TOP CLICKS: The week that was in viral stories

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The Toronto Sun takes you straight to the heart of the action.

Whether it’s local news, provincial and national politics, or the worlds of celebrity and sports, we have you covered.

Some stories set the world on fire. And these ones are the most popular online stories from the past seven days, clicked on by Sun readers like you.

Here are our top stories:

Max Domi finds it ‘crazy’ that childhood friend is a Maple Leafs linemate

Scott Laughton was the kid Max Domi learned to skate with and who he would try to sit beside in the dressing room when he got called up for a game or two.

Now, they’re on the same line, along with Bobby McMann, with the Maple Leafs – and Domi is loving every second of it, Terry Koshan reports.

Domi had nothing but rave reviews for Laughton, who was acquired by the Leafs from the Flyers last week, calling him “one of the best teammates you’re going to find.”

And while Leafs coach Craig Berube knows what he’s looking for with the trio, he will change it up if he doesn’t like what he sees.

MASS SHOOTING: 12 injured as gunmen open fire ‘indiscriminately’ inside Scarborough pub

A dozen people were taken to hospital when three masked gunmen – one armed with an assault rifle – opened fire “indiscriminately” inside the Piper Arms pub, near Scarborough Town Centre, on March 7.

Toronto Police Supt. Paul MacIntyre, of Organized Crime Enforcement, told reporters at the scene it was “extremely lucky” nobody was killed, Chris Doucette reported.

The victims, ranging in age from their 20s to mid-50s, suffered an assortment on injuries that were not considered life-threatening, with six people treated for gunshot wounds and six others wounded by broken glass.

That said, Scarborough Centre Councillor Michael Thompson said he is fearful that “retaliatory actions” will be taken in light of the shooting.

He added: “It must have been extremely frightening for all those people who were celebrating and enjoying themselves and having a good time when this brazen and cowardly act was conducted on those attending this opening of this new business in the community.”

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Driver says state hid alleged intoxication of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother

The driver accused of killing Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau isn’t going down without a fight.

Lawyers for Sean M. Higgins, 44, want the case tossed, claiming the brothers’ alleged intoxication was hidden from the grand jury by the state.

Higgins, who allegedly chugged half a dozen beers before he slammed into the brothers in Oldmans Township, New Jersey in August 2024, argued the Gaudreau brothers were more drunk than he was while they were riding their bikes, Paul Ferguson reported.

In a court filing, defence lawyers claim the indictment should be dismissed because the state failed to tell the grand jury about possible “contributory negligence” by the brothers in their own deaths.

Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, died at the scene with their blood alcohol concentration listed at 0.129% and 0.134%, respectively.

Higgins was driving with a 0.087% BAC — just over the legal limit.

Blue Jays offer to Vlad Guerrero Jr. emerges in latest twist to superstar’s saga

For a while there, we weren’t sure if we were going to know what went on behind the scenes that resulted in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. cutting off negotiations on a multi-year extension with the Blue Jays, putting him on the path towards free agency following the 2025 season.

But these are the kind of details that get leaked and if the reports were true, then the two sides weren’t that far apart – but far enough that they simply weren’t in the same ballpark.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal first reported that the Jays final offer reached that $500-million plateau but was rejected by Vlad’s camp because of deferrals that would have “diminished” its value to between $400-$450 million in present-day dollars, Rob Longley reported from spring training in Dunedin.

So, depending on how you crunch the numbers, it appears as though the Jays and Guerrero were as little as $50 million apart over the course of a proposed 14-year contract. If that’s the case, the latest development runs the risk of further fuelling the ire of a frustrated fan base.

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LILLEY: Carney puts together new team of Trudeau has-beens

By now, we know the who’s who of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet, but for a while there was only speculation – though he had named ahead of his swearing-in two former Trudeau cabinet ministers as his top advisers: Marco Mendicino as his chief of staff and David Lametti as part of Carney’s transition team.

Oof, Brian Lilley may as well have written, because not only did he refer to them as “has-beens” in a recent column, he also noted how Lametti (then-justice minister) texted back and forth with Mendicino (then-public safety minister), joking about how many tanks were needed for quelling the Freedom Convoy in 2022.

Now, the two are back to centre stage, despite being part of some of Trudeau’s worst political moments.