NEUGSIE’S AROUND THE RINKS

1. When will they lose?: Going to be an up and down ride on this column, so be warned (I’m a Leafs fan, so forgive me!). Let’s start with a high, and my favourite story of the year so far that I’m impartial to, and that’s the Winnipeg ICE. This is a very good, skilled team, but I think most of us have seen more ‘stacked’ teams not play this well, and not go 9-0, and not have a +41-goal differential after only nine games. What a job James Patrick and his staff are doing, and even more credit to his players. For sure there are going to be guys who are very going to be very high NHL picks – Matt Savoie, Connor Geekie, Zach Benson, and Chase Bertholet all come to mind – but those key guys are so young. Whatever the secret sauce is in Winnipeg, I want to know! I thought the streak was done, down 4-1 on the road in Moose Jaw with 10 minutes left in the third on Saturday, but they still found a way to win 5-4 led by two from Savoie! Such a fun team to watch. Edmonton is still winning the WHL though folks: keep this article if you want. 
2. Two-headed Tips monster: The other perfect team in the ‘Dub’ so far is the 6-0 Everett Silvertips, who in front of two excellent goaltenders Koen McInnes and Braden Holt, remain extremely tough to score on. If the ICE are the electric, high-flyers, the Tips want to suffocate you, and under Coach Dennis Williams have given up an insane nine goals against through six games. Team Canada U18 standout and Anaheim Ducks’ pick Olen Zellweger has been awesome too, so a great start out there. Do I expect either Everett or Winnipeg to win the WHL? No I don’t, but obviously, they are both great teams. Imagine what Edmonton will look like when Jake Neighbours comes back from St. Louis? Yowza… 
3. Maier on fire: Speaking of great goalies, awesome to see Yorkton’s finest Nolan Maier has caught for Saskatoon, and with five of the Blades’ six victories so far, he’s really on track to keep breaking team and league records in net. A couple of weeks ago he broke the franchise record for career shutouts with 10 after blanking the Medicine Hat Tigers 4-0, and after this year you would have to think that a National Hockey League team would take a good hard look at a talented, experienced, affordable kid to come in and earn a spot. He’s supposed to play something like 60 games for the Blades this year, so let’s see how that plays out! 
4. Are the Leafs in trouble?: Yep. And especially in a world post/during/whatever Pandemic world where teams cannot afford to take a hit at the gate or anywhere, even the Leafs, I think on and off-ice moves will come faster so that organizations are being seen to be doing something. Mitch Marner is the scapegoat right now, and I do feel a bit for the guy given that he has pretty much struggled not at all throughout his entire hockey career, but it’s a deeper problem than just him. Still, it’s too early to panic or do anything right now, but the losses to Pittsburgh and Carolina just continue a really troubling trend from the end of the playoff series vs. the Montreal Canadiens. A lot of people are blaming the Amazon series, but seriously guys, c’mon, grow up a bit here. This is still too good of a team to not figure it out at some point though, right? Right? Right? I have no idea. 
5. Can’t hate the Canes: I love the Carolina Hurricanes people, I’ll admit it. Their organization has fun, they back it up with their play, and Rod the Bod has been absolutely awesome to me anytime I’ve done anything with him Notre Dame connected. If you don’t like their antics, remember for a second that HOCKEY IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN! Keep it up, Canes! 
6. Kurki: A more contestable subject around the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is the antics of Humboldt Broncos superstar Logan Kurki, who is no doubt the most dominant offensive player in the league right now, and is also constantly growing his ‘brand’ as…how do I say this diplomatically…a heel. He scored four goals against the Melfort Mustangs this past weekend, the team I feel is the best defensive club in the SJ, and he’s a danger every time he hits the ice, much like Chantz Petruic of Yorkton a couple of years ago. Why does he not have a D1 scholarship yet? I’ll leave that to smarter people. 
7. Time to talk about Duts: It’s time to talk about Notre Dame forward Elliot Dutil. He has 11 goals in 12 games at the time of writing to lead the league, his hands are lightning, and he seems to be working so well with Hounds’ captain Kev Anderson and ND’s one veteran skater Connor Nolan. Elliot is an awesome young man, and is only an ‘03 rookie, and if I get chirped for regularly promoting young guys who deserve recognition, then so be it. I don’t feel any insecurity about the perceived ‘disrespect’ Notre Dame gets, both as a school or as a Junior program around the province, but I definitely feel pride in the way this young group – the youngest in the league – has played all season so far. Don’t look now but the Hounds have won seven of nine, Austin Elliott has been incredible in net, and it’s a great feel around the club; so say whatever you want. 
8. Fun line in La Ronge: I always enjoy watching the top line in La Ronge of Aaron Greyeyes, captain Nolan Doell, and Holden Knights, and there might not be a more talented all-around unit in the SJ. I’ve talked a lot about how Coach Kevin Kaminski coaches his team in a way that they play with freedom to be creative, to play with passion and emotion, so I really hope they can maintain this current small resurgence as a team. They need a healthy Xavier Cannon in net, that’s not negotiable. 
9. PUMPED EM: Time to talk a little soccer because I can’t help it, and especially because my Liverpool FC PUMPED Manchester United 5-0 in the English Premier League. There is no more annoying soccer fan in the world to me than a Man United fan, so to thump em always feels great. Okay, I’ll leave at that. 
10. Thanks!: Finally, I revealed last week that my wife and I are having our second child very soon, and a bunch of people reached out to send congrats! We appreciate that very much! Hope I can still string a sentence or two together in a couple of weeks aha! 

 (Follow Jamie on Twitter at @Neugsie)