Two new tests have been added to the Combine as detailed here:

McKenna to meet with at least 8 teams at NHL Scouting Combine | NHL.com
Cover gets chance to showcase conditioning before draft; Cullen trying to follow in father’s footsteps
NHL logoMike G. Morreale

There was a trade yesterday, and while this one was time sensitive due to draft rights, teams will stop waiting for the Cup to be awarded as we have multiple off days with no hockey over the next two weeks.

Lightning acquire rights to Mem Cup champion Pridham from Blackhawks for draft pick
The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired the rights to forward Jack Pridham from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick.
TSNTSN.ca Staff
How Hurricanes brotherhood is helping Andersen process Lemieux’s death
Frederik Andersen is mourning the loss of his friend and mentor Claude Lemieux. The brotherhood the Hurricanes have formed is helping him process his grief.
Sportsnet.caLuke Fox

Yesterday was June 1, and that's the day where various forms of draft rights expire. In order to hold onto players whose rights are about to disappear, a team has to make a bona fide offer or sign them to an SPC depending on circumstances.

Nathan Mayes, drafted by the Leafs in 2024, will re-enter the draft, and he will become a free agent if he goes undrafted. He is no longer a Leafs prospect.

2024 Draft: Leafs select Nathan Mayes with pick 225
It’s literally the final pick in the whole draft. You can all tune out now.
PPP LeafsSpecies

Mayes is a good, physical defender in the WHL, but shows no signs of becoming a viable NHL prospect. Not a surprise the Leafs did not offer him an ELC.

Matthew Hlacar, drafted last year, did not receive a bona fide offer to extend his rights. He will also re-enter the draft.

With Pick #217, the Leafs drafted Matthew Hlacar
With their final pick in the 2025 draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs took a swing on Matthew Hlacar from the Kitchener Rangers.
PPP LeafsBrian S

Read the comments on the above and you'll find us all mystified as to why he was ever drafted. As a 19-year-old he failed to do anything at the development camp or rookie tournament to justify even being drafted. No one should be surprised that the new management declined to keep him on.

The PWHL expansion process begins today, and, well, it's extremely complicated. This video does not actually answer all the questions a person might have:

This is a six-phase process and each team posted identical infographics that also don't answer all questions. This is the start of the Sceptres version:

But if you're very keen, the link above in that tweet takes you to the PWHL site where you can find the 14-page rules in PDF form and the list of all player statuses. Key thing not decided is the draft order. The Gold Plan winner, Vancouver, will draft first, other than that it is yet to be announced. The draft is June 17. I get this is complicated, but I've just decided to throw my hands up and wait for the results, and I don't think very many people will do differently.

Meanwhile, last night...

Dallas Eakins is currently running a team in the DEL, a league that frequently scouts the AHL looking for veterans who would like a European tour as they get pushed out of the AHL by the veteran rules. But don't let that stop you from making up stories about interviews.

In the game, the Marlies entered the third period tied at two-all, but the Penguins surged ahead with two goals. The trouble here, obviously, is that the Marlies were not getting outshot like they usually are. Final score was 5-3 for WBS, so Toronto leads the series 2-1. The next game is tomorrow night.

That's all for now. The Ivar Stenberg profile is today, and who knows, the Leafs may hire someone else's brother today.

From The Branches