FRIDAY RODSERVATIONS

– The Riders will hit the field at 9:00 am Saskatchewan time Friday for the first of two-a-day workouts in this minicamp.  I’m told veteran quarterbacks Tino Sunseri and Seth Doege will get most of the work on Friday while Darian Durant will lightly test his throwing elbow.  If all goes well, he’ll get plenty more work on Saturday and Sunday when the veteran offensive players join in.  Kevin Glenn is not here.  Friday’s practices will consist mostly of rookies from the Riders’ negotiation list and prospects scouted over the winter at the team’s walk-on camps across America.

– Follow my Twitter feed @sportscage for up-to-the-minute analysis and reports from Friday’s workouts and of course check back here to the blog for a more-detailed report later in the day.  For the best video of Durant’s progress – and the camp in general – the best place to go is the Roughriders’ official website at www.riderville.com.  The Riders’ Dan Plaster will be hosting a video livestream between the workouts so be checking the Rider website for updates on that.

Dan and me from last year’s minicamp

– Of course we’ll be broadcasting the SportsCage live on 620 CKRM at 4:00 pm on Friday and 3:30 pm on Saturday from IMG and the shows will be livestreamed with video at riderville.com with my co-host Dan Plaster.  We’ll have live Roughrider guests in and out during the shows, plus the audio from Corey Chamblin’s and the players’ media sessions.

– The Riders have habitually kept their minicamp rosters a closely-guarded secret over the years but we’ll report as much as we’re allowed.  I know you’re anxious for a report on Durant as well as other veterans such as receiver Jamel Richardson who’s coming off that leg injury.  We’ll have all the pertinent information between my coverage as well as the Roughriders!  The Riders’ Twitter feed can be found at @sskroughriders.

– This may be the last year for the Rider minicamp at the IMG Academy.  While the Calgary Stampeders will be here in a couple of weeks, the Edmonton Eskimos and Montreal Alouettes will be holding their camps at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Florida.  There are also rumblings that the Riders may move their camp to Phoenix, given their recent efforts to establish a footprint there.  And it’s much easier to get to.

– CFL rule changes?  I’m not a fan of most of them however if you read the comments of B.C. Lions GM Wally Buono in the post below, he gives an interesting perspective.  The prospect of a 3-point convert is truly intriguing given the fact we regularly see 9-point deficits late in games.  Alas, that notion was tossed out.  We’ll dig deeper into it on Friday’s SportsCage.  I’m keen to get Corey Chamblin’s thoughts on the changes.

WHL

– And so it begins for the Regina Pats Friday night as well.  The Pats open Round 2 of the WHL Playoffs Friday against the Wheat Kings in Brandon on 620 CKRM.  We’ll be breaking away from the SportsCage at 6:15 pm for the Pats pregame show with Phil Andrews and Daniel Fink.  Faceoff is 6:30 pm.

– After a full week of thought, my prediction for the series is Pats in seven.  However even if they’re swept, the Pats have already exceeded everyone’s expectations, if not their own.  It must be nice to take to the ice knowing all the pressure is on the other team.

– Many have asked, but there will be no television coverage of the Pats-Wheat Kings series.  Shaw TV has elected to carry the Kelowna-Victoria second round series in the West Conference.  Perhaps you’ll have to wait until Round 3 for the Pats to be on regional television again.

– Our reports of fan apathy regarding the Regina Pats’ playoff run may have been exaggerated.  The team announced via Facebook on Thursday that their fan bus to Brandon for Game 1 was cancelled due to lack of interest but let’s remember Pats fans sold out two buses in Round 1.  Remember also, Brandon’s a long ways away if you’re going there and back for just one game.

– Can you think of one thing more the new Pats ownership group could do to turn Regina hockey fans on to the team?  I can’t.

– Ticket sales are looking up for Games 3 and 4 in Regina next Tuesday/Wednesday.  As of Thursday, 3500 seats have been sold for Game 3.  That’s pretty good considering we don’t know how the first two games will play out.  A Regina bank manager mentioned to me this week that crowds weren’t strong in the Brandt Centre for Games 1 and 2 of the Swift Current series but he mentioned fans might have been scared off by parking woes that weekend.  He had to make a sloppy walk from the Lawson Aquatic Centre just to get to the Brandt Centre for Game 1.  You’re going to hear lots and lots about parking at Evraz Place in the years ahead.  We’re definitely going to have to change the way we go to football and hockey games.

NHL

– Win and you’re in.  Or lose and in you’re in.  The Calgary Flames clinched a playoff spot with a 3-1 win over L.A. on Thursday and despite a 1-0 shootout loss in Colorado, the Winnipeg Jets clinched a playoff spot as well thanks to the Kings’ loss.   They were celebrating lustily in Calgary and Winnipeg well into the night with their playoff droughts coming to an end.

– Which team will Regina gravitate more towards in the coming weeks — the Flames or Jets?  From the talk on the streets and coffee row, it seems Regina’s getting Jets Crazy.  I heard one guy refer to Winnipeg as “my Jets” this week, and I wondered if he was saying that in November too.  Or at any point over the past four years!

– There are plenty of local connections to both, including the fact Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is from Blaine Lake, SK and Flames GM Brad Treliving is a former Regina Pat (albeit for 10 or so games in the early 90’s).  However as far as Calgary is concerned, all the credit should go to President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke.  It was mentioned on the day he was hired – September 6, 2013 – that he will turn that team around.  And voila.

– Don’t forget about the Vancouver Canucks, even if their fanbase in Regina is minimal.  Their coach, Willy Desjardins, is from Climax, SK while assistant coach Glen Gulutzan hails from Hudson Bay, SK.

– Before Regina hockey fans jump on any NHL team’s bandwagon, it would be nice if they got behind the Pats.  It truly is a bandwagon town though.

– Gulutzan was an entertaining guest on TSN 1050 in Toronto this week when he chatted with host Dave Naylor regarding the chances of the NHL being successful in Las Vegas.  Gulutzan coached the ECHL’s Las Vegas Wranglers for six seasons and they were a contender each year he was there.  “Gully” said Las Vegas has its challenges given the fact “every night is a Saturday night” but he said if you find the right players, it can work from a hockey perspective.  He once noted on the SportsCage that the Wranglers had one of the league’s top home records during his tenure (i.e. leave the partying to the road teams).

– It was a treat to listen to the Lightning-Devils game on Tampa Bay radio on the drive down here Thursday evening.  Former Lightning GM Phil Esposito is now the radio colour commentator for Tampa and he’s a treat to listen to.  It’s clear he doesn’t give a rip about much, given the fact he couldn’t remember or pronounce the name of New Jersey’s starting goaltender.  Amidst one goal celebration, Espo said in a fog “Was that a powerplay goal?”  I’m sure if anyone had tuned in for the first time, they’d wonder who this loon was but by now, Tampa Bay hockey fans know what they’re getting with Phil.

– It’s also interesting to note that New Jersey GM Lou Lamoriello cancelled his team’s year-end award selections and accompanying postseason get-together for season ticket holders.  When asked why, Lamoriello told reporters, “no reason”.   What a poor sport!  But the man hates to lose, even though he’s already got three Stanley Cup rings from his time there.  Show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser.

– Former Saskatoon Blade Todd McLellan of Melville, SK is the head coach of the San Jose Sharks, for now.  His team will miss the playoffs for the first time in Todd’s hockey coaching career — pro and junior.  He says he won’t talk about his job situation until the conclusion of the regular season but he’s already been linked to the Edmonton Oilers.  However interestingly enough, in a poll conducted by the Edmonton Journal, two-thirds of respondents said they’d like to see the interim tag removed from coach Todd Nelson’s title.  However 78% of Oiler fans would like to see President of Hockey Operations Kevin Lowe fired while only 10% of respondents think Edmonton will make the playoffs next year.

AND LASTLY

– Thank you to Moose Jaw’s Mosaic Place for picking up sponsorship of the Monday Morning Goalie beginning Monday!  It’s a pleasure to welcome them aboard in a bigger way since they already sponsor the weekly Rider game recap here at RodPedersen.com.  Title sponsorship of this fine Friday column is available as well.  You can email me at ridervoice@yahoo.ca if you’re interested.

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That’s all for today!  Time to get ready for a long but exciting day here at Roughriders mini-camp.  Thanks for reading…

RP
@sportscage
Instagram: ridervoice