Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

We have gotten past the off-season, we have gotten past prospect tournaments, and are one step closer to honest-to-goodness NHL hockey games, but first we have the pre-season.

And boy are we ever in the early stages of the pre-season. Game one was yesterday, and it was a lot of barely AHLers in the Leafs camp taking on barely AHLers in the Senators camp. I hope no one paid for tickets to that game. But! We're always looking for the story of the day, so Cathy did good by us all and watched the game to figure out something to learn from it.

What did we learn from Preseason Game 1?
Don’t call it a recap.
PPP LeafsCathy Squires

Today we have another game, this time in Toronto, and we don't know the rosters yet but I wouldn't bet on a sheet of ice full of all-stars again.

We aren't surrounded by new yet, so we still get some neat little stories to fill time.

5 things you (probably) didn’t know about hockey in Vancouver
From the invention of the blue line to the Vancouver Amazons.
Vancouver Is AwesomeBrendan Kergin

Don't forget, when we get to the mid-season blues there will be an exciting new league coming in.

Dave Feschuk: Inside the making of Toronto’s new pro hockey team: ‘This is going to work’
They don’t have a name, or a home rink — yet — but Toronto’s new PWHL team is building something from scratch that will ‘last for a very long time.’
Toronto StarDave Feschuk Sports Columnist

Who wants some way, way, way, way, way, too early awards predictions?

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/new-york-rangers/thn-writers-poll-criticism-of-artemi-panarin-harsh-fox-tied-for-2nd-in-norris-voting-lafreniere-tied-2nd-for-breakout-player

Brigs is getting us all the scoops on the prospects.

The Regina Pats GM left hockey the hard way, but stayed in the game.

‘My hockey career kind of ended that day’: How Regina Pats’ GM Alan Millar got his start in the front office
After a broken neck derailed his playing dream, Alan Millar never stopped wanting to be involved in hockey.
Regina Leader PostTaylor Shire

Nick Robertson doesn't care what you have to say, or if you don't know what position he plays.

Leafs’ Robertson: ‘I don’t give a f--k’ that my name isn’t what it once was
Warning: Story contains coarse languageToronto Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson doesn’t seem bothered that he’s not viewed the same way he used to be in terms of his potential.“I know my name isn’t what it used to be. I don’t give a fuck,” Robertson told The Athletic’s Joshua Kloke with a smile.Des…
theScoreJosh Gold-Smith

Game time tonight is at 7PM tonight. See you all there.

Go Leafs Go!

From The Branches