10 Weekend Things

Taking shots …

1 – FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT: You’ll have to forgive the Maple Leafs, and their fans, if they loathe the Boston Bruins. Boston’s 2-1 OT victory Saturday night in Game 7 clinched the Bruins their seventh straight series over Toronto, and earned them a date with the Florida Panthers in Round 2. There was no upset in the Eastern Conference in Round 1 this year; the top four seeds all advanced. As for the Leafs, you know what? It’s difficult to find fault or assign blame coming out of this 2023-24 season, and that series. They played their butts off and lost to a great team. It happens!

2 – CATS & BRUINS: Boston lines up against Florida in Round 2 in a series which begins Monday night in Sunrise. Speaking of having someone’s number – this is the third all-time playoff clash between the two franchises and the Panthers have won the prior two (1996 & 2023). When it comes to predictions, if it’s true that you should go with the team who’s hungrier or who wants it more, then I may go with the Bruins in this one. Last year Boston pulled off the biggest choke in Stanley Cup Playoff history against .. guess who … these Florida Panthers. That’s been burning in them since.

3 – DA JETS: There’s always an upset in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but who expected it to be Colorado bouncing Winnipeg? You’re fibbing if you say you did. It’s true the Jets only finished three points up but they were 3-0 against the Avs in the regular season. Winnipeg fans have been inconsolable since Tuesday night but consider this: you’re either going forward or you’re going backward. The Jets are going forward as a franchise … just not as fast as many would like. Chin up!

4 – ELSEWHERE: Vancouver meets Edmonton in Round 2, and it’s the third-ever playoff meeting between those two clubs; the first since 1992. The Oilers have won the prior two. … Edmonton should take this one, especially if Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko remains on the limp. However Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet has done a wonderful job of devising a defensive scheme on-the-fly to limit shots and scoring opportunities against, helping them wipe out the Nashville Predators. … Vegas visits Dallas in another Game 7 Sunday night. It’s the third straight year the Stars will play a Game 7, and the fourth all-time Game 7 for the Golden Knights franchise. … Dang it’s gotta hurt if you’re a Flames fan, watching Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov play big roles in these playoffs, with other teams. That’s a mess that was going to take a lot longer to clean up than just one year for Ryan Huska and Craig Conroy. … It’s a shame someone’s got to lose the WHL’s Eastern Conference Final. Saskatoon and Moose Jaw have gone to overtime in four of the five games so far and the Blades take a 3-2 series lead into Game 6 Sunday night at the Moose Jaw Events Centre. … The Melfort Mustangs will represent the SJHL in the Centennial Cup in Oakville, ON beginning Thursday. I’m enjoying the chortling over pre-tournament favourites! After bouncing the perennially #1 ranked Flin Flon Bombers, Melfort should have as good a chance as anybody.

#5 – STANLEY CUP FINAL: The notion of an Edmonton-Toronto final series, which we’d toyed with, can now be tossed out. … I still like Trent Fraser’s and Kevin Gallant’s prediction that it’ll be a 1994 Stanley Cup Final rematch between Vancouver & the NY Rangers. … The chance is still there for a rematch of last year – Florida vs Vegas. … The possibilities and combinations are almost endless!

#6 – RIDERVILLE: The coverage of Jim Hopson’s memorial was fantastic. (Speers always does such a good job). The Hall of Fame Rider President was eulogized by his best friends and loved ones and was given a fitting send-off on Friday. If people weren’t aware of Jim’s impact on the franchise – and on people – before, then they are now. He’s proven to be a tough act to follow! … Football maven John Lynch’s Celebration of Life is next up, on Friday, May 24 at Broadway United Church. John Frenzy should, and will, get an equally suitable tribute from Rider Nation.

#7 – CFL NOTES & QUOTES: It’s way, way too early to declare a winner coming out of Tuesday’s annual CFL Draft but some teams really set themselves up (Edmonton & Ottawa), while others’ moves were head-scratching (Saskatchewan). … Are the Riders not in win-now mode?? If not, they should be. … The CFL really hit a homerun with this year’s Canadian Football Hall of Fame induction class: Marvin Coleman, Weston Dressler, S.J. Green, Vince Goldsmith, Ray Jauch, Chad Owens and Ed Laverty (plus media wing members Farhan Lalji and Steve Daniel). I’ve got personal stories about almost all of them! … A few more greats who need to go in are Kent Austin, Lyle Bauer and George Cortez. Can you think of any others?

#8 – PREDICTIONS: With CFL training camps opening this week, here are my divisional standings predictions for 2024: WEST – 1. BC 2. Winnipeg 3. Calgary 4. Saskatchewan 5. Edmonton, EAST – 1. Montreal 2. Hamilton 3. Toronto 4. Ottawa

#9 – MORE FOOTBALL NOTES: Will the CFL ever see enigmatic receiver Chase Claypool? It’s unlikely. He’s 25 and already on his fourth NFL team after signing with the Bills on Friday. The only way he plays a down in Canada is if he pulls a Jon Ryan and wants to play with his hometown team (B.C. Lions) in the twilight of his career, and that may not be for awhile. By then he may not want to play football anymore.  … The Miami Dolphins are the latest team to give Odell Beckham Jr. a try, signing him Friday to a deal that could be worth up to $8M if he hits his incentives. B.T.T.’s (Big Time Talents) will always get an opportunity somewhere, and he’s already won a Super Bowl with the LA Rams. … TSN Insider Dave Naylor said on Friday’s RP Show that we could get a ruling on Toronto QB Chad Kelly soon. The rumour, not from Naylor, is that Kelly could be looking at a suspension to start the season. … The axe swung at NFL Network again this week, with the channel cutting the program Total Access, along with a gang of talent, including Michael Irvin. 

10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: Did you know if it weren’t for trucks, we wouldn’t have tailgates? … This week on the RP Show, former Weyburn Red Wings Voice Perry Folk’s name came up. “Folker” was a good friend of mine and we used to say Perry was good enough to be in the NHL. He just didn’t care to be. He loved Weyburn too much! … You wanna be a sportscaster? Apply to the Red Wings and/or Estevan Bruins. They have openings for their radio jobs. … Used to be you could barely afford to feed your family with these radio jobs. Now you can’t afford to feed yourself. How bad do you want it? … Where would one go to purchase a mannequin head? … Don’t offer advice unless it’s asked for. … After John Frenzy’s memorial, I’m looking forward to spending the summer in Saskatchewan. These Florida summers are hot enough to make the devil cry! Fortunately I now have the immigration flexibility to go back-and-forth at will. … A Pennsylvania man says his emotional support alligator named Wally has gone missing amid the coastal marshes of Georgia. Joie Henney’s alligator has attracted thousands of social media followers over the years, with videos and photos showing people petting and cuddling the 5 1/2-foot reptile. Wally’s popularity skyrocketed last year when the gator was denied entrance to a Philadelphia Phillies game. Now Henney says the alligator that has helped relieve his depression for nearly a decade vanished April 21 from an outdoor enclosure during a vacation in Brunswick, Georgia. He posted a tearful TikTok video asking people to help “bring my baby back.” (AP) …. AND HOW WAS YOUR WEEK?

Y’er welcome,
RP
@rodpedersen