Chandler Stephenson Thinking Of Humboldt as Capitals Close In on Cup

The greatest thing about winning the Stanley Cup is that it’s so much bigger than yourself.

It’s about families and communities and positive influences. It’s about your country and your home. And should the Washington Capitals manage to take one of the next three games against the Vegas Golden Knights, Chandler Stephenson intends to make sure it’s about the Humboldt Broncos.

The Saskatoon native hasn’t gone too far down the road with any planning – “it’s not in our hands or anything like that,” he noted after Wednesday’s practice at T-Mobile Arena – but he’s certain that the Broncos will be involved in some way with his Cup day if the Capitals turn their 3-1 series lead into a championship.

“That would be something special,” said Stephenson.

The April 6 bus crash that killed 16 members of the Broncos hit close to home for the 24-year-old Capitals winger. He’s taken part in summer skates with Kaleb Dahlgren and Brayden Camrud – both among the survivors – and felt like he knew many of the young men who died because, in Saskatchewan, there’s basically only one degree of separation from anybody else.

It’s what Stephenson likes most about the province where he was born and raised. It’s why he continues to wear a green and yellow Broncos bracelet and wants to do anything he can to show support for the organization.

“Everybody knows everyone. You know somebody and they know that same person,” Stephenson said of Saskatchewan. “The whole community itself, not even the hockey community, is so small. That’s kind of the cool thing about it – you’ll hear somebody telling a story and it’s like ‘Oh yeah, I’ve met that person, I know that person.”’

He remembers sharing the ice at Canlan Ice Sports Jemini with the Broncos last summer. That’s where an annual 3-on-3 tournament is held featuring pros and aspiring pros. You basically form your own squad, pay a $1,500 fee and get some high-paced off-season games in.

“That whole Humboldt team was playing on a team,” said Stephenson. “You just kind of see their faces throughout the rink and you see their faces that they passed away. It feels like you know them a lot more just because you can recognize them and you know their names and things like that.

“Their captain, Logan Schatz, I’ve just seen him around the rink. I knew him.”

Stephenson is nearing the end of his first full season in Washington and grew up riding the buses during four years in the Western Hockey League with the Regina Pats.

He was at home two months ago when news of the Broncos bus crash first started to circulate. He immediately pulled out his laptop and started searching for information. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing and hearing.

“It started off with five were dead and then went to seven and then to nine and then to 12,” he recalled. “The cops that were on it and stuff like that, my dad knew who they were, and they said there were 16. You just hope that it’s not real, I guess. You can’t really put into words.

“I was talking to my brother and he said that Kaleb was OK – well, he wasn’t OK, he had a fractured skull and broken vertebras, two broken femurs – yeah, he was pretty banged up. Then Brayden Camrud, who I knew, just kind of hurt his chest and walked it off, but he saw everything. Yeah, I don’t even really want to pick his brain at that, for kind of what he saw. He hurt his chest a bit and that was it. He was helping guys. He was the first one there and saw everything.”

Stephenson has been warmed by the outpouring of support from all corners of the hockey world. More than $15-million in donations were made. The surviving Broncos players and families of the dead have been guests at a number of high-profile events.

As the Capitals made their way through these playoffs, it started occurring to Stephenson that he might be able to do something similar with the Cup. He knows first-hand how cool that experience can be, having attended Joey Kocur’s party in Kelvington when he was four.

“It’s just getting to share it with everyone that you want to share it with and just kind of the memories people will have from it,” he said. “It’s just so much more than just hockey, winning the Cup.”
Stephenson has already talked with goaltender Brayden Holtby, a Llyodminster native, and assistant coach Lane Lambert, a Swift Current native, about honouring Humboldt with a Cup visit. Holtby is open to the idea, saying “it’s the right thing to do.”

That could mean bringing it to the town itself or making sure the Broncos join them for a day in Saskatoon. They’ll work through the logistics if they manage to finish off this series with Vegas.

Camrud and fellow Bronco Nick Shumlanski were guests of Colby Armstrong during the second round in Pittsburgh, and Stephenson caught up with them there. He saw Dahlgren doing an interview with Don Cherry and Ron MacLean on the ice at Capital One Arena before Game 4 of this series but didn’t get a chance to chat.

He looks forward to doing that once the season is over. Perhaps in the shadow of the most famous trophy in sports.

“I try not to bring [bus crash] up,” said Stephenson, when asked how he approaches the Broncos. “I feel like they get kind of sick talking about it. It’s just not comfortable. It’s a lifetime of horror.

“Eventually I’d like to just kind of see how they’re doing from everything and that kind of thing, but I think it’s a little too fresh right now.”

(Chris Johnston/Sportsnet)

What Did You Miss Tuesday?

--The CFL is taking the unique step of instituting a cap on football operations which will start at the beginning of the 2019 season.  Teams will be limited to a coaching staff of 11 and other football operations staff to 17. The total compensation for those 28 employees is not to exceed $2.738 million. "Our players’ salaries are capped, but we had some other expenses that were growing significantly faster than our revenues so we started to dig in and look at those." CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said to TSN. " Our non-player football operation costs have been growing much more quickly than other expenses.”

--Chip Cox is heading back to Montreal.  The 34 year old linebacker will be spending his 12th year in the CFL--all with the Alouettes.

--People are snapping up Grey Cup tickets. The Edmonton Eskimos say 51,000 were sold in the first four days of ticket sales meaning there are less than 5000 remaining.

--Lou Lamiorello is making his impact be known on the New York Islanders.  Lamiorello, who became president of hockey operations two weeks ago, made himself the new general manager after firing Garth Snow and head coach Doug Weight.

--A cardboard souvenir of Connor McDavid's rookie NHL season has fetched enough money to buy a luxury car.

McDavid's ``2015 Upper Deck The Cup'' rookie hockey card, which includes the Edmonton captain's autograph plus a small scrap of an Oilers jersey, sold for US$55,655 at a recent online auction.

According to a release from vendor PWCC Marketplace, that's the highest sales price ever for a ``modern'' hockey trading card. To put it in perspective, the card sold for about the same price as a lower-end Porsche.

PWCC defines modern cards as those produced from 1986 to present.

June 5th Stanley Cup Playoff Morning Skate

MONDAY'S RESULT 

Evgeny Kuznetsov (0-4—4), T.J. Oshie (1-2—3) and Nicklas Backstrom (0-3—3) combined for 1-9—10 to propel the Capitals to a 3-1 series lead and within one victory of their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.


Teams that hold a 3-1 lead in the Stanley Cup Final own an all-time series record of 32-1 (97.0%) since the Final went to the best-of-seven format in 1939. The lone exception came in 1942, when the Maple Leafs rallied from a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Red Wings in seven games.

KUZNETSOV MATCHES STANLEY CUP FINAL RECORD, REACHES 30 POINTS

Forward Evgeny Kuznetsov collected four assists to match a single-game Stanley Cup Final record, achieved by 11 other players. The last: Colorado’s Joe Sakic in Game 2 of the 1996 Final vs. FLA (8-1 W).

* Kuznetsov’s four assists also equaled a Capitals’ single-game playoff record, achieved by Scott Stevens in Game 6 of the 1988 Patrick Division Final at NJD (7-2 W) and Andrei Nikolishin in Game 3 of the 1998 Eastern Conference Final at BUF (4-3 OT W).


* Kuznetsov, who leads the playoffs with 12-19—31 (23 GP), became the fifth NHL player since 1997 to register 30 or more points in a single postseason:

* Kuznetsov (Chelyabinsk, Russia), who owns a five-point lead over teammate Alex Ovechkin (14-12—26), is seeking to become the third Russian-born player to lead the NHL in postseason scoring during the League’s modern era (since 1943-44). The only two thus far: Detroit’s Sergei Fedorov (Pskov, Russia) in 1995 and Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin (Magnitogorsk, Russia) in 2009 and 2017.


OSHIE, BACKSTROM ALSO IGNITE WASHINGTON’S OFFENSE

T.J. Oshie (1-2—3) and Nicklas Backstrom (0-3—3) each posted three points to help the Capitals score six goals for the fourth time this postseason (23 GP).

* Oshie (8-13—21) and Backstrom (5-17—22) became the third and fourth Capitals players to register 20 points this season, following Evgeny Kuznetsov (12-19—31) and Alex Ovechkin (14-12—26). Only 16 other teams have featured four players with 20-plus points in a single postseason, including the 2017 Stanley Cup champion Penguins and 2016 runner-up Sharks.

 * John Carlson (5-14—19) and Lars Eller (6-11—17) sit one and three points shy, respectively, of 20. Only two NHL teams have featured six players with 20-plus points in a single postseason: the 1983 Islanders, who captured their fourth straight Stanley Cup, and the 1985 Oilers, who won the second of four Stanley Cups in five years.


CAPITALS CONTINUE HISTORIC POWER-PLAY SUCCESS

The Capitals went 3-for-5 on the power play, raising their conversion rate to 29.6% this postseason (21-for-71). Among teams with at least 60 opportunities, only two have converted at a higher rate during a single playoff year since the League officially began tracking power-play percentage in 1977-78:

CARLSON MATCHES FRANCHISE RECORD

John Carlson scored in the second period to boost his career playoff totals (all w/ WSH) to 18-36—54 (99 GP), matching Calle Johansson (12-42—54 in 95 GP) for the most postseason points by a defenseman in Capitals history.

Carlson also owns the franchise playoff record for goals by a blueliner (18) and ranks third in assists by a defenseman (36), behind Scott Stevens (44) and Johansson (42).



SMITH-PELLY AGAIN FINDS TWINE

Forward Devante Smith-Pelly posted the winning goal, his second tally in as many games and sixth of the playoffs (23 GP) after scoring seven times during the regular season (75 GP). Smith-Pelly has registered one other winning goal this postseason, the series-clincher in Game 6 of the First Round at CBJ.

 DID YOU KNOW?

The Capitals scored three goals in the opening period of a playoff game for just the 17th time in franchise history (274 GP). They last did so in Game 4 of the 2017 First Round at TOR.


GOLDEN KNIGHTS SUFFER RARE THIRD STRAIGHT DEFEAT

The Golden Knights suffered a third straight loss for just the fourth time in 101 games (regular season and playoffs). The other three instances, all during the regular season: Oct. 30 – Nov. 2 (0-3-0), Nov. 28 – Dec. 1 (0-3-0) and Feb. 26 – March 2 (0-2-1). They have not lost four consecutive games at any point in 2017-18.

What Did You Miss Monday?

 

--The Washington Capitals are one win away from their first Stanley Cup.  They beat Vegas 6-2 in Game 4 to take a 3-1 lead. Evgeny Kuznetsov had four assists for the Capitals who will try to win it all Thursday night in Vegas.  One of those in attendance at the game was Humboldt Bronco Kaleb Dahlgren.

 

--The Philadelphia Eagles will not be going to the White House.  President Donald Trump cancelled the appearance by the Super Bowl champs citing the dispute over whether NFL players protesting racial injustice must stand during the playing of the national anthem.

Trump said in a statement that some members of the Super Bowl championship team "disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honour of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country."

--Former U of R director of athletics Dick White was honoured in Vancouver.  He was given the Austin-Matthews award at the USports honours awards gala. The award is presented to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to interuniversity sport, as demonstrated by long-term commitment and leadership as a coach, director, chairperson and/or executive committee member at the local, provincial and/or national levels.

-- Noah Naylor is the top Canadian selected in this year's M-L-B draft. The catcher from Mississauga, Ontario went 29th overall to the Cleveland Indians. The 18-year-old is the younger brother of San Diego Padres prospect Josh Naylor, who was the top Canadian in the 2015 draft at 12th overall. Pitcher Casey Mize from Auburn was taken number one by Detroit.

 

June 4 Stanley Cup Playoffs Morning Skate

Game 4 Officials

The referees for today’s game are Chris Rooney (#5) and Kelly Sutherland (#11). The linesmen are Derek Amell (#75) and Greg Devorski (#54).

Game 4 Trends

* The Capitals are 22-22 in 44 all-time Game 4s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (10-8 at home), including a 1-2 record this year (0-1 at home). The Golden Knights are 2-1 in Game 4s, including a 1-1 record on the road.

* Washington enters Game 4 with a 5-5 record at Capital One Arena this postseason, outscoring opponents 33-28. Overall, the team is 69-71 in 140 all-time home playoff games, picking up its first such win in the Stanley Cup Final in Game 3 (1-2 overall).

* The Golden Knights own a 6-3 record as visitors during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, outscoring opponents 19-18. Only one other NHL team has earned as many road wins in its first postseason appearance: the Wild, who went 6-4 as visitors in 2003 (their 3rd NHL season).

Put the Brooms Away

There will not be a sweep in the Stanley Cup Final for a record 19th consecutive season (since 1998 DET: 4-0 W vs. WSH). The longest prior such streak (since the Final went to the best-of-seven format in 1939) was seven straight series, from both 1953-59 and 1961-67.

Capitals Notes

* The Capitals – who fell behind 2-0 in the First Round vs. CBJ, 1-0 in the Second Round vs. PIT, 3-2 in the Conference Finals vs. TBL and 1-0 in the Stanley Cup Final vs. VGK – are attempting to become the second team in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup despite trailing in all four playoff rounds. The 1991 Penguins also faced a series deficit in each round, eventually defeating the North Stars in the Stanley Cup Final (4-2 W).

* With their Game 2 win at VGK, the Capitals improved to 9-3 as visitors this postseason, outscoring opponents 43-28. Only four teams in NHL history have earned more road wins in a single playoff year, three of which captured the Stanley Cup: the 1995 Devils (10-1), 2000 Devils (10-2) and 2012 Kings (10‑1). The 2004 Flames (10-4) also won 10 road games, but ultimately lost in the Stanley Cup Final (4-3 L vs. TBL).

* Captain Alex Ovechkin opened the scoring in Game 3 with his 14th goal of the playoffs (22 GP), matching Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele (17 GP) for the League lead and also tying John Druce’s (15 GP in 1990) single-year franchise record. Only one NHL player since 1997 has potted more goals in a single postseason: Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby in 2009 (15 in 24 GP) en route to winning the Stanley Cup.

* Ovechkin (60-55—115 in 119 GP) became the 34th player in League history to register 60 career playoff goals. Only three other active NHLers have reached the milestone: Patrick Marleau (72 in 184 GP), Crosby (66 in 160 GP) and Evgeni Malkin (62 in 158 GP). Ovechkin’s average of 0.50 goals per playoff game ranks ninth in NHL history among players with at least 100 postseason appearances.

* Ovechkin now has 33 goals in 55 career games (regular season and playoffs) against Golden Knights netminder Marc-Andre Fleury, his second-highest total versus any NHL goaltender behind the Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist (35 in 71 GP).

* Ovechkin, who eclipsed 600 goals and 1,000 games during the regular season (607-515—1,122 in 1,003 GP), is making his Stanley Cup Final debut in his 13th NHL season. Only one player has scored more regular-season goals prior to making his Stanley Cup Final debut: Dave Andreychuk, who had 634 goals when he played for the Lightning – and ultimately won the championship – in 2004.

* Forward Evgeny Kuznetsov (Chelyabinsk, Russia) posted 1-1—2 in Game 3, his sixth multi-point performance of the playoffs, to extend his postseason scoring lead (12-15—27 in 22 GP). Ovechkin (Moscow, Russia) ranks second with 14-11—25 (22 GP). Only two Russian-born players have led the NHL in postseason scoring during the League’s modern era (since 1943-44): Detroit’s Sergei Fedorov (Pskov, Russia) in 1995 and Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin (Magnitogorsk, Russia) in 2009 and 2017.

* Kuznetsov, who set a franchise playoff record with an 11-game point streak (May 3-28: 6-10—16) that ended in Game 2, has 23-32—55 in his past 40 outings (regular season and playoffs) dating to Feb. 24.

* During the regular season, Kuznetsov posted career highs in goals (27) and points (83), raising his point total by 24 compared to last season to become the first Capitals player other than Ovechkin or Nicklas Backstrom to reach the 80-point milestone since 2009-10 (Alexander Semin).

* John Carlson scored his 17th career playoff goal in Game 1 (all w/ WSH), moving past Kevin Hatcher (16) for the most by a defenseman in Capitals history. Carlson, who led NHL blueliners with 15-53—68 during the regular season, paces all defensemen with 4-14—18 during the playoffs – franchise records for assists and points by a blueliner in a single postseason.

* Carlson has collected 53 career playoff points (17-36—53 in 98 GP), one shy of the Capitals’ all-time record for a defenseman held by Calle Johansson (12-42—54 in 95 GP).

* Goaltender Braden Holtby is 43-37 in 80 career playoff appearances (all w/ WSH), compiling a 2.03 goals-against average, .929 save percentage and six shutouts. That is the second-highest save percentage and fifth-best goals-against average in NHL postseason history among goaltenders with at least 50 outings.

* Forward Devante Smith-Pelly scored with 6:07 remaining in Game 3 to give Washington a 3-1 lead. Smith-Pelly now has five goals in 22 playoff games (5-1—6) after scoring seven times in 75 regular-season contests (7-9—16) in 2017-18.

Golden Knights Notes

* The expansion Golden Knights are seeking to become the first NHL, MLB, NBA or NFL team to win a championship in its inaugural season – excluding the first year of a league’s existence – since the 1950 Cleveland Browns captured the NFL Championship. The NBA’s Minneapolis Lakers (1948-49) and Baltimore Bullets (1947-48) also won the title in their respective first seasons.

* The Golden Knights are the first expansion team in 50 years from the NHL, MLB, NBA or NFL to even reach the championship series or game in its inaugural season. The 1967-68 Blues were the last to accomplish the feat, emerging from the NHL’s all-expansion West Division to advance to the Stanley Cup Final (where they ultimately lost to the Canadiens in four straight games).

* The Golden Knights have not lost three consecutive games since Feb. 26 – March 2 (0-2-1). They only lost three straight games on two other occasions during the regular season: Oct. 30 – Nov. 2 (0-3-0) and Nov. 28 – Dec. 1 (0-3-0).

* Forward Jonathan Marchessault has registered half of his team-leading eight playoff goals in games following a loss, scoring in three of four such contests for a total of four goals and seven points. In the Second Round vs. SJS, Marchessault collected 1-2—3 in Game 3, including an assist on William Karlsson’s overtime goal that gave Vegas a 2-1 series lead. In Game 5 against the Sharks, he posted 1-1—2, including a late insurance goal to give the Golden Knights a two-goal advantage. Marchessault then scored twice in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final at WPG, including the winning goal, as the club rallied for four straight victories to clinch the series. In Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final at WSH, Marchessault recorded a team-high nine shot attempts, including four on goal.

* Marchessault collected one assist in Game 1 vs. WSH, giving him 8-11—19 in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. That established a record for a player with a franchise in its first-ever postseason, surpassing the Islanders’ Jude Drouin in 1975 (6-12—18) and Sharks’ Igor Larionov in 1994 (5‑13—18). Teammate Reilly Smith added 1-1—2 in Game 1 and one assist in Game 2, moving into a tie with Marchessault for the team lead in playoff scoring (3-16—19).

* The line of Marchessault (8-11—19), Smith (3-16—19) and William Karlsson (7-8—15), featuring Vegas’ top three point-producers, has combined for 18-35—53 and five game-winning goals during the playoffs (18 GP).

* Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has allowed two or fewer goals in 10 of his 18 postseason appearances this year, compiling a 13-5 record with a 1.95 goals-against average, .937 save percentage and four shutouts. That includes a 6-3 clip on the road, where he has a 1.99 goals-against average, .938 save percentage and two shutouts.

* Already a three-time Stanley Cup champion (w/ PIT), Fleury is the 19th goaltender in NHL history to represent multiple teams in the Final. The last netminder to do so was Dominik Hasek, who backstopped the Red Wings to a Stanley Cup win in 2002 after playing in the Final with the Blackhawks (1992) and Sabres (1999).

* Fleury, who registered every win during Pittsburgh’s championship run in 2009, can become the 11th goaltender in NHL history to have his name on the Stanley Cup at least four times – and the fourth of that group to win with multiple clubs. He also can become the first goaltender in League history, and eighth player regardless of position, to win the Stanley Cup in consecutive years with different teams – and first since Cory Stillman did so in 2004 with the Lightning and 2006 with the Hurricanes.

* Skating in his 97th NHL contest (regular season and playoffs), forward Tomas Nosek (2-0—2) registered his first career multi-goal performance and winning goal in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Vegas acquired the 25-year-old Pardubice, Czech Republic, native from Detroit in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. He originally signed with the Red Wings as an undrafted free agent in 2014.

* Nosek also provided the heroics in Game 1 of last year’s Calder Cup Final, scoring the winning goal for the Grand Rapids Griffins with 13.9 seconds remaining in regulation (vs. SYR). He led the Griffins, and ranked third in the AHL, with 10-12—22 in the playoffs en route to winning the Calder Cup.

* Nosek became the 10th Golden Knights player with a game-winning goal in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, one shy of the NHL postseason record last accomplished by the 2017 Predators.

* Nosek added his fourth goal in five outings in Game 3 (4-1—5). He had eight goals in 94 career NHL appearances (regular season and playoffs) prior to this stretch (8-9—17).

(NHL Media) 

Noah Picton Impressing Argos At Training Camp, But.......

Toronto Argonauts head coach Marc Trestman has been impressed with Canadian quarterback Noah Picton’s performance in training camp but that isn’t translating to opportunities on the field.

Picton didn’t play in the Argos 36-18 pre-season win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as the team took a long look at McLeod Bethel-Thompson and James Franklin who are competing for the No. 2 job behind Ricky Ray. Even more telling: Trestman says Picton has yet to take a rep in practice with the offence.

“He’s been an impressive young man in the meeting rooms, he’s extremely knowledgeable,” Trestman said. “If you saw him warm up he threw the ball really well, it was impressive to watch.”

Bethel-Thompson and Franklin each played an entire half in the Hammer while Picton watched from the sidelines, dressed in his familiar No. 4 jersey.

“They got a lot of evaluations to do and I understood that. I was definitely hoping to get in. They said to stay ready so I was sharp I was ready to go if I got the call,” Picton said. “It didn’t work out but we’ll see what happens next week.”

The Argos signed the Hec Crighton Trophy winner a week after Picton went unselected in the 2018 CFL Draft. The Double Blue were among three teams to interview Picton at the CFL Combine.

Picton earned the contract from the Argos by setting a USports single-season record with 3,186 passing yards in 2016. The University of Regina Rams product followed that up with a first-team All-Canadian selection in 2017. He’s already the Canada West conference’s all-time leading passer with 9,840 yards.

Now Picton is getting a chance to learn the pro game from the likes of Trestman and Anthony Calvillo, the CFL’s career passing leader who is the Argos quarterbacks’ coach.

“Learning from some of these guys like Trestman, A.C., Ricky, the quarterback room as a whole it’s a bit of a whirlwind, it’s a different offence from what I’ve been used to, mentally there are some leaps and bounds that I’m making,” Picton said. 

“You look at those names and it’s pretty spectacular but they’re just football players. They’ve welcomed me just like any other player, I’m feeling like just one of the guys and hanging out with them and learning from them like any other player or coach it’s just a bigger magnitude.”

Picton has quickly developed a bond with Franklin, who was acquired by Toronto in a January trade. He and some of the other Argos were chanting the national quarterback’s name as his interview took place.

“I’ve actually gotten to really like Noah a lot. I enjoy sitting by him in team and QB meetings. He’s definitely become one of my favourites. I hope he does get an opportunity. I know he’s working hard at it,” Franklin said.

Unfortunately, with the battle between Franklin and Bethel-Thompson for the backup role still undecided, Trestman said he isn’t sure Picton will see playing time in the team’s exhibition finale on June 7 in Guelph against the Ottawa Redblacks.

“I would say probably not,” Trestman said. “But that could change over the week.”

At 5-foot-8, 177-pounds, Picton has faced plenty of doubters but beaten long odds before so there’s no reason to lose hope yet.

“If I get an opportunity, wherever it is,” Picton said, “I’m going to try and seize it.”

(Justin Dunk, 3DownNation.com)


http://3downnation.com/2018/06/03/canadian-qb-noah-picton-impressing-argos-still-needs-chance-shine/

Something To "Mitch" About

--The injury to Trevor Harris last week had many thinking the Ottawa REDBLACKS were in serious trouble as their marquee player may be lost for the season which would have been disastrous for the team.  One will only go so far as their starting quarterback can take them and if said quarterback gets hurt, all bets are off.  We have seen it before in the CFL and we will see it again.

  Looking around the league, there are a lot of no-name quarterbacks who will start the year at number 2.  Yes, there could be some stars just waiting for their chance, but its a whos-who out there.

BC - Jonathan Jennings (starter),  Travis Lulay (backup)   = solid
Calgary -- Bo Levi Mitchell (starter),  Ricky Stanzi (backup) = iffy
Edmonton -- Mike Reilly (starter),  Kevin Glenn (backup)  = solid
Saskatchewan -- Zach Collaros (starter), Brandon Bridge (backup) = solid
Winnipeg -- Matt Nichols (starter),  ?????? thanks to retirement of Durant = disaster

--

Hamilton -- Jeremiah Masoli (starter),  Johnny Manziel (backup)  = work in progress
Montreal -- Drew Willy (starter),  Matthew Shiltz, Antonio Pipkin, Garrett Fugate = WHO?
Ottawa -- Trevor Harris (starter), Dominique Davis = could be manageable
Toronto -- Ricky Ray ( starter),  James Franklin (backup) =solid, best in the league.

While the Lions and Eskimos are solid with veteran backups, Lulay and Glenn aren't getting any younger and some guys need to develop so who is slated as number 3.

The league is undergoing a change at quarterback and while there are household names, other names need to start developing or else the league will have a problem at its marquee position soon which is something I don't think the league wants.

--Johnny Football made his debut Friday night.  What did you think?  I was left uninspired by the performance. The numbers were good, but it wasn't against a first-string CFL defence. Manziel did make some plays with some feet and he didn't seem to be affected by the wider field or the 12th man.  That is encouraging.  He's not going to come in here and wow everyone overnight.  It will be a slow and steady progression.  We'll see what type of reps he gets in the Tabbies 2nd pre-season game of the year.

--I thought Marc Trestman would throw Rams QB Noah Picton into the game at the end for a series or two. Many on Twitter wanted it to happen, but it didn't with some saying James Franklin had been in long enough.  I can't disagree with that.  One person on Twitter said if you're not going to put the Canadian QB in at mop-up time to get some reps, then nothing is going to change despite what Brandon Bridge wants.  I can't disagree.

--I saw something Sunday I hadn't seen in a while.  People in Humboldt that were smiling.  The amount of good that the Saskatchewan Roughriders did by visiting the community for just a couple of hours to do their thing and have a meet and greet was unmeasurable.  Humboldt will take a long time to recover from the events of April 6.  Events like Sunday helped.   Full credit to Chris Jones, Craig Reynolds and the players for giving the community an afternoon to remember---an afternoon to mix and mingle with their football heroes on their turf.  An afternoon to put the misery aside.  Well done to all of those involved.

--So where are we on the Stanley Cup? Some are saying the Knights have run out of gas and a Washington win in Game 4 all but gives Ovie his first Cup.  Others are saying we have a 7 game series in the making.  It looked like Washington was the better team in Game 3, but I think the hockey universe has learned not to count out the Knights.

--Win or lose, the Capitals can't say adios to Barry Trotz can they?  That is the talk much to my surprise.  How can you get rid of a guy that has brought you this far and may take you to the top of the mountain.

--I don't watch a lot of NBA games, but I know bad officiating when I see it and the officiating in the NBA Final is trash.  Aren't the best guys supposed to be on the floor? If these are the best guys, I'd hate to see the 3rd and 4th "best" crew.

--Its no secret I am not a Buck Martinez fan.  On Saturday, he tried to defend Toronto shortstop Aldemys Diaz for not throwing home on a play that could have cut down a Detroit runner at the plate.  He said it is because Diaz is playing for a new team and may not have realized what was going on. ??????  Diaz has been a shortstop for a large portion of his baseball career.  Shortstops know what to do and he didn't do it.  A new team has nothing to do with it.  I can't imagine what goes through Dan Shulman's mind when he has to work with such a dullard.  Blue Jays fans deserve so much better when it comes to their broadcasts.   They deserve to have Shulman doing as many games as he wants to do.  His brilliance at calling a game makes Buck look even worse whether it be as p x p or analyst.  By the way, I heard former Expos p x p guy Dave Van Horne calling a Miami Marlins game on the weekend. He remains one of the best.

--You couldn't have asked for a better afternoon at the ballpark.  735 fans came to Currie Field for the Red Sox home opener as they pasted Swift Current.  Opening day is always an exciting time around the park and it was no different at Currie Field.  A Sunday afternoon with some friends, having some beverages, sharing some yuks and watching some ball with the sun shining brightly is an afternoon well spent.  If you haven't been to a Red Sox game (or any WMBL game for that matter) get out there and support the teams.  You won't find better baseball on the prairies and there are many baseball fans around.

--That's all I got. Have a great week!