Reddit User Uses Algorithm to Select Maple Leafs as Favorite Team!

This is just absolutely awesome. God bless reddit.

Here is the link to his algorithm spreadsheet. You must check this out.

Biggest thing I question is giving the Oilers a 1 in Arena?

McDavid's huge contract sets the stage for Auston Matthews' Extension in Toronto

Really good and thorough read here.

No sooner had the ink dried on Connor McDavid’s eight-year, $100-million contract extension than the hockey world’s attention turned to what it all means for the Toronto Maple Leafs and their own resident superstar, Auston Matthews. We’re all kind of funny that way.

Well, the first order of business might be for the Maple Leafs to send McDavid and his agent, Jeff Jackson, a nice fruit basket as a show of appreciation. By basically being a hockey player and accepting less than a 6th man in the NBA gets per season, and not demanding the maximum amount he could have, McDavid basically set the bar just a little lower, and for that the Maple Leafs can be grateful.

But all the hand wringing really isn’t necessary here. A lot of people are overthinking this one. Because the Leafs can essentially right here, right now, put Auston Matthews down for an eight-year, $100 million contract that kicks in for the 2019-20 season and runs through 2026-27. All the heavy lifting has already been done for him by the Oilers and McDavid’s negotiators.

The basic premise is stated at the beginning of the article. Now that the market has been established, you can expect Matthews to sign an 8-year, $100 Million dollar contract with the Leafs two years from now.

That said, you just hope he's as easy of a negotiation as Connor McDavid was for the Oilers. They are after all, different people.

Shayne Corson's Anxiety, Golden Knights construction, McDavid's extension

Here are the hockey links that I found throughout my day on Wednesday. It's going to be a short work week, which is good. I can totally dig that.

• Former Maple Leaf Shayne Corson talks about how panic attacks and anxiety have affected his life and his career. [Toronto Sun]
• The construction of the Las Vegas Golden Knights, and how they weren't built to go out and win. [Deadspin]
• Connor McDavid signs an 8-year, $100 million dollar extension. Here's what the Oilers face on the back end of this deal to build around him. [Deadspin]
• The Maple Leafs extended winger Zach Hyman to a four year deal. [Pension Plan Puppets]
• More reaction to the Mcdavid deal. [Barstool Sports]
• Breaking down the Oilers future of building around Mcdavid now that the big deal is done. [Pro Hockey Talk]

Ice Guardians & Chill

I rented Ice Guardians on Amazon video tonight. Here's my synopsis. 

The underlying tone of this entire documentary; which was really well made, was that this is what these guys had to do to play in the NHL. They were not NHL players without the ability to fight. And at the end of the film we learn, that they would do it all again. 

The NHL has changed today. The death of the enforcer role really happened in 2005 when hockey became more wide-open and all four lines had to be able to score and skate. There was no roster spot really allotted for there to be an enforcer anymore. And now that leaves guys like Sidney Crosby for instance wide open to take shots and get concussions and not to have the room to skate and play freely like Wayne Gretzky and other greats did like Steve Yzerman had with their sidecar enforcer line mates. 

This was a very interesting documentary that covers all aspects of the role of enforcers, every single aspect. It was well worth the rent.

They had an interview with the recently deceased Dave Semenko.


Jay Baruchel is featured a lot in the documentary. Had no idea he loved the Habs:

Keeper League Hockey

First, there's this. I thought it would be good to headline a post. 

Next up, I am trying to string together a keeper hockey league. There are a number of formats to do a fantasy keeper league for NHL. My biggest problem right now is finding 10 other owners, as well as deciding on a format. 

I'm going to run it on the Yahoo platform. I just need to find the horses. It's not like baseball where I know 11 guys I can trust. 

Maple Leaf Gardens

It's the Yankee Stadium of ice hockey. Read about the Maple Leaf Gardens.

Final goal ever scored here was of course by famed tough guy, Bob Probert. 

Patrick Marleau is a Maple Leaf

After a series of July 1st moves that were underwhelming, the Toronto Maple Leafs made a huge splash on July 2nd.

Patrick Marleau was signed by the Maple Leafs today. He's a left-shooting left winger. He has played his entire career in a San Jose Sharks uniform since the 1997-1998 season. Here are his career stats. He's tallied 508 goals and 574 assists. He's played in 177 postseason games with 120 points in those games.

So, the thought is that he played a lot with Brent Burns and that although he's old; he doesn't have as much mileage on him as a typical player of his age. The other analysis of the move and his impact with the Leafs:

Marleau played some with Mikkel Boedker this past season, and he is nothing but speed and rush chances. They had high event success together, another good sign he might fit with the young, fast, go for broke Leafs.

The point of signing a man his age, who still has it but might lose it at any moment, seems to be to provide a temp fill-in for the potentially departing James van Riemsdyk. If van Riemsdyk stays, then the worst that’s happened is that a major upgrade over Zach Hyman has occurred for a few years.

This might seem like a quiet little signing here in July. But come January, February, and March when the Leafs are grinding and jockeying for position back in the NHL playoffs, this will be a signing that many are thankful for.

The contract calls for three years, $6.25 Million in average annual dollars.