NEUGSIE’S AROUND THE RINKS

By: Jamie Neugebauer
Voice of the ND Hounds/DUBNetwork MJ Warriors Beat Writer

1. Showcase off: Pretty brutal news but the always-fun Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League/Manitoba Junior Hockey League Showcase, that pit all-star teams from each league against each other, has been cancelled for the second year in a row due to Covid. I was super excited for this event, slated for Winnipeg Jan. 25-26, and especially to see all the great young players in the league playing together. I don’t know what or if I would have done at it from a work standpoint, but I definitely would have followed it closely. Traditionally they had it as an event with two teams from each league of 19 and 20-year-olds, and one team of 18-year-olds and younger, and I think the SJHL’s young-guns team would have been STACKED. Anyways, it’s all conjecture now! Hopefully, it comes back in 2023!
2. Feel for many: I feel for many players who were hoping and, to some degree, counting on the exposure of the event to improve their stock with colleges. I told one player that it wasn’t happening about a week ago, and the look on his face was just crushing to my soul. I know some people think Showcase events like this are silly or might say “who cares!”, but not only are they tons of fun with great quality hockey, I also think they do matter to some degree for exposure and scholarship opportunities. I get why it was cancelled during this crazy variant, but it still is frustrating.
3. I gotta learn: If you aren’t aware, Rory McGouran, the voice of the Humboldt Broncos, and I have been doing an SJHL recap and talk show for a couple of years now, and I enjoy it (especially this year with actual hockey to talk about). The thing I still need to learn is that you just aren’t going to please everyone all the time, or maybe ever! I think we do a great job and put a ton of effort into covering all the teams in the league pretty evenly, even though we do work for two teams in the league, but anyways, there you have it! It’s a growth curve. I promise you, people, we are trying really really hard to highlight everyone. I know, it’ll never be good enough for everyone.
4. Pesenti is no peasant…i: Bad pun I know, but boy has Kindersley’s No. 1 Matt Pesenti been incredible for most of this year. I think he probably had his worst game of the year in Wilcox earlier this season, but every time I have seen him lately – including Jan. 6 at home vs. ND, and Jan. 23 in Wilcox – he has been spectacular. A 20-year-old from Saskatoon, he has a couple of games of WHL experience with the Pats, but is he the best goaltender in the league right now? Certainly, there is an argument.
5. Hardest on those we love: I absolutely love the ND Hounds boys, I’ll admit to anyone, but rather than feeling like I’m a homer for them, I feel like when I broadcast or write about them, I am probably actually harder on them than anyone. I’ve seen how good they can be when they’re clicking, and they played a weird three games over 41 days, and then only returned with all sorts of injuries to goaltending and the defence-corps, so it’s been a rough go lately. Honestly, you could fill a barrel with the Grade A chances they’ve had in the four losses over five games in 2022 so far, but every time the other team’s goalie has been spectacular. So, no use in fretting over the past, and no team in the SJ has more games to go after the Hounds missed six scheduled games over a 13-day pause, so no need to panic either.
6. Olympic squad: Canada released its Olympic Men’s Hockey squad this past week ahead of the Beijing games and while I guess there is a bit more appeal to this NHL-less team than the one that went to Korea four years ago, I still can’t make myself excited for it. I guess it’s good that Owen Power and Mason McTavish are going, but I don’t know, I don’t really care about it that much. Call me unpatriotic if you want. Maybe I’ll change my mind when the puck drops.
7. China!: I am pretty interested to see how this “Chinese” National Team does, with players from all over the world on it. It might not go that poorly, mostly because it is pretty much just the Kunlun Red Star Chinese-based team that plays in the KHL, so they have that familiarity. How about Chris Chelios’ kid Jake playing for that team? I know one of the actual Chinese players on the squad, believe it or not, since I worked for the Toronto Patriots Junior A years ago when Rudi Ying played there! Will certainly be cheering for him, and Vaughan Vipers Junior A alumni Ryan Sproul, whom I have numerous mutual friends with (side note: the Vipers were the first Junior A team I ever worked for!).
8. So frustrating: Tons has already been said and written about the allegedly racist incident in the ECHL between Jordan Subban and Jacob Panetta in Jacksonville, FL this past week, it’s still awful and frustrating that these kinds of things are STILL happening. The fact there is uproar is good at least, as there should be.
9. Huge ones for Canada: I know not everyone out there are soccer fans, but let’s all get behind the Canadian Men’s National Soccer team this week! Three huge World Cup qualifiers in Honduras, at home to the USA, and on the road in El Salvador, and if results go well, Canada could have a foot in the door in 2022 Qatar! No Alphonso Davies, out with a heart problem, is tough, but not insurmountable for this heart-and-soul squad, so heady days!
10. A USport monster: Finally, Mount Royal women’s hockey goaltender Kaitlyn Ross is unreal. I called the University of Regina host MRU last weekend, and the Notre Dame Hounds alum in the sticks for the Calgary-based university was just spectacular again. Mount Royal is just a solidly built team, and with Ross and the veteran Zoe de Beauville in the net, it’s not hard to see why they are the top team in CanadaWest at the moment. Great stuff.

(Follow Jamie on Twitter at @Neugsie)