THURSDAY COMMENTARY – PLAN THE PARADE! OH WAIT …

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

THERE’S GONNA BE A HEARTACHE THIS SPRING.

IF YOU TAKE A GLANCE AT THE SCOTIA NORTH DIVISION STANDINGS IN THE NHL TODAY, TWO GOOD TEAMS ARE GOING TO MISS THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS.

MAYBE I SHOULD SAY TWO “SUPPOSEDLY” GOOD TEAMS.

IT’S A SEVEN TEAM DIVISION AND THE PLAYOFF ALIGNMENT IN THIS 56-GAME SEASON IS THAT FOUR TEAMS WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS.

AS OF TODAY, THOSE TOP FOUR ARE THE MAPLE LEAFS, CANADIENS, OILERS AND JETS.

ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN ARE THE FLAMES, CANUCKS AND SENATORS.

EVERYBODY AND HIS DOG HAD OTTAWA MISSING THE PLAYOFFS AND FINISHING A DISTANT SEVENTH. THAT’S HAPPENING.

BUT I HAD CALGARY PICKED FOR NUMBER-ONE. THERE WERE A FEW WHO CHOSE VANCOUVER TO FINISH FIRST.

NOW, WE’RE NOT EVEN AT THE HALFWAY MARK. IN FACT 28 GAMES REPRESENTS THE HALFWAY POLE AND MOST TEAMS HAVEN’T EVEN PLAYED 20 GAMES YET.

BUT THIS IS A FAST SEASON. THERE ISN’T A LOT OF TIME TO LEARN LESSONS OR FIX PROBLEMS.

AS IT STANDS NOW, THE LEAFS ARE RUNNING AWAY WITH IT. I’M SURPRISED THAT SENTENCE EVEN PASSED THE SPELLCHECK ON MY MACBOOK!

BUT TRULY, TORONTO IS NUMBER-ONE IN THE NHL AND SHOWING NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN.

WOULDN’T IT BE SOMETHING IF THEY WERE TO WIN THE STANLEY CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 54 YEARS?

AND THEY WOULDN’T EVEN BE ALLOWED TO HAVE A PARADE.

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