Happy Monday, hockey world.

With Josh Leivo signed to a one year deal in Toronto many are saying James van Riemsdyk may indeed be in his final year as a Leaf. Personally, my sources say this is far from inevitable. Many believe JVR loves it enough in Toronto to take around $5.5M per year and at that price Toronto would be nuts not to keep him in the fray.

My prediction? James, who showed a previous ability to get insanely hot in the playoffs, will get hot this year for Toronto and make this situation much more complicated than it appears on paper right now.

That being said, the Leivo signing has kick started a bunch of rumors...the most intriguing, and perhaps the most definitive being the Flyers, who have a backlog of young D-men and issues scoring after the top line...JvR was a very popular player in Philly and word is there are some players who are very interested in bringing back JvR, but at least outwardly I don't get the impression that Hexy is interested in this player at this time...and Hexy is the most important person in all of this...

What's the Buzz?

Flyers fans: Would you give up Sanheim or Hagg + a first for JvR?

Beyond that...Watch out for the Florida Panthers with JvR. There is a ton of interest from Tallon and company, the only question is who could they put into a deal?

Carolina had been talking alot with Toronto (as reported in this space several times over the past months) but now I am hearing "certain roadblocks" have pretty much shutdown communication...That roadblock may or may not be called Hanifin...

One minute OT Penalties 90% Done?

There is a great deal of momentum growing that penalties should be one minute in OT and I am having a hard time finding enough of my contacts from the Board of Govs who don't LOVE this idea. As one said..."The 3 v 3 is just far more entertaining than a normal Power Play...

5 Shooters in Shootout?

Another movement that is not being reported on as much is the call for shootouts to by 5 players versus 3. I have long been a proponent of this...3 shooters simply doesnt feel proportionate to the team game that proceeded it...

What do you all think of these changes?

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