FRIDAY COMMENTARY – 48 GAMES FOR THE NHL

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

THERE WILL BE HOCKEY.

IT’S THE HOTTEST TOPIC ON ICE RIGHT NOW – WILL THERE BE AN NHL SEASON IN 2021? AND WILL THERE BE A WORLD JUNIORS?

FROM AN NHL STANDPOINT, MY SOURCE TOLD ME THURSDAY THERE WILL BE A 48-GAME NHL SEASON BEGINNING ON OR AROUND FEBRUARY 1.

HOW THE OWNERS AND PLAYERS SORT OUT THEIR MONEY SQUABBLES WILL NEED TO BE DETERMINED BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, BUT YOU CAN EXPECT IT TO HAPPEN.

METHINKS HOCKEY PLAYERS ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT WHAT CFL PLAYERS REALIZED LONG AGO: YOU NEED THE LEAGUE MUCH MORE THAN IT NEEDS YOU.

THE BUMP IN THE ROAD HERE IS THAT BOTH THE OWNERS AND PLAYERS EXPECT THINGS TO GET RIGHT BACK TO NORMAL A YEAR FROM NOW.

I DO NOT, BUT I HOPE I’M WRONG.

AS FOR THE WORLD JUNIORS, THAT’S A DIFFERENT PAIL OF PUCKS BUT ANOTHER SOURCE TOLD ME “IT’S FULL STEAM AHEAD IN EDMONTON”. IF IT’S UP TO THE HOCKEY PEOPLE, TSN AND THE IIHF, THE TOURNAMENT WILL BE PLAYED.

THE HITCH IS GETTING 450 PLAYERS AND STAFF FROM OTHER COUNTRIES INTO ALBERTA, AND IT NEEDS TO START HAPPENING IN A COUPLE WEEKS. THAT’S WHAT WE’RE ALL WATCHING.

AS FOR SPORTS OVERALL, BC TOP DOCTOR BONNIE HENRY SAID THURSDAY SHE EXPECTS VACCINATIONS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO BE AVAILABLE BY NEXT LABOUR DAY. SHE EXPECTS IT’LL TAKE THREE MONTHS TO GET IT TO EVERYONE WHO WANTS A SHOT ACROSS THE LAND.

YOU TELL ME WHERE THAT LEAVES THE CFL.

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