THURSDAY COMMENTARY – I MISS HOCKEY
(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)
WE TALK ABOUT PERSPECTIVE A LOT ON THIS COMMENTARY AND WE’RE GOING TO NEED TO MUSTER IT AGAIN TODAY.
THE HOCKEY SEASON OFFICIALLY ENDED WEDNESDAY NIGHT WITH SAINT JOHN BEATING HAMILTON 6-3 IN THE MEMORIAL CUP FINAL IN NEW BRUNSWICK.
THAT CAME ON THE HEELS OF THE NHL SEASON ENDING SUNDAY NIGHT WITH COLORADO WINNING THE STANLEY CUP IN A SIX GAME SERIES AGAINST TAMPA BAY.
IT WOULD BE VERY EASY TO BE DOWN IN THE DUMPS BECAUSE HOCKEY’S OVER. AS A TEENAGER I USED TO TAPE NHL AND JUNIOR GAMES TO WATCH IN THE SUMMER MONTHS ON THE VCR.
BUT, HERE’S SOMETHING TO FEEL GREAT ABOUT AS THE ZAMBONI GOES IN THE GARAGE FOR A FEW MONTHS: HOCKEY IS PERHAPS IN THE BEST SHAPE ITS EVER BEEN.
WE HAD SOME INCREDIBLY EXCITING FIRSTS, LIKE THE AVALANCHE’S JARED BEDNAR BEING THE FIRST COACH EVER TO WIN THE STANLEY CUP, AHL’S CALDER CUP, AND EAST COAST LEAGUE’S KELLY CUP.
AVS DEFENCEMAN CALE MAKAR IS THE FIRST PLAYER EVER TO WIN THE HOBEY BAKER TROPHY, THE NORRIS, CONN SMYTHE AND STANLEY CUP.
AND MOST RECENTLY, SAINT JOHN SEA DOGS COACH GARDINER MACDOUGALL IS THE FIRST MAN TO WIN BOTH THE MEMORIAL CUP AND THE CANADIAN UNIVERSITY CUP.
GARDINER’S A STORY THAT’S CAPTURED EVERYONE IN HOCKEY’S IMAGINATION; THE LOCAL UNIVERSITY HERO IN SAINT JOHN WHOM WAS HIRED JUST BEFORE THE MEMORIAL CUP IN ORDER TO SAVE THE FRANCHISE.
HE SAID THE CORNERSTONE OF WHAT HE NEEDED TO INSTILL IN THE TEAM WAS “TRUST”, AND HE DID IT IN A MERE 38 DAYS.
MACDOUGALL SPENT FIVE SEASONS IN THE SJHL WITH FLIN FLON AND LEBRET IN THE EARLY 90S AND I REGRET TO SAY WE NEVER CROSSED PATHS BUT WE CAN’T WAIT TO GET HIM ON THE RP SHOW.
MY DAD WOULD’VE KNOWN HIM FOR SURE.
THERE’S NO NEED FOR A SUMMIT, OR TO “FIX” HOCKEY WITH SILLY RULE CHANGES OR TO BEG PEOPLE TO COME TO GAMES.
AS A HOCKEY FAN, THAT SHOULD REALLY MAKE YOU PUT YOUR FEET UP AND ENJOY THE SUMMER.
THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY
(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET & 10 pm PT on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA. Call your cable provider for details. You can also watch on YouTube Live or listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)
Not to be understated.
Hockey misses you!
With regards to perspective I encourage people to find and gorge on Deepok Chopra books.
Perspective is all in the eye of the beholder and the individual experiences with an event.
One can never predict the future, but if HNIC were seeking a replacement for Ron McLean there is a guy out there that would fit nice onto that panel and actually have the know how and gravitas to carry the panel.
Safe travels.