WEDNESDAY COMMENTARY – INTRODUCING THE SCOTIA NORTH ALL-STARS!
(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary at 9:50 am and 5:20 pm on Cat Country 98 FM)
I DON’T KNOW HOW THEY’RE DOING IT, BUT GOD BLESS THEM.
THE NHL KEEPS CHUGGING ALONG DESPITE THE PANDEMIC, AND WE’RE ALMOST HALFWAY THROUGH 116 NIGHTS OF CONSECUTIVE HOCKEY IN THE REGULAR SEASON WITH THE PLAYOFFS TO FOLLOW.
I’VE WATCHED IT ALL.
AND AS WE COME UP ON THE HALFWAY MARK – KNOWING THERE WON’T BE AN ALL STAR GAME – I THOUGHT I’D PUT A COUPLE MINUTES INTO CONSIDERING THE SIX ALL STAR GAME STARTERS FOR THE SCOTIA NORTH DIVISION.
IT’S NOT AS EASY AS YOU THINK!
THE FORWARD LINE CONSISTS OF CONNOR MCDAVID AT CENTRE WITH AUSTON MATTHEWS ON LEFT WING AND BROCK BOESER ON THE RIGHT.
SURE THE EASTERNERS WANT MITCH MARNER ON THE RIGHT SIDE BUT LET’S REMEMBER WE’RE IN THE ERA OF INCLUSION AND BOESER’S NOT TOO FAR BEHIND MARNER IN THE SCORING RACE AND HE’S ON A FAR WORSE TEAM IN VANCOUVER.
THE STARTING DEFENSIVE PAIR WASN’T TOO DIFFICULT, BUT LET’S REMEMBER THIS WAS DONE BY ALL STAR VOTING.
VOTING, BY ME.
WE’RE GOING WITH MORGAN RIELLY AND SHEA WEBER TO START AND THAT’S BASED ON BRAND RECOGNITION MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE STATS TELLS ME QUINN HUGHES AND JEFF PETRY LIKELY DESERVE THE START, BUT REMEMBER WE HAVE TO SELL VIRTUAL ALL STAR JERSEYS, SO NAME RECOGNITION HELPS!
AND I JUST CAN’T PUT HUGHES AHEAD OF THOSE OTHER TWO WHEN HE’S MINUS-15.
AND IN GOAL, MY FAVOURITE POSITION, WE’RE GOING WITH JETS TARGET AND REIGNING VEZINA WINNER CONNOR HELLEBUYCK OF THE WINNIPEG JETS. I GOT A LITTLE HELP WITH THIS ONE DUE TO A TWITTER VOTE LAST NIGHT, AND THE VOTERS WENT WITH HELLEBUYCK BY A LANDSLIDE.
STATISTICALLY IT SHOULD BE TORONTO’S FREDERIK ANDERSEN BUT IF YOU NOTICE, THE LEAFS ARE GOING FOR A FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN TONIGHT AND FREDDY HASN’T EVEN PLAYED.
IT’S ALL FUN AND GAMES, AND LIKE I SAID, GOD BLESS THE NHL FOR PLAYING.
THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY ON CAT COUNTRY 98.
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