COMMENTARY: TRADE BAIT AND V.O.T.R.

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We’ve got a coupla three or so thoughts today because there’s lots going on …

#1 – The NHL trade deadline is a couple weeks away but that seems to be the focus of our audience these days. And that suits me fine!

In fact the action could be triggered anyday because lately the biggest deals seem to be coming well in advance of D-Day.

Frankly – to make it simple – I’m just focused on Calgary because the Flames have the top three players on TSN’s trade bait board: defencemen Noah Hanifan and Chris Tanev, and goalie Jacob Markstrom.

Rookie GM Craig Conroy has the chance to make or break that franchise in the weeks ahead. Fingers crossed he makes the right moves. And at some point they’re going to need to find out why players don’t want to stay.

#2 – Let’s remember a lot of the trade talk and scuttlebutt is fake news. I’ve been the biggest culprit of it over the years; coming up with something to talk about just to fill airtime and column inches.

For instance, Ottawa defenceman Jacob Chychrun is listed as trade bait although I spent Wednesday with Jacob’s father Jeff and he can’t figure out why his kid is being dangled by the Sens?

He’s still got a year left on his deal after this season.

#3 – Included in our gang on Wednesday was Jeff’s father John Chychrun, who was in Florida to watch his grandson play Tuesday night against the Panthers. Didya know John was born in Melville and raised in Goodeve, SK?

He told me while watching our NHL podcast taping that the Roughriders were the only team he ever thought about back in the day.

And #4 – Speaking of, I woke up to a note in my inbox this morning that said Saskatoon’s Dave Thomas will be the next Voice of the Riders. I sure hope that scoop is true, but I’ve heard several other names over the past couple weeks as well.

The Weyburn product is a lot more than just the namesake of the founder of Wendy’s.

He’s the best man for the job, and I’d have hired him five years ago when the job first came open.

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)