The @NHLPA and @NHL have announced an agreement to play a 2020-21 regular-season schedule of 56 games beginning on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021. media.nhl.com/public/news/14…
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Page 6ix Wednesday, December 23rd: Holiday Edition!
Okay let’s just get the big news out of the way from the get go, eh? WE HAVE A SEASON! (It would appear.) On December 20th the NHL announced the official start date (January 13th, 2021) and the official divisions of the upcoming season. All the details can be found in the Twitter thread below:
Now, it seems the Canadian provinces and the league are still in discussions about how this works with Canada’s lockdowns and such, so there is some ambiguity there. But according to the NHL, the season begins on January 13th, Canadian teams and all! We are very excited to have hockey (safely) back!
Other than the big news, there is lots to touch on this week, so let’s dive in.
Leafs Lads
We begin, as always with our Leafs boys. Where to start….? How about with a birthday?
Wishing @Travis_Dermott a happy birthday! 🎂
Happy birthday, @Travis Dermott! We hope you enjoyed your celebration.
Looks like all the boys are making their way back to Toronto, as this week we saw @Mitch Marner and current roomie @Justin Holl walking their dogs together, and none other than @William Nylander and @Auston Matthews seemed to have a doggy playdate as well:
Speaking of AM34, he was understandably impressed by a fan’s super decked out Leafs cave, and he showed his admiration on Twitter:
Elsewhere, Mitch Marner took some (in our opinion) undeserved heat (ahem) for comments he made about the winter weather in Toronto:
Just spoke to Mitch Marner about the possibility of Canadian NHL teams playing in the U.S.
It’s Canada, it’s cold. If I was told I couldn’t do my job in Toronto all winter and would have to go elsewhere I’d also love to go somewhere warm.
By the way, this was the piece of news Mitch was commenting on:
Sources: The NHL could move games involving Canadian teams to the United States in 2021 if its unable to reach agreement with provincial health authorities. sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nh…
We’re hopeful the Canadian division gets all worked out in the next few weeks so our boys can play at home.
Bruins Boys
Yes, a whole header for the Bruins! @David Pastrnak made waves this week by being not only a solid dude:
But also a really solid hockey player:
F David Pastrnak @pastrnak96 of Boston @NHLBruins was just awarded as the Best Sportsman of the the Czech Republic of the year 2020. Last hockey player awarded was Jaromir Jagr (2005).
After some speculation during the offseason because of his abrupt departure from the bubble, it looks like @Tuukka Rask will be back as the Bruins netminder this season:
Tuuuuuukkkkkkkk. 🙅♂️ @tuukkarask | #NHLBruins
Has Big Z played his last game with The Spoked B? Rumours are swirling about @Zdeno Chara’s uncertain future with his long-time team:
Zdeno Chara's Agent Says 20+ Teams Have Inquired About Free Agent, But Chara's Focus Is On Talking To Bruins boston.cbslocal.com/2020/12/22/zde…
We’ll see what happens with all that soon, I’m sure.
Quick Hits
Lots of little bits of news around the hockey world this week, so we’re gonna fly right through it.
HUGE news for women’s hockey, with this exciting announcement yesterday:
NBC Sports (@NBCSports) and the NWHL have announced that the 2021 Isobel Cup Semifinals and Final will air live exclusively on NBCSN on February 4-5 from historic Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, N.Y. Press Release 📰: nwhl.zone/news/nwhl-isob…
Looks like my dream of an all-goalie roster is one step closer to reality:
The Arizona Sharks?
Due to the pro sports ban in Santa Clara, the plan as of now for the San Jose Sharks is to conduct training camp in Arizona, and I'm told it is very possible they might be forced to start the season there, as well.
The situation at World Juniors showed us that even COVID bubbles have limitations:
The IIHF would like to provide an update following the arrival and quarantine period of all 10 competing teams and tournament officials from the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship Bubble: iihf.com/en/events/2021…
And to round it out, Vegas Golden Knight @William Karlsson leaned into our motto of all soap operas by proposing to his longtime girlfriend and Bachelor alum Emily Ferguson:
#TheBachelor @BachelorABC alum @efergie13 engaged to hockey player William Karlsson #TheBachelorette #TayshiaAdams #Bachelorette realitytvworld.com/news/the-bache…
A Final Note
We end on a bit of a sad note, unfortunately, as this week we learned that legendary goalie @Henrik Lundqvist will be taking the season off to deal with a scary health issue:
Some tough news I need to share with you all..
We wish Hank all the best on his health journey. He is a true icon of the game.
That’s all, folks. Wishing everyone a happy and healthy holiday and new year. Don’t forget to check us out on Twitter.
Breaking News
- Easton Cowan was the positive surprise for 2025-26 Maple Leafs, should thrive under Jim Hiller
- Around the NHL: Jets continue Connor Hellebuyck trade talks, Patrick Kane linked to 2 teams
- Former Maple Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby reflects on career with Toronto following trade to Lightning
- Matthew Tkachuk lists Leafs’ Sergei Bobrovsky as ‘backbone’ of Panthers’ Stanley Cup-winning teams
- Who is the Maple Leafs’ ideal defensive partner for Darren Raddysh?
Toronto Maple LeafsTeam Cap Summary
Cap Summary
2026-27
2027-28
Projected Cap Hit
$106,752,382
$106,752,382
Projected Cap Space
-$2,752,382
$6,747,618
Current Cap Space
-$2,752,382
$6,747,618
Active Players
23/23
24/23
Draft Picks
Round
'26
'27
1
1
1
2
1
2
3
4
0