STACKHOUSE’S 10 NEW YEARS THINGS

1 – OLD SCHOOL – I know I’m old school, but there is still something shocking to me that on the world stage we had one player head butt another during a game and Canada’s captain opted to keep his helmet on for another country’s anthem later the same day.  There was a time where Canada set the standard as far as sportsmanship and professionalism is concerned, but not anymore. Times have sure changed.

2 – OLD SCHOOL II – We used to be tough too, but I remember thinking at the time when players like Taylor Hall and Mitch Marner whined to the officials and exaggerated whenever an opponent came into contact with them that things were really changing.  Even the announcers talking (in recent years) about how vicious the Finns are made me harken back to the days of the big, bad Canadians and how they used to intimidate with their physical play while fans at home and in the seats would joke about how soft the Swedes and Finns are and how easy it is to beat them because they just don’t have the same heart as Canadians.  Times have sure changed.

3 – EXPECTATIONS NOT AS HIGH – I’ve noticed increased media commentary that criticize how demanding we’ve become of our World Junior representatives.  We should be more accepting of a losing team and be proud no matter the result because these are young men, children really, and they are doing their best.  I’m sorry, I am not on board with that. That doesn’t mean you should be hurling hateful insults at the forwards because they can’t score, or a goalie because he’s struggling to make a big save.  However, I don’t think it’s a bad thing to keep in mind these players are one step away from making big money as professionals and representing Canada on the world stage of hockey is a big deal and comes with great expectations.  If you don’t want that on your shoulders, then defer to someone else. This isn’t a Christmas break where you get to spend a week in a fancy hotel with your pals, playing mini sticks at the end of the day while mom and dad get to congregate in the popular parent’s hotel room for drinks on a nightly basis.  The World Juniors are a big deal and treating it as such is how Canada keeps its place atop the hockey pyramid. I think we’ve lost our killer instinct. Some of you will agree and say that’s a good thing. I hope if that’s you, you never are in charge of competitive sports.

4 – OVERTHINKING – I’ve long felt that part of our problem in Canada when it comes to the World Juniors is that we overthink things like roster composition.  This was many years ago now, but when we lost to Kazakhstan and finished 8th I recall the team having no ability to score goals and yet Stefan Cherneski was one of the first players sent home when cuts were made.  Cherneski scored 50 goals with the Brandon Wheat Kings and yet they didn’t think they needed him. Last year, Canada finished sixth and put Alexis Lafreniere at the end of the bench with hardly any ice time despite his 100 point season in the QMJHL.  This year, we’ve got Connor McMichael leading the OHL in points per game, but he’s buried on the fourth line with hardly a role until an injury to Lafreniere causes his coach to move him all the way to the first line. I get the whole notion of ‘defensive liability’ but McMichael isn’t a fourth liner and I don’t watch him play with his club team ever but I’m going to guess, and I don’t think I’m wrong, he doesn’t cause his team to give up very many goals, especially when you compare it to the goals he generates.  Another one of my all-time favorite head scratchers was a few years ago (2014) when Canada placed fourth and they pulled their goalie for an extra attacker to try and get an equalizing goal late. Their player of choice was defenseman Chris Bigras, no points in seven games, and play by play man Gord Miller didn’t even know who he was when Bigras touched the puck because he stuttered and made mention of the fact it was his first shift in over two games. There was also the ridiculous under utilization of Tyler Steenbergen two years ago.  Madness. No other country would do this. Yet, in Canada we can sometimes get away with it because we are just that good.

5 – STILL THE BEST – Canada is still the best at developing hockey players and it’s because we have this embarrassment of riches within the system that we can be afforded the luxury of overthinking and making mistakes.  Often times, we can do that and still win. It wouldn’t surprise me if that was the case this year. Canada is overdue for a gold medal at the World Juniors and it would be somewhat ironic to suffer one of the worst losses ever in the round robin and then rebound to run roughshod over the competition the rest of the way.

6 – NHL VIDEO REVIEW – Is there a reason why we are so hell bent on getting every single offside call ‘right’, but we don’t seem to care about any other possible infractions?  In the Winter Classic, a Dallas player was penalized for flipping the puck into the crowd and the replay seemed to show the puck nicked the edge of the glass on its way over, which would have meant no penalty for the Stars.  Instead, they ended up two men down and Nashville scored twice. Apparently this isn’t reviewable. My suggestion is that if you are going to have video replay, then use it for everything. If a coach wants to challenge a non call for slashing in the final four minutes of the third period, let him. 

7 – FAJARDO GETS IT – I absolutely loved the Christmas scavenger hunt Cody Fajardo conducted on Twitter.  I’ve said it before and it bears worth repeating: Fajardo just gets it. It’s very early in his career, but there is every reason in the world to root for this guy and wish him nothing but as much success as possible in his CFL career.  And, as long as he’s producing, the Riders would be wise to keep him locked up contractually for as long as he can help them win football games.

8 – NFL COACH OF THE YEAR – It won’t be, but should be Brian Flores of the Miami Dolphins.  He had executives above him who wanted to lose every single week because tanking is a cool thing to do.  Instead, Flores willed his Dolphins to a 5-and-11 record (5-and-4 in their last nine), including a Week 17 win over the New England Patriots, knocking them from the first round bye position.  It should make one wonder how many games could Flores have gotten this team to win if his General Manager and Owner were committed to being as good as they could possibly be. Miami’s leading rusher this year was actually immobile quarterback Ryan FItzpatrick, who rumbled for 243 yards on the season.

9 – BENGALS BURROW – It sounds like Cincinnati will use their top NFL draft selection on LSU’s quarterback Joe Burrow.  Louisiana State isn’t exactly a hotbed of NFL level pivots. Jamarcus Russell, Matt Flynn, and Zach Mettenberger would be the most famous names to come from that school to make the NFL in recent years.

10 – UNIFOR – I wonder if there are any UNIFOR members who feel slighted to know they pay union dues that go towards television ads that do nothing other than motivate many viewers to do the exact opposite to what the message is intended.  Rest assured, President Jerry Dias isn’t losing any sleep over your peril either. But, keep up the good fight.

(Mike Stackhouse is a freelance writer/broadcaster. Follow him on Twitter at @Stack1975)