My way too early season predictions

Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

I can’t wait to get deeper into the season so my text prediction just fills that in for me.

We’re almost at camp time, almost at the pre-season, and I’m going to be my best Ms. Cleo and see what will happen:

1) Auston Matthews stays healthy, has a career season, and breaks two points records:

A) Career Maple Leafs goals. This is an easy one because he is only 20 goals away from that record. My incorrect prediction will be he achieves this during the October 29th game against the Calgary Flames.

This is game 10 of the season. A daring choice for Matthews to hit 20 goals. A couple hat tricks may be necessary, but I believe in this because of part 1B..

B) Auston Matthews becomes the first Maple Leafs to score 70+ goals.

2) My second prediction is a downer: Matthews does not win the Rocket Richard trophy.

3) No Maple Leafs will be suspended this season. They won’t all tie for the Lady Byng, but they know the line.

4) Mitch Marner gets injured early January.

5) The Penguins only win 15 games before New Year’s, Malkin and Crosby get traded as the Penguins begin the tank for Gavin McKenna, who coincidentally joined Penn State this summer.

6) A big name podcast podcast blows up after a player goes full Hulk Hogan on Gawker at them.

7) Gary Bettman announces his retirement at the draft by doing his “We have a trade to announce” bit.

8) Finland wins gold by defeating Sweden at the Olympics. Canada places 6th due to goaltending.

9) Expansion to Houston and Atlanta is announced at the draft. Quebec City burns down.

10) The Maple Leafs win the Cup by going through Ottawa, Florida, and Carolina in the East and Vegas in the finals.

There we are. Ten possible but not necessarily probable predictions.

What’s yours for this year?

Now, some news

Speaking of the future, what does it hold for Easton Cowan?

Not every former Maple Leaf has a job set. Is retirement coming for some?

The Toronto Maple Leafs hit a home run when they moved the St. John’s Maple Leafs to Toronto. Maybe not financially, but they set the stage for sharing a city with your AHL team.

Speaking of St. John’s they’re getting a hockey team back. After the ECHL Newfoundland Growlers abruptly shut down, and going last season without a team at all, the QMJHL is bringing back major junior hockey with the Newfoundland Regiment about to take the ice.

Finally, over the weekend the hockey world lost one of the most legendary figures. Ken Dryden passed after a battle with cancer.

As a goaltender he won six Stanley Cups with the Canadians in eight season, was Maple Leafs President from 1997-2004, was a parliamentarian from 2004-2011, and a prolific author, writing many books on hockey, politics, life and Canada.

Enjoy your day everyone.