from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- With or without a conclusion to the NHL season and playoffs, how much money has this season cost Tyson Barrie? Jake Gardiner signed long-term for $4 million a year in Carolina when a lot of people thought he would get $6 million. Don’t think the exposed Barrie will get any more than Gardiner did in free agency.

- So much of the conversation after the passing of Pat Stapleton was of his time playing for Team Canada ’72 and what became of the Paul Henderson puck. What was barely mentioned: When Stapleton was the playing-coach of the Chicago Cougars of the WHA, he hired a little-known coach to be his assistant and run the bench. The coach’s name: Jacques Demers.

- Rather than talk about possibilities of completing the season or playoffs, why doesn’t Gary Bettman just say this: When there’s something to announce, we’ll announce it. Until then, we’re staying home and social distancing. The regular peddling of hope comes off as either disingenuous or delusional.

- What has happened to hockey in Montreal — and I don’t mean the 27 years since the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup?

I mean hockey in the city, not at the NHL level, hockey around the city, that place where stars were once born, raised and developed. Just not much recently....

more on the last topic plus additional notes...