Scruffy’s This N That

1 – FIRST IMPRESSIONS: The Stewart Johnston Era has started in the CFL as the league’s new commissioner met the media this week for the first time since taking over the position. Johnston let it be known that expansion is not a primary for him and that his first order of business will be to basically follow an agenda set out for him for his first 9 months.

What many want to see is how the former president of TSN does when it comes to negotiating a new deal with TSN. The deal which is worth $50-million per year comes to an end at the end of the 2026 season so there is some time to hammer out a new deal, but what will that deal look like and how will it benefit the CFL? 

How would CFL fans react if Thursday night football was only available on TSN+? I have had a few people ask me if that could happen. In today’s broadcasting universe, who knows.

One thing Johnston did bring up is the increased patriotism Canadians have since talk of the “51^st state” started. Is that patriotism going to turn into more people coming to games? Attendance at games is an issue in some markets and Johnston along with all nine clubs need to find a way to get bodies, especially younger ones into the venues.  That might be the toughest task of all when you consider that are a few in the demographic needed to be at CFL games more interested in what is happening with US College Football and the NFL. That is understandable, but Johnston needs to find a way. Good luck!

2 – HERE WE GO AGAIN: Now that the NHL playoffs are on, the topic in this country is “Is this the year the Stanley Cup comes home?” Why is this country so fascinated with having to have a Canadian team win the Stanley Cup? Yes, there are Oilers, Jets, Leafs, Senators and Canadiens fans out there who want their squad to win it all, but why is it so important for a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup? There are Canadians on all playoff teams and there are Americans and Europeans on all Canadian teams. The Stanley Cup is so much different than the Olympics, the Worlds or the Four Nations. When that is happening, Canada is obviously the choice, but it’s a different story for the NHL playoffs. It’s a bad look in my mind.

3 – FIRST ROUND THOUGHTS: In no particular order: 

• Toronto has been the better team through three games against Ottawa, but realistically Ottawa is two shots away from being up 2-1 in the series.
• Kirill Kaprizov changes the look of the Minnesota Wild drastically. I am stunned that they are up 2-1 against Vegas.  I didn’t think they would win a game and now they could win the series.
• Stuart Skinner and maybe Evan Bouchard will not be back with Edmonton next year.  The Oilers fanbase is doing to those two what they did with Jordan Eberle. 
• If Edmonton comes back to beat the Kings, look no further than Jim Hiller’s boneheaded challenge late in Game 3. 
• The Jets and Blues aren’t fooling around when it comes to physical play. Bodies are flying around in that series
• Montreal has put the Eastern Conference on notice. They are going to be very good very soon, perhaps as early as next year.
• Did Florida sandbag everyone in the last couple of weeks of the season? That Tampa winning the Cup prediction I made last week isn’t looking very good. 

4 – WHERE YA BEEN: One of the best stories in sports this year is happening in Denver. Did anyone really think Gabriel Landeskog would come back after being out of the lineup for over 1,000 days? It looked like a knee injury that he had that cost him three regular seasons would be the end of what was a solid career. Landeskog, who redefines perseverance, kept working and lo and behold he was with the Avalanche for Game 3 against Dallas.  Hate the Avs all you want, but you have to respect Landeskog for never giving up. Not one person would have said anything had he called it a career and he may do so when Colorado’s playoff run comes to an end, but I doubt it. 

5 – GROWING THE GAME: The United States won the latest battle at the Women’s World Hockey Championship. The rivalry the two nations have in women’s hockey is second to none, but a third, fourth or fifth wheel is needed. There is no doubt there has been tremendous growth in women’s hockey over the last decade, but is having the same two countries play time after time after time for gold whether it be at the Olympics or Worlds a good thing for the sport. Czechia and the Finns appear close, but they aren’t there yet and they won’t be for a while.

The latest chapter in this rivalry went to overtime.  That overtime was 3 on 3.  Sorry, I don’t care if it is the men’s or women’s game, you can’t decide a championship game in a 3 on 3 format.  I could never see an Olympic, World Junior or any final going to 3 on 3 after 60 minutes has concluded.  For the good of the women’s game, that has to change. 

6 – NAILBITING TIME: The WHL is into its Final Four and there is no more Saskatchewan involvement, but you can’t say these playoffs have been disappointing. 14 games have needed overtime and four have gone into double overtime.  As a fan, that is what you want isn’t it?  As for who is left, I stand by my Medicine Hat pick in the East, but it won’t be Everett that they will meet in the final as Portland and Spokane are the two teams left standing.  There isn’t a lot separating these teams but I’m going with the Chiefs.

Meanwhile, it would appear as if the Melfort Mustangs are ready to get their hands on the Canterra Seeds Cup for the second straight year.  Thanks to some great goaltending from Kristian Coombs, the Mustangs are poised to win it all on home ice Sunday after winning three close games over Weyburn in Games 2, 3 and 4. The Northern Lights Palace will be rockin on Sunday night. 

7 – MADDOXMANIA: I am guessing Regina Pats GM Al Millar is in Chilliwack watching the Telus Cup. If he is there, I am guessing he has an ear-to-ear grin as he and everyone else is seeing Maddox Schultz do his thing with the Regina Pat Canadians. The Pat C’s are in the semi-final at the Canadian mens under 18 championship with Schultz leading the way with a tournament leading eight goals and eight assists through five games with teammates Eli Johnson, Chase Surkan and Jonah Sivertson also having a spectacular tournament. I have had a few tell me that while Schultz is the main attraction, the other three mentioned also have great careers ahead of them. The final is Sunday, but I don’t see the game being on TSN as has been the case over the past few years. If it’s on and you haven’t seen the Pat C’s play, check it out if they make it.

The Esso Cup final used to be on TSN too, but I don’t see it being on Saturday afternoon as the Saskatoon Stars look for the female under 18 title in Lloydminster. 

8 – POWER OUTAGE: The Blue Jays went into Saturday’s game against the Yankees with a record of 13-13. That actually isn’t that bad in what has been a very mediocre American League in the first month of the season. What is bad is the amount of power the Jays have or lack of it. They have hit only 14 homers with Vladimir Guerrero Junior only having two of those and Bo Bichette having zero. Who had Andres Gimenez as the team leader in HR’s with 3 as we approach the end of April. They are also in the bottom third when it comes to runs scored. There is a lot of baseball to be played yet and with a lot of teams hovering around .500, Toronto has wasted the first month of the season and need a much better May, June and onwards to challenge for a playoff spot. The same can be said for a lot of other teams in the American League but those teams know how to hit and score. The Jays desperately need to start seeing some power. 

9 – GOING DOWN: The NFL draft is happening in Green Bay this weekend and thousands have turned out for the three-day event. While there was no surprise with the first three picks, everyone wondered when Shedeur Sanders would be taken. At one time, it was thought he could go in the top 3, then it was the top 10 and then it was would he be a first-rounder. 

I’ll be honest. I’m not a big Shedeur Sanders guy. Deion’s boy never really impressed me when I watched Colorado play, but yeah he is good enough to be an NFL quarterback or is he. One “anonymous” assistant coach absolutely shredded Sanders before the draft talking about how entitled that he came off during interviews amongst other things. That “anonymous” source was shredded by some, but as NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said Friday “When the cameras are on, teams will say nothing but positives about a player most times, but when the cameras are off and the meetings are on, the truth comes out”.  More than one team likely saw the deficiencies Sanders has and that has showed.

Where does he end up? Is he on a CFL neg list? Is the XFL a possibility if he doesn’t get drafted. He will get drafted though won’t he? 

Watching the whole story play itself out is just fascinating. We have learned what you do on the field is great, but how you act off the field is just as important and don’t tell me Deion Sanders doesn’t play a factor in this as well.  

10 – RANDOM THOUGHTS:

• The NHL needs to go back to the home team wearing white. It would make the Winnipeg Whiteout that much better. In fact, like it is in the NFL, the home team should have the option of what jerseys they want to wear.
• Sharks GM Mike Grier says if the offer is right, he might trade out of the top spot if the Sharks win the draft lottery. That probably is not the right move to take, but what could teams give San Jose to get that first overall selection? Why do I think Boston would be very interested?
• Only Shaquille O’Neal could get away with walking off set during a live broadcast because he had to use the men’s room. Can you imagine Ron McLean or James Duthie doing that? When you gotta go, you gotta go though. As someone who hosted some sports radio shows in this town, I can say there were times when I was happy to see a commercial break if you know what I mean. 
• The sports world needs more harmonica. The Kings need to make those old ladies who perform the US anthem via harmonica a permanent thing during the playoffs.  LOVE IT! 

That’s all I got! Have a great week!