It's Thursday! Friday junior! But the Leafs have to work tonight, facing the Hurricanes in Carolina who have played very well this season. We'll have a preview of the game out for you later this morning.

Will we see the five-forward power play again tonight? Maybe, maybe not.

Berube undecided about future of five-forward power play unit
The Leafs failed to convert on three power-play chances on Tuesday and the five-forward top unit allowed the Panthers to score shorthanded. With the Hurricanes on tap tomorrow night, head coach Craig Berube remains undecided about using the five-forward power play unit, Mark Masters writes.
TSNMark Masters

Also tonight, the Toronto Sceptres will be playing the Ottawa Charge at the Coliseum.

The Blue Jays home run jacket inspires the Sceptres to unveil their ‘Pretty Woman’ jacket
Toronto’s PWHL club wanted to embody the Jays’ team spirit and unveiled its “Pretty Woman” jacket to be given out to the player of the game.
Toronto StarKristjan Lautens

One player on a Marlies contract had some good news come yesterday.

Other News

In case you've missed all the kerfuffle of late, there's trouble in Italy with construction of the arena which will host Olympic hockey. There's no new information here, but if you haven't followed along, it's a useful quick primer to catch up on exactly what is happening there and why it's not good news, including that they made a design error and the rink ice surface is smaller than it should be, but it's too late to fix that now.

What’s Going On With The Olympic Hockey Arena? | Defector
It is 64 days until the first hockey game of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, and the main hockey arena is still under construction. A test event, to determine whether the ice is good enough to play on, has already been pushed back. While providing plentiful entertainment for the region’s…
Defector homeBarry Petchesky

LOLDUCKS. They lost this game 7-0.

Hold on to your helmets.

NHL sends memo about wearing helmets in pre-game warmups
The NHL has sent a memo to its teams about a rule that requires certain players to wear helmets in pregame warmups.
Sportsnet.caAssociated Press

The tallest player in CHL history will make his debut tonight; Alexander Karmanov is 7 feet tall and 265 pounds at 17 years-old.

Seven-foot Alexander Karmanov to make OHL debut Thursday with Battalion
Sportsnet.caSportsnet Staff

If you're glad to be back there then we're glad you're not here, Sammy!

After detour to Toronto, Blais happy to be back in Canadiens’ fold
The American Hockey LeaguePatrick Williams

REMINDER: it's Christmas Day in three weeks!

From The Branches