TUESDAY CAT COUNTRY COMMENTARY

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary at 9:50 am and 5:20 pm on Cat Country 98 FM)

WITH ALL 24 NHL TEAMS HITTING THE ICE MONDAY FOR DAY 1 OF PLAYOFF TRAINING CAMPS, IT SURE LOOKS LIKE THEY’RE GONNA PLAY.

TSN’S DARREN DREGER SAID ON SPORTSCENTRE LAST NITE THIS IS A VERY STRESSFUL TIME FOR THE NHL, AND SURELY HE MEANS THE SUITS BECAUSE THE PLAYERS WERE SMILING EAR-TO-EAR TO BE BACK ON THE ICE.

SO LET’S ASSUME THINGS WILL GO OFF WITHOUT A HITCH, AND LOOK AT THE ROAD TO THE STANLEY CUP.

I’VE GOT TWO TEAMS I PULL FOR IN THE NHL – THE EDMONTON OILERS IN CANADA AND THE VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS IN AMERICA. IF THEY WOUND UP PLAYING EACH OTHER, I’D LIKELY GO WITH VEGAS BUT I’LL WAIT TO SEE HOW I FEEL WHEN THE PUCK DROPS IN GAME 1.

BUT THERE’S A LONG WAYS TO GO BEFORE THAT EVER HAPPENED.

THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS HAVE A BYE IN THE PLAY-IN ROUND BY VIRTUE OF HAVING ONE OF THE TOP FOUR BEST RECORDS IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE.

THE OILERS ARE ONE OF THE 16 TEAMS WHO HAS TO PLAY IN THE BEST-OF-5 PLAY-IN ROUND AND THEY’VE DRAWN THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS. YOU READ IT HERE FIRST … THE OILERS WILL WIN IN FOUR.

BUT THAT’S AS FAR AS THEY’LL GO BECAUSE IN MY OPINION, THEY’RE NOT A MATURE ENOUGH TEAM YET. THEY’RE GOOD ENOUGH TO GO ALL THE WAY – YES – BUT THEY’VE GOT TO FEEL SOME PAIN IN THE PLAYOFFS FIRST. THAT’LL BE THIS YEAR.

FOR ME THE TEAM WITH THE MOST BATTLE SCARS AND EMOTIONAL WOUNDS FROM PLAYOFF YEARS PAST IS THE WINNIPEG JETS AND I’VE GOT EM AS THE CANADIAN TEAM TO GO THE FURTHEST IN THESE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS.

CALL ‘EM A TEAM OF DESTINY IF YOU WISH, BUT ALSO ONE WHOSE WINDOW IS CLOSING. THEY’VE OVERCOME A LOT OF ADVERSITY AND ARE STILL SMARTING FROM PLAYOFF EXITS COURTESY ST. LOUIS AND VEGAS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

THE WINNIPEG JETS. BET ON ‘EM AS CANADA’S TEAM.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY ON CAT COUNTRY 98.