Look, if you’ve been a Leafs fan as long as I have, you know the drill. We aren’t winning the Cup in October, but we sure find creative ways to make every month feel like a high-stakes drama. After watching the boys squeak out a 5-4 win against the Rangers on Thursday, October 22, my heart rate is still trying to return to baseline. We’re sitting at 6-4-2, three games back in the Atlantic, and the season is very much alive. With 72 games remaining, I’m not booking my parade route, but I’m not throwing my jersey in the lake yet either. Elsewhere, the league was busy Thursday; Boston absolutely dismantled Nashville 6-0, and Ottawa had a rough night in a 6-2 loss to San Jose. Tonight, we’ve got Montreal at Chicago and Tampa Bay visiting Colorado, but for once, I get to sit back and watch other teams scramble. It’s early, the standings are a mess, and my optimism is tempered by decades of… well, you know. We’re in the race, the ice is still fresh, and as always, I’m ready to be hurt again. Let’s see if we can string a few together.