Scruffy’s This N That

1 – BUCKLE UP: Safe to say the 2025 Stanley Cup Final is everything we thought it would be and more. Nothing really separates the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers after two classics as we are seeing perhaps the best final we have seen in years if ever.  It is a series that has had everything, and I would expect more of the same as the best of seven heads to Sunrise. This is the type of hockey that we want to see. You can’t turn away, and if you do you are likely going to miss something. As Hockey Night in Canada’s Kevin Bieksa said during Game 2, it is a matchup where you have to watch what is going on away from the puck because there is a lot whether it be skillful or greasy on both sides. 

2 – KRIS KNOBLAUCH: As the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers meet for the Stanley Cup for the second straight year, one has to marvel at the job done by Imperial Saskatchewan’s Kris Knoblauch. It has been quite the 18 months for Knoblauch. It surprised a few people when he was brought in to replace Jay Woodcroft with many thinking he was only brought in because he was Connor McDavid’s coach in junior.  Even if that was part of the reasoning, Knoblauch has shown he more than belongs behind an NHL bench and yes, it helps when you have two of the top five players in the world on your team. 

However, there is no doubt that Knoblauch has helped take the Oilers to a place where Woodcroft couldn’t.  He has gotten the most out of his troops on a nightly basis and he has had his fair share of adversity.  The fluctuations this Oilers team took over the regular season was one that a lot of people, and yes truthfully you could add me to the list, that thought Edmonton wouldn’t be able to beat LA.  Through two games of that first-round series that looked to be correct but Edmonton flipped a switch and you know the rest of the story.

3 – PETE DEBOER:  I am guessing Jake Oettinger was smiling on Friday morning upon learning Pete DeBoer is no longer his head coach.  Dallas GM Jim Nill decided that despite the fact Dallas got to the last three Western Conference Finals that DeBoer is not the guy to try and get them to a 4^th and beyond.  The move wasn’t a surprise as it sounds like many players let Nill know what they thought of DeBoer in exit meetings. That also says a lot about the power of the ever-softening players today.  I wonder what his next stop will be and who replaces him in Dallas. When you think about it, one could say the Edmonton Oilers changed the coaching landscape in the Western Conference with this year’s run. Deboer is out in Dallas and chances are Jim Hiller will be out in LA. 

4 – AND THEY’RE OFF:  The 2025 CFL season is underway. I know Rider Nation doesn’t like Thursday home games and I know the organization doesn’t either, but it is something that has to be done so get it out of the way now.  

As you know, Mace’s Men started the season off with a five-point win over the REDBLACKS in a final score that I think flattered Ottawa.  Yes, they got off to a great start by marching down the field for an opening drive touchdown but after that, I really wasn’t impressed with the effort even though they scored 26 with Dru Brown throwing for 400 plus yards.  I thought the Riders D when it mattered had a bend, but don’t break mentality and when Ottawa came sniffing around in the final couple of minutes looking to steal one, the D said not so fast.  Other thoughts. 

• Every team is going to have injuries throughout the course of a season, but teams that get to the championship usually are relatively healthy.  Losing Rolan Milligan, AJ Ouellette and Kian Schaeffer-Baker in the first half was a testament to the Riders depth as they weren’t really missed, but they will be if out of action for a while. 
• I had someone ask me Friday afternoon while out and about if I thought Ouellette might be let go because of his money and his durability or lack of it.  Yes, the Riders spent big money to get the big bruising running back to come to Saskatchewan and things have not worked out the way either have wanted it to, but I don’t think there is any thought of getting rid of him even with the exemplary play of Thomas Bertrand-Hudon. I said it last year and I’ll say it now—the guy is Canuck Truck 2.0!
• Those that wrote off Mario Alford may want to think again. His return off a missed field goal in the 1^st quarter seemed to be the spark the Riders needed after a first quarter that wasn’t great.
• It’s not just the Riders that do this, but please don’t insult us with attendance numbers. In this day, we should know how many people have scanned their barcode to get inside Mosaic and the other stadiums.  Give us that number please!  Trying to tell me that almost 26,000 people were at the game is like telling me all is right when it comes to politics in North America! 

On to Hamilton!

5 – IT’S BETTER THAN NOTHING I GUESS:  It is good for the CFL to have games on CTV again. The initiative that started last year will continue this season with 22 regular-season games on CTV. That being said, the game will look EXACTLY like a TSN game and that shouldn’t be the case.  

This is not a shot at Kate Beirness or all of those who do p x p or sit on the panel, but CTV games should be games that have a different host, a dedicated p x p crew and a different look to the panel.  It can be done so why isn’t it. 

I just think the league and its major broadcaster could do such more instead of doing the bare minimum by putting the same product on a different channel. 

6 – LUKE WILLSON: I think the addition of the former Seattle Seahawks tight end on CFL games will be a great one.  I have high regard for Willson.  I think the work he does for TSN on the NFL is fantastic.  His passion for the game is high and it was nice to see him weigh into some CFL issues in the off-season.  If he can bring to the table the same passion for the CFL that he has for the NFL, it will be a good thing.  He is also not afraid to rattle some cages and that will be good too.

7 – SCOTTIE VS TIGER: There is no doubt Tiger Woods is one of the greatest golfers to ever walk a fairway. If you had Golf’s Mount Rushmore right now, you would arguably have Tiger, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan on it.  In 10 years, how will we compare what Tiger did to what Scottie Scheffler has done.

Scheffler isn’t in the field at this week’s Canadian Open as he gets his game ready for golf’s next major—the US Open.  To say he is on a heater would be an understatement as his win at the Memorial last weekend was his 16^th in the last 72 starts, which is a bigger winning percentage than Tiger in that frame, and his 3^rd in the last four events. In his last 72 starts, he has finished in the top 10 51 times and in the top 25, 62 times.  Last time I looked that’s good. 

Tiger’s body and his personal woes stopped him from being the best we have seen.  It’s far too early to know how Scheffler’s career will end, but at this moment he is must-watch on the PGA Tour—a Tour that I think is more talented now than it was during Tiger’s heyday.   One number Scottie may not be able to achieve because of the fact the field is better is this one.  Tiger won 82 of 378 tournaments he played in with a top five finish in 163 other events.  How is golf so easy for these guys? 

Still with golf, if you are not rooting for Nick Taylor and Taylor Pendrith at the Canadian Open this weekend, are you really Canadian?  I guess we can add Richard Lee to that list as well.  Who? Yeah, you’ll have to Google him like I did.

8 – YAWWWWWNNNN! The Aaron Rodgers to Pittsburgh signing finally happened and for the most part it was met with a dull thud. Let’s face it, A-A Rod is done. This move doesn’t shift the NFL universe.  At best, Pittsburgh can’t expect to be any higher than 3^rd in the AFC Central as Baltimore and Cincinnati are still miles ahead of the Steelers. Rodgers isn’t better than Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow and the needle hardly moved when it came to the odds for both a Steelers playoff appearance and a division title. The networks think Rodgers is still a draw and yes, there is some sizzle to Pittsburgh’s season opener when they play the Jets at MetLife Stadium but in reality, the Steelers aren’t going to be must-watch TV this year unless you are a Pittsburgh fan.

9 – CHECK OUT THE RED SOX:  The weather doesn’t look great this weekend, but your Regina Red Sox are home this weekend to play a pair against the Fort McMurray Giants on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.  Regina is 5-2 on the young season. Hope to see ya out there!  Meanwhile, if you are in Saskatoon or another WCBL city, check out when the Saskatoon Berries are playing.  Carnduff’s Carter Beck is the price of admission. He just got back in the lineup after returning from Indiana State and in two games has hit three homers and eight RBI’s while hitting a robust .625.  The kid has major leaguer written all over him. It’s a journey you want to start watching if you are not already. 

One more thing about the Red Sox. It is expected that the players from LSU-Shreveport that just completed a 58-0 season last weekend will be here very soon if not this weekend. A couple of those players including 1^st baseman Jackson Syring played in Regina last year and they have brought some friends this time around. Check em out!

10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS: 

• Corey Perry says he wants to come back for a 21^st NHL season. There is no reason to think unless Edmonton tries to squeeze him that he remains an Oiler. He has been a great fit there. In your mind, is he a HHOF’er? His career would suggest yes. 
• A Lethbridge man has won the lottery for the 4^th time including three in the last nine months! The guy is also a cancer survivor! Someone has the light shining down on him, but enough is enough unless he starts purchasing my tickets. 
• Many have lost a child before it is time and the grief is obviously something that can’t be measured  The families of Chase Stegall and Jesse Lubiniecki lost their boy this week as did many others.  Terrible doesn’t come close to describing what has happened. Kudos to the Riders for paying tribute to Chase before Thursday’s game. 
• How was Sam Emilus not named to the CFL’s Top 50 players list this year?
• Thank you TSN for delivering a new scorebug to telecasts. Its only been how many years that you had the same one! 

That’s all I got! Have a great week!