10 WEEKEND THINGS

Taking shots …

1 – GET KRAKEN: While the Great White North was regaling in Saturday night match-ups featuring the Jets & Canadiens and Rangers & Canucks, and greatly anticipating Sunday’s Heritage Classic featuring the Flames & Oilers at Commonwealth Stadium, Jordan Eberle was toiling in his 949th NHL game in Sunrise, FL with his Seattle Kraken against the hometown Panthers. Time flies. At age 33, Eberle is the second-oldest Kraken player. He’s also their best, as he scored the OT winner the game before at Carolina. On this night, Ebs was minus-1 and logged 17:01 of icetime. The Regina, SK product recently told the Seattle media he wishes to finish his career with the Kraken, as he and his family have fallen in love with the Emerald City. Who wouldn’t?

2 – BEDARD: This time I wasn’t able to catch a minute to chat with Jordan but the next time I do, I’ll ask him about Connor Bedard. Eberle has been voted Canada’s greatest World Junior player ever but I’m guessing a re-vote would land in #98’s favour, as a two-time gold medallist and now Canada’s all-time points leader with 36. (Eric Lindros is #2 with 31 points, Eberle #3 with 26). There was always some debate over the all-time greatest Regina Pat which involved Eberle, Dale Derkatch, Doug Wickenheiser, Dennis Sobchuck, etc. Now, however, there is no debate and all those legends take their hat off to Bedard. What a story it was.

3 – QUEEN CITY: Not done yet with the all-time greats list! You know I love these debates and you have to wonder who’s the greatest-ever Regina-born NHL’er? Chris Kunitz has four Stanley Cups and an Olympic gold medal. Ryan Getzlaf is a future Hockey Hall of Famer with a Stanley Cup and Olympic gold. Eberle’s had a nice career, but no Cups. Bill Hicke won two Stanley Cups with Montreal and was a three-time Memorial Cup finalist with the Pats. Murray Balfour won a Stanley Cup with Chicago in 1961 and my Dad said he was as tough as they come. “If you were at a house party and Murray Balfour showed up,” my Dad remembered. “You left.” What a hot stove topic.

4 – BATTLE OF ALBERTA: The NHL game notes are a thing of beauty. With the Flames and Oilers set to meet up at 7 pm ET in the Heritage Classic today on TBS and Sportsnet, here are some jottings … This is the third time Alberta has hosted the NHL’s famed Outdoor Game. No other province has hosted it more than once. … From 1983 to 1990, the Stanley Cup Final featured either the Flames or the Oilers every year. … The heated rivals have met six times in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and Edmonton is 5-1. Three of those series went to Game 7. … We all know this but it’s nice for the refresher, and for the younger generations to learn. … Flames captain Mikael Backlund is tied with Jarome Iginla for the most seasons as a Flame at 16. … It appears Connor McDavid (upper body injury) will play in this one despite missing the Oilers’ last two games. … Both teams are struggling coming in: Calgary (2-5-1, on a four game losing streak) and Edmonton (1-5-1). … I miss covering the NHL in Alberta but we’ll be back in the New Year! They’d better be comfortably in playoff spots by then.

5 – CFL STUFF: Some records were set on the weekend in these *meaningless* games to conclude the regular season including the Toronto Argonauts winning 27-22 at Ottawa. That gave the Argos 16 wins on the season and as TSN’s Jim Barker pointed out on Friday’s RP Show, “No CFL team has ever won 16 games and gone on to win the Grey Cup” so history is at stake in November. … The 1989 Edmonton Eskimos (featuring Commissioner Randy Ambrosie) went 16-2 but succumbed in the West Final 32-21 to Saskatchewan, which still serves as the league’s biggest playoff upset. The Rider players on that famed team will tell you the Esks “got cocky” and were looking too far ahead. It’s doubtful Ryan Dinwiddie – the Toronto coach who will win Coach of the Year this season – will allow his players to do the same. … The Division Semifinals are next Saturday with Hamilton at Montreal and Calgary at BC. … Bravo to the CFL for moving the playoff games to Saturday! There’s no point combatting the NFL. … No predictions for these games YET however I suppose I’ll stick with my preseason prediction of a Calgary/Hamilton Grey Cup. … And yes, I predicted for the Saskatchewan Roughriders to miss the playoffs. Look it up, or ask QR Calgary Radio’s Jock Wilson.

6 – RIDER NEWS: The first off-season transaction for Roughriders GM Jeremy O’Day, after signing a new three-year contract for himself, was to secure defensive lineman Pete Robertson for 2023. Robertson’s the one who was suspended for headbutting Winnipeg QB Zach Collaros in the Labour Day Classic. Watch for news on the signing in the days and weeks ahead.

7 – COACH SEARCH: Heaven only knows the timeline on when a replacement for Craig Dickenson as Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach will be named. Here’s hoping they string it out as lonnnnnnnnng as possible because the coffee row and social media gossip has been salacious and good for ratings. … An inside source told me of Henry Burris’s interest in being the next coach of the Riders – not Henry himself – while another inside source confirmed defensive coordinator Jason Shivers will get an interview. … Want more of the inside stuff? Keep it right here, or follow my social media channels.

Somewhere somebody said the Saskatchewan coaching job will be the only one available this offseason in the CFL so it’s attracted a lot of attention and undoubtedly a lot of resumes. To scoff or dismiss any names right now would be silly, however I find it quite laughable to hear the name of Auburn Tigers assistant coach Kent Austin in the mix. He’s in Year 1 of a contract that pays him $400,000 and has quite clearly “been there, done that” with the CFL. However I’ll be with Kent’s agent at today’s Dolphins/Patriots game so I’ll pass along what I hear. … Have two unsuccessful stints as head coach in Winnipeg and Ottawa ashcanned Paul LaPolice’s chances at being a CFL head coach again? I hope not, but history will tell us. … Hamilton offensive coordinator Scott Milanovich seems to have the inside track on the Rider job but that’s also just a media narrative. There’s no way Saskatchewan has leaked any of those details, and who knows if they even have a wishlist yet. … However O’Day has shown a preference to play it safe with his moves and Milanovich would serve that, moreso than Burris. … Popcorn-worthy!

8 – PAT MCAFEE: Swinging things in an entirely different direction, it was an interesting week following ESPN host and former NFL punter Pat McAfee. The reining NFL Media Person of the Year has been under fire after it was learned he pays Aaron Rodgers for his weekly appearances on McAfee’s show, and apparently the two aren’t just “besties” as has been portrayed. Pshaw; that’s an old media trick. … Meantime a poll of College Game Day viewers revealed nearly half of respondents don’t like McAfee on the panel, and would prefer the recently-fired David Pollack, the beloved Georgia star, former Bengals D-lineman and deserving golden boy. … There are also murmurs that ESPN is forcing McAfee to ditch the muscle shirt and are forcing interviews of NHL stars on his NFL show, which he’d prefer not to have to do. … Feel sorry for Pat? Not really, since ESPN’s paying him $17-million per year, for the opportunity to control him. … I’ve never watched his show but I respect his numbers, talent and analysis. We were around him at Super Bowl LVI and he’s a good enough guy who’s learning “they love to build you up, then they love to tear you down.” A tale as old as time.

9 – PINTO: Tough to form an opinion on the Shane Pinto story – the Ottawa Senators player who was suspended 41 games by the NHL this week for gambling violations – because very little is known publicly. As a licensed Mental Health & Addiction Recovery Coach, I’ve got plenty of experience dealing with gambling in sports and can tell you the NHL wouldn’t have done this without a months-long investigation. They also wouldn’t have nailed Pinto without an avalanche of proof. Was he given the opportunity to confess and elected not to (a la Pete Rose)? We don’t know. … But that’s not to absolve the NHL either, because clearly they don’t always know what they’re doing. First you could wear Pride tape on your stick during warmup, then you couldn’t, and now you can again. … But put it this way — if Pinto broke a league violation, then he’s got to pay the piper. Simple as that. … And so the NHL gets millions in ad revenue from gambling companies yet forbid their players from gambling? So what.

10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: Peanut M&Ms taste like the movies. … What’s the media’s fascination with reporting line combinations? Unless you’re the coach of the other team, why do you care so much? … Also, nobody cares who blocked you on Twitter so stop with the screenshots. … Gregg Drinnan blocked me. … From an NHL scout: “The further south you go, the colder the rinks get.” Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise is the NHL’s southernmost arena, and damn sure the coldest. … Going to a hockey game is like going to a 12-step meeting; never a bad idea. … From Ricky Williams in his interview on the RP Show – “One thing about being ahead or your time — all you have to do is chill and wait for everybody else to catch up.” … AND HOW WAS YOUR WEEK?

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen