from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- A hockey voice keeps telling me that the real Mike Babcock has yet to coach the Leafs. Only the really nice and demanding Babcock has been there. “He’s still in the honeymoon phase. That should change this season.”

- Auston Matthews may well be a top-four NHL centre in the future, maybe even soon, but he doesn’t start the season as No. 4 pivot in the NHL. Top 10 maybe. It’s a little presumptuous to rate Matthews just behind Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Evgeni Malkin at centre and ahead of John Tavares, Jonathan Toews and others.

- First glance at T-Mobile Arena, new home of the Vegas Golden Knights: This will be one of the great venues in the NHL. It’s a Top 3 building right now.

a few more hockey notes...