My conversation with writer, blogger, and sports journalist Scott Wheeler, whose prolific work at The Athletic as an expert on all things Toronto Maple Leafs and Marlies is a tribute to his love and passion for the game of hockey.

We talked about his thoughts on the daily social media fallout of modern hockey fandom, why Morgan Rielly should be joined at the hip with Jake Gardiner, on the endless struggles of an aging Hainsey and the always enigmatic Zaitsev, if it's unusual for him to see such an imbalance of financial resources allocated between defenders and attackers, why Trevor Moore's play could lead to a demotion for Leivo or Ennis, if Mike Babcock still has his full confidence and trust, and his candid take on the content-mill/paywall paradigm that exists in today's battle for internet reader loyalty.

Be sure to follow Scott (@scottcwheeler) on social media and check out his excellent articles and worthwhile observations at The Athletic (@TheAthleticNHL).