From The Branches

The Leafs will play the Sabres at 7PM EST tonight, broadcast on NHLNet. I haven't seen any word about the Leafs' lineup, so post it here when it's out. There are some great links for your weekend reading - I'm always happy when Siegel&

Links Bolland Impresses, Kadri Hurt? Hope not. Pre-Season Post Game Leafs 3, Sens 2 Franson Willing to Play on a One-Year Deal Leafs not willing to give it to him. 2013-14 Player Projections From Blue and White Brotherhood Leafs Win as VLM Turns Four Why I remember

Tidbits from here and there today, but I'm interested in your opinion.

Links Darryl Sittler on This Year's Leafs Look at Dangle's fucking jacket. TLN's Top 20 Leafs Prospect List Only prospects on this here list. Bernier Impresses in his Unofficial Debut It's begun. Oops Seriously, why Fraser? Leafs Cut Roster to 37 Thus

The "Leafs" are now 1-0-1 in the pre-season.

So the......well I guess technically last night's game was played by the Leafs but they barely got by the rule of having a minimum of 8 players with "NHL" experience due to Troy Bodie somehow having gotten 104 NHL games under his belt. Regardless, the

That's it! We've made it! The Summer of our casual fandom is over.

So the Hurricanes signed malcontent Ron Hainsey yesterday, thus filling the hole left by an injured Joni Pitkanen. This probably takes them out of the running for a Franson offer sheet, which pretty much narrows down possible suitors to Calgary. Their team will be awful this year, so you gotta

It's beginning to look a lot like October.

So Nazem Kadri signed a contract last night to the tune of two years at $5.8M for an AAV caphit of $2.9M. That's a pretty good deal from the Leafs' perspective because it's a) a bridge contract that doesn't overpay fora

Oh, it's lovely to be greeted by real hockey news in the morning.

One week until NHL pre-season opens. The baby Leafs will play the baby Pens tonight at 7PM EST, presumably again on limited, Ontario-only outlets. It's getting closer. Links: Is success partly to blame for Dion Phaneuf's and Mikhail Grabovski's poor corsi last

August dies, and like clockwork there's stuff to talk about. Canada's new jersey, Calgary's new President, and - because the classics never die - the 2013 performance of Grabovski and Phaneuf when on ice together.

Dave Nonis went on TSN Radio last nightand as always when a member of the Leafs management speaks in public, there were quite a few money quotes to be had: We feel strongly that there is enough money to get both guys (Franson and Kadri) signed. Leafs only have $4.

Stay here and talk about the latest comments from Darren Dreger re: Kadri and Franson: (glovetap to @Hope_Smoke for tweeting these out from the radio) Dreger on TSN Radio "right now the numbers don't work for the Leafs in bringing back Kadri and Franson" Dreger

We've done it, everyone. August, the slowest of hockey months, has passed us by. Some important numbers for surviving the last September Stretch: 5 days until Leafs rookie camp. 14 days until the first pre-season game. 14 days until the first regular season game. 15 days until

A few cool links to check out, today.

Links Canada Overflowing with Olympic Talent at Center Yes, that's the position the best players tend to play. The Top Secret Agenda for Team Canada's Orientation Camp Step yelling "Iggy". Growing Up a Gay Sports Fanatic This is a great read. Why Hits and

Lots of Olympic debate and a couple contracts to ponder.

Links for you. Grabbo Lands While Kadri Stews Oh yeah, and Franson waits. Phaneuf Wants to Stay and Win in Toronto Well that's nice. Team Canada Sochi 2014 Roster Projection Dirty Dangle take a shot.

Not much in the way of Leafs news, but there's always something to discuss.

Leafs were yesterday's 30 in 30 team on NHL.com and got four articles posted about them: Gardiner's Role X-Factor for the Leafs Goalies Among Maple Leafs Questions Clarkson Gives Maple Leafs New Look(As Steve Burtch showed yesterday, I'm not sure how

Linkage Five Maple Leafs Expected to Perform Another 30pt season from Gardiner wouldn't be good enough? TLN's Top Prospects - Andrew MacWilliam They're a little high on this one. Jaromir Jagr is the Coolest Motherf'er on the Planet Seriously, look at him.

Please hockey, come back.

Links on a Monday Phaneuf or Kessel: If You Can Only Sign One Kessel 10 times out of 10. TLN's Top 20 Leafs Prospects - Honourable Mentions What that says. The Departed: How Losing Grabovski and MacArthur Will Force the Leafs to Think Differently Ayup.