Pension Plan Puppets
A Toronto Maple Leafs community
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Friday's FTB: Load Management
The post mixes two hot topics: Finland joins Canada in restricting visas for Russian athletes, a move that could sideline Russian competitors in upcoming winter sports and looms over the 2028 World Junior Championship in Helsinki. It then pivots to the Toronto Maple Leafs, where defenseman Chris Tanev sits out two games under "load management" after RAPM data shows his defensive impact has turned negative this season, making his status a red flag for the blueline. The author also critiques John Tavares' post‑injury play and calls out misleading goalie stats, before noting the Leafs face the Oilers Saturday.
GDT: Wild time at SBA
This is another very tough opponent.
Preview: Wild at Leafs
The Minnesota Wild visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. in Toronto. The Leafs come off a 6‑3 loss to Colorado and sit at 8‑10‑2 (.450 points %), while the Wild are 13‑3‑4 (.750 points %), fresh off a 2‑1 OT win at Montreal. Minnesota boasts a top‑5 power play, second‑best all‑situation save % and a strong 5‑on‑5 record, with Jesper Wallstedt anchoring net. Toronto’s line‑up changes include Colton Sissons to IR, recall of Brendan Brisson and possible scratches for Zack MacEwen and Chris Tanev. The matchup promises high‑scoring action.
Thursday's FTB: No rest in this new NHL schedule
Canada’s sports minister confirms Russian and Belarusian athletes will be barred from next month’s World Junior tournament, even with valid visas, as a stance against Russia’s war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Rogers’ shift of Monday‑night NHL games to the Sportsnet Plus streaming service sparks complaints from three TV providers who allege price hikes and anti‑competitive behavior. On the ice, Canada beats Finland to claim Group A’s top spot at the World Championships, setting up a quarter‑final versus Czechia, while the Toronto Maple Leafs scramble with injuries and criticism from Hiller as their playoff hopes dwindle.
Back to Excited Episode 231: Grading the Leafs after 20 games
Today, we go in depth on all the players, and discuss how they've done relative to our expectations after about a quarter of the season.
Wednesday's FTB: Women's Worlds on tap today
Canada vs Finland at 9 am is the most important match for Canada at worlds.
GDT: Colorado in Toronto
Leafs and Marlies combine!
Preview: Leafs host the Avalanche
The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Colorado Avalanche on Nov. 10 at 7:00 PM (Scotiabank Arena, TVAS/TSN4). Toronto comes off a 4-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils and sits 8‑9‑2 with a .474 points % while Colorado, fresh from a 4-0 win over Detroit, holds a 10‑6‑2 record and .611 points %. Lineup notes include recalled forward Ryan Tverberg, likely starter Mackenzie Blackwood, and injury concerns for Rielly, Sissons, Marchenko and others. The Avalanche feature stars Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Gabriel Landeskog. Both teams vie for momentum as the NHL shifts to an 84‑game schedule.
Tuesday's FTB: Hall of Fame inductions and every Maple Leaf is injured
The NHL’s 2026 Hall of Fame class rocks the spotlight, with Carey Price, Patrice Bergeron, Pekka Rinne, Keith Tkachuk and Cindy Curley enshrined as players and Brian Burke joining as a builder. Meanwhile, the Toronto Maple Leafs wrestle with an injury epidemic: top prospect defenseman Ben Danford breaks his wrist, while Morgan Rielly, Chris Tanev, Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Kirill Marchenko and others sit on the sidelines with lower‑body ailments. The Leafs sit 12th in the Eastern Conference and face a brutal homestand against Colorado, Minnesota and Edmonton, underscoring the urgency of their health crisis.
The Marlies get two points from two OT losses to the Moose in Winnipeg
An old friend returns, but it's not enough to put the Marlies over the line against the Moose.
Monday's FTB: Why the Maple Leafs can't trade for a defenceman
The author debunks the claim that the Toronto Maple Leafs can’t acquire a defenseman, explaining they could trade for one by shedding an equal‑cap contract of over a year. He then critiques simplistic optimization models like cap‑dollar‑per‑point or Corsi‑only metrics, arguing that real roster building requires balance, depth and flexibility—not a razor‑thin, low‑salary lineup or single‑stat focus. Using examples from successful clubs (Florida, Carolina, Colorado, Vegas), he highlights three optimization traps: over‑tight budgeting, asking the wrong questions, and conflicting optimization attempts that can backfire when injuries arise.
GDT: Maple Leafs host the Devils
This is the HHOF game which will have a ceremony to start.
Preview: Devils vs Leafs
How about a Hall of Fame performance? No not you, Hellebuyck.
Sunday's FTB: Right back to work after whatever that was last night
Team Canada faces Japan at 1 pm Toronto time in today’s World Championship, after Japan’s loss to Denmark left them in a tough division. The blog shifts to NHL news, highlighting Vinni Lettieri’s fight to stay on the Maple Leafs’ roster amid depth‑player cap concerns, and a controversial Leafs‑Canadiens game where Gavin McKenna rebounded from a turnover‑filled night to score a goal in a 4‑2 loss. The post also notes a penalty on Xhekaj, William Nylander’s opening goal, and upcoming Hall‑of‑Fame inductions for Carey Price, Patrice Bergeron, and others.
GDT: Habs at Leafs
Just win this, okay?
Preview: Canadiens join the Leafs for the HHOF weekend
The Canadiens face the Leafs on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. in Toronto during the Hockey Hall of Fame weekend. Toronto comes off a 3‑2 loss to the Utah Mammoth, sitting 8‑7‑2 (.529 points). Montreal, fresh from a 5‑4 OT win over the same opponent, boasts a 10‑3‑3 record (.719 points) and leads the league in five‑on‑five Corsi, though its power play and goaltending remain average. Key lineups include Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky for Montreal, and Auston Matthews, John Tavares and William Nylander for Toronto, with Artur Akhtyamov recalled as backup. The game doubles as a pre‑induction showcase, making it a must‑watch clash of contrasting styles.
Saturday's FTB: Tavares is back
It's game 18 tonight. It's getting close to not really being all that early.
Friday's FTB: Find someone who stands up for you like Dan Milstein does for his players
In a candid interview, agent Dan Milstein praises Nikita Kucherov’s relentless, business‑first approach to hockey, highlighting the player’s disdain for hype and focus on personal integrity. Milstein recounts Kucherov’s draft‑day setbacks, contrasts his drive with the NHL’s traditional team‑first mindset, and critiques how the league handles fiercely individualistic stars. The talk also dives into trade speculation—why Tampa Bay may not move Kucherov, the Detroit‑Lightning‑Larkin proposal, and Toronto’s stalled interest—while sprinkling anecdotes about Russian prospects like Artem Zub and Ilya Mikheyev. Listeners get a rare look at the agent’s perspective on player value, draft politics, and the future of high‑impact talent in the NHL.
Thursday's FTB: Women's Worlds about to begin
The 2026 IIHF Women's World Championship shifts to a November schedule and adopts a new serpentine seeding format, mirroring the Men’s Worlds and WJC. Hosted in Denmark, Group A plays in Esbjerg (USA, Czechia, Switzerland, Germany, Austria) and Group B in Herning (Canada, Finland, Sweden, Japan, Denmark). Canada opens against Sweden at 9 am Toronto time with a younger roster—Marie‑Philip Poulin out, Sarah Nurse injured, and several rookies—including Renata Fast and Ella Shelton. New coaching staff sees Kori Cheverie as head coach and Danièle Sauvageau as GM. TSN streams the games, but Hockey Canada is in a commercial‑rights dispute with the IIHF. The tournament runs to Nov 11, followed by relegation, quarter‑finals, and reseeded semifinals.
Wednesday's FTB: Mark Carney says no to Russia at the WJC
Prime Minister Mark Carney tells reporters that, despite a CAS ruling, Canada will not issue visas for Russian or Belarusian athletes at the World Junior Championship, effectively barring them from the tournament. He urges other hockey nations to follow suit, citing the ongoing war in Ukraine. The stance mirrors past sports boycotts, such as FIFA’s exclusion of Russia in 2022. Meanwhile, the Toronto Leafs lost 3-2 in a contentious game, with penalties highlighted by coach Jim Hiller.
GDT: Mammoth @ Leafs
This shouldn't be an elephantine task.
Preview: Utah Mammoth at Maple Leafs
The Utah Mammoth (9-6-0, .600 points %) visit the Toronto Maple Leafs (8-6-2, .562 points %) at 7:00 PM on Nov 3 in Toronto. The Leafs come off a 4-2 win over Vancouver, while the Mammoth dropped 6-3 to Philadelphia. Toronto’s recent lineup tweaks place Easton Cowan with Auston Matthews and Dakota Joshua on the second line, while John Tavares remains day‑to‑day. Utah’s lines feature Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz and Dylan Guenther up front, though their penalty kill and expected‑goals save stats lag. Both teams are looking to improve puck control out of the defensive zone to boost offensive pace. The game airs on TSN4, Mammoth+, and Utah16.
2026 US mid-term elections thread
On Election Day November 3, 2026, the US mid‑term elections unfold alongside a Toronto Maple Leafs game. The post lists state poll‑closing times—some as early as 7 p.m. ET—and reminds readers to check the linked schedule before heading out after work. While tens of millions have already voted early, millions more will cast ballots in person today, and the outcome could have global ramifications.
Tuesday's FTB: Jerseys, waivers and trade requests
The post starts with a roundup of the 32 NHL jerseys that feature odd colours or logos, highlighting the Flyers and Kraken releases and a mixed review of the Leafs' new look. It notes that Toronto placed forward Bo Groulx on waivers, where he could be sent to the AHL or kept as the 13th forward until John Tavares returns. Lightning star Nikita Kucherov cites poor communication as the reason for his trade request, after only two contract talks since July 1. The Leafs will start Sergei Bobrovsky in goal against the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday, with coach Jim Hiller outlining a split‑goaltender plan. Finally, the article speculates on a possible Capitals push for big moves and the lingering Kucherov trade chatter, concluding with a reminder of the upcoming Mammoth game.
Maple Leafs Prospect Report: Alexander Bilecki
Checking in on one of my favourite picks from Toronto's most recent draft and what progress he's made.
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