The Faceoff Circle

Welcome to your worst nightmare. Okay, it wasn't quite *that* bad, but last night's playoff opener was about as unwanted of an outcome as the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to get for themselves. The blue and white's offensive firepower fell flat on Sunday night, and the team dropped Game 1 of their Best-of-5 play-in series against Columbus by a score of 2-0. [ 1,062 more word ] http://faceoffcircle.ca//leafs-shut-out-in-playoff-debut-/

The National Hockey League's 32nd team might still have another season and change before they join the fold, but today, we got some clarity on who exactly they'll be. The Seattle organization announced today that they'll be referring to themselves as the Seattle Kraken, one of the most talked-about names amidst over a year of speculation. The name itself, again, doesn't come as much of a surprise. [ 531 more words ] http://faceoffcircle.ca//seattle-nails-kraken-team-name-a/

In hockey, having a big three - like the Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander trio that the Leafs debuted in 2016/17 is a great luxury. An Elite Four, like they formed when John Tavares signed? Seems like something out of a video game, but okay, I can suspend belief a little. A fantastic five, though? That's just too insane. [ 1,609 more word ] http://faceoffcircle.ca//nick-robertson-is-likely-nhl-rea/

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been back to skating and practicing in "Stage 3" this week, and with that has come a favourite past time for this city - freaking out about practice lines. I'm not going to lie - even as someone still watching with baited breath given the health circumstances behind this return to play, the first wave of roster arguments made everything feel real. [ 643 more words ] http://faceoffcircle.ca//why-the-leafs-top-line-reunion-c/

The Mailbag: July 13 http://faceoffcircle.ca/2020/07/13/the-mailbag-july-13/