As a lifelong Leafs fan, my heart is already braced for impact. We sit at 1-2-0, just three games into a season that feels like it has been 59 years long. The NHL schedule is packed today with nine games on tap, including the Predators visiting Scotiabank Arena. I’ve seen enough October optimism to know better than to get carried away, but here we are again. Looking back at yesterday, October 5, we saw Tampa beat Philly 4-1, Ottawa take down Boston 4-1, Winnipeg edge Pittsburgh 3-2, and Dallas shut out San Jose 5-0. Those teams are already stacking points while we try to find our footing. The season is live, we are in the race, and absolutely nothing is decided—which is both a relief and a terrifying prospect. Will this be the year we stop being the punchline of every hockey joke? Probably not, but that’s the burden we carry. We turn our attention to Nashville tonight, praying for a win to steady the ship before the inevitable mid-season roller coaster arrives. It is a long, agonizing marathon, and frankly, my nerves are already frayed. Let’s see if they can actually play a full sixty minutes tonight.