Good Morning Maple Leafs fans!

I hope you have plenty of warm clothing and some extra coffee shop git cards lying around from the holidays because it’s time to go outside!

The Maple Leafs are holding their annual outdoor practice at Nathan Phillip Square today at 11AM and if you want a good view you should head out there when this publishes at 6AM. If you can’t make it today don’t worry because they’ve turned this into a four day event!

First, the free stuff:

All public skating is free this weekend and skate rentals are also free as are coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Awesome.

Now, the rundown:

TODAY

Everything kicks off at 11AM. no word if they’ll be taking the subway again this year.

The 3 on 3 tournament is at 12PM.

Public skating begins at 2:30PM.

Giveaways and prizes will be happening all day.

Friday

Maple Leafs alumni will be at the rink to coach the Toronto First Responders game at 11AM.

Just like today, more giveaways and prizes and whatever an “activation” is.

Saturday

At 10AM the PWHPA will be holding a skills competition with a whos-who of the members including Hillary Knight, Marie-Phllip Poulin, Sarah Nurse, Natalie Spooner, and Kendall Coyne Schofield.

Because it’s my birthday, at 11:30AM the Leafs will be hosting MASCOT GAMES. Hell yes.

Sunday

Sunday has three events spaced out, but first off at 10:30AM it’s a skills competition with Maple Leafs alumni and then at 12PM it’s an alumni game!

Doug “I traded away my own son” Gilmour, Wendel Clark, Bob McGill, Nik Antropov, Peter Ing and more will be out there wowing the crowds with how much they’ve aged and making some fans face their own mortality.

To end the weekend, there’s a screening of the Maple Leafs vs Panthers game at 7PM.

Sounds like an awesome weekend, hopefully the weather holds up. Spoilers: it won’t.


Sure, the Leafs lost last night but whatever man, Auston Matthews is awesome.

He scored his 30th goal to make it four straight seasons with 30+ goals and he did it the fastest he’s ever done it.

Which gives us this headline from The Hockey News:


Auston Matthews forges path to becoming the best U.S.-born goal-scorer ever - TheHockeyNews


Hell yes he is, and he’s all ours.

Here’s the rest of the news:


How Leafs’ Matthews, Jets’ Laine have fared head-to-head since rookie seasons


Matthews is better, that’s all.


November and December Fashion Recap: Artistic license


Is he better at dressing himself though?


Marlies lose two of three games on the weekend


The Marlies are not adjusting as well as the Leafs did to their new coach.


Ryan Lindgren will not be suspended for his hit on Joonas Donskoi


When a goon runs player safety....


Lias Andersson speaks out


Not all Rangers like being there.


Buffalo Sabres All-Decade Team


They’re all terrible.

On that note, have a great day folks!