. And if that means some conditioning stints, some short period of three goalies, whatever it takes. It's not a fight, it's a goal to make all three goalies the best they can be. Not everything is a battle for dominance. Sometimes it's about working together. > Hear from Henry Thrun and Marshall Rifai on Jake Muzzin and Mark Giordano being a part of the coaching staff ⬇️ [pic.twitter.com/HMWCbWycuj](https://t.co/HMWCbWycuj?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [January 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2010834571776966764?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) About last night: Nick Robertson took a puck off his leg or possibly a titch higher than jus the leg, and did not return to the game. He could not put any weight on his left leg at the time. We likely will not get word on his condition very quickly with this being a back-to-back. Easton Cowan got things started with some help from Brent Burns: > yeehaw 🤠 [pic.twitter.com/JJeUN28y0U](https://t.co/JJeUN28y0U?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010924780916982161?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Martin Necas says Mikko Who? > game respect game > > that first goal against was nasty [pic.twitter.com/8EV1vY7ZkH](https://t.co/8EV1vY7ZkH?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010924615653069223?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Brock Nelson got the go-ahead goal late, putting the lie to the idea that the Avs power play is always bad: > Brock Nelson scores on the penalty almost immediately [pic.twitter.com/3IKnsyAq6O](https://t.co/3IKnsyAq6O?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010922012399608104?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The right amount of McMann tied it up in the second. > BOBBY MCMANN 🚨 > > WHEELS! TIE GAME! [pic.twitter.com/7SiiEMBt3w](https://t.co/7SiiEMBt3w?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010928397330104539?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Carlo saves a goal [pic.twitter.com/DtXIL9G4LP](https://t.co/DtXIL9G4LP?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010933909551227284?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) After two it was a tie game, and who saw that coming? The Leafs played a smart game for two periods, emphasizing what they can do to combat the Avs' better skill with the puck. The Avs held an overwhelming-seeming Corsi advantage over two periods, but a lot of shot blocking had the Shots on Goal and the Expected Goals a lot closer to even. They failed on their second power play after a long delayed penalty call kept parts of both units on the ice, and the call had to be made – start with unit one or two. Craig Berube picked one, and they just never got it going. But John Tavares, now on unit two was as washed as the guys who stayed on the ice. But I think it was the wrong call. But they played the hard game you need to play to stay with the Avalanche. In the third period, Scott Laughton got into it with Martin Necas and created a four-on-four for his skilled teammates. They have those too, of course, but it was Auston Matthews who got the goal. > AUSTON MATTHEWS 🚨 > > RIPPER! [pic.twitter.com/mlk2OkQkUT](https://t.co/mlk2OkQkUT?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010945090735247664?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) MacKinnon and Necas. Tie game again. > Martin Necas gets it back for Colorado [pic.twitter.com/sBWZ2sxFbW](https://t.co/sBWZ2sxFbW?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010947227624132875?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs made it through an Avs power play at the end of the period, and carried it to overtime. Overtime was, to say the least, wild and full of thrills. > yeah, shrug [pic.twitter.com/1mvwUEPFuE](https://t.co/1mvwUEPFuE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010949700690600005?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > the hockey gods! [pic.twitter.com/EDstcGlHqc](https://t.co/EDstcGlHqc?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010950311037583857?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Seriously, that's the only explanation, the gods said, no Avs, you have had enough goof fortune. And then William Nylander just was himself. > WILLIAM NYLANDER! OVERTIME WINNER! 🚨 [pic.twitter.com/rgfhUeY1cd](https://t.co/rgfhUeY1cd?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 13, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010951171721109523?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This was a game that really showed off how hard the defence can work. Morgan Rielly and Brandon Carlo were tough to play against, so were OEL and Jake McCabe. Joe Woll was very good, the forwards were on the ball with Matias Maccelli and Bobby McMann standing out. There was no giving up from anyone tonight, and that's good enough for me. This game was a test they passed. And yes, I wrote that before the third period ended. The win is just a bonus. Final score was, 4-3 Leafs, and it was easy to stay awake for. Math time. Last time, I said the Leafs had a tough road trip coming, so I didn't want to raise the bar from 95 points one game after putting it that high. Well, they beat the Avs, so raise it I shall. The goal is now 98 points. With 45 games played, they need to play at .608 for the rest of the season to get to 98 points. They are currently at .589 (and in a playoff spot). See you very much later today for the preview. ### PPP After Dark: Staying up late against the Nordiques URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/ppp-after-dark-staying-up-late-against-the-nordiques/ Last updated: 2026-01-13T02:42:23.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Colorado Avalanche 10:00 p.m. ET at Ball Arena Watch on: TVAS, SNO, ALT, KTVD ### Hello all you people who have stayed up to watch the Leafs play the currently best team in the NHL. This is the first of two back-to-back 10:00 p.m. ET starts for the Leafs. Tonight it's the Avalanche, who will be wearing their Nordiques gear, and, yeah, this one is a scary game against a team that has won 33 and lost only 11 of their 44 games so far this season. ICYMI, here's our preview. [Preview: Leafs at AvalancheIt might be Monday, but this is not a Prime game. It likely won’t be Monday when it’s over either.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-377.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1468682958800-5a3a4ede03a6)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-avalanche-night-game/) Here's the pre-game team video. It starts with Max Domi so viewer discretion is advised. No matter what happens, let's have fun. Pour yourself a drink of something and tell us what you are snacking on during the game. > Yesterday's Bobby McMann arrival for game in Toronto...tremendous gesture [pic.twitter.com/N78LIgdUSW](https://t.co/N78LIgdUSW?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [January 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/2010381705807290471?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And don't forget to set your alarm clock for work tomorrow morning. These games usually go until about 1:00 a.m., but you know they inevitably have a shootout or something so it's 1:39 game end time. UGH. But for now, let's enjoy the Leafs make us move. ### Preview: Leafs at Avalanche URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-avalanche-night-game/ Last updated: 2026-01-12T18:40:46.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Colorado Avalanche 10:00 PM at Ball Arena Watch on: TVAS, SNO, ALT, KTVD ### The Leafs last game was at home on January 10 against the Vancouver Canucks, which Toronto won by a score of 5-0 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 22-15-7 for a 0.580 Points %. The Colorado Avalanche last played at home on January 10 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Avalanche won by a score of 4-0 in regulation, and their current league record is 33-4-7 for a 0.830 Points %. ### Them I mean. What's to say? I could mention that goofy Points % or find that set of charts of every team's goal differential where Colorado's bleeds up into the next row and outdoes the team above them. I could talk about goals or win streaks or get into the idea that "Who is better, McDavid or MacKinnon?" is not an absurd question. Instead I'll list the things the Avs aren't the best at in the NHL: - They're only second in five-on-five Corsi % - They're way down in fourth in Expected Goals Against at five-on-five - They're only eighth in all-situations Shooting % - There is one team that allows fewer goals per 60 shorthanded Okay joking aside, they do actually have one area where they don't excel. Their goal-scoring rate on the power play is 28th, and and a tenth of a point above the Leafs. This is not something you can partially blame on Shooting %, the way it is with the Leafs, they are actually bad on the power play and deserve that goal rate. It's odd that this is true, but I bet they don't worry about it much. Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood is on IR, so rookie Trent Miner has been recalled, and he is set to start tonight in his fourth appearance this year. He got his first win against Columbus on the weekend in the 4-0 shutout. He is a former WHL goalie and seventh round draft pick who has several years in the AHL in Colorado. He is almost 25, and will be highly motivated to have a breakout year, because it's pretty much now or never. Scott Wedgewood is not 100%, so Miner has the game as long as he can hold up under the, does the math, over 4 goals per game the Avalanche have averaged this year. Devon Toews and Gabriel Landeskog are both still injured. And yes, I'd forgotten Brent Burns played for this team now. #### Lines Last Game (2026-01-10) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/colorado-avalanche/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Artturi Lehkonen - Nathan MacKinnon - Martin Necas Ross Colton - Brock Nelson - Valeri Nichushkin Parker Kelly - Jack Drury - Victor Olofsson Zakhar Bardakov - T.J. Tynan - Gavin Brindley Sam Malinski - Cale Makar Josh Manson - Brent Burns Samuel Girard - Ilya Solovyov Trent Miner - starter Scott Wedgewood ### Us In Leafs news, not game related, injured players are recovering: > D Dakota Mermis has been assigned to the Toronto Marlies (AHL) on an LTIR conditioning loan. > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [January 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2010765626735018163?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Anthony Stolarz is joining the [#Leafs](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Leafs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) for morning skate today. First time he has skated with the group since his injury. > > ⁦[@BodogCA](https://twitter.com/BodogCA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)⁩ [pic.twitter.com/qEmRa2J3bJ](https://t.co/qEmRa2J3bJ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — David Alter (@davidalter) [January 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/davidalter/status/2010779683726782519?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) No changes in the lineup. Joe Woll gets the start. #### Lines [From morning skate](https://x.com/markhmasters/status/2010782442903519409?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), which matches yesterday's lines Matthew Knies - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Bobby McMann Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Joe Woll -starter Dennis Hildeby ### The Game > Avalanche will be wearing Nordiques gear tonight against the Leafs [pic.twitter.com/UmB7fhwnuK](https://t.co/UmB7fhwnuK?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Mark Masters (@markhmasters) [January 12, 2026](https://twitter.com/markhmasters/status/2010765702249226527?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### Monday FTB: Take a nap, it's a late one tonight URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/monday-ftb-take-a-nap-its-a-late-one-tonight/ Last updated: 2026-01-12T11:00:44.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! It's game day once again, but we have a longer than usual wait as the Leafs head west and up to the Mile High City to take on the Avalanche. The team is away all week making stops in Utah tomorrow, then Vegas on Thursday, and wrapping the trip with a train ride into Winnipeg. So they had a travel day and all went well I assume as no real news occured but I want to post this, and please do not click on it. [Toronto Maple Leafs Trade William Nylander Out West In Blockbuster ProposalNHL Insider Nick Kypreos has made a powerful suggestion of the Maple Leafs trading forward William Nylander out west.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-180x180-21.png)HeavyMichael Whitaker![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/GettyImages-2246361714-e1768024076758.jpg)](https://heavy.com/sports/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/leafs-trade-william-nylander-blockbuster-proposal/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is one of the clickbaitiest headlines I have ever seen, and I am great at click bait. Back when SBN would beat us if we didn't make our article quotas I could churn out trash like nobodies business. First off, "Toronto Maple Leafs trade William Nylander" is a hell of a beginning to a headline. That grabs the attention right there. Following up with "in a proposal" is weak, sad, and the author knew many would not read that part. It's yet another article built around radioing someone and goddamn it's stupid enough that the article should mock it hard. Nick Kypreos continues to pound the "trade Nylander" drum - he's had to reskin it multiple times a year for a decade - and wants to add MORE DEFENDERS. Why not? Who are these must haves? Jamie Oleksiak and Brandon Montour. > “I would do Brandon Montour for Willy, and (Jamie) Oleksiak,” [Kypreos said](https://www.nhltraderumor.com/nylander-trade-rumor-kraken-montour-oleksiak-kypreos/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). “Yeah, I would. Yes, yeah, for Willy. I would, I would, I would. I would shore up that blue line. I would take that blue line to the next level. That Montour, you win with that Montour, you win. They won’t trade him, Seattle won’t trade him, he’s their heart and soul.” First off, Nylander had a No Move Clause and an $11.5M cap hit. Oleksiak and Montour both have a No Trade Clause. Combined they cost just over $11.7M. So it doesn't work as is. Who does Toronto add? Does Seattle retain? Also Toronto would have to move two defenders. Who goes? Reilly, McCabe, Tanev, OEL, and Carlo all have No Trade/Move clauses. If you move someone without one you're looking at Benning, Benoit, maybe Stetcher? So the you're paying two guys over $3,000,000 to be your 5/6 defenders. Not to mention losing Nylanders scoring. Have they even replaced Marners points? Back to back seasons of losing your top two wingers is no way to win a cup. They say defense wins championships, but....not like this they don't. Please do not click that link. This one, sure. [Test events at Milan Olympic hockey rink bring cautious optimismObservers are cautiously optimistic about the status of Milan’s Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena after a series of test events held there this weekend.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-14.png)Sports Business Journal![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/HS2IVBTZ4JFU7CKEKHKAITM7E4.jpg)](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/01/11/test-events-at-milan-olympic-hockey-rink-bring-cautious-optimism/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I'm not going to go at the Olympic organizing committee for making a small AHL / large OHL rink for these games. Milan isn't exactly a hockey hotbed outside the games so not going with a 20k arena is probably smarter for them. The construction lagging is something to point at, but they're playing games already and despite that hole in the ice from earlier it sounds ok. [Test game at Olympic hockey arena stopped due to hole in iceAn Italian Cup game was played on Friday at the Santagiulia Arena in Milan, one of the two venues set to host the hockey competitions at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics next month.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-181.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/WHPBK6VRVVSBQTEMR4M6LBGRL4.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/olympics/article/test-game-at-olympic-hockey-arena-stopped-due-to-hole-in-ice/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) My local OHL team originally played in a depression era rink that was about as short as this one, so I'm looking forward to the first few games played being full of unintentional offsides as players get used to the dimensions. Halifax fans are ready to go all in on the PWHL. [‘We need it’: Halifax hockey fans are inspired, want their own PWHL teamSecond game of PWHL Takeover Tour sells out Halifax’s Scotiabank Centre![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/icon-sw-2.png)PNI Atlantic NewsJen Taplin![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/0111-cr-pwhl-game.jpg)](https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/we-need-it-halifax-hockey-fans-inspired-want-their-own-pwhl-team?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Everyone wants in. Halifax and Hamilton has a good ring to the next round of expansion. Probably one will be an American team though. A kids intermission game in Hershey got a little wild: > Kids getting AFTER it on the ice in the Hershey Bears intermission game [#ElectricFactory](https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElectricFactory?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/DtPjjbK3Vl](https://t.co/DtPjjbK3Vl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Allie Berube (@allieberube) [January 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/allieberube/status/2010152443511009657?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Not everyone enjoyed it however. > Our statement on the events during the intermission event last night at the Hershey Bears game.[#Hockey](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hockey?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#USAHockey](https://twitter.com/hashtag/USAHockey?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [#AtlanticDistrict](https://twitter.com/hashtag/AtlanticDistrict?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/dRc778GlOK](https://t.co/dRc778GlOK?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Atlantic District (@AtlanticDistr) [January 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/AtlanticDistr/status/2010434580063342610?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Let the kids have their spotlight. The Bruins and Lightning will be heading outside...ish in Tampa on February 1st. Will it work? [NHL Unveils Rink Construction Plans for Stadium SeriesThe annual NHL Stadium Series is just around the corner. The game, which will feature the Boston Bruins traveling to Raymond James Stadium — the home of the NFL![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/ON_SI-Favicon_B_96x96-89cdd4ec3f27a2676808ed8a42da59ab-1.ico)Break Away ON SISeth Dowdle![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/01kemkk5y02sjpwd3kx1.jpg)](https://www.si.com/onsi/breakaway/boston-bruins/nhl-unveils-rink-construction-plans-stadium-series?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Enjoy your day, take a nap, and Go Leafs Go! ### Sunday's FTB: How many power plays does one game need? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sundays-ftb-how-many-power-plays-does-one-game-need/ Last updated: 2026-01-11T11:00:27.000Z New Jersey needs to do something, and be seen to do something because they're in freefall. So naturally it's this one guy that's the problem. > Reached out to Dougie Hamilton’s agent J.P. Barry. His response: > “Dougie was informed today that he will be not be playing now that Kovacevic is back in the lineup. In our view, > this decision is all about business rather than his game right now. Singling him out seems very… > > — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) [January 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/PierreVLeBrun/status/2010078442813837773?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The full text: > Reached out to Dougie Hamilton’s agent J.P. Barry. His response: > “Dougie was informed today that he will be not be playing now that Kovacevic is back in the lineup. In our view, > this decision is all about business rather than his game right now. Singling him out seems very calculated at this stage. > Dougie has a 10-team trade list and there have been efforts to trade him going back to the draft last year. We have made it clear to the Devils that we will consider teams outside our list and other creative ways to get to a team that is mutually acceptable.” > So Hamilton camp willing to be flexible beyond 10-team list if it means finding suitable team in a trade. I took a look at HockeyViz, and Hamilton is very, very good at generating offence, and he's had a rough year defensively. So this makes him Morgan Rielly only better at almost everything. I don't know why the zeitgeist thinks he's old and washed up, but then the zeitgeist only deals in negatives these days. This was the coverage last night: > From Dougie Hamilton, to the Ottawa Senators, [@FriedgeHNIC](https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) has the latest Saturday Headlines 📰 [pic.twitter.com/M97J9g4AcN](https://t.co/M97J9g4AcN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [January 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2010171768158535688?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I think it is fair to say that Hamilton is being targeted for non-performance reasons. They just don't want to pay him. Another team has caught the Malaise: > Vincent Trocheck said [#NYR](https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYR?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) have to have a “complete reset, just completely start over from scratch.” > > Asked what he means by that: > > “Well, we can't do what we just did, so it's got to be completely different from today.” > > — Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) [January 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/MollieeWalkerr/status/2010098437614932479?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) So what did they just do? Ohhhhh. Lose 10-2 to the Bruins. This must be the Omicron variant of Malaise going around. This is how it's done: > James van Riemsdyk arrived in Montreal in a Batman costume to celebrate his son's fourth birthday 🥲 [pic.twitter.com/yTCz9TE6dZ](https://t.co/yTCz9TE6dZ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) [January 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/2010133008997855594?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) About last night... So, to sum up, everyone got a penalty. And it wasn't one of those games where they were chippy nonstop, it was just 11 power plays for stupid things, some of which never actually happened. The Canucks can't stir themselves to much animosity. This counts as a fight when they're involved: > Domi vs M. Pettersson [pic.twitter.com/LUN7UeykKy](https://t.co/LUN7UeykKy?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010166273104339146?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) They were so lacklustre, so moribund, so dull, so enervated. And to be honest the Leafs just let them faff around without really pushing hard, and they got four goals in the first two periods anyway. > first game back and Nylander's already on the scoreboard [pic.twitter.com/XhwFvpvL6G](https://t.co/XhwFvpvL6G?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010148451812597871?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > absolute sauce from Lorentz [pic.twitter.com/yJ6cWZD9vq](https://t.co/yJ6cWZD9vq?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010155039848087635?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > nice neutral zone pass from Stecher [pic.twitter.com/UzpGVI5Dvt](https://t.co/UzpGVI5Dvt?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010155567051092387?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > third point for Nylander on the night [pic.twitter.com/uAi037sEiX](https://t.co/uAi037sEiX?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010167507093729476?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This was one of those games where if you whine about the shot differential, you just seem to be missing the point. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/20252026-20702-cfdiff-all.png) Third verse same as the first, and Joe Woll got another shutout while Nick Robertson sealed the deal with one more goal. > NICK ROBERTSON 🚨 > > Double digit goals! [pic.twitter.com/VOETmedbQi](https://t.co/VOETmedbQi?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2010182314207392066?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 5-0 Leafs. The Leafs now have 51 points in 44 games for a Points 5 of .580\. Last game the Leafs got to the Point % that would get them 92 points, so I raised the bar to 95\. And the Points % needed to get to 95? That's .579\. That was quick. But in deference to a really hard schedule on the road in the west, I'll keep them at 95 for now. We'll see where they are by next Saturday. ### GDT: Canucks @ Leafs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-canucks-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-01-10T23:30:36.000Z ### Vancouver Canucks @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: SN, CBC ### [Preview: Vancouver vs TorontoThe Canucks are what rates as a bad team this season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-376.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1570667524338-1da3851a4049-1)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-vancouver-vs-toronto/) Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Vancouver vs Toronto URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-vancouver-vs-toronto/ Last updated: 2026-01-10T17:00:59.000Z ### Vancouver Canucks @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: SN, CBC ### The Leafs last game was away on January 8 against the Philadelphia Flyers, which Toronto won by a score of 2-1 in overtime. The Leafs have a record of 21-15-7 for a 0.570 Points %. The Vancouver Canucks last played away on January 8 against the Detroit Red Wings. The Canucks lost by a score of 5-1 in regulation, and their current league record is 16-22-5 for a 0.430 Points %. ### Them The Canucks don't just have the Malaise like the Leafs did, they have Ultra-Malaise. Their commitment to the bit is stunning, and it must be frustrating for them that the Jets are actually worse after being actually good. Last year the Canucks were at best a mediocre team with bad goaltending and some shooting prowess. They missed the playoffs, but in a way that should have seen them buckle down and shore up that net to prosper this year. This did not occur. They have bad Corsi of 48%, and worse Expected Goals of 46%. They decline in quality at both ends of the ice, putting them in a class with The Kraken, the Sharks and Chicago as the most dismal teams. They allow the third worst xGA in the league. Weirdly, their power play is very good, but scores under expected. They still score enough to be 11th in goals rate on the power play, and they get a better than average amount of time on the power play. Their PK is average, and the goaltending neither adds not subtracts from it. Otherwise, their team Save % in all-situations is below average and ranks 25th in the NHL. Thatcher Demko is good, Kevin Lankinen is not. #### Lines Last Game (2026-01-08) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/vancouver-canucks/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Nils Hoglander - Elias Pettersson - Brock Boeser Jake DeBrusk - David Kampf - Kiefer Sherwood Liam Ohgren - Max Sasson - Linus Karlsson Drew O'Connor - Aatu Raty - Evander Kane Marcus Pettersson - Tom Willander Zeev Buium - Filip Hronek Elias Nils Pettersson - Tyler Myers Thatcher Demko - likely starter Kevin Lankinen ### Us William Nylander is indeed back in action tonight. The lines are rearranged, bumping Calle Järnkrok off as the extra man. Jake McCabe is participating, and is a gametime decision, but he skated on the fourth pair today. Anthony Stolarz got in some practice today too, but don't read too much into him going on the road trip. He's close, but he's not ready to play yet. > Berube indicated Stolarz will accompany the team on next week's road trip as the goalie's recovery intensifies. As for Tanev, no decision yet on his surgery for a groin issue. > > — Lance Hornby 🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@sunhornby) [January 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/sunhornby/status/2010026409134317921?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) #### Lines [Morning skate:](https://x.com/koshtorontosun/status/2010011739979681800?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Matthew Knies - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Bobby McMann - Scott Laughton - Steven Lorentz Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Troy Stecher Simon Benoit - Philippe Myers Joe Woll - starter Dennis Hildeby ### The Game Vancouver cannot really be as bad as their record, but they defend particularly poorly, so get in there and score some goals, Leafs. ### Saturday's FTB: A visit from Vancouver URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/saturdays-ftb-a-visit-from-vancouver/ Last updated: 2026-01-10T11:00:41.000Z Enjoy tonight's 7 pm start time as Vancouver is in town. The mid-week games are all late starts as the Leafs head west, and I would not expect a lot of practices until after this week is over. Yesterday, Team Canada women announced their [Olympic team](https://hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/team-canada/women/olympics/2026/stats/team-rosters?teamid=362&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/G-P6phTawAAiJ_D-1-.jpg) Lots of Sceptres and a few former Sceptres, and no big surprises but some delightful choices. > SOPH TAKES IT COAST-TO-COAST 😮‍💨 [pic.twitter.com/JkxQH3QcqD](https://t.co/JkxQH3QcqD?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Vancouver Goldeneyes (@PWHL\_\_Vancouver) [January 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/PWHL%5F%5FVancouver/status/2009810420434120957?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Sophie Jaques is one of those players you see play once for the other team and you want her on your team. She's on our team. Someone more in the know than me: > The Canadian women’s Olympic hockey team includes 16 players from a dominant team that won gold in 2022. > > This time, the Canadians feel more like underdogs. > > That doesn’t matter to the players selected on Friday, just as it didn’t in 2002\. My story:[https://t.co/uBR9lkruLl](https://t.co/uBR9lkruLl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Karissa Donkin (@kdonk) [January 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/kdonk/status/2009808741185819133?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) While Hockey Canada was doing the most boring speech-filled announcement of this team, this was posted: > In the interest of fairness, I spoke with [@fwieser55](https://twitter.com/fwieser55?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) after the game and he said this was a "little hole." The players were told this is normal with brand new ice. > > — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) [January 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/2009749189576601721?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And a non-paywalled video take: [\- TSNThere has been so much speculation and reporting about the venues which will host the ice hockey competitions at the Olympics and the state of the ice itself. TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston travelled to Italy to view the progress and conditions himself, and shares the latest from his observations.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-180.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F01-09-2026-2Ft_c58007b198984dcdaa5f4dd82dc0d89a_name_2026_1_9_b5e20df5_5bd0_405b_9970_ebeaeb0ec410_jpg_1200x675.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/video/2026/01/09/chris-johnston-tours-olympic-rink-and-has-all-the-latest/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In case you missed it Jacob Quillan was sent back to the Marlies. > Have a night, Q! 👏 > > Shoutout to Jacob Quillan on earning his first professional hat trick and tonight's game belt! [pic.twitter.com/wDJ2fiIvyD](https://t.co/wDJ2fiIvyD?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [January 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2009824097984033095?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) He wasted no time in making his mark. William Nylander may play tonight, and this move seems to make that a strong possibility. This cheered me up: [Eight thoughts on the NHL at mid-seasonAt the midway mark of the NHL season, Justin Bourne shares his thoughts on parity, emerging superstars, the upcoming Olympics, and more.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caJustin Bourne![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/wild-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/eight-thoughts-on-the-nhl-at-mid-season/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It's a hockey man on the hockey mainstream site explaining randomness and touching on how we perceive it, the fallacy of "what you see is all there is" and while he's not using those words or describing it how I would, he is describing accurately how the universe works. This is now a radical act to just talk about reality. And maybe it always was in sports. On the topic of parity in the NHL, there's a bit of a cart before the horse type of reasoning going on, I've noticed. Yes, there are more close games, and more tie games, so more points. But that's the result of parity not a cause. The loser point is causal to some unknowable extent because it will change how teams play in close games. But the real driver of the parity bus can be found in the good old Corsi tables at five-on-five. There are so many teams hovering around 50% this year, and if they aren't there in Corsi, they are in Expected Goals. And this means that despite the branding of teams as "bottom feeders" based on some pretty damn insignificant difference in points or other measures, you really are in a fight for every win. Every team is (offer not valid in Denver). Some of this, maybe a huge part of this, is the rising salary cap which drove teams to keep players instead of trading them, to accept what are in one sense overpayments for older players to keep their skill around until is dries up. I think there's something going on with goaltending too. Either the cap is allowing some teams to hang on to two good goalies or it's just a random happenstance that the best goalies on each team cover a wide array of talent. The rapidly increasing salary cap is changing the league, and everyone who has ever said, "yeah but every team has more cap space to spend," are the people who understood this before we saw it in action. All Gary Bettman has done is pare down the teams that don't want to spend cash dollars to the cap to a very small number. Now imagine if the poorest teams in the NHL – Columbus, Winnipeg and perhaps the Sharks – started really spending, or transformed geographically, so they could. There'd be even less light between teams. No one is out of the playoff race in the east, not even Columbus. In the west, well, maybe those bottom few teams are. Like Vancouver. But they had to really work at it to be worse than Calgary. Now have this PBS show from 2018 in Carolina. Science! Have a great day. ### Friday's FTB: That was one strange overtime win URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-overtime-should-involve-more-standing-upright/ Last updated: 2026-01-09T11:00:07.000Z Yesterday there was discussion about the past. Did Brad Treliving try to trade for Brayden Schenn? And did he offer Easton Cowan, Ben Danford, all the stars in the sky and all the salt in the sea? Nick Kypreos seemed to claim so. As I reflected on this later, three little letters appeared in my mind: NMC. As in Schenn had one, and any trade would have needed his okay, and he has said he didn't give that, so any talk was talk about talking. A trade is not a trade if it didn't happen. If the talks took place, okay, they talked. But this putative Schenn trade is as real as the Marner for Rantanen deal. As in it's not. So we will never know what a final deal would look like if Schenn had been willing. And Darren Dreger says it wasn't a thing. Which is not why I'd like you to watch this. I'd like you to watch this because this is very "grown-ups talking" about the Leafs and what they should do, the situation they're in, and what they need. I am not overly fond of talk radio, but this was very good. Dreger and the Overdrive guys are joined by Jonas Siegel and Pierre LeBrun. Siegel's facial expression and his kind of yes/no head nod during LeBrun's bit is worth it. For the record, I agree with the Overdrive guys and Jeff O'Neill on the pregame last night when they said that while the Leafs are playing well right now, you can't take this as real just yet. I mean, you can, or not. You can bemoan the lost opportunity to tank and get draft picks or other bad ideas. You can buy in on a goal-scoring streak and claim that Auston is "fixed". But the Leafs have got to wait until after the Olympic trade freeze to decide if they want to add, subtract or press hold until June. But, yes, obviously the first thing on the shopping list actually is a defender, and this is irrespective of this season, because OEL is 34 years old. Tanev is... well, we don't know. But looking towards the future, a defender is necessary. And you'll see headlines related to this video about Luke Schenn, but this one time, actually watch it because Dreger is saying that Luke Schenn is affordable for the Leafs, but is that what the Leafs need? They want to do better. The real point of contention here is what LeBrun has to say (and what Siegel seems dubious about) where the Leafs could miss out by not acting now. LeBrun thinks that's not worth considering, but ignoring the choices you made to do nothing is actually one of the biggest flaws in most people's analysis of their past acts, and it's a huge problem in the NHL. What you didn't do takes longer to get you fired. Should they or shouldn't they? Let's just keep waiting. The season rolls on, and we will see where it ends up. There aren't any points for guessing now about the final result. No moral high ground for optimism or pessimism. No right, no wrong. It's all just equally bullshit. --- > A statement from President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Steve Staios. [pic.twitter.com/aTb7taO2av](https://t.co/aTb7taO2av?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Ottawa Senators (@Senators) [January 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/Senators/status/2009432233044578784?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Right, so here's the thing. I don't frequent the troll hives of the internet. I don't read gossip or the more unpleasant varieties of fanfic out there. So I have no idea what this is about, and while I get that Steve Staios is mad online here... maybe just rising above it, and not deigning to notice would have kept the lid on tighter. Because now it's a news story. (And was covered on the intermission panel last night.) There are passionate believers in the most dramatic and mean-spirited view of any situation. You can't make them shut up, but you can make everyone else wonder what fresh hell this is and head to Google. I direct you to the truly horrendous and misogynistic bullshit about Corey Perry that many chose to believe because it excited them. Or maybe you should just sue some of these mooks, I don't know. I do know this, if you want to discuss the details of this there is a big ole elsewhere on the internet to do it in, not here. Linus Ullmark deserves the same respect you'd give anyone. He is a real person, not a character in some soap opera. And this is now a two bullshits FTB and I haven't even talked about the game. --- About last night... This was a very low event game if you focused on Shots on Goal, but it was about normal in Corsi. There were just a lot of blocks and some misses. This has variously been assigned to each coach as evidence they are bad and should feel bad, or are a genius. This extremely weak call was about the only drama in the first: > Stecher to the box [pic.twitter.com/agBOIRNpR2](https://t.co/agBOIRNpR2?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2009425444991586368?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In the second the Flyers got one: > Travis Konecny scores first [pic.twitter.com/5ksBkzdgeX](https://t.co/5ksBkzdgeX?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2009431164184842730?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And this should have tied the game: > great feed, missing the finish [pic.twitter.com/aYbxkAALhE](https://t.co/aYbxkAALhE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2009440731497427268?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) After two, it was fairly even, and the score was pretty representative of the five-on-five chances. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/20252026-20686-all.png) The Leafs were not very exciting on their power plays. The third was a lot faster if not necessarily involving more shots. And then Scott Laughton tied it up. > this was Laughton's penalty kill [pic.twitter.com/1huxSG9AVR](https://t.co/1huxSG9AVR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2009452535736869323?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Overtime, and you know, it was nothing like the game. Or like hockey. Or made sense. Every Leafs player looked horrible, falling down, making stupid passes, giving the puck up. And Max Domi never played! Not Dennis Hildeby, though, he was great. > Hildeby's breakaway save on Zegras [pic.twitter.com/5KgSifqCHe](https://t.co/5KgSifqCHe?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2009456661262684326?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And then... Morgan Rielly with a great defensive dive and John Tavares with a cheeky pass, and Easton Cowan brought it home. > the two-on-one save including Rielly's leap across the crease [pic.twitter.com/gbGcuUCfV2](https://t.co/gbGcuUCfV2?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2009456893291544736?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > EASTON COWAN! OVERTIME WINNER! 🚨 [pic.twitter.com/XW6XkXmN6M](https://t.co/XW6XkXmN6M?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 9, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2009456483612938387?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) 2-1 Leafs. Two points in the can. And now here we are. The Leafs need to play at .551 the rest of the season to get to 92 points. They are currently at .570, and this means one thing. Raise the bar. The Leafs need to play at .590 the rest of the season to get to 95 points. If they get to that, Ill raise the bar again. Have a great Friday, everyone. ### GDT: Leafs at Flyers URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-at-flyers/ Last updated: 2026-01-08T23:30:34.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Philadelphia Flyers 07:00 PM at Xfinity Mobile Arena Watch on: TVAS, TSN4, NBCSP ### [Preview: Leafs in PhiladelphiaTSN games are back.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-375.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1615898082404-2af0e84df131)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-in-philadelphia/) ### Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Leafs in Philadelphia URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-in-philadelphia/ Last updated: 2026-01-08T17:00:51.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Philadelphia Flyers 07:00 PM at Xfinity Mobile Arena Watch on: TVAS, TSN4, NBCSP ### The Leafs last game was at home on January 6 against the Florida Panthers, which Toronto won by a score of 4-1 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 20-15-7 for a 0.560 Points %. The Philadelphia Flyers last played at home on January 6 against the Anaheim Ducks. The Flyers won by a score of 5-2 in regulation, and their current league record is 22-12-7 for a 0.622 Points %. ### Them Last year the Flyers were supposed to be really bad, and they just weren't. So what are they doing to be a good team with a roster that doesn't quite add up? Besides getting a coach who doesn't think Travis Konecny is a fourth liner. At five-on-five the Flyers are a member of the 50% club – a team where one of Corsi or xG is within a point of 50%. There are a lot of them this year, 19 at this moment. The Flyers get there via some very good Expected Goals Against results while they are bad to mediocre by every other measure. Their power play is middle of the road and they underscore expected by quite a lot. Their PK is good and their goaltending shorthanded is also good. In all-situations, their team Save% is 16th and right on league average. This is the usual profile of a 50% club member. They aren't awful at anything, and they may have one strength to their game. Dan Vladar has been the better goalie by a fairly large margin. #### Lines Last Game (2026-01-06) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/philadelphia-flyers/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Trevor Zegras - Christian Dvorak - Travis Konecny Denver Barkey - Sean Couturier - Owen Tippett Nikita Grebenkin - Noah Cates - Bobby Brink Carl Grundstrom - Rodrigo Abols - Garnet Hathaway Cam York - Travis Sanheim Emil Andrae - Jamie Drysdale Nick Seeler - Rasmus Ristolainen Dan Vladar - likely starter Samuel Errson ### Us Lines at morning skate are the same as last game. Looks like this is a Hildeby start. #### Lines [Morning skate:](https://x.com/davidalter/status/2009302138946465878?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - Matthew Knies Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Troy Stecher Simon Benoit - Phil Myers Joe Woll Dennis Hildeby ### The Game Two more points would be very handy and by now, the team knows how to win, they just need to keep doing it. ### Thursday FTB: The Un-Trade-iversary? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/thursday-ftb-the-un-trade-iversary/ Last updated: 2026-01-08T12:04:56.000Z Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans! When I get around to making an FTB - which has been less and less lately - I sometimes theme them to the day. Wednesdays can be "Where'd they go Wednesday?", and another special one is trade anniversary dates. I picked today to do a trade anniversary post and I checked my database - yes I made my own searchable database of Leafs trades - and the Maple Leafs have never made a trade on January 8th. That's one of those neat facts that I love, like how the Maple Leafs have never drafted a player from the OHLs Barrie Colts. No trades from today, unless Treliving has a little something up his sleeve.... We are one month out from the Winter Olympics and it looks like Milan is admitting the hockey rink may not be ready. [Ice Hockey Arena Delays Raise Concerns Ahead of Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter OlympicsThe 2026 Winter Olympics begin in Milan-Cortina; organizers are racing against the clock to finish the new ice hockey arena![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/cropped-PA-Logo_White-website-icon-270x270.png)PA | Architecture & TechnologyIsha Chaudhary![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Santagiulia-Ice-Hockey-Arena-Getty-Images-03.webp)](https://parametric-architecture.com/ice-hockey-arena-2026-winter-olympics/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) "International Ice Hockey Federation president Luc Tardif told reporters that while parts of the main arena may not be finished on time, the playing surface, practice facilities, and team dressing rooms will be ready for action when the puck drops. He stressed confidence that spectators and teams will be able to use the facility, even if some seating and finishing touches lag behind." Shades of the Big O in Montreal... With two months to go before the trade deadline and with a chunk of the cap opening with Chris Tanev likely done for the season, the rumour mill is doing overtime. [Brayden Schenn should become a Toronto Maple Leaf soonThe Toronto Maple Leafs have been playing better hockey as of late, winning five of their last seven games. As the Trade Deadline approaches in two months, play![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon_2-7584840191d9f13dce826391650b7201-2.ico)Editor In LeafNicholas Giannone![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/01ked6hh0kyaqe595ndy.jpg)](https://editorinleaf.com/brayden-schenn-should-become-a-toronto-maple-leaf-soon?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [New report may have already hurt Maple Leafs’ chances at landing Dougie HamiltonA new report from NHL insider David Pagnotta shows that perhaps the Maple Leafs may already be out on Dougie Hamilton as they continue to try and look to improve.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-icon-180x180-37.png)Hockey PatrolCharlie McAfee![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/630549.webp)](https://www.hockeypatrol.com/nhl-team/toronto-maple-leafs/new-report-may-have-already-hurt-maple-leafs-chances-at-landing-dougie-hamilton?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Real Kyper’s NHL Buzz: What some teams are weighing ahead of trade deadline![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caNick Kypreos![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Tuch.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/real-kypers-nhl-buzz-what-some-teams-are-weighing-ahead-of-nhl-trade-deadline/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Utah Mammoth are hosting the 2027 Winter Classic. [Utah Mammoth to host 2027 Winter ClassicThe Winter Classic is headed to the Beehive State in 2027 — a massive victory for a Utah Mammoth franchise in its second NHL season.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caElliotte Friedman![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/classic.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/utah-mammoth-to-host-2027-winter-classic/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In a beehive? I think that's one word I would never use for the London Knights. [GM Mark Hunter details Knights’ path after huge trade: ‘Underdogs’There is no joy in dealing away champions and character players.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/icon-lfp-4.png)London Free PressRyan Pyette![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_4614-e1665684816551.jpg)](https://lfpress.com/sports/hockey/junior-hockey/gm-mark-hunter-details-london-knights-path-after-huge-trade-underdogs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, the iron man of goalies, having played 552 season + playoff games in a row, Glenn Hall has passed. [Hall, ironman goaltender with record 502 consecutive starts, dies at 94 | NHL.comHall of Famer won Vezina Trophy 3 times, along with Conn Smythe and Calder in 18-year career![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-182.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/phkgi3a14siproykn5ci.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/hall-of-fame-goaltender-glenn-hall-dead-at-94?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I met him at a card show, he was very nice. Took time with everyone. Apparently he didn't go to many shows because he wasn't a huge fan of flying, so I lucked out there. 3 Vezina trophies, 84 shutouts, and then back to his farm in Alberta for a nice quiet retirement. Enjoy your day everyone. ### Wednesday's FTB: Panthers run right out of town URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-panthers-run-right-out-of-town/ Last updated: 2026-01-07T11:00:10.000Z Yesterday, Brandon Carlo came of of IR, and Marshall Rifai was returned to the AHL to make roster space. Rifai was on the Leafs roster for a day. > Between the suspension, termination, & new contract, Zamula will earn $1.15M in base salary this season instead of the $1.4M in his original contract[https://t.co/2R28guFmbP](https://t.co/2R28guFmbP?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/xQIFyAKjsM](https://t.co/xQIFyAKjsM?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [January 6, 2026](https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/2008626851774865799?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is a very scary looking thing: > Scary scene in Winnipeg as Haydn Fleury leaves the game on a stretcher after crashing into the boards back first. Was pushed by [#VegasBorn](https://twitter.com/hashtag/VegasBorn?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)’s Keegan Kolesar, who fights captain Adam Lowry after play restarted. [#GoJetsGo](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoJetsGo?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/pXpycpSIs8](https://t.co/pXpycpSIs8?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) [January 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/PuckReportNHL/status/2008715647942013120?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Fleury was conscious and moving extremities, so sometimes this looks bad when it is less serious, so hopefully that's the case here. Read the whole thing, this is a story that is about the league as well as the Ducks: [Former employee files lawsuit against Ducks, NHLThe NHL and the Ducks were named in a lawsuit filed by a former employee who says she faced sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination from 2022 to 2025.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/espn-icon-180x180-35.png)ESPNKristen Shilton![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/i-35)](https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/%5F/id/47533186/former-employee-sues-ducks-nhl-harassment-discrimination?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) About last night... First the ceremony: > Leafs history framed [pic.twitter.com/yDSYl4PTNQ](https://t.co/yDSYl4PTNQ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2008700383099580457?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) I missed almost all of the second period, so I'm a bit hazy on what actually went on there, but this was a very interesting game. The Leafs started out really struggling to get out of their own zone, and then they just... were fine (until the third period). This might be just a tiny bet too aggressive a PK from Florida: > power play breakaway > > all Florida penalty killers went in [pic.twitter.com/XGhLG0eJK2](https://t.co/XGhLG0eJK2?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2008703133430726851?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Goal number one in the last minute of the first: > from one end to the other > > Cowan's 5th of the season [pic.twitter.com/4NlVcdQAwR](https://t.co/4NlVcdQAwR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2008710170092921145?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Nick Robertson was a force in this game. A big statement from him about how he'd like to have a go at playoffs. Number two in the first minute of the second. > Knies deflects Stecher's shot for his 12th of the season [pic.twitter.com/nIVguM4yaG](https://t.co/nIVguM4yaG?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2008715527678816744?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Number three: > Knies was not losing this puck [pic.twitter.com/qqVFwcRLz0](https://t.co/qqVFwcRLz0?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2008716721482592466?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Marchand hasn't come out for the third [pic.twitter.com/Gkb7WKJZHp](https://t.co/Gkb7WKJZHp?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2008728595565629829?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Joe Woll had a few adventures clearing the puck, mostly not his fault, but this time he could not get all the way back in position in time. > Carter Verhaeghe beats Woll [pic.twitter.com/VBXZND7M01](https://t.co/VBXZND7M01?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2008733704244666642?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) There was a long review on this one, but the puck did not cross the goal line. > Bobrovsky got with his skate [pic.twitter.com/9DSB4upzsC](https://t.co/9DSB4upzsC?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 7, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2008734547693949323?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And Bobby McMann added an ENG to make it 4-1 Leafs. Overall, it was a very good game, with a bad scenario in the third period where Florida started with four minutes of power play time, and the Leafs struggled to get back in the flow. Imagine this team the way they played last night with a top-quality winger as well? But where to find one? Oh, yeah, on IR. If the Leafs play at .563 for the rest of the season, they will hit 92 points (this is the number I picked for likely make playoffs, but it may take more this year). They are currently playing at .560\. This is the lowest that first number has been since I first calculated this at 25 games played after Brad Marchand said the first time the Leafs should make the playoffs. That's also the closest the goal points pace has been to past realilty. In reality they need to play at something about .600 before I take them seriously. But no, they aren't tanking, they aren't selling off all the players or getting that lottery protected pick back. And yes, they may fail. But never trying isn't really the comforting safe world it seems. Next game is Thursday and then it's Vancouver coming to visit on the weekend. ### Sceptres Gameday: New York vs Toronto URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-new-york-vs-toronto/ Last updated: 2026-01-07T00:07:34.000Z ## New York Sirens @ Toronto Sceptres ### 7:00 PM ET @ Coca-Cola Coliseum **Watch in New York:** MSG **Watch in Canada:** Prime Video **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com Toronto's last game was a shootout loss to Seattle on January 3\. They currently have a Points % of .500 and are in fourth place. New York's last game was a regulation win over Montréal on January 2\. They currently have a Points % of .500 and are in third place. Toronto has a few points from overtime losses, which is the difference between the two right now. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/G98lsPGX0AAE1sk-1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/G-A2nGHXMAA7e4D-1-.jpg) ### GDT: Panthers @ Leafs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-panthers-leafs-3/ Last updated: 2026-01-07T00:00:03.000Z ### Florida Panthers @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:30 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: TNT, HBO MAX, SNO ### [Preview: Leafs host the PanthersNote the start time.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-374.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1564890422404-a3d1541f95fb)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-host-the-panthers/) Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Leafs host the Panthers URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-host-the-panthers/ Last updated: 2026-01-06T17:00:10.000Z ### Florida Panthers @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:30 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: TNT, HBO MAX, SNO ### The Leafs last game was away on January 3 against the New York Islanders, which Toronto lost by a score of 4-3 in overtime. The Leafs have a record of 19-15-7 for a 0.549 Points %. The Florida Panthers last played at home on January 4 against the Colorado Avalanche. The Panthers won by a score of 2-1 in regulation, and their current league record is 22-16-3 for a 0.573 Points %. ### Them The Panthers and the Leafs are in the same boat, and neither is sure if it's sinking or if they should keep bailing. They both need to play at a pace of around .600 or more for the rest of the season to take playoff spots. What's the Panther's case for trying? I mean, other than two Cups. The Panthers sit at 51% at five-on-five by Corsi or xG, so that's good, but not great. Bear in mind, one of the great teams is Ottawa, correlation is not destiny and all that. Their power play is mediocre in Expected Goal rate and they score well under it, but their PK is excellent and they allow fewer goals than that excellence says they should. Their team Save % is below average, and their shooting luck/skill is not very impressive either, which just means they need to have the puck more so they can shoot more to score goals. I'm about due for a rant on why PDO is a stupid name, a bad thing to ever discuss and is not a measure of luck, but the aspect of that absurd number that is more skill based at the team level is Save %. Shooting %, who the hell knows. You add up the values of a bunch of guys and what you have is a mud pie of no meaning. It's a "stat" you can assign a narrative to. Once again, you need to know the question a measure answers and you need to know why you want that answer. You don't start with the number and assign it meaning. If you're question is: Is this team lucky or good, PDO has no answer for you. Okay. Panthers: Don't figure your power play will beat them. They can win at five-on-five only if you let them. #### Lines Last Game (2026-01-04) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/florida-panthers/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Eetu Luostarinen - Anton Lundell - Sam Reinhart Carter Verhaeghe - Sam Bennett - Brad Marchand Mackie Samoskevich - Evan Rodrigues - A.J. Greer Jesper Boqvist - Luke Kunin - Jack Studnicka Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad Niko Mikkola - Uvis Balinskis Donovan Sebrango - Jeff Petry Sergei Bobrovsky - likely Daniil Trasov ### Us The injury report is in the FTB today, so not repeating it here. Brandon Carlo is back, so someone is coming off the active roster via IR or being sent down. There are many options available. No Nylander, and yesterday's practice looks like the setup for tonight. #### Lines David Alter via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday. Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - Matthew Knies Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Brandon Carlo Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Troy Stecher Simon Benoit - Philippe Myers Joe Woll - likely Dennis Hildeby ### The Game You never know with this game, but it looks like this needs to be a five-on-five win. ### Maple Leafs Prospect Report: January 6th News and Stars URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-prospect-report-january-6th-news-and-stars/ Last updated: 2026-01-06T13:00:38.000Z After the holiday break, and with the conclusion of the World Juniors yesterday, it's been about a month since my last prospect report. So, no better time than now to make an update! ## Tinus Luc Koblar (C/LW, 2nd rounder 2025) **Last month**: 1 goal, 4\* assists (5 points) in 6 games **Season to date**: 4 goals, 6\* assists (10 points) in 27 games Koblar's stint with Norway at December's Division 1A World Juniors tournament was a huge success. He was named top forward at the tournament. Since returning to the SHL, he's carried that success over. In those six games, he's mostly played as the team's 2C. He's coming off of consecutive 2 point games\*, while averaging around 15 minutes per game. A note on that asterisk, in one of those games he had two assists. The box score for the game on SHL's website shows him with two assists, and if you look at the highlights you can see him very obviously get two assists. But for whatever reason, he officially has only been credited for one assist. Honestly, from what I've seen he hasn't been doing that much more than he was before. Despite being bumped to the second line center spot on the official lineup, his ice time and role have remained the same. So he's not getting more of an opportunity. He's also not playing in an obviously better way. For me, this is more a case of his teammates have been playing better of late... at least when it comes to finishing scoring opportunities that he helps create. > Tinus Luc Koblar blir först att näta i SHL under 2026 🚨 [pic.twitter.com/exEFPoptjs](https://t.co/exEFPoptjs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — SHL.se (@SHLse) [January 3, 2026](https://twitter.com/SHLse/status/2007460750655095203?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Miroslav Holinka (C, 5th rounder 2024) **Last month**: 8 goals, 6 assists (14 points) in 6 games **Season to date**: 23 goals, 31 assists (54 points) in 34 games Holinka has been on a hell of a run. He's on an 8 game point streak going back to the start of December, and he has 17 points in that span. He's risen to 6th in the entire WHL in goals and 4th in points. He's been maintaining his top line center role, top powerplay unit, and often on the penalty kill. He's tied for the league lead in short handed goals with 3\. The thing is, he's shooting 22% on the season. That's not as absurdly high for junior as it is in the NHL, especially for a guy who has a good shot and is a decent finisher like Holinka does. But his shot rate is much lower than the other top scorers in the league. From what I can tell, this is because of two things. First, Holinka plays a more conservative, two-way center style at even strength. He's not an all-offense guy who pushes play aggressively up the ice. Second, he's more of a dual-threat offensive player than a pure goal scorer. He's just as likely to pass it as he is to shoot it. Both of these stylistic elements of his game are why, I think, his shot rate is lower than you'd expect for a top goal scorer. At this point, he's a must-watch for anyone following Toronto's prospects, as Edmonton goes down the stretch to solidify their playoff position. > Miroslav Holinka with another big night, recording two goals and two assists to extend his point streak to eight games (9G, 7A in that span). > > He currently ranks fourth in WHL scoring with 54 points (23G, 31A) in 34 games.[#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > [pic.twitter.com/rU3ypdLYrU](https://t.co/rU3ypdLYrU?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Czech Prospects (@CZprospects) [January 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/CZprospects/status/2008062964470022551?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ## Ben Danford (RD, 1st rounder 2024) **Last month**: 1 assist in 7 games at the World Juniors Danford may only have one assist at the World Juniors for Canada in their bronze medal run, but from what I watched he was solid. He was always lined up on the third pairing with a rotating cast of partners, since I believe Canada used at least 7 defensemen in all of their games. His ice time varied from as low as 11:46 in a blowout win against Denmark, to a high of 18:28 against Finland in the round robin. Canada came up short against Czechia in the semis, but he was the second most used defenseman. Danford played about as well as I was expecting. He was solid defensively for the most part, he moved the puck mostly well out of his own end, and he was jumping into the offense more often than I was expecting. I'm guessing that was a systems thing that the coaches wanted to see from every defenseman. If I nitpick enough I could say that I was hoping for a more consistent amount of high level defensive plays from him. I'd give him an "adequate" grade overall. This tournament shouldn't change your opinion of him. > BARDOWN FROM MICHAEL HAGE! 🔥 > > Canada leads 2-1! [#WorldJuniors](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/TKrUKvkZHX](https://t.co/TKrUKvkZHX?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [December 27, 2025](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2004738353242022257?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### News & Notes **Victor Johansson (LD, 4th rounder in 2024)** – I was disappointed to see that he didn't get much playing time for Sweden at the World Juniors. He didn't dress in every game, and in those that he did dress it was as the 7th defenseman, and in only two of the games did he get any ice time at all... and no more than 7 minutes in any game. **Tyler Hopkins (C, 3rd rounder in 2025)** – After missing a couple of weeks due to injury, Hopkins eventually returned at the end of December with a brand new team. Kingston was in tear-down mode at the OHL trade deadline, and Hopkins was dealt to a young but upcoming Guelph team that will be looking to aggressively build towards the 2027 Memorial Cup they're hosting. If Hopkins returns to the OHL next season, he'll be a part of that team as a key piece in his age-19 season. **Joe Miller (C/RW, 6th rounder in 2020)** – Miller's always been a long shot, but I've always had a soft spot for him. He reminds me of an even smaller version of Braeden Kressler. They have the brains and a decent amount of skill, but they just don't have the physical capabilities to play at a high level at the professional level. Still, in his final season with Harvard, Miller has been on a strong run with 3 goals and 5 points in his last 4 games. **Rylan Fellinger (RD, 6th rounder in 2025)** – It hasn't been a huge breakout season for Fellinger, but he's shown some improvements this season. He's mostly been on their third pairing, but has had some games lining up on the second. He managed to surpass his point totals from last year (7) in only 33 games despite the similarly limited role he's played, with 1 goal and 7 assists on the season. **Sam McCue (LW, 7th rounder in 2024)** – Someone who had a bit of hype going for him last year thanks to his goal scoring, McCue's shine is well and truly gone at this point. He got traded away from Brantford to Ottawa, his 5th team in 3 seasons in the OHL. He played one game for them on December 5th but none since then, I'm assuming because of injury. ### Thanks for reading! I put a lot of work into my prospect articles here, both for the draft and Toronto's prospects. I do it as a fun hobby for me, and I'd probably do it in some capacity even if PPP completely ceased to exist. But if you like reading my work, some support would go a long way! I pay for a few streaming services (CHL, NCAA, USHL, the occasional TSN options for international tournaments that are broadcast) to be able to reliably watch these prospects in good quality streams. I also pay for some prospect-specific resources, such as tracking data and scouting reports from outlets like Elite Prospects, Future Considerations, McKeen's Hockey, The Athletic, and more. Being able to get paid for this helps me dedicate more time and resources to it, rather than to second/third jobs. And whatever money I make here, a lot of I reinvest back into my prospect work through in those streaming and scouting services. Like I said, I'd be doing whatever I can afford for this anyway, so any financial help I get through this is greatly appreciated! ## PPP Leafs Runs on Your Subscriptions ### Consider making a commitment today. [ Support PPP ](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/#/portal/signup) ### Tuesday's FTB: Bring on the Panthers URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-bring-on-the-panthers/ Last updated: 2026-01-06T11:00:46.000Z Canada won the bronze at the WJC yesterday and Sweden took the gold, leaving the worst medal in the hands of the Czechs. Bronze is the colour of those weird faux-leather uniform designs that are popular right now for things like the outdoor game which Florida lost comprehensively. And now here they are, all mad, and two whole points ahead of the Leafs. More on that later. In other news, the saga of Yegor Zamula heats up today as Pittsburgh, bizarrely, traded for him – albeit with a guy they clearly don't have a use for – and now are terminating his contract. At 2 pm today, the bidding war to get a cheap NHL-ready defender begins. Zamula is no a star, not a top-pairing guy, but he likely is Troy Stecher, give or take. In sad news yesterday, Bob Pulford, a winner for four Cups with the Leafs, died at age 89\. [Pulford, 4-time Stanley Cup champion with Maple Leafs, dies at 89 | NHL.comHockey Hall of Famer also coached Kings, won 1975 Jack Adams Award![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-180.png)NHL logoNHLMedia![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/uciwsyde65gckzddi5im.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/bob-pulford-dead-at-age-89?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) David Branch, once synonymous with the OHL, died at age 77, barely into his retirement from the league. [Branch dies at 77; was longtime OHL commissioner, CHL president | NHL.comLauded by Bettman for ‘visionary leadership,’ ‘true pillar of the game’![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-181.png)NHL logoDerek Van Diest![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ixckzpb5gsnjpdsm8ymn.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/david-branch-dead-at-77?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And now the injury report: William Nylander is now on IR, but can be activated whenever he is ready to play. He is day-to-day and unlikely to play tonight. Jake McCabe is not playing, and is day-to-day with an LBI, but is not expected to miss much more than a week. Anthony Stolarz continues recovery with on-ice work and has no expected return date yet. Brandon Carlo may play today as he recovers from an infection requiring surgery on his foot. The Leafs did recall Marshall Rifai. Dakota Joshua is said to have a lacerated kidney but was on the ice doing work outside of practice. The recovery time from this injury – which did not require surgery – varies greatly depending on the severity of the injury. Chris Tanev is due to have more medical consultation this week and may require surgery for the groin injury he recently suffered. He is on a long-term timeline to return. Dakota Mermis in unknown in terms of timeline with an LBI. Not within the next week seems to be about all you can say for sure. --- We will get the Canadian Women's Olympic team roster on Friday of this week. In the meantime, the Sceptres play tonight ahead of a multi-day break. [Flyers sign F Dvorak to five-year contract extensionThe Philadelphia Flyers have signed centre Christian Dvorak to a five-year contract extension worth $25.75 million, the team announced on Monday.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-179.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/A32MGJRSVZCK7DSZGNVPF7CKBI.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/flyers-sign-f-dvorak-to-five-year-contract-extension/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And that's all for today so far. ### Monday's FTB: No Canada URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-no-canada/ Last updated: 2026-01-05T11:57:22.000Z The World Juniors has come to another disappointing end for Team Canada. It is of course not completely over, they will play for the bronze medal against Finland, but it's now the third year in a row they have lost to Czechia, the third year they have missed out on the gold medal after beating Czechia to win it in 2023. There's blame to go around, but it should not be overlooked that the Czechs were very good once again. They have built up quite a hockey machine there. That being said there was some really dumb penalties taken by the Canadian players, particularly in the third period, and there's lots more to analyze. I would do that here, but TSN already did it in this video, so if you want to watch the autopsy and see Gavin McKenna staring blankly into the abyss while doing a post-game interview, go to video. And if you just want to see kids crying you can watch this. > THE CZECHS HALT THE CANADIAN MOMENTUM WITH A LATE GO-AHEAD GOAL 😦 [#WorldJuniors](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/GLTNRzcTR3](https://t.co/GLTNRzcTR3?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [January 5, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2008031501632389460?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The bronze medal game is at 4:30 p.m. ET today. The gold medal game is at 8:30. The Leafs aren't playing again until tomorrow when they host the Panthers. There's no confirmation yet, but the Panthers are hinting it's possible that Matthew Tkachuck will be back for his first game of the season after having surgery in the summer. [Tkachuk could return from injury to Panthers on upcoming road trip | NHL.comForward has missed entire season after Aug. 22 surgery for defending Cup champions![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-179.png)NHL logoGeorge Richards![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/bgwemihwtkzzbinryxor.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/news/matthew-tkachuk-nearing-return-from-injury-to-florida-panthers?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Sceptres are playing tomorrow night too at the Coliseum hosting the New York Sirens. The Marlies had a really bad outing yesterday losing to the Phantoms 6-1\. That came after winning 6-4 to the Rochester Americans on Saturday. Their next game is a Wednesday night tilt against the Cleveland Monsters. They also have a home game on Friday and then they set sail for the Boat Show road trip. ### Sunday's FTB: Shanahan's new job and something else... what was that? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sundays-ftb-shanahans-new-job-and-something-else-what-was-that/ Last updated: 2026-01-04T11:00:25.000Z Off the top: > AUSTON MATTHEWS 🚨🚨 > > HE IS THE GLOAT! 421 GOALS! [pic.twitter.com/PoNgIQTYoI](https://t.co/PoNgIQTYoI?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2007629065310875890?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) No record was needed, he was the GLOAT, and is the GLOAT. There's no Leafs game for two days, and this is the last time until the Olympic break that is true. I, personally, think this schedule is absurdly punishing. Today at the WJC, Canada plays Czechia at 8:30 pm, and Sweden plays Finland at 4:30 pm. The gold medal game is tomorrow at 8:30 pm. In news yesterday, Hockey Canada has hired Brendan Shanahan for a special project to [review junior hockey (men's only) in Ontario](https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/shanahan-leading-review-2026-corp?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). > Shanahan will report to a six-person governance committee and produce two public documents: an interim paper that includes a framework for consulting with stakeholders in the coming weeks, and a final report with his recommendations later in 2026. > The committee consists of Craig Halpenny, president of Hockey Eastern Ontario; Dean Filane, president of Hockey Northwestern Ontario; Jeffrey Turner, chair of the Ontario Hockey Federation Board of Directors; Jonathan Goldbloom, chair of the Hockey Canada Board of Directors; John Kastner, Hockey Canada board member; and Katherine Henderson, president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada. This project involves the three member organizations of Hockey Canada that exist in Ontario: Hockey Eastern Ontario, Hockey Northwestern Ontario, and the Ontario Hockey Federation. That last group oversees the bulk of Ontario amateur hockey, including the OHL and feeder leagues. > To conduct his work, Shanahan will take four guiding principles into account: > Prioritize the needs, development and wellbeing of players at all levels of junior hockey in Ontario, with policies and frameworks that are rooted in healthy player experiences. > Foster collaboration across Hockey Canada, its Ontario Members and junior hockey stakeholders in the province to establish recommendations around a cohesive governance model with consistent, aligned development pathways, clear roles and responsibilities, and a unified approach to junior hockey excellence. > Maintain transparency and openness throughout the process, ensuring stakeholders are consulted and informed in decision-making to build trust and confidence in renewed governance and the broader hockey system. > Embed Hockey Canada’s core values into his recommendations around governance structures and actions to be taken. It's easy to by cynical about these sorts of things, but a couple of things here stood out to me, first that they are recognizing member organizations already have done some of this work and they will include that work. But the most important thing is Shanahan's track record with Player Safety. He took that job very seriously, and wasn't looking for a sinecure that let him shoot the breeze with some other hockey guys all day. > We’ve made a tweak to our xGoals model to adapt to how the NHL is now tracking tips/deflections. These shots were overvalued in xG, resulting in most goalies looking above average. Thx to [@JesseGranger\_](https://twitter.com/JesseGranger%5F?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) , [@mirtle](https://twitter.com/mirtle?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) , [@timoseppa](https://twitter.com/timoseppa?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), & [@CJTDevil](https://twitter.com/CJTDevil?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) for writing about tracking changes. [pic.twitter.com/0n2q64iuks](https://t.co/0n2q64iuks?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — MoneyPuck.com (@MoneyPuckdotcom) [January 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/MoneyPuckdotcom/status/2007637926604353673?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This situation, as outlined by CJTDevil has every xG model showing actual goals below expected for all teams, most players. This is definitely affecting how you view Auston Matthews' level of "oh so broken" if you've been using xG as your guide. The situation appears to be the way the NHL is integrating EDGE puck and player tracking into it's reporting of shots. I looked at Matthews yesterday morning via the shooting talent adjusted stats on Moneypuck and now his xG by that measure is three goals lower. And that does not include last night's game. This should be a hard reminder that these numbers are not carved marble representatives of reality. They are shadings of the truth only, and that's before you even consider errors or changes. It's never been a question of are these stats good/bad, it's always been about how you the user has to use your own brain to make some judgements with these numbers. --- About last night... Jake McCabe left the game late in the third and did not return. We won't get word on him right away, Monday likely. The Leafs had a whopping 60% Corsi and 57% xG in the first period, but... ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/20252026-20651-all.png) I tried to make this look better for someone by having it be all-situations, but it didn't help. They need to find the net a little more. In the second period, the Islanders opened the scoring, and then a thing happened, you may have heard about it. > Jake McCabe has the sole assist on Matthews' goal [pic.twitter.com/NHTzazxji9](https://t.co/NHTzazxji9?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2007625700162117698?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > everyone came off the bench [pic.twitter.com/TixihEVY0e](https://t.co/TixihEVY0e?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2007629620464804035?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Words are inadequate to describe how happy I am that this happened in the Islanders' rink. You know, when he's UFA age, I want Schaefer too. Both teams were a little better, Leafs with the advantage still: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/20252026-20651-cfdiff-all.png) The goal was still to win the game. > Matthew Schafer ties the game [pic.twitter.com/8saqKIgDT4](https://t.co/8saqKIgDT4?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2007640993986936836?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) He can defend too, he is a very, very special player. But sometimes, you need linemates, years of struggle, perseverance and the ability to grow. > this line is it > > what an effort [pic.twitter.com/YdA2iFqjkM](https://t.co/YdA2iFqjkM?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2007641746579296379?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Not the greatest moment for Jeo Woll ever, nor for the Leafs defence, and the game was far from over: > Emil Heineman scores from the right circle > > its a tie game once again [pic.twitter.com/b6GIiCbC2W](https://t.co/b6GIiCbC2W?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2007642984997851396?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Overtime, and it wasn't the storybook ending for our side, but for theirs. > Matthew Schaefer ends it in overtime [pic.twitter.com/0DzMTjSSUu](https://t.co/0DzMTjSSUu?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2007645984466317784?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > why? [pic.twitter.com/5EQHcPJ2PA](https://t.co/5EQHcPJ2PA?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 4, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2007646918114206126?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Find someone to blame if you like, but the truth is, that's how it goes in this game. Humans are imperfect. This is why you can't take too long to dive deep into Malaise in life, because emergencies come along and you have to show up. You can't let it all go figuring you'll figure it out someday, because someday comes, and Matthew Schaefer is rolling at you. You need to have some amount of your shit together all the time because there is no deserve in hockey. And all of that is easy to say, but when it all goes wrong, climbing up out of it isn't as easy to do as it is to expect from people who don't ever seem real sometimes. It's even harder when the people really are actual humans. Two days off, and then once more to try to climb the mountain. 421 GLOAT. ### GDT: Leafs @ Islanders URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-islanders-2/ Last updated: 2026-01-03T23:30:25.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ New York Islanders 07:00 PM at UBS Arena Watch on: SN, CBC, NHLN, MSGSN ### [Preview: Leafs on Long IslandOh, Auston, set the record there just to make JT laugh (later, when there are no cameras).![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-372.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1629647004429-aaef2bbd36e8)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-on-long-island/) Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Leafs on Long Island URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-on-long-island/ Last updated: 2026-01-03T19:05:05.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ New York Islanders 07:00 PM at UBS Arena Watch on: SN, CBC, NHLN, MSGSN ### The Leafs last game was at home on January 1 against the Winnipeg Jets, which Toronto won by a score of 6-5 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 19-15-6 for a 0.550 Points %. The New York Islanders last played at home on January 1 against the Utah Mammoth. The Islanders lost by a score of 7-2 in regulation, and their current league record is 22-15-4 for a 0.585 Points %. ### Them Ilya Sorokin is back, but will not start tonight while Bo Horvat is now injured. The Islanders are down in the bottom 10 of the NHL with the Leafs in five-on-five measures, but they are still a much better team than last year. Their power play has almost identical measures to the Leafs – mediocre at xG and terrible at actual goal scoring. They now have the worst xG Against shorthanded, a position the Leafs held for some time. They get away with this, the same way the Leafs do – goaltending. And that is where the Islanders make up for all this other mediocrity and terrible defending (their xG Against at five-on-five is the fourth worst in the NHL). The Islanders top two goalies are the best tandem in the NHL. Their team Save % is only seventh because of all those quality shots they allow, but the goalies are bailing out the boat and keeping it above water. David Rittich actually has a better Goals Saved Above Expected per 60 than Sorokin, but they are both in the top five for regular goalies so far this season. #### Lines Denis Gorman via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/new-york-islanders/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice Anders Lee - Mathew Barzal - Emil Heineman Maxim Shabanov - Jean-Gabriel Pageau - Maxim Tsyplakov Jonathan Drouin - Calum Ritchie - Simon Holmstrom Kyle MacLean - Casey Cizikas - Marc Gatcomb Matthew Schaefer - Ryan Pulock Adam Pelech - Tony DeAngelo Cole McWard - Scott Mayfield David Rittich - confirmed starter Ilya Sorokin ### Us Matt Benning makes his NHL debut tonight as Phil Myers sits, and Troy Stecher gets a go on the top pair. No Brandon Carlo yet. William Nylander is still out. #### Lines David Alter via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - Matthew Knies Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Troy Stecher Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Matt Benning Joe Woll - starter Dennis Hildeby ### The Game I know that the Leafs right now are not their season average selves, particularly not on the power play where there has been real growth in quantity and quality of shooting, and also just who plays. I don't know if the Islanders are this team they've been, worse because of Horvat out, or something new. But the key to the game is to get lots of pucks on Big Save Dave, because eventually some go in. ### Sceptres Gameday: A trip to Hamilton to play Seattle URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-a-trip-to-hamilton-to-play-the-cha/ Last updated: 2026-01-03T17:40:06.000Z ## Seattle Torrent @ Toronto Sceptres ### *DoorDash Takeover Tour™: Hamilton* 2:00 PM @ TD Coliseum, Hamilton **Watch in Seattle:** FOX 13+ **Watch in Canada:** CBC **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com Toronto's last game was a 5-1 regulation loss to the Frost at home on December 30\. Their Points % is now 0.519 and they are third in the standings. Seattle's last game was a 4-3 regulation loss to the Sirens on December 28\. Their Points % is 0.476 and they are fifth in the standings. This game gives fans a chance to see the newly renovated NHL-size arena in Hamilton, formerly known as Copps Coliseum. And it gives us a look at one of the new expansion teams. ### Seattle One of two new teams, Seattle got some stars in the summer in Team USA veterans Hilary Knight and Alex Carpenter. I consider Carpenter to be one of the best players in women's hockey, but for whatever reason, she just doesn't have that buzz the big names get. Meanwhile, they also got Julia Gosling from the Sceptres, who leads the team in points. They have good defenders, maybe not stars, but a solid group. Their rookie goalie Hannah Murphy has been outstanding coming off four very good seasons at Colgate. The team has been playing her in a tandem with Corine Schroeder, who is the last-placed goalie in the league. That said, their problem holding them back is goal scoring. ### Toronto With the Sceptres about to play their 10th game, the glass is half full in most respects. They are in an okay points position, and most of those points come from regulation wins. They've been troubled very little by injury. In the glass half empty department, they have a negative goal differential and they haven't been successful on the power play. Which is just how it goes over nine games and only 22 chances at it. If they have an issue, it too is goal scoring. Daryl Watts is carrying the offence so far with Jesse Compher (Team USA snub) and Blayre Turnbull backing her up. But with the length of the season and the points system, all you actually need from your first 10 games is to not be horrible, and even that isn't impossible to overcome. ### Lineups ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/G9tUjkJXsAAJqBw-1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/G9v-JUUWUAAWo5G-1-.jpg) ### Saturday's FTB: Let's go to a tropical island URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/saturdays-ftb-lets-go-to-a-tropical-island/ Last updated: 2026-01-03T11:00:52.000Z If you missed it yesterday, a lot of Olympic rosters were announced. This handy article has USA, Sweden and Finland. [http://iihf.com/en/events/2026/olympic-m/news/71491/men\_s\_olympic\_rosters\_for\_milano\_cortina\_2026\_unde](http://iihf.com/en/events/2026/olympic-m/news/71491/men%5Fs%5Folympic%5Frosters%5Ffor%5Fmilano%5Fcortina%5F2026%5Funde?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Also, no Adam Fox is nuts > > — EvolvingWild (@EvolvingWild) [January 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/EvolvingWild/status/2007218953597399423?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) They speak for me. If you think the Leafs are the whole of the world, and really, who doesn't? Then what you need to know is: Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Oliver Ekman-Larsson will be in Milan while their teammates promise to workout but will actually go to Grand Cayman. In WJC news, Germany very convincingly sent Denmark down the elevator to the lower division. Sweden bounced Latvia with ease, The Czechs took care of the Swiss and in the later game, Finland upset the host USA to get to the semifinals. Team Canada got out ahead early against Slovakia, the least capable team in the quarterfinals, and when I quit paying attention it was 7-1\. If I'm reading the standings right, the semis will be Canada vs Czechia, the only team to give them any kind of a fight in the preliminary round, and old friends Sweden vs Finland will play in the other one. All the games from now on are in the big rink in St. Paul. Today is an off day at the WJC with the semifinals on Sunday and the medal games on Monday. In NHL news, some game was played outside. I don't know anything about it, no Leafs were in it. More on the Islanders later today in the preview, but Bo Horvat won't be playing: [Islanders’ Bo Horvat out at least a week, avoids worst-case scenarioThe New York Islanders centre is set to miss at least the next week after suffering an injury against the Utah Mammoth on Thursday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Friday.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Bo-Horvat.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/islanders-bo-horvat-out-at-least-a-week-avoids-worst-case-scenario/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) So, about the Leafs all-time goal record. Auston Matthews is one behind Mats Sundin, but Sundin, who played in 981 games to get 420 goals, had 987 total points, so Matthews, with 758 points in 663 games, needs to score two to take the lead. While I'm looking at goal stats, William Nylander is at 276 goals in ninth place all-time. He is 20 behind George Armstrong and Frank Mahovlich, and 24 behind Rick Vaive, so he might not vault to fifth this year, but he's not far off. And since we're seeing the Islanders today, I'll mention that John Tavares is 12th all-time on the Leafs with 237 goals and ninth on the Islanders with 272\. Tavares is fifth on the list for active NHL players with 509 in total. Auston Matthews is 10th for active players with 419\. The highest ranked player after him born in 1997 is a fellow named Connor McDavid who is 15th. ### Friday's FTB: More Olympic rosters URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/fridays-ftb-more-olympic-rosters/ Last updated: 2026-01-02T11:00:49.000Z USA, Sweden and Finland will all reveal their Olympic rosters today. All rosters were filed on December 31\. Hockey Canada decided there would be no way to not have it leaked, so they didn't go along with the planned January 2 reveal. But there isn't any business about countering the Team Canada roster by the other countries because of the delay in the reveal. Some players who were not selected, but who have been in the drug testing protocol will be asked to remain in that system in case teams need injury replacements. Maybe that should be *when* teams need injury replacements. And with all this Olympic talk, it's possible everyone has forgotten the WJC. Sweden and Canada lead their groups going into today's quarterfinals. Today's schedule all in Eastern Time: - Germany plays Denmark in the relegation game at 12:30 in the Mariucci arena where Canada plays - Sweden plays Latvia at 2 pm in the Wild arena - Czechia plays Switzerland at 4:30 in Mariucci - USA plays Finland at 6 pm in the Wild arena - Canada plays Slovakia at 8:30 pm on the very used ice in Mariucci The four winners are reseeded and assigned to their semifinal opponent on Sunday. This is not a bracket system. The reseeding process relies first on group finish and then points. Canada, should they win, have a higher group ranking and points than anyone they might play. Sweden has more points, meaning they'll get, should they win, the lowest-ranked opponent and Canada the second lowest. What that all means is that if the quarterfinals go as you might expect, Canada would play the USA in the semis. But this is hockey, and things don't always go the way you expect. The Leafs played the first of 16 games in January last night with two more – a back-to-back in Alberta – before the break for the Olympics. They come back to a back-to-back as well, this time in Florida. The price of the Olympics is paid by the players. About last night... It looked like Max Domi had a goal right off the bat, but it was merely a crossbar. > ouch [pic.twitter.com/6WyEVuAbod](https://t.co/6WyEVuAbod?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006881727457931323?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Almost: > Robertson's shot hits the post [pic.twitter.com/WH1VT7p5uo](https://t.co/WH1VT7p5uo?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006885706858131912?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Matt Knies had an almost as well, but two Jets had real goals. > Gabriel Vilardi scores first for Winnipeg [pic.twitter.com/JlxVyEcP7P](https://t.co/JlxVyEcP7P?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006886890696499579?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Dylan DeMelo scores off Matthews' stick [pic.twitter.com/OaNWFNoEtE](https://t.co/OaNWFNoEtE?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006888441192054956?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Sigh. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2026/01/20252026-20634-5v5.png) Eh, this is fine, really. Luck twists and turns as it does. > stick check at one end, deflection at the other [pic.twitter.com/PgqY9ur2tv](https://t.co/PgqY9ur2tv?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006895608364183597?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Alex Iaffalo restores the two-goal lead 37 seconds later [pic.twitter.com/OUE77Red10](https://t.co/OUE77Red10?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006895210182189321?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Mark Scheifele makes it 4-1 [pic.twitter.com/hnrELj0csi](https://t.co/hnrELj0csi?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006896702666813708?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Woll was pulled after this one, not exactly his fault, but he wasn't stellar either. Dennis Hildeby came in, and it was, once again, time to see what these guys had in the way of fight in them. The fourth line checked in: > OLIVER EKMAN-LARSSON 🚨 > > but what an effort from Lorentz and Laughton! [pic.twitter.com/E8tIH5fBJ6](https://t.co/E8tIH5fBJ6?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006899354372640996?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Matthews checked in: > Matthews scores his 17th with two seconds left in the period [pic.twitter.com/oLT4WeSK6k](https://t.co/oLT4WeSK6k?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006903772472291492?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) After two, the Jets had the puck more, the Leafs did smarter things with it overall, and the score of 4-3 was not out of line at all with how hard and effective both teams played. And yes, I'd say the Leafs dug in and had a lot of fight in them. And in the third, you ask? > MATTIAS MACCIELLI 🚨 > > TIE GAME! TOP CHEESE! [pic.twitter.com/YQPAkhkjjR](https://t.co/YQPAkhkjjR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006911419430691270?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Some damn Jets player scored and took the lead. He doesn't deserve his gif posted. > TROY STECHER 🚨 > > THE HYPEMAN TIES IT! [pic.twitter.com/rriF2GfXxp](https://t.co/rriF2GfXxp?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006913930665607412?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > his name is Troy [pic.twitter.com/rN9FwthF1b](https://t.co/rN9FwthF1b?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006914264553107613?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Oh, and this guy: > AUSTON MATTHEWS 🎩🎩🎩 > > HAT TRICK! LEAFS TAKE THE LEAD! [pic.twitter.com/x0ue6xNTQ3](https://t.co/x0ue6xNTQ3?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [January 2, 2026](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006914939840327875?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And then at the very end, the Beast had some fight in him too. 6-5 the final score. A win that didn't just happen, it was fought for. And that's all for today. The Leafs are in Long Island tomorrow. ### GDT: Winnipeg Jets flew in to play the Leafs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-winnipeg-jets-flew-in-to-play-the-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-01-01T23:30:10.000Z ### Winnipeg Jets @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: NHLN, SNO, TSN3 ### [Preview: Jets at LeafsBoth teams think they’ve turned a corner on a bad season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-371.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1693317301108-516f26149340)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-jets-at-leafs/) ### Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Jets at Leafs URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-jets-at-leafs/ Last updated: 2026-01-01T17:00:19.000Z ### Winnipeg Jets @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: NHLN, SNO, TSN3 ### The Leafs last game was at home on December 30 against the New Jersey Devils, which Toronto won by a score of 4-0 in regulation in a shutout and it was fun. The Leafs have a record of 18-15-6 for a 0.538 Points %. The Winnipeg Jets last played away on December 31 against the Detroit Red Wings. The Jets lost by a score of 2-1 in regulation, and their current league record is 15-19-4 for a 0.447 Points %. ### Them Standings don't lie, this team was great last year and are terrible now. Right? [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/connor-hellebuyck/2465?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) lays out the situation with Connor Hellebuyck: > The Jets went 3-8-1 in 12 games with Hellebuyck sidelined due to a knee injury, but unfortunately for them, their struggles have continued since Hellebuyck's return. The 32-year-old goalie has just one win since his return, posting a 2.65 GAA and .893 SV% in seven games (1-3-3). The Jets enter Wednesday's contest as -107 road favorites against a Detroit Red Wings team that is 7-3-0 in its last 10 games. If the team is allowing 2.65 goals against, which should enable a lot of wins if you score goals, that seems to not just be a goalie problem, so they might be bad now. Were they ever good? Yes, at five-on-five last year, the Jets were sixth best in Expected Goals %. They had the best team Save % in the NHL, because you need those kinds of seasons to run away with the standings, but they weren't just goaltending. This year they are 26th in xG%, right behind the Leafs. Their power play is poor and they score under expected. Their PK is better, but is not a big strength. Their team Save % is .891, which is in the average range. They have the fourth-lowest Goals For in the Western Conference, tied with offensively challenged teams Chicago and Calgary. Why? Well, who knows, it won't be just one thing, it won't just be the coach – I bet there's a large constituency who wants him fired, whoever he is. I checked the Twitter rage machine, and yes, yes there is. Apparently the team is playing better lately. Hellebuyck played last night, Comrie should get tonight's start. #### Lines Mitchell Clinton via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/winnipeg-jets/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from last night's game. Kyle Connor - Mark Scheifele - Gabriel Vilardi Cole Perfetti - Jonathan Toews - Alex Iafallo Morgan Barron - Adam Lowry - Tanner Pearson Nino Niederreiter - Vladislav Namestnikov - Gustav Nyquist Josh Morrissey - Dylan DeMelo Dylan Samberg - Neal Pionk Logan Stanley - Luke Schenn Eric Comrie Connor Hellebuyck ### Us In case you missed it, the latest injury report is: - William Nylander - day-to-day with an LBI and not playing today - Auston Matthews - will play today, has been out with an LBI after taking a puck off the leg - Brandon Carlo - will return in the next game or so after surgery on his foot, he has been practicing for a week or more - Dakota Mermis - day-to-day with an LBI - Anthony Stolarz - skated for the first time this week, no timeline for return - Dakota Joshua - spent the day with family after leaving the Detroit hospital (he is from Dearborn) and will return to Toronto, no timeline on return after an injury from a hit that damaged a kidney - Chris Tanev - suffered a groin injury in Detroit, no timeline on return but it will be significant time missed The last three on that list are all listed as week-to-week. > [#Leafs](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Leafs?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) PP units in morning skate > > Rielly > Maccelli, Knies, Matthews > Tavares > > Ekman-Larsaon > Domi, McMann, Robertson > Roy > > PP has 4 goals last 3 games. > > — Tony Ambrogio (@Tony\_Ambrogio) [January 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/Tony%5FAmbrogio/status/2006753464655949856?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) #### Lines [From Morning Skate:](https://x.com/Tony%5FAmbrogio/status/2006749841419079760?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Matthew Knies - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - Bobby McMann Easton Cowan - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Steven Lorentz - Scott Laughton - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Philippe Myers Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Joe Woll - starter Dennis Hildeby ### The Game Someone's getting a much needed win tonight. ### New Year's FTB: Resolutions URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/new-years-ftb-resolutions/ Last updated: 2026-01-01T15:28:39.000Z Just win, Leafs. There's your resolution. That's it. The Leafs will play the Jets today at 7:00 p.m. who presently sit fallen from grace at last place in the entire league, so the Leafs better get two points from this game. That would be great after getting the two against the Devils, which someone you may have heard of had something to say about it. [‘Show some emotion’: Devils’ Keefe backs Hischier fighting Knies![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Knies-Hischier.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/show-some-emotion-devils-keefe-backs-hischier-fighting-knies/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) We will have our preview of the game out later today, but it is a regular 7:00 p.m. ET start. The Marlies will be playing the Crunch today at the Coliseum and the Crunch are a good team. The Marlies need the win too as in-division wins are really important in the AHL. The Marlies defence will look a little different with Rhett Parsons sent back to the ECHL yesterday. We'll see later today if Matt Benning comes back to the Marlies or stays with the Leafs for the game against the Jets. ### Other News Speaking of the ECHL, the work stoppage is over and the new CBA between the ECHL and the PHPA has been ratified. > The PHPA's ECHL membership has ratified a new, five-year collective bargaining agreement with the [@ECHL](https://twitter.com/ECHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com). The new agreement will run through the 2029-30 season. > > “This agreement reflects the unity, resolve, professionalism and discipline of our members throughout this process,”… [pic.twitter.com/V5zLBk5DVB](https://t.co/V5zLBk5DVB?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — PHPA (@thephpa) [December 30, 2025](https://twitter.com/thephpa/status/2006048197832012245?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Latvia continues its climb in the hockey world. [Meet Alberts Smits, the no-nonsense top NHL prospect from LatviaThe 6-foot-3 blueliner is expected to be the highest-drafted player in his nation’s history next June.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-326.png)Daily FaceoffSteven Ellis![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/image-78)](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/who-is-alberts-smits-latvias-best-nhl-draft-prospect-ever-2026-world-juniors?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Speaking of the World Juniors. The USA - Sweden game got nasty. > THINGS ARE GETTING HEATED BETWEEN SWEDEN AND USA 👀[#WorldJuniors](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/ZP0HmAahke](https://t.co/ZP0HmAahke?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [January 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2006535335128281224?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Sweden won the game in the end. Today is a day off for the tournament. Games will resume on Friday. Stamkos scored his 600th goal last night. > STEVEN STAMKOS IS A 600-GOAL MAN 🔨 [pic.twitter.com/S6AlF0pvql](https://t.co/S6AlF0pvql?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — NHL (@NHL) [December 31, 2025](https://twitter.com/NHL/status/2006466407127548000?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) MacKinnon scored his 400th goal. > 400 FOR NATHAN MACKINNON 🚨 [pic.twitter.com/iC1sOzPYa1](https://t.co/iC1sOzPYa1?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) [January 1, 2026](https://twitter.com/Avalanche/status/2006551817610735678?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Finally, happy New Year! It's 2026 and PPP will turn 20 years-old in June. Our staff is really all here for you, and to continue making this a vibrant community that deals with the dizzying highs, the terrifying lows, and the creamy middles of teams that we have all somehow been fans of for all this time despite them never winning anything. ### Wednesday's FTB: New Year's Eve! URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-new-years-eve/ Last updated: 2025-12-31T11:00:49.000Z Yesterday at the WJC, Denmark and Germany both lost their final games of the round robin, ensuring the two winless teams will meet in the relegation game. Tonight the quarterfinals will be decided by the two closest matchups in preliminary play. USA plays Sweden at 6 pm ET, and Canada plays Finland at 8:30 ET. Finland has seven points, Canada eight, and the other pair both have nine. Any thing can happen here in terms of the order in the groups, with the Czechs, in Canada's group with five points able to move up with a win in the afternoon over Latvia. The Slovaks have farther to climb but they play Switzerland in the afternoon as well. The quarterfinals are the one-four, and two-three crossover format of most IIHF tournaments, and they start on January 2\. The Leafs are off until tomorrow, when they play the Jets. About last night... The Devils are in a massive slump, it has to be said, and while I feel for them (I'm lying, I don't) you need to take advantage of that. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2025/12/20252026-20617-5v5.png) Uh... That's five-on-five, add in the series of power plays and: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2025/12/20252026-20617-all.png) Yes, that is rather stark, isn't it, for less than four minutes of Leafs PP time. > great keep by Robertson > > McMann has 4 in 6 [pic.twitter.com/IK441cY1DD](https://t.co/IK441cY1DD?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 31, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006162856891261305?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This new power play sure looks like it has more movement of the puck and of the players, and I did note the other day that McMann was the least used player on the PP under Marc Savard, but had a big Sh% last year and this with the man advantage. Joe Woll worked hard to keep the Leafs going in the first. In the second period, it was mostly New Jersey with the puck and taking shots. But it was the Leas with a just-barely five-on-five goal after another power play. > McMann and Robertson have been all over the team's offence [pic.twitter.com/pMjjaPTQBU](https://t.co/pMjjaPTQBU?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 31, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006176234221215933?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) After two it was 2-0 Leafs, and they held the all-situations advantage in Expected Goals, but very much did not at five-on-five. The Leafs held things even in the second without too much ![](https://media.tenor.com/xABM4RfQ7_MAAAAC/guild-wars2-gw2.gif) Matt Knies and who? Nico Hischier: > safe to say Knies won that [pic.twitter.com/ocyn3DUoz6](https://t.co/ocyn3DUoz6?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 31, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006186896976744958?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And then Jacob Quillan made an impression with one of those honorary assist moves: > safe to say Knies won that [pic.twitter.com/ocyn3DUoz6](https://t.co/ocyn3DUoz6?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 31, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006186896976744958?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Matt Knies unwisely took a penalty during the last five minutes, which risked causing me problems for having said the word shutout in the GDT. > Knies didn't like the call [pic.twitter.com/GeLrFQHPlN](https://t.co/GeLrFQHPlN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 31, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2006190512282189950?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Matt Knies with the ENG and Joe Woll with lots of key saves. Final score was 4-0 Leafs. Joe Woll was really great and earned that shutout, but the Leafs played as well as they needed to in front of him after they'd scored all those goals. What if they aren't abjectly bad? Time will tell. --- In other news: [Women’s Olympic Ice Hockey Roster Announcements for Milano Cortina 2026 Are Underway!](https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/olympic-w/news/71477/women%5Fs%5Folympic%5Fice%5Fhockey%5Froster%5Fannouncements%5Ffo?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Just Japan so far. Today will be the Men's Team Canada roster reveal, and that's about it. Get ready to be really mad when Tom Wilson makes the Olympic roster. ### GDT: Leafs take on Devils URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-take-on-devils/ Last updated: 2025-12-30T23:30:55.000Z ### New Jersey Devils @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: SNO, MSG ### [Preview: Leafs vs DevilsLeafs dropping like, um, leaves.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-370.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1459478309853-2c33a60058e7)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-vs-devils/) Go Leafs Go! ### Sceptres Gameday: Toronto vs Minnesota URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-toronto-vs-minnesota/ Last updated: 2025-12-30T23:19:18.000Z ## Minnesota Frost @ Toronto Sceptres ### 7:00 PM ET @ Coca-Cola Coliseum **Watch in Minnesota:** FanDuel Sports Network, FOX 9+ **Watch in Canada:** Prime Video **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com The PWHL is getting more broadcasters in the USA. This game is available on the following stations: - **U.S.** (In-Market): FanDuel Sports Network North, FOX 9+ - **U.S**. (Out of Market): FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin, NESN (Boston), Scripps Sports, SNP+ (Pittsburgh) If you live in the states, check the PWHL weekly notebook for more out of market broadcasters. --- Toronto's last game was a very satisfying regulation 2-1 win in Centre Bell against the Victoire. Their Points % is now 0.583 and they are in second place to the Boston Fleet. Minnesota's last game was a 2-1 regulation with in the Takeover Tour game in Edmonton over Vancouver. They have a Points % of 0.571, and are in third place, two points behind Toronto with one fewer games played. Fast is back! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2025/12/G9Yp0oOXYAA8u10-1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2025/12/G9c-3bDW4AA7yCT-1-.jpg) ### Preview: Leafs vs Devils URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-vs-devils/ Last updated: 2025-12-30T18:00:17.000Z ### New Jersey Devils @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: SNO, MSG ### The Leafs last game was away on December 28 against the Detroit Red Wings, which Toronto lost by a score of 3-2 in overtime. The Leafs have a record of 17-15-6 for a 0.526 Points %. The New Jersey Devils last played at home on December 27 against the Washington Capitals. The Devils lost by a score of 4-3 in overtime, and their current league record is 20-16-2 for a 0.553 Points %. ### Them This is the first of a back-to-back for the Devils, who have not really been bedeviling the east the way you might expect. They have some injuries, none all that notable, although two of them are depth defenders. Their roster roster looks like what you get when a team ages and they hang onto every mid-ranked player as they decline. Except they chose them on purpose. If they had Evgenii Dadonov who has been hurt (with an undisclosed injury) they'd really look like a team full of guys who used to be good. Even Dougie Hamilton isn't what he was. It almost makes you wonder if the rising cap and the trend to re-sign really good players means this is what's out there to acquire when you need someone. The Devils are yet another one of those 50% teams – either Corsi or Expected Goals or both are within a point of 50 at five-on-five. Their power play xG rate is excellent, they score way under expected and become mediocre. Their PK is not very good, and they allow a lot of goals shorthanded making taking penalties their biggest weakness, as their team Save % is at least average in all situations. Jake Allen is their better goalie again this season. Jacob Markström isn't awful, he's just mildly below average. They are bedeviled this season by an extremely low Sh% that lies pretty convincingly about the team's offensive abilities. It's not entirely the roster quality, and they are better than their record by a small amount. #### Lines Amanda Stein via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/new-jersey-devils/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) from yesterday's practice. Timo Meier - Nico Hischier - Dawson Mercer Ondrej Palat - Jack Hughes - Jesper Bratt Arseny Gritsyuk - Cody Glass - Connor Brown Paul Cotter - Luke Glendening - Stefan Noesen Jonas Siegenthaler - Dougie Hamilton Luke Hughes - Brett Pesce Brenden Dillon - Colton White Jacob Markström - likely starter Jake Allen ### Us Whoever can walk will play, that seems to be the roster setup for today. I knew that Auston Matthews was not right after taking the puck to the leg in the last game. He was way off in OT. > Maple Leafs D Chris Tanev (lower body) and F Dakota Joshua (upper body) will not play in tonight’s game vs. New Jersey. > > F Auston Matthews (lower body) is a game-time decision. > > D Matt Benning and F Jacob Quillan have been recalled from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [December 30, 2025](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2006015786825986049?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Craig Berube confirms that William Nylander will miss tonight's game and remains day to day. "Doing better but it's still day-to-day." > > Auston Matthews is a game-time decision. > > Chris Tanev is getting evaluated today on a lower-body injury unrelated to what has kept him out for… > > — David Alter (@dalter) [December 30, 2025](https://twitter.com/dalter/status/2006041929985773602?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Brandon Carlo once again participated in morning skate – he is still on IR. From [David Alter](https://x.com/dalter/status/2006028112182517935?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Leafs PP units at skate Dec. 30/25 > > Rielly > Maccelli, Knies, Domi > Tavares > > OEL > Cowan, McMann, Robertson > Roy #### Lines [From Morning Skate:](https://x.com/Tony%5FAmbrogio/status/2006027616747241841?s=20&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Matthew Knies - John Tavares - Max Domi Easton Cowan - Nic Roy - Nick Robertson Matias Maccelli - Scott Laughton - Bobby McMann Steven Lorentz - Jacob Quillan - Calle Järnkrok Morgan Rielly - Philippe Myers Jake McCabe - Oliver Ekman-Larsson Simon Benoit - Troy Stecher Joe Woll - starter Dennis Hildeby ### The Game It's not certain Matthews won't play, but they did recall a centre. Do the best you can with what you have – which is always the way. ### Tuesday's FTB: Taking on the Devils URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/tuesdays-ftb-devils/ Last updated: 2025-12-30T11:00:57.000Z There's more WJC action today with Switzerland playing Germany and Latvia up against Denmark. Given the standings this might be the day that decides who comes last. Yesterday Sweden beat Germany 8-1 and Victor Johansson, again the seventh defender, played less than seven minutes. They just don't seem to want to use him. He's had a rough injury-plagued early season, so hopefully he can go back and just get in the groove after this event. In the evening contest, Canada played Denmark and it was 1-0 before I even figures out which TSN channel had the game on and not the end of the USA game. There's not much to be learned watching the big red machine beat up on Denmark unless it happens to be a great goalie year for the Danes. Tonight the Leafs play the Devils and the preview will be out later today. The Sceptres also play the Frost at the same time. The Penguins made a trade for Yegor Chinakov: > The Penguins have acquired forward Yegor Chinakhov from the [@BlueJacketsNHL](https://twitter.com/BlueJacketsNHL?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) in exchange for forward Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round draft pick, and a 2027 third-round draft pick. > > Details: [https://t.co/XAt5QrnrTG](https://t.co/XAt5QrnrTG?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/2lKRIHfh1O](https://t.co/2lKRIHfh1O?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) [December 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/penguins/status/2005745643059568807?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) They had just put Danton Heinen through waivers, so Columbus gets a player they can put directly in the AHL. Pittsburgh has a mass of draft picks and it would appear they wanted a player who can play in the NHL, and who they think might become more than he ever did in Columbus. They are exactly the team to take these gambles right now. Oh, and it was such a foregone conclusion, we never even mentioned it: Marshall Rifai cleared waivers and can start his season on the Marlies finally after his preseason injury. It's that time of the year when teams start thinking about removing players that aren't working out. See the above trade and the Flyers putting Yegor Zamula through waivers. [Oilers F Mangiapane a healthy scratch vs. JetsEdmonton Oilers winger Andrew Mangiapane is a healthy scratch tonight against the Winnipeg Jets, per TSN’s Ryan Rishaug.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-177.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/GEQTSQIBAJH7XIFZMW3KHOWVDM.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/oilers-f-mangiapane-a-healthy-scratch-vs-jets/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Hurricanes goaltender Kochetkov to have surgery for LBI; likely out for seasonCarolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov will have surgery to address a lower-body injury he has been managing and will likely be out for the season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-178.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/3NHX5VIPH6UCS4LU7CO4Z7TUJ4.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/hurricanes-goaltender-kochetkov-to-have-surgery-for-lbi-likely-out-for-season/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is not what the headline makes you think it is. [Bold hockey predictions for 2026: Maple Leafs opt for nuclear optionThe Canucks and Devils finally become trade partners, a surprise nation nabs Olympic gold, and the Maple Leafs opt for the nuclear option. Nothing feels out of the realm of possibility anymore. With 2026 around the corner, Ryan Dixon takes a stab at some bold hockey predictions!![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caRyan Dixon![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/leafs-1-1-1.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/bold-hockey-predictions-for-2026-maple-leafs-opt-for-nuclear-option/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) It's just one of those list of nonsense predictions to get people riled up. I hate this kind of crap. [NHL to make it snow in Miami for Winter Classic game on FridayIt’s going to snow in Miami on Friday night.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caAssociated Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Untitled-design-1-24.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhl-to-make-it-snow-in-miami-for-winter-classic-game-on-friday/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Thanks to an eagle-eyed Redditor on [@RedditHockey](https://twitter.com/RedditHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com), apparently Fanatics Canada is selling 2026 Olympic team memorabilia for Nick Suzuki, Mitch Marner and Brad Marchand — none of whom have been officially named to the roster yet. > > 🔗 [https://t.co/kOX8cJ3QRI](https://t.co/kOX8cJ3QRI?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/X165xQAxew](https://t.co/X165xQAxew?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) [December 30, 2025](https://twitter.com/wyshynski/status/2005801252022804764?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The roster is announced tomorrow. > "I knew I wasn't a Toronto Maple Leaf anymore because I got my first traffic ticket" > > Wendel Clark sat down with [@JeffMarek](https://twitter.com/JeffMarek?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and revisited the blockbuster trade that sent him from Toronto to Quebec for Mats Sundin[#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) | [@TLNdc](https://twitter.com/TLNdc?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/j6FTaVSDvs](https://t.co/j6FTaVSDvs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — The Sheet with Jeff Marek (@thesheethockey) [December 30, 2025](https://twitter.com/thesheethockey/status/2005817324603941366?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's it for now. See you later as we try to understand who the Devils are this season. ### Monday's FTB: The WJC is the only hockey URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/mondays-ftb-no-hockey-but-wjc/ Last updated: 2025-12-29T11:00:01.000Z In yesterday's WJC game Sweden beat Switzerland, and Victor Johansson suited up as the seventh defender. He played 6:23\. With the packed schedule, we can hope he gets more chances to play. Today Sweden plays Germany at 1 pm ET, and Canada plays Denmark at 8:30 pm ET. Tomorrow is an off day for our teams of interest, and they both play New Year's Eve in the evening slots. About last night... If you missed it, William Nylander did not play, but he's not on IR or anything, and at this point it appears to be minor. Easton Cowan drew in. The Leafs dominated in the first period, and put together some good offence – tight to the net. Honestly the Red Wings looked out of sorts and behind the play. It took until a power play in the second for there to be a goal: > solid passes in tight between Tavares, Matthews and Knies [pic.twitter.com/0IAc0jLyzs](https://t.co/0IAc0jLyzs?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005447337729270062?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Edvinsson needed help getting off the ice after this [pic.twitter.com/v3DeuFMNXN](https://t.co/v3DeuFMNXN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005450415526326777?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > haven't seen Matthews do something like this since his rookie season [pic.twitter.com/Dio39mmEg2](https://t.co/Dio39mmEg2?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005452446202826999?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) With a few minutes to go, the Leafs got hemmed in, which had *not* been happening, and the inevitable happened. > Moritz Seider scores late in the second [pic.twitter.com/EyWo6rnyYw](https://t.co/EyWo6rnyYw?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005455076760949158?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Auston Matthews was hit by a puck and went to the dressing room a few seconds early: > this block is what stung Matthews on that shift ahead of the Seider goal [pic.twitter.com/DPx7S8qj4n](https://t.co/DPx7S8qj4n?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005455637728342267?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Rasmussen needed help getting off the ice after this [pic.twitter.com/jwXX0ifpaH](https://t.co/jwXX0ifpaH?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005456031112151371?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Red Wings definitely came back hard in the second, ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2025/12/20252026-20601-cfdiff-all.png) Look at that power play shooting though. It's been a very long time since that happened very often. The Leafs and Red Wings traded goals early in the third: > NICK ROBERTSON 🚨 > > WHAT A SHOT! [pic.twitter.com/t8LUAph3Dk](https://t.co/t8LUAph3Dk?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005462313319747834?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Mason Appleton gets it back [pic.twitter.com/YqB1xFDigD](https://t.co/YqB1xFDigD?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005462694720364815?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) This is the sort of thing that fuels the conspiracy theories: > McMann was called for roughing and holding the stick > > Seider was called for roughing [pic.twitter.com/mCcd93a76J](https://t.co/mCcd93a76J?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005465484129710112?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Talbot and all them other guys got nothing. So, the game continued on, wild, unfocused with the Red Wings taking control, and my take is this: If you can't win *in regulation* when your number three goalie in his first NHL season lets in two goals, you didn't deserve to win. You have to be able to win that. There were some eyebrow raising plays in OT including the choice to start Max Domi and what he did with that opportunity. Matthews fell down twice at least and couldn't seem to get back into the play. That puck to the leg? Anyhow, Red Wings in OT 3-2. > Edvinsson ends it [pic.twitter.com/EF4tuUgvdd](https://t.co/EF4tuUgvdd?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 29, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005470538173685915?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) That's three wild games in a row which are very much more entertaining than Malaise. The Leafs really need to create some cap space (easy enough to do) and fill it with a very good winger (not easy to do). Now for the glass half full take: they aren't chasing Detroit. So taking one extra point while the Red Wings pad their incredible lead atop the Atlantic doesn't actually hurt them in a division games shouldn't go to three points sense. Justin Bourne in the pregame show laid it out: they have to win more often, they can't get to the playoffs with .500 hockey. Now to be fair, they've played above .500 most of the time, but not enough above. But he's right, they need to be hitting .600 or better from here on out. Where they are is just about where they were with 25 games played. --- Interesting article about how Toronto was not prepared for the Raptors parade: [Secret report details frenzied planning for Raptors’ disastrous championship paradeAfter the Raptors parade in 2019, it left serious doubts about Toronto’s ability to fete our sports heroes in world class style.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/apple-icon-180x180-36.png)Toronto StarRaju Mudhar![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/6669e4e1cc012.image.jpg)](https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/secret-report-details-frenzied-planning-for-raptors-disastrous-championship-parade/article%5Fedfa420f-e594-41e7-8350-561bf99b171b.html?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [NHL fines Lundell, Sabourin for actions in penalty-heavy tilt between Panthers, LightningThe NHL fined Florida’s Anton Lundell and Tampa Bay’s Scott Sabourin for their actions in the game between the Panthers and Lightning on Saturday night, one where the teams combined for the highest penalty total the league has seen since 2011.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-176.ico)TSNThe Canadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ADWOSG5XD6F4EI7CDY7HNXTX64.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/nhl-fines-lundell-sabourin-for-actions-in-penalty-heavy-tilt-between-panthers-lightning/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [Senators grant Linus Ullmark leave of absence for personal reasons![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Sportsnet.caCanadian Press![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/Ullmark.jpg)](https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/senators-grant-linus-ullmark-leave-of-absence-for-personal-reasons/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ### GDT: Leafs vs Wings URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-vs-wings/ Last updated: 2025-12-28T23:30:52.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Detroit Red Wings 07:00 PM at Little Caesars Arena Watch on: SNO, FDSNDET ### [Preview: Leafs in DetroitSEGABABA![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-369.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1674301817067-e190e8481ad4)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-in-detroit/) > Berube tells media in Detroit that William Nylander (lower body injury from Saturday) won't play tonight and will be replaced by Easton Cowan. > > — Lance Hornby 🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@sunhornby) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/sunhornby/status/2005395899082748124?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Leafs in Detroit URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-in-detroit/ Last updated: 2025-12-28T19:00:25.000Z ### Toronto Maple Leafs @ Detroit Red Wings 07:00 PM at Little Caesars Arena Watch on: SNO, FDSNDET ### The Leafs last game was at home on December 27 against the Ottawa Senators, which Toronto won by a score of 7-5 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 17-15-5 for a 0.527 Points %. The Detroit Red Wings last played away on December 27 against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Red Wings lost by a score of 5-2 in regulation, and their current league record is 22-14-3 for a 0.603 Points %. ### Them So it's totally reasonable the Red Wings lead the Atlantic, right? Standings never lie. What if I told you they have a negative goal differential? Well you'd say, that's just sequencing luck, sometimes the goals don't match the win/loss ratio. That's very true, sometimes they don't. What if I told you the Red Wings have allowed the second most goals in the Eastern Conference, with only Boston doing worse in that regard? Well, you'd say, they score lots don't they? Well, no, not really. The Red Wings are the perfect team to lead the bizarre Atlantic this year. Totally unqualified, unlikely to sustain their position, and hollow as a cardboard tube. They are right on 50% in Corsi and Expected Goals at five-on-five, tight together with the Rangers, Flames, Sabres, Blue Jackets, Predators and Wild. Their power play is very good, you have to give them that, and it was last year as well when they were in the basement of the east. They score a little under expected, putting them eighth in goal rate, not second as they are in xG. Their PK is good, but the goaltending shorthanded is not. And their team Save % in all-situations is below average and 24th in the NHL. They are mediocre in all things skaters do, which is enough to get wins in the weirdest division hockey has known since the Covid season. But they aren't in contention for anything beyond most noble effort with bad goalies. Gibson has been okay for a backup, and Talbot is dead on average, which would make him a backup you can live with for a while. They can beat you, though. #### Lines @DetroitRedWings via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/detroit-red-wings/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Emmitt Finnie - Dylan Larkin - Lucas Raymond Alex DeBrincat - Andrew Copp - John Leonard Michael Rasmussen - J.T. Compher - Mason Appleton Elmer Soderblom - Nate Danielson - Marco Kasper Simon Edvinsson - Moritz Seider Ben Chiarot - Axel Sandin-Pellikka Albert Johansson - Jacob Bernard-Docker Cam Talbot - presumed starter John Gibson ### Us The Leafs right now are a bit wild, a bit over the top in their efforts to make an effort. Anyone claiming they aren't trying is one of those people who don't watch. They need to settle down a little, but hey, it's worked four games in a row now where they top 50% in xG at five-on-five. The move to get to 23 on the roster: > D Henry Thrun has been assigned to the Toronto Marlies (AHL). > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2005296949285843168?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Whenever Brandon Carlo is ready it will be decision time. No word yet on William Nylander or any changes to the lineup. Since both teams played yesterday, there were no skates. Look for an update late this afternoon. #### Lines Dave McCarthy via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Dakota Joshua - Scott Laughton - Steven Lorentz Morgan Rielly - Philippe Myers Jake McCabe - Chris Tanev Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Troy Stecher Dennis Hildeby - presumed starter Joe Woll ### The Game More of the same, even if it's a wild night. ### Sunday FTB: Another game? Already? URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sunday-ftb-another-game-already/ Last updated: 2025-12-28T11:00:54.000Z Happy Sunday, everyone, there is more hockey today. At the WJC, Sweden plays Switzerland at 1pm, and we can hope Victor Johansson plays in this one. Yesterday, Ben Danford and team Canada played a tight game against Latvia, where the most exciting thing in the first two periods was Danford's double minor for high sticking. It was more or less an accident and still a bad thing to do. Canada needed overtime to beat the very determined Latvians. Danford played less due to his four-minute minor, a five-minute Canadian power play and a crushing need to score all game. I assume Zayne Parekh is young enough to have survived his 22+ minutes. In the game on opening night Canadian players did some bullshit things both in warmups, during the game and after. They made Hockey Canada apologize for them. While I like Mark Hunter's team and Dale Hunter's coaching, this makes them look like the team runs the show, not them. > [pic.twitter.com/FYFgem60ng](https://t.co/FYFgem60ng?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) [December 27, 2025](https://twitter.com/HockeyCanada/status/2004984412392620520?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) In later action, this was a very scary moment: > Cole Hutson had to be stretchered off the ice after taking a puck to the head vs. Switzerland. 🙏 [#WorldJuniors](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldJuniors?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/JDEx3oECTB](https://t.co/JDEx3oECTB?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2005073933259743639?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > Great news from St. Paul: > > Bob Motzko just told me that Cole Hutson has been discharged from the hospital and rejoined his teammates at Grand Casino Arena. > > Hutson's status for the rest of the tournament will be evaluated on Sunday. > > — Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/2005097496809501115?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Today, Sweden plays Switzerland at 2pm – no guarantees Victor Johansson plays – and Canada has an off day. In news: > 🚨 MAJOR BREAKING! 🚨 > > After further negotiations today between the ECHL & PHPA,[@InsideAHLHockey](https://twitter.com/InsideAHLHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) has learned a vote will be coming on a new proposal that could have the league returning to play as soon as December 31st. > > DETAILS: [https://t.co/6diPPGrV6L](https://t.co/6diPPGrV6L?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/8aMGaGlgB3](https://t.co/8aMGaGlgB3?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Tony Androckitis\* (@TonyAndrock) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/TonyAndrock/status/2005088064071205309?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Slava Peksa celebrates the win in a nine-round shootout > We had the exact same reaction, Peks 😤👏 [pic.twitter.com/1LXxxhNtNR](https://t.co/1LXxxhNtNR?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/2005094949491208281?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) About last night... First, Elliotte Friedman reported in the intermission segment that Peter DeBoer contacted Craig Berube to tell him there is nothing to any rumours or speculation that the Leafs want to hire him to replace Berube. And now the bad news, William Nylander left in the second period on a play that seemed to affect his knee. > Maple Leafs F William Nylander will not return to tonight’s game (lower body). > > — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2005100844891717953?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Onto the game: The Leafs scored twice in a row on the power play, and I'm ready to find the least experienced AHL head coach to make him head coach of the Leafs. Obviously this is the way. The groups were reworked as to who was on which unit, but also who was where. What this can do is force players to think about their own play and possibly realize on their own where their shortcomings have been. The top unit seemed more geared to puck movement, something very lacking in the last while. Time will tell if it's a real improvement. At five-on-five, the Leafs did not dent the generally excellent Ottawa Senators puck control in the first period and they didn't defend spectacularly well either. Don't take that as harsh judgement, they were lively, quick on the puck and looked fully engaged all down the lineup. You can't demand they win every five-minute segment. Phil Myers created a Senators goal in an amazing fashion. Basically he fell down, and yet that wasn't the half of it. > [pic.twitter.com/ymK62mXDJl](https://t.co/ymK62mXDJl?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005087273860379129?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Bobby McMann got the lead back while playing on the top line. > BOBBY MCMANN 🚨 > > ALL THE WAY HOME! [pic.twitter.com/pv2UBOLibN](https://t.co/pv2UBOLibN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005086308440682652?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Troy Stecher popped the puck back in the offensive zone as he went off on a change, and the Matthews line kept it going until it came to a stop in the net. And chased Linus Ulmark. > the top line is on fire > > Matthews has his 15th, Domi has a three-point night as well [pic.twitter.com/UMjEGtN4UN](https://t.co/UMjEGtN4UN?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005088245886202234?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > After being pulled against the Leafs, Linus Ullmark is now last in the league for goals saved above expected with -11.6\. Binnington is now second worst with -9.7. > > — MoneyPuck.com (@MoneyPuckdotcom) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/MoneyPuckdotcom/status/2005088851149422807?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And then Nick Robertson made it 5-2\. It all happened in an eyeblink and the game was only half over. > NICK ROBERTSON 🚨 > > What a pass from Knies! [pic.twitter.com/jdZSO0FkVu](https://t.co/jdZSO0FkVu?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005088553655812106?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) The Leafs drew more than even in Corsi % and Expected Goals % as the Senators turned to tough-guy agitation as they were getting beat. The second was not just a bad goalie period. Ottawa scored off the first shift in the third period, so the Leafs got to have a go at coming back from a fairly poor five-on-five first period ✔️and then persevering through that sort of setback another ✔️as it turned out. Ottawa scored again on a shot from Tim Stützle that deflected off the screen, and this was officially an Ottawa game. Never easy to put an end to. Matt Knies had a thought about that. > MATTHEW KNIES 🚨🚨 > > Second of the game! The Leafs respond! [pic.twitter.com/wgy8WRXKIy](https://t.co/wgy8WRXKIy?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005102626820726803?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Okay, someone scored again, who? Oh right, Ottawa, and it was 6-5 Leafs. It's hard to describe the final 10 minutes. Momentum is usually an illusion – okay I'm being polite, it always it – but no one seemed to have it. And it felt like either team could win it at every moment in the final minutes. And here's the thing, you hypercritical people, the Sens have been way, way, expletive way better at five-on-five this year than the Leafs. This was a step on the road to playing like the Leafs should, no matter the result. Buck up, the road to redemption is not paved to a mirror smoothness. JT woke up from the turkey coma and said, wtf, guys, let’s win this. > John Tavares gets the dagger 🚨 [pic.twitter.com/SJmFFWmELe](https://t.co/SJmFFWmELe?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Omar (@TicTacTOmar) [December 28, 2025](https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/2005108568710938861?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) And so they did. A Holiday Fable. 7-5 Leafs. That's all for today, if you, like me, had the original schedule, today's game is really at 7, not 5\. Whew. ### GDT: Leafs vs Sens URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/gdt-leafs-vs-sens/ Last updated: 2025-12-27T23:30:48.000Z ### Ottawa Senators @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: SN, CBC, CITY, TVAS ### [Preview: Leafs host SenatorsBack to work!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-368.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1677253171056-616bd9bc84e1)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-host-senators/) Go Leafs Go! ### Preview: Leafs host Senators URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-leafs-host-senators/ Last updated: 2025-12-27T19:00:42.000Z ### Ottawa Senators @ Toronto Maple Leafs 07:00 PM at Scotiabank Arena Watch on: SN, CBC, CITY, TVAS ### The Leafs last game was at home on December 23 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, which Toronto won by a score of 6-3 in regulation. The Leafs have a record of 16-15-5 for a 0.514 Points %. The Ottawa Senators last played at home on December 23 against the Buffalo Sabres. The Senators lost by a score of 3-2 in overtime, and their current league record is 18-13-5 for a 0.569 Points %. ### Them Since they only just made the playoffs last year, Ottawa gets cut a lot of slack for a season not drastically different to the Leafs so far. But they haven't exactly looked like a team that's taken a big leap forward. They have very good, as in top five, results at five-on-five in both shots and Expected Goals percentages. Take the lesson that while the correlation between xG and future wins is stronger than any other measure, it's not the entire measure of a team. Their power play is very bad with a low Expected Goals rate coming from a low shot rate. They've scored well over expected and can tell themselves – or their fans can – that they're just exceptionally good at the things that make you score goals by shooting very little. Their PK is excellent, truly making the goalies' lives easier, and they have the worst Save % shorthanded in the NHL. They also have the lowest Expected Goals Against rate in the NHL. So about those goalies... Per Moneypuck, Linus Ullmark is 56 out of 61 goalies with at least 10 games played in Goals Saved Over Expected per 60\. He's played 27 games. The backup is worse. Why the Senators are doing this to themselves is beyond me. Imagine if they weren't so good defensively? Imagine if they didn't have to be. Watching a team with a lot of inexplicable problems like the Leafs sure makes you long for a simple and obvious solution like they have. #### Lines Last Game (2025-12-23) via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/ottawa-senators/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) and mostly similar to morning skate. There is some question about Nick Jensen not being at skate – possible travel issues. Brady Tkachuk - Tim Stützle - Fabian Zetterlund David Perron - Dylan Cozens - Drake Batherson Michael Amadio - Ridly Greig - Claude Giroux Kurtis MacDermid - Stephen Halliday - Nick Cousins Jake Sanderson - Artem Zub Thomas Chabot - Jordan Spence Nikolas Matinpalo - Nick Jensen Linus Ullmark - confirmed starter Leevi Meriläinen ### Us The last three games before the break the Leafs' Expected Goals percentages at five-on-five were: 53, 53 and 59\. The final game against Pittsburgh was a very good performance. The power play was not good, but not abjectly horrible either, while the PK was much better in the most recent games. Brandon Carlo is already skating after having a procedure on his foot, but there is no firm timetable for his return. Based on morning skate, the lines below look to be tonight's lineup. I don't know how I feel about Chris Tanev bumping Troy Stecher off of the McCabe pairing. That almost sounds ridiculous, but Stecher and McCabe are at 57% on-ice xG, and are 19th in the NHL for defence pairs with at least 100 minutes. Defence has been hard to come by on the Leafs, and they've been outstanding. We shall see the new power play tonight. That first unit says to me it's all about puck movement. The second unit says it's all about Nick Robertson's shot. In his junior days, he got a lot of power play points because they did indeed run it to get him the puck. Once year his coach moved him off the prime shooting location and the entire unit failed to get any meaningful shots. It was such a stark difference, it affected his and SDA's total points and led to points-analyzers coming to the wrong conclusion about both of them. > Leafs PP units at skate Dec. 27/25⁰ > Rielly⁰Matthews, Maccelli, Nylander⁰Tavares⁰⁰OEL⁰Domi, Knies, Robertson ⁰Roy[@BodogCA](https://twitter.com/BodogCA?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — David Alter (@dalter) [December 27, 2025](https://twitter.com/dalter/status/2004936129859277285?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) #### Lines David Alter via [Daily Faceoff](https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/toronto-maple-leafs/line-combinations/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) Bobby McMann - Auston Matthews - Max Domi Matias Maccelli - John Tavares - William Nylander Matthew Knies - Nicolas Roy - Nicholas Robertson Dakota Joshua - Scott Laughton - Steven Lorentz Morgan Rielly - Philippe Myers Jake McCabe - Chris Tanev Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Troy Stecher Joe Woll - starter Dennis Hildeby ### The Game More of the same from the last three games, that's what we need. ### Sceptres Gameday: Toronto @ Montréal URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/sceptres-gameday-toronto-montreal-2/ Last updated: 2025-12-27T17:41:49.000Z ## Toronto Sceptres @ Montréal Victoire *Duel at the Top Presented by Scotiabank* 2:00 PM @ Centre Bell, Montréal **Watch in Canada:** CBC, Radio-Canada **Watch Outside Canada:** PWHL YouTube Channel and thepwhl.com I don't actually know what "duel at the top" means, but a Reddit thread speculates that it's a somewhat clunky translation of the French "sommet" and refers to Mount Royal. It's the name for the Sceptres/Victoire games in Montréal, analogous to the "Battle on Bay Street". This game will also be on CBC Gem to stream. Toronto's last game was a 4-3 loss to Ottawa in overtime on December 23\. They have a Points % of .524 and are in fifth place by that measure. Montréal's last game was a 2-1 loss to Seattle in regulation on December 23\. They have a Points % of .611 and are in second place. Today's game is the third meeting of these teams, so they know each other very well. The Victoire are wearing their "whites" today and trying to get the fans to do the same. Patrik Laine and his wife are doing the ceremonial puck drop. > Renata Fast and Allie Munroe are dealing with day-to-day lower-body injuries. [https://t.co/TPighUGxuy](https://t.co/TPighUGxuy?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) > > — Hailey Salvian (@hailey\_salvian) [December 27, 2025](https://twitter.com/hailey%5Fsalvian/status/2004948422684815433?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2025/12/G9MQeM-XwAARyFb-1-.jpg) ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2025/12/G9MVNv3WYAAeU3K-1-.jpg) _Includes the latest 500 public posts. Use `/sitemap.xml` for the complete archive of public content._