THURSDAY COMMENTARY – EH OH CANADA GO

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary at 9:50 am and 5:20 pm on Cat Country 98 FM)

TODAY, LET’S TALK ABOUT SOME GOOD, EXCITING NEWS.

THE 2021 WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP IN EDMONTON IS ONE OF THE MOST-ANTICIPATED IN YEARS.

YOU’VE GOTTA THINK IT’S BECAUSE OF WHAT WE’VE BEEN THROUGH IN 2020, MORESO THAN ANY OTHER PARTICULAR REASON. BUT THE FACT REMAINS PEOPLE ARE BUZZING ABOUT THIS TOURNEY ALREADY. THAT SEEMS A LOT EARLIER THAN NORMAL.

AND IF YOU’RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION, THERE ARE PLENTY OF STORYLINES INCLUDING LAST YEAR’S GOLD MEDAL GAME IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC WHERE CANADA TRAILED RUSSIA 3-1 IN THE THIRD PERIOD ONLY TO COME BACK AND WIN IT IN IMPROBABLE FASHION.

THE PUNDITS – NOTABLY TSN’S CRAIG BUTTON – ARE PREDICTING ANOTHER CANADA/RUSSIA FINAL WHICH SETS UP A JUICY REMATCH.

HOWEVER FORWARDS BARRETT HAYTON AND ALEXIS LAFRENIERE – STARS ON LAST YEAR’S CANADIAN TEAM – WON’T BE THERE THIS TIME AROUND.

AND OF COURSE THERE’S EVERYTHING AROUND THE GAME. THE TOURNEY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SPLIT BETWEEN EDMONTON AND RED DEER BUT COVID HAS FORCED THEM INTO THE EDMONTON BUBBLE WHICH WAS USED SO WELL FOR THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS.

SOME TRIED TO CANCEL THIS YEAR’S TOURNEY, BUT ALBERTA HEALTH WOULD HAVE NONE OF IT SAYING IT POSES NO THREAT TO THE PUBLIC.

AND YOU SEE, WHAT I LEARNED WHEN I CALLED CANADA’S GAMES ON THE SPORTSNET RADIO NETWORK IS THAT HOCKEY CANADA IS LIKE A 33^RD NHL TEAM.

THEY HAVE THEIR OWN TV DEAL, LINE OF MERCHANDISE, COLLECT ALL THE TICKET REVENUE (WHEN THEY CAN SELL TICKETS), AND ARE A GINORMOUS MONEY MACHINE.

JUST LIKE COLLEGE FOOTBALL, THIS THING WASN’T GOING TO BE STOPPED.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY ON CAT COUNTRY 98.