from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- There is at least one team in the NHL — possibly as many as three — paying close attention to Kyle Dubas’ status as general manager of the Maple Leafs.

Dubas, who is working on the last year of his contract in Toronto and was not re-signed last summer when team president Brendan Shanahan wanted to re-up his chosen GM. And now, with Dubas’ status possibly tied to upcoming Maple Leafs playoff success, there are more than whispers that other clubs around the league have taken the position of waiting to see whether Dubas will, in fact, be available at the end of the season....

- This is the ultimate dilemma of the Leafs’ playoff circumstance. They can win one round, but could they win a second round against Boston? Will anyone do that? And do you hold a GM, a coach, the president, all of them, accountable for doing what might not be possible? This is a Leafs team capable of playing for a Stanley Cup. Getting there — now that’s the challenge. These are the Stanley Cup circumstances for any team in the Atlantic Division.

- Is it mandatory for all hockey colour commentators to describe goals as “hitting the back of the net?”

- Night after night in the National Hockey League the dressing rooms are all but empty post-game.
There are reporters standing around, looking at each other, waiting to see which player or players will be brought out to speak to.

The days of having conversations with hockey players, post-game, which used to be the most available and accessible of all professional athletes, is basically over for everyone but rights-holding television networks. The NHL and its member teams discovered during the COVID-19 protocols that it could control its own environment. And teams have adopted that tight control now that those protocols are no more.

more on the first and last topic, plus additional hockey notes...