Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

It has been a long time since I typed that, but my long awaited return is here and after a few months getting back on my feet and ready for another ten months of Maple Leafs induced anxiety.

hooray

The Top 25 is busy heading for it's end, and for the first time in years I haven't contributed, but to be honest at this point most of my comments on players would have been "I have no idea who this is".

Here are some news stories to talk about. Training camp is coming up soon, and in just over a month we'll be seeing most of last years Maple Leafs return to the ice.

To start, something light. Vegas Golden Knights Rielly Smith popped into a comedy club and threw off the performers crowd work.

Easton Cowan has owned it all in the OHL. Will he make it to the show this season?

Hometown Hero: From backyard rink to Leafs prospect, Cowan’s roots run deep
Easton Cowan carries the lessons of farm life and small-town hockey into his rise as one of Toronto’s brightest young stars.
London Free PressAdshayah Sathiaseelan

Quebec City got some big news yesterday. They will be hosting the Women's World Hockey Championships in 2027 and the Men's World Juniors in 2029.

Deux Mondiaux de hockey à Québec en 2027 et 2029
Québec accueillera deux Championnats du monde de hockey dans les quatre prochaines années. Hockey Canada en fera l’annonce, jeudi matin, au Centre Vidéotron.
Le SoleilMikaël Lalancette, Le Soleil,Émilie Pelletier, Le Soleil

I'm planning to make the trip out to Owen Sound this season. My first decade as an OHL fan was spent in the tiny, much outdated Jack Gatecliff Arena and I want to see more games in small rinks.

Owen Sound’s small-market OHL team shows all-world heart
Twenty-five years ago, Dr. Bob Severs had a living room full of people interested in saving the local major junior hockey team.
Owen Sound Sun TimesGreg Cowan

A Capitals rookie got in on the media scrum and tried to interview a teammate with a pepperette. This is the content I'm here for.

Ryan Leonard uses beef stick to faux-interview Zeev Buium at NHLPA Rookie Showcase: ‘Next question!’
Ryan Leonard was one of 31 players to participate in the NHLPA Rookie Showcase at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on Wednesday. Not only…
RMNBIan Oland

Making Edmonton media mad is one of the best parts of McDavid's contract extension talk getting silly.

‘Not a lot of logic in Toronto’: Oilers insider with epic rant against Leafs media over McDavid contract
‘Not a lot of logic in Toronto’: Edmonton insider rips epic rant against Leafs media over McDavid contract
Edmonton JournalDavid Staples

The Ottawa Senators last season had, and it hurts to say, one of the best looking jersey sets in the NHL. They were nice and clean, sleek, good colours. Of course they had to ruin that this year.

Ottawa Senators unveil new fiery third jersey for 2025-26 NHL season
The Senators unveiled their new third jersey for the coming 2025-26 NHL season on Wednesday at Canadian Tire Centre.
Ottawa CitizenBruce Garrioch

The sparkly gold is too much. You had me complimenting you! Fools.

The Toronto Sceptres held an U16 camp in Toronto, looking for some future draft picks.

Sceptres shoot for the stars with U16 high performance summer camp
The Toronto Sceptres carved out their own niche in the PWHL’s summer programming this year. After hosting a range of ages and playing levels in January, Toronto used this time to focus exclusively on the U16 high-performance level, creating a smaller,…
Professional Women's Hockey League

If the Leafs did this, the NHL would outlaw it, but the PWHL isn't as concerned about appeasing anti-Toronto fans.

Finally, a plug for a friend: OHL superfan Steve MacLean has a podcast called All 60, where he shares CHL news, and tales from the road as he is one of the few people to see a game in every active CHL arena. All 60. See, that's the name!

He got very lucky and was given an interview with CHL President Dan MacKenzie to kick off the second season.

ALL 60: A CHL PODCAST - All 60: A CHL Podcast
Welcome 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
All 60: A CHL Podcast -bySteve McLean

Thank you everyone, have yourselves a wonderful day.

From The Branches