from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- It will sound wrong and feel a little off when Auston Matthews is voted the most valuable player in the National Hockey League — if that happens.

Nothing against Matthews, really. It’s about Connor McDavid right now. He’s doing what’s never been done before. He’s doing what we’ve never seen before. He’s turning hockey into fast-break basketball, with one player, not a goaltender, changing games all by himself....

- The more I watch the Tampa Bay Lightning play the more impressed I am with the detail in their game, like stick positioning, shot blocking, and being on the right side of the puck. None of these are easy to teach or to have a team comprehend.

- The Leafs have 10 free agents — six unrestricted, four restricted. The big decision is in goal where the club has to determine whether Jack Campbell is their goalie today, and for the future. And Campbell has to determine what kind of dollars he’s willing to play for long-term. Five million a year is too much for Campbell and he might command that in the open market.

- Who would have ever believed this? But Darryl Sutter has become the best sound byte in hockey. Short answers. Long answers. Doesn’t seem to matter.

- The headline said that Rick Bowness had stepped down as coach of the Stars. The truth: He was pushed out. Owner Tom Gaglardi wanted the change. Good-guy Bowness is now contemplating between retirement, family time, grandchildren visits, and continuing to coach in the NHL

more on the first topic and other notes too...