10 WEEKEND THINGS

Taking shots …

1 – JR HOCKEY PLAYOFFS: When crooner Andy Williams released the song It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year in 1963, he must’ve been referring to the hockey playoffs. The snow is gone, the grass is greening, and the barns are packed following their favourite teams on the championship chase. If it wasn’t for the death and devastation left behind, you’d almost have to check yourself to remember that Covid was even a thing.

2 – SOME NOTES: This is shaping up to be the best SJHL Final ever. (Why is it no longer called the Canalta Cup?) Estevan went up 2-0 on Flin Flon, the Bombers tied it 2-2 with a pair of wins at Whitney Forum, and then Estevan took a series lead Saturday night at Affinity Place with a 3-2 OT victory. The place was bananas. Two games have gone to overtime. This series – which features the league’s two most northern and southern outposts – shifts back to Flin Flon for Game 6 on Tuesday and Jason Tatarnic’s Bruins will have the chance to end it. … In the AJHL, Spruce Grove and Brooks are tied 1-1 in the Best-of-7 final, with a trip to the Centennial Cup in Estevan on the line. … Somebody’s going to have to tell me what’s going on in Manitoba. … See you in Estevan!

3 – DUB HUB: In the WHL, Winnipeg and Edmonton are on a crash course in the East Final. However congrats to Moose Jaw for also making it to Round 2 and now we’re just waiting on the Red Deer/Brandon series (Rebels lead 3-2). … One longtime NHL scout and former WHL coach said on the phone this week, “The Oil Kings have five guys who will be in the NHL next year. They’re that good.” … 3,364 turned out to Moose Jaw’s Mosaic Place Friday night to see the Warriors finish off the Blades with a 6-3 win in Game 5. You could’ve fit those people into the Crushed Can, no? Why build a new rink if you’re not going to go to it? SMH. … I have NO clue what to think or predict about the WHL’s Western Conference. With no interlocking play for the past few years, and none planned I’m told, the West might as well be Afghanistan. On the other side of the planet. But the insiders say WHL owners were long looking for a way to gas interlocking play due to costs and Covid was the perfect way to do it. Pity.

4 – STANLEY CUP ROUND 1 PREDICTIONS: Tampa Bay/Toronto (Lightning in 6), Florida/Washington (Panthers in 6), Boston/Carolina (Hurricanes in 5), Pittsburgh/NY Rangers (Rangers in 7), Nashville/Colorado (Avs in 6), St. Louis/Minnesota (Wild in 7), Dallas/Calgary (Flames in 6) and L.A./Edmonton (Oilers in 6). … The annual RP Show Stanley Cup Playoff Pool presented by BetRegal.ca is live NOW! It’s free to play and we’ve got great prizes. Fill out your boxes here: https://www.officepools.com/nhl/classic/317224/standings#/

5 – ODDS & ENDS: I could see the Vegas Golden Knights going after Marc-Andre Fleury in free agency this summer. Gassing him for his playoff gaffe last season has turned out to be a disaster. Time heals all wounds if both sides are willing. … Watching all these hopeful Leafs fans posting selfies ahead of the playoffs makes me think of lambs being led to slaughter. Poor things! … From another NHL scout, “The Flames are built for the playoffs. The Leafs are built for the regular season.” …. An NHL type suggested this week that Oilers GM Ken Holland refused to fired head coach Dave Tippett this season but was overruled. I was told one card in the organization trumps the GM. I’m trying to decide if it was the owner or the captain? … Let the games begin.

6 – PERSPECTIVE: Having spent nearly a half century in The Rectangle, I was clearly fitted with green goggles. (Trust me, it’s a thing). But having spent all this time in Alberta, my perspective on the CFL is changing. I can really see why the CFL wants to avoid the spring and the Stanley Cup Final in June because, frankly, with the NHL playoffs starting up this week and CFL training camps opening in 14 days, even the Calgary media has admitted all their focus will be on hockey. GULP. Who’s going to carry the CFL message in NHL markets and pass along the colourful stories coming out of training camp?

However I’ve never understood that mindset – and still don’t, really – of eyeing your competition. I’ve always subscribed to the theory of being “The Best You,” and letting the chips fall. It’s always worked for me.

7 – YOUTH: Again, when I attended Mount Royal College in Calgary as a lad, I was never concerned about things like Point 6. In a way, I really wish I could go back to that mindset because it was a lot simpler and way more carefree. But students could attend Flames and Stampeders games back then for $10 and we went as often as we could. (There’s a hidden lesson in there folks). My buds and me never considered competition between the teams for our sports dollar because we went to them all. However the sports landscape has shifted mightily over the past 30 years.

8 – LOST YOUR VOICE: Poor Winnipeg! In a span of 6-8 months, sports fans in the Manitoba capital have had to deal with the retirement of legendary Blue Bombers broadcaster Bob Irving and now Jets great voice Dennis Beyak will call his final game tonight when Winnipeg hosts Seattle on TSN3. As 49ers great Ronnie Lott told me years ago at the Dogs Breakfast in Saskatoon, “As the broadcaster, your voice is the soundtrack of the franchise”. The same certainly holds true for Irving and Beyak, who both deserve a happy retirement. Big shoes to fill for football broadcaster Derek Taylor and for whomever the Jets tab to replace Dennis. May I suggest Brian Munz?

9 – #CavsFC: As has been written here over the past several months, apparently you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. I’m fantastically excited to attend Sunday’s Canadian Premier League soccer game at Spruce Meadows (Atco Stadium) between Pacific FC and Calgary’s Cavalry FC. It’s my first ever pro soccer game! Actually, it’s my first soccer game period. Cavs Head Coach & GM Tommy Wheeldon – a cross between Ted Lasso & Russell Brand – came down to the RP Show this week to promote the game and drop us off team scarves. This new stadium holds 6,000 fans?? The RP Show staff is going as guests of the Cavalry and frankly I can’t remember being this excited about anything for YEARS. Can’t wait!

10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: The good news – The Saskatchewan Rush best Panther City Lacrosse Club 13-9 Saturday night in Fort Worth for their fourth Dreiser win. The bad news – The Rush’s season ended with them missing the playoffs. …. That’s proof positive that the saying, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish”, is bunk. …. Tuesday’s CFL Draft will certainly be worth watching, and following. The top two prospects, Alabama receiver John Metchie III (Texans) and Penn State linebacker Jesse Luketa (Cardinals), both went in the NFL Draft this weekend and while we all knew they would, it throws a wrench into CFL Draft plans I’m sure. … Back in the day CFL teams would draft these types of players knowing they’d eventually come back to the CFL (Dan Federkeil, Sam Giguere, etc.) but now with so much money to be made in the NFL, these guys generally don’t come back to play in the CFL. Unless your name’s Jon Ryan, who’s made millions but is still playing for the love of the game. … I’m glad the TV networks have done away with those ridiculous 5G cameras which made the backgrounds of camera angles all mirky. I like to see the faces of the fans! That’s the way it was meant to be. … How are the Blue Jays not in first place in the AL East at 14-8? They trail the first place NY Yankees whom are 15-6. … Eight of their 14 wins have come by one run. They know to win close games! … The rock band Damn Yankees which was formed in 1989 must’ve been fans of another AL East team when they were picking a name. … Enjoy your Sunday!

RP
@rodpedersen