10 WEEKEND THINGS

Taking shots ..

1 – HAPPY BIRTHDAY NHL: The NHL was founded today, 106 years ago, at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal after three days of meetings between owners of the former National Hockey Association. Frank Calder was named inaugural league President, where he served for over 25 years. 66,475 NHL games have been played since in what I believe is the greatest sports league on the planet.

2 – BURNING BARNEY: Famed NHL super pest Matthew Barnaby (18th all-time in penalty minutes) saw his partnership with Bet 99 dissolve last month due to Ontario gaming regulations but the former NHL Radio and ESPN analyst is still a must-follow on Twitter, whether you agree with his rants or not. On Friday he went on quite the tangent, telling the NHL via video to “WAKE THE F&%$ UP!” It was regarding the league fining beloved Minnesota goalie Marc-Andre Fleury for wearing a Native American mask design to honour his wife’s heritage. Barney feels players should be able to promote whatever causes they choose on their gear in warmup.

Here’s what I don’t get — there’s no doubt Matthew Barnaby is regarded as a black sheep in NHL circles but his comments aren’t any different from those of Ryan Whitney and Paul Bissonette on Spittin’ Chiclets. Those guys are celebrated by the League, yet Barney is ostracized. It makes no sense to me, but I don’t lose sleep over it.

3 – GAME NOTES: Don’t look now, but there’s a new #1 team in the NHL. By virtue of their 7-4 home win over Boston on Saturday, the New York Rangers sit atop the NHL standings. Their coach, in case you forgot, is Peter Laviolette. … There are four NHL head coaches whom are coaching teams for which they played – Laviolette, Winnipeg’s Rock Bowness, Carolina’s Rod Brind’Amour and Nashville’s Andrew Brunette. … It took him awhile to figure it out, but Connor Bedard is atop the NHL rookie scoring leaderboard with 17 points in 18 games. He assisted on the game-winner in Chicago’s 4-3 OT victory over Toronto on Friday. The commentators on the broadcast noted that Bedard seemed to have been sat for a spell after struggling on draws, then he set up the winner. Keep it up!

4 – BERMUDA TRIANGLE: If you’re new to this website or our shows, for decades I’ve referred to Winnipeg-Calgary-Edmonton as the Bermuda Triangle of the NHL and we follow all these teams closely. So here are some thoughts on all of them.

JETS: They’ve won five in a row heading into Nashville for a Sunday night game. They humbled the Florida Panthers 3-0 Friday night here in Sunrise and really just used their speed to their advantage, and goalie Connor Hellebuyck put up the plywood. Two questions for Jets fans – 1) For those catcalling Paul Maurice for being 0-4 against the Jets as Florida coach, where were you in last year’s Stanley Cup Final? and 2) Where are those who were calling for the head of Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff? IMAGINE IF JETS OWNERSHIP LISTENED TO YOU! … Oh, and Jets TV play-by-play man Dan Robertson has the bass voice of the iconic Hockey Night In Canada playcallers of days gone by. If CBC and Sportsnet ever wanted to get back to that era and that “sound”, Dan’s the guy. I told him as much Friday night in the press box at Amerant Bank Arena.

FLAMES: If the U.S. Thanksgiving rule-of-thumb is true (80% of teams in a playoff spot on this date will make the playoffs), then Calgary will miss. However if any of the non-playoff teams have a chance to buck the trend, it’s the Flames, who took about nine weeks to adapt to rookie head coach Ryan Huska. They should be fine. … Last year the Panthers were out of a playoff spot for 72% of the regular season, but wound up making it by getting hot at the end. Like the Flames, they took till at least Christmas to adapt to a new coach.

OILERS: Absolutely NO ONE seems to know what it’s going to take for the Oilers to get their act together but their 5-0 rout of the Capitals in Washington on Friday seemed to be a step in the right direction. They host the Ducks Sunday night. The thing I misunderstand the most about Edmonton is this — if things were going along so swimmingly the past few seasons, why did you feel the need to add Connor McDavid’s agent Jeff Jackson to the front office? I know, I know, to aid in re-signing the NHL’s best player. However from the outside, it just looks like the move has caused chaos. Are they that afraid Connor’s going to bolt?

5 – CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT: People are about to burst with curiosity, wanting to know why Corey Perry has been suspended by the Chicago Blackhawks with no explanation from the team. I’d suggest it’s a private matter, and to respect this delicate situation involving the 38-year old forward. Like everything, the reason will likely come out eventually – like Tom Brady’s 12-day absence from Buccaneers camp in 2022 which turned out to be a separation from wife Giselle Bundchen – so sit tight. Obviously I’m not suggesting Perry’s absence is marital-related. Maybe it is. Who knows? It’s a private matter.

6 – CFL WITHDRAWAL: If you’re a CFL diehard, it likely didn’t take long to dawn on you that this was the first weekend without 3-down pro football since May. Yes, football’s football but if the CFL is your favourite brand, then NCAA, NFL or USPORTS doesn’t totally scratch that itch. However all leagues go away for a period of time, so my suggestion is to think of something else or open your mind to other leagues. But it would be nice if CFL HQ came up with a way to stay in the news in the weeks and months ahead.

*A good way for the CFL to expose their product to new markets – like the NHL’s Global Series and NFL’s London & Germany games – is to play preseason contests in markets like Victoria, Kelowna, Medicine Hat, Thunder Bay, Quebec City, Moncton, etc. It’s too much to ask to give up regular season games, but all-rookie contests would be a smashing success! Also, an off-season Flag Football tourney in those cities would be boffo as well. … Remember CFL Week??

**And another thing: Edmonton Elks colour commentator Dave Campbell reported on Friday’s RP Show that he expects private ownership of the team to be in place by 2025. But I doubt it’ll be the Oilers who buy them. The Flames own the Calgary Stampeders but I’m told would be happy to have someone take them off their hands. But as far as ownership rumours go, I’m out on this one. Fool me once … 

7 – F.U.J.W.: Grey Cup MVP Cody Fajardo of the Montreal Alouettes will be on The RP Show Monday at 12:40 pm ET. Frankly, I have no idea what Cody’s going to say so I’m just as riveted as you. The champagne in the eyes likely still stings after Montreal’s 28-24 upset victory over Winnipeg in last weekend’s Grey Cup, watched by close to 9-million people in Canada alone. If someone wanted to write a book about this Cinderella season for Montreal, I’d read it. Or watch the DVD, or Netflix series. 

In the brief text exchanges between Cody and me since, he said “What a feeling”. I bet! To go from unwanted and thinking your career is over, to the next exciting chapter less than a year later and becoming a franchise icon in another market must be absolutely scintillating!

What an inspiration for all.

And what a realization that Saskatchewan could’ve won a Grey Cup with Fajardo. What a screw-up!

8 – RIDER COACHING SEARCH: Like you, I’m following the coverage with interest. If what we hear is correct, the Saskatchewan Roughriders should be naming their next head coach within a week. You’re asking me for a prediction? NOT ON YOUR LIFE! This franchise has become wayyyy too unpredictable with zany, knee-jerk moves over the past years with this regime.

Here’s what I don’t get — the Riders likely knew by October 1 that they were going to make a coaching change. So by going through this carousel of interviews they’re currently on (Round 1, Round 2, etc.), do you mean to tell me they actually don’t know who they want as their next head coach? Yikes.

Somebody said this process is good for networking. Okay! So is this a job fair or pro football? In my opinion it’s a little too casual of a process for a team and regime that’s hanging by a thread.

And if any of the reports are true that coordinators Buck Pierce or Corey Mace are in line to be the next Rider coach, then that throws out the narrative that the team doesn’t favour a first-time head coach. 

Too confusing, and too all over the place for me.

9 – COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Around mid-October I noticed NCAA football was just holding a spot in August and September for me till the NHL started. But it’s hard NOT to notice and get swept up in the hype with this weekend’s Rivalry Games like the Iron Bowl (Alabama 27-Auburn 24), Apple Cup (Washington 24-Washington State 21), and of course the raucous win by Michigan, 30-24 over Ohio State. Here in Boca Raton, our FAU Owls lost 24-21 to Rice University in Houston (Rice’s receivers coach is Regina’s own Mike Kershaw) and the first season for Tom Herman at FAU is going out with a fizzle at 4-8. The best news? FAU hired Cris Carter as their Director of Player Engagement this week. CC and I now belong to the same gym – Johnny O’s – so I look forward to falling in with that crowd and catching up with the Carter family. It’s also the home gym of NFL stars Nick & Joey Bosa, and alum Major Wright and Zach Thomas.

I asked gym owner Johnny O this week if Duron Carter ever comes in and he quipped, “Duron never worked out when he played. Why the hell would he workout now?”

10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: Better safe than sorry. … I don’t understand the new NBA in-season tournament but the good news is nobody I know does either. … Every single episode of COPS is good. … I don’t want your dog running its wet nose across my shins. You may love him, but I do not. Please keep it away. … “Regular season makes All-Stars. Playoffs make legends.” – Matt Dominguez. … Daylight Savings Time? I’d far rather have it be broad daylight at 7:00 PM than 7:00 AM. … Wait a minute, Dateline’s Keith Morrison is Matthew Perry’s stepfather? Wowza. … AND HOW WAS YOUR WEEK?

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen