Commentary: Don’t Cry Cuz It’s Over
(Listen daily for the RP Commentary on the All New Hits 98 CKHD & LTD Radio)
Some random thoughts on this Thursday … all, I think, hockey-related:
#1 – The final game in Arizona Coyotes history was played last night at the famed Mullett Arena, with the Coyotes taking down the Edmonton Oilers 5-2.
And with that, the chapter closes on 27 mostly turbulent seasons for the NHL in the Valley of the Sun.
They’re moving to Salt Lake City, UT to begin play next season if you hadn’t heard.
The outpouring of emotion on social media after the game is heartbreaking, if you let it be.
I say, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened”.
That’s coming from a professional Grief Coach. I’ve had more chapters close than Barnes & Noble and there are multiple ways to handle it.
Meanwhile I have no idea who will write the book on the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes history, but I already can’t wait to but it. It’ll be wild!
Also, I can’t see the NHL ever coming back.
#2 – Auston Matthews failed to become the 9th NHL’er to score 70 goals in a season. The Leafs’ top player went Oh-for-Florida after getting shutout in Florida on Tuesday and in Tampa Bay last night, as Toronto fell 6-4 to the Bolts.
Meh, whatever.
Auston’s going to get his goals, and maybe he’s even saving them for the playoffs!
I really get the feeling the Leafs are going to take down Boston in Round 1.
#3 – There are six games in the NHL tonight, and then the playoffs start on the weekend. Game of the Battle of Florida has already been announced, with the Tampa Bay Lightning visiting the Florida Panthers Sunday at 1:30 pm.
As Andy Williams sang, it’s the most wonderful time of the year.
That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary
(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm & 5 pm on Game+TV, WQEE Radio, Podcast & YouTube Live)
Man, I remember that era in the mid-late 2000s when the Coyotes moved into jobing.com arena, they got Gretzky on board, things were looking up. I thought they were going to become a force, maybe even win a cup. Little did we know that was the high water mark for the franchise.
Arizona has this added benefit. There are 7 stages of grief. When they moved to a 4000 seat “rink” – that put everyone at stage 7: Acceptance. So watching this end, it was way easier than the Winnipeg Jets/Quebec Nordiques 1.0. Hartford Whalers/Atlanta Thrashers were basically a waste of time as they never did have a following or impact. The legacy of Arizona will be Auston Mathews, Mathew Knies, and now Josh Doan. Unfortunately – the great Shane Doan will now be in the category of the great Peter Stasny and Michel Goulet. To a lesser extent Dale Hawerchuk. Random… Read more »