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.

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 5-0
Sarah 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…
Associated Press

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.

From The Branches