Scruffy’s This N That

1 – LOOKING AT BIG SKY COUNTRY:  There is a lot of time between now and the time that the Riders make their first pick (4^th overall) at the CFL draft at the end of the month. I am hearing more and more though that the team is looking at one of two players that played their ball at the University of Montana. Those two are DL Hayden Harris and REC Keelan White. I am told if both are available, which they likely won’t be that Harris is the guy and if that is the case the green-and-white will have a solid addition to the D-line. I found it interesting that in a mock draft, 3Down Nation’s John Hodge had White and Harris going 3-4 so there may be some creedence to what I’ve been told. I am also told Calgary is seriously looking at Harris with the first overall pick. Time will tell my friends. 

2- BEDARD YEAR 2: As the NHL season winds down, there is talk about Connor Bedard and his game. Yes, he has a team that for whatever reason isn’t building around him and there has been some chatter that he may want out of Chicago. I will believe that when I see it as I don’t think he wants to get that reputation especially after what he went through in Regina when it came to whether or not he should be traded. 

All I will say about Bedard is this: the kid can play, but he can’t do it by himself. If you look at Nathan McKinnon’s first two years in the league, Bedard has better numbers. Unlike Bedard, McKinnon had help in Colorado. 

He will be fine. If he does want a trade though, I am guessing the Canucks will be very, very interested.

3 – STAYING HOME: The Regina Pats won the WHL Draft Lottery. They can now take homegrown product Maddox Schultz. Some say he is next in the Bedard, Celebrini, McKenna category. He has been compared to Sidney Crosby and that if the case, the Brandt Centre should be buzzing the way it was when Bedard was here. Let’s hope Pats fans will be able to afford seeing Schultz play as he will do so for 34 games after not applying to be an exceptional player because of the rule change allowing for numbers of games that can be played by a 15-year-old.

I have said I like what Al Millar is doing with this team, but having Schultz fall in your lap means this team must be a playoff squad next season. Also look at the fact Regina has 5 of the top 50 picks in this year’s draft including two first rounders and they have a whole whack of picks over the next three years which means this team can improve immediately. 

4 – FROZEN FOUR: The NCAA determines its hockey champion this weekend as the Frozen Four goes in St. Louis. I think many of you know how good of a product US college hockey is, but if you don’t, check out the final if you can. I watched a few games from the regionals and it was fantastic hockey as was Western Michigan’s 3-2 OT win over Denver sending them to the final. 

5 – BACK IN THE DANCE: Do I know any Ottawa Senators fans? Do you? Congrats to them for getting back into the Stanley Cup playoffs after a long drought. The young stars of that team (Tkachuk, Stutzle, Sanderson etc etc) have finally turned the corner.  It is great to see them back in and it will be better if they can knock off Toronto should the teams meet in Round 1.

6 – BIG BEN: I ran into former Rider offensive lineman Ben Heenan this week while out and about and had a good chat with him. I was always a big Ben Heenan fan and while it was sad to see him leave the game when he did, he went out when he wanted to and not when someone else wanted him to which is fine. Heenan, as you know is one of the great Saskatchewan-born offensive linemen that have done their thing in the CFL. I don’t know what his career would have been like had he kept going, but I have to think there would have been a most outstanding lineman award on his resume. Ben is living life on the farm and he is loving it like he always has. You can’t complain about being happy! 

7 – NOT AN UPSET: Some curling fans I know were not too happy with the fact Brad Jacobs lost in the semi-final of the World Men’s Curling Championship in Moose Jaw. Some did not like the fact that Jacobs elected for a circus shot and the win instead of drawing to take one in the 10th and go to an extra end. Some did not like the fact the Page Playoff system isn’t in effect at the Worlds meaning finishing first didn’t mean a whole lot. Some, and this is what surprised me, didn’t like the fact he was beaten by Scotland.  This just in:  Bruce Mouat’s rink came to Moose Jaw as the number one ranked team in the World and they left as the number one ranked team. Jacobs lost twice in Moose Jaw. Both losses were to Mouat. Anyone thinking this was an upset should think again. It is just another example as to how we as Canadians have to realize and accept that we are no longer “the gold standard” in curling the way we used to be.  It is the same with the World Junior Hockey Championship. The game(s) has evolved and other countries have caught up and arguably surpassed us. Globally, that isn’t a bad thing. 

8 – GROW UP RORY! Before the Masters started, Rory McIlroy was grilled on some golfers avoiding post-round questions because things didn’t go well. It is something that angers many who feel these guys have to do their thing good or bad to promote the PGA Tour. Many remember McIlroy getting in his vehicle and getting out of Dodge after he gassed the US Open losing to Bryson DeChambeau. McIlroy told reporters before play started at Augusta that he didn’t mind guys not speaking saying there is no rule citing they have to. He took advantage of that after his Thursday round blew up on the final few holes. McIlroy isn’t the only one who only talks when things are going well and runs and hides when it is not. McIlroy is one of the faces of golf today. Grow up and stop running away. He sure didn’t after shooting a 6-under 66 on Friday and I’m sure he will answer every question thrown his way should he win the Green Jacket on Sunday. Personally, I would love to see Corey Conners wearing that jacket. Gotta root for the Canadian right?

9 – RANDOM THOUGHTS:

• Now that Vladimir Guerrero Junior has signed a mammoth deal with the Blue Jays, what will the organization do with Bo Bichette?  He is also a free agent at year’s end.  Can Toronto keep him and if so at what cost? Do they want to keep him? Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte just signed a 6 year, 116 million contract extension. Is that a comparable deal?
• We need to see who plays who in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, but who are your top 3 picks in a playoff draft?  Are you ready to risk picking Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl in the top three knowing they may only have seven games or less of playoff time.  Stock in an Oilers playoff run is fading. 
• Even with the salary cap going up, can the Leafs find a way to sign UFA;s Mitch Marner and John Tavares and RFA Matthew Knies? There are a lot of teams who might want to look at putting in an offer sheet on Knies. 
• Did we know that former Riders quarterback Kerry Joseph has left the Chicago Bears where he was serving as quarterbacks coach to join the University of Texas? If you didn’t. you do now and I just found out Friday. Of course the Longhorns arecoached by former Riders QB Steve Sarkisian. 

That’s all I got! Have a great week!