This is not a post about musicians in jerseys nor will I be talking about the former boy band in any way today, but it is about the team to the left as Spain made their IIHF Women's World Championship Division-1B debut today in Puigcerdà, Spain in front of 223 fans. Spain has never played at this level of women's hockey in the country's history, so this was a historic day for the nation and the national team as they took the ice against Netherlands. No one is expecting them to win against more experienced nations, but Spain is at this event because they have proven they belong by winning lower IIHF tournaments! Can they win this one as well or remain at this level?
Things didn't start off well for the home team today against a strong Dutch team as two power-play goals had Netherlands up 3-0 before the first break. That score would balloon to 5-0 by the end of the second period, and Natherlands would skate to the 6-0 win when the final horn sounded behind Kayleigh Hamers' two goals and two assists. The 28 year-old SDE defender always seems to play well when wearing the Dutch colours, and today's effort only reinforced that. Spain will look to bounce back on Monday against Great Britain who beat Korea 3-2 in a shootout in game where Korea held a 2-0 lead.
I don't think people understand how important it is to see countries like Spain and Netherlands building their hockey programs to become bigger players on the world stage. Hockey fans often lament the fact that Canada and the US end up in the gold medal final at every major tournament despite the rivalry between the two countries, so having more countries getting better is massive for the sport. We know Sweden and Japan are on the rise once again, so that will help at the top level of women's hockey, but getting countries like Spain, Netherlands, Great Britain, Latvia, Korea, and Kazakhstan more experience will push the teams at higher levels to be better as well.
Back to the action in Puigcerdà, Spain earned the promotion to Division-1B after defeating Poland in their final game of the Division-2A tournament last year, ending that tournament with a 4-1 record. Spain replaced Slovenia who were relegated after finishing at the bottom of the 2025 Division-1B standings, so they're looking for a strong performance to remain in this group or potentially move higher. Dropping their first game is a setback, but Spain can rally and still finish strong in this tournament as Kazakhstan and Latvia haven't jumped out ahead of anyone either. Just getting a goal on the scorebord for Spain would be a big moment in program history, so they have some work to do against Great Britain tomorrow.
To me, having teams showing improvement and growth from places where ice hockey isn't close to being a popular sport on the levels of football (soccer), field hockey, or handball means that these programs are making the sport stronger and better overall. It doesn't matter if Spain can't compete with Canada or the US at this point in time because they have shown they can compete with other countries who are all working towards the same goal of being able to compete at that level one day. This isn't an overnight solution, but it's one that will play out over years as long as programs are supported and funded and there is room for growth. As the tide rises, the teams will all get better in time, leaving us with more competitive hockey.
I don't know Spain will win the tournament, but the Division-2A tournament starts tomorrow and one of Poland, Australia, Iceland, Slovenia, and Chinese Taipei will take the same step forward that Spain did last season. If that means bumping Spain back to the 2A tournament, so be it as only Spain can change that fate by winning games. What should be remembered, though, is that these five teams are looking to join the 1B tournament to prove that they belong among better teams thanks to their success in this year's tournament.
By having teams work to get better at every level, the IIHF will see countries catch the powerhouses. It might take decades for some of these teams to reach a IIHF Women's World Hockey Championship level, but the skill and talent is rising every year. Getting to see these women forge paths for the generations behind them is awesome!
With the Nashville Predators and the Los Angeles Kings winning their respective games today, the Winnipeg Jets needed the same result in their game against the Philadelphia Flyers if they wanted any legitimate chance at making the playoffs. Mathematically, the Jets wouldn't be eliminated from the race, but the required wins and losses to get in are at their maximums after tonight's woeful, uninspired 7-1 hammering at the hands of the Flyers. For a team that needed to be at its best to make the last week of the season matter, the Jets turned in one of their worst performances of the season. Like the sheep in wolf's clothing, no one should be surprised that the Jets are going to miss the playoffs. This is simply another game where they didn't bother to show up.
Let's go back to April 2 where the Jets were going into Dallas to play the Stars. They had won four of five games entering that contest including a solid 4-2 win over Colorado and a demon-exorcising 4-1 win over Vegas. The Jets were on a bit of a high as they landed in the Lone Star State, and the team was looking to take that next step.
"We just said to take care of our own business and that's what we're trying to do. We got ourselves here, but we can't take our foot off the gas," head coach Scott Arniel said following the overtime win in Chicago on March 31. "It doesn't get any easier in going into Dallas and then Columbus, so a lot of heavy lifting still to go. We have got to make sure that we continue to do those things that keep us in games and that gives us a chance to win."
A 22-save shutout for Jake Oettinger combined with Adam Erne and Arttu Hyry each having a goal and an assist was all that was needed for the Stars to brush the Jets aside by a 3-0 score. For a guy who had said how the Jets had to "take care of our own business" two days earlier, Scott Arniel sung a different tune following the Dallas game.
"I didn't like our first two periods. I know the first period, they got the couple ones on the power play and then we turned the puck over and gave them the second one. We didn't have enough compete, we didn't have enough guys getting our nose over the puck and being heavy on it. Our execution wasn't great,” Arniel said about the loss.
It's funny how things can change so dramatically in two days.
Tonight's game is sort of how the stretch run has played out for the Jets. A late goal against Nashville earned them a point, but a shootout loss on March 17 gave Nashville two points. They followed that effort up by going through the motions in a 6-1 hammering by Boston two nights later, and then dropped a 5-4 shootout loss to the Penguins in a game where the Jets held a 4-3 lead with eleven minutes to play. In games where the Jets needed two points to jump into the thick of the playoff race, they were unable to secure them.
Since March 1, the Jets are 5-5-2 against teams in a playoff position while posting a 7-1-1 record against teams out of the playoffs. The Jets are beating the teams they should beat, but they've struggled against teams in the dance. If the Jets had any hope of making noise in the playoffs, they had to be better than .500 against playoff-bound teams. They aren't, though, and that might be the most important thing about the Jets falling short: they don't beat good teams when they have to win. Isn't that what playoff hockey is all about?
There will be lots of video for the coaching staff to break down for Sunday's practice as they prepare for the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday. The Jets beat Vegas 4-1 in their last meeting in Winnipeg, but Vegas will likely come into Canada Life Centre fired up as they sit one point ahead of Edmonton for the Pacific Division crown. If they show up at the rink like they did tonight, the playoff dream ends.
Beyond that, the Jets have to win all three of their remaining games while hoping that the Kraken, Canucks, and Flames take care of the Kings and the Sharks and Ducks handle the Predators. There is no tomorrow if they don't take six points in the final games and get some help because the Kings and Predators can eliminate the Jets with any win in their final games. In layman's terms, the Jets need to dig deep over the remaining three games or they're golfing next week.
Frankly, no one should be surprised that it's come to this. This Jets team has been a sheep in wolf's clothing all season long, never really proving that they had the killer instinct needed to be considered as a contender. Tonight's effort put them on the brink of elimination, and it might just be time for these sheep to be put out to pasture.
Everyone loves a good race for playoff spots in hockey. It doesn't matter what level of hockey as long as there's a compelling race that has more teams than needed in that race. That very thing is happening right now in the ECHL's Central Division as six of the seven teams in the division are battling for four playoff spots. Two teams have already clinched spots thanks to their leads over the division, leaving two spots for which those remaining four teams will compete. What should be understood is that none of the teams know where they may finish or who they may play thanks to these playoff races! Let's look at the ECHL Central Division!
Team: Toledo Walleye Record: 40-16-12 (.676) Games Remaining: 4
The Walleye currently occcupy first-place with 92 points, but they're hardly out of the woods. Yes, they have clinched a playoff spot, but they lost in overtime tonight, allowing the Fort Wayne Komets to pull into a tie for first-place. The two games against Fort Wayne coming up on April 12 and 16 will likely determine whether Toledo finishes atop the division or in second-place to start the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Remaining Schedule: @ Cincinnati (Apr 11), @ Fort Wayne (Apr 12), @ Fort Wayne (Apr 16), vs Wheeling (Apr 17).
Team: Fort Wayne Komets Record: 41-16-10 (.687) Games Remaining: 5
The Komets helped their chances of winning the division with a big win over Kalamazoo at home before these two teams move their battle to Kalamazoo tonight. The Komets have one game in-hand on Toledo on the schedule, so they control their own destiny as they sit with 92 points after having clinched a playoff spot in the Central Division last week. As stated above, they'll play Toledo twice, but they also have that extra game on Wednesday against the Indy Fuel in betweeen the two Toledo games. If Fort Wayne wants to win the division, they'll need to beat their arch-rivals twice this week.
Remaining Schedule: @ Kalamazoo (Apr 11), vs Toledo (Apr 12), vs Indy (Apr 15), vs Toledo (Apr 16), vs Kalamazoo (Apr 19).
Team: Indy Fuel Record: 31-26-10 (.544) Games Remaining: 4
Indy's 74 points has them in third-place right now, but they're not guaranteed anything yet. They need to beat Iowa tonight and tomorrow to improve their chances at clinching a playoff spot, and that showdown with Fort Wayne on Wednesday looms large when it comes to Indy's playoff chances. Again, beating Iowa twice this weekend could very well be the difference between playing in the playoffs and watching them from home based on who else is playing whom in the division. With a little help, Indy should get in.
Remaining Schedule: @ Iowa (Apr 11), @ Iowa (Apr 12), @ Fort Wayne (Apr 15), @ Wheeling (Apr 18).
Team: Cincinnati Cylones Record: 35-29-4 (.544) Games Remaining: 4
Cincinnati did themselves a big favour with their overtime win over Toledo tonight to push them to 74 points, but they can't lose focus with a rematch tomorrow against the Walleye and two teams chasing them in standings. The Cyclones' season may hang in the balance with three-straight games against Kalamazoo to close out the season, so the playoffs for Cincinnati start on Sunday. If they win that three-game series, they're likely playing in the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Remaining Schedule: vs Toledo (Apr 11), @ Kalamazoo (Apr 12), vs Kalamazoo (Apr 17), vs Kalamazoo (Apr 18).
Team: Kalamazoo Wings Record: 33-28-6 (.537) Games Remaining: 5
Kalamazoo enters the weekend with 72 points as they sit outside the playoff picture. Two teams stand in the way of the K-Wings making the playoffs in Fort Wayne and Cincinnati, and both of them are needing wins of their own. Unofficially, the playoffs start on Saturday for the K-Wings whether they like it or not. They have to win the three-game set against Cincinnati and, at worst, split with Fort Wayne to have a chance at postseason glory. Winning four of five games would go a long way towards locking down playoff dates.
Remaining Schedule: vs Fort Wayne (Apr 11), vs Cincinnati (Apr 12), @ Cincinnati (Apr 17), @ Cincinnati (Apr 18), @ Fort Wayne (Apr 19).
Team: Bloomington Bison Record: 33-29-5 (.530) Games Remaining: 5
Bloomington enters the weekend with 71 points, but they're the only team who doesn't play a potential playoff team in the Central Division. As such, they need to win AND get some help if they want to leap past a few teams. The good news is that they have a three-game set against already-eliminated Iowa to end the season. The bad news is that they'll likely have to win four of five games to close out the season, and then hope that the scoreboard results from oher games go in their favour. The Bison could make it, but they need help.
One of Toledo and Fort Wayne will win the Central Division, and both have home-ice advantage in the opening round locked down. The ECHL plays a 2-3-2 series to save money on travel, so both the Walleye and Komets will be looking for two wins at home before heading out on the road no matter who they play when the playoffs begin. Their opponents will be determined over this last week.
If you're asking me which two of the remaining four teams in the race will make it, there is no easy answer. Bloomington needs the most help, so they likely won't get in unless all the stars align for them. Indy seems like they can make it thanks to their games against Iowa, but the Heartlanders may relish this opportunity to ruin Indy's playoff hopes. If Iowa can rise to the occasion, Indy's chances get lower.
What can't be avoided is that one of Cincinnati and Kalamazoo will miss the playoffs thanks to that three-game series to close out the season. Cincinnati is 5-3-1 against Kalamazoo this season, so it appears that the Cyclones have the advantage. The stakes for these three games are much higher than they were in February, though, so those stats may mean nothing when the pressure's on. What's certain is that one of the Cyclones or K-Wings will not make the playoffs.
Playoff hockey always happens in April, but this year's race in the ECHL's Central Division for playoff spots means the playoffs have started early for six teams. Who finishes in what spot may come down to the final seconds of the final period of play, but that's how a race for playoff spots should end! We'll know who is in next Sunday!
The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, returns to the studio tonight with a couple of outstanding guests as we continue to shine light on Manitoba's hockey scene! As you may know, we committed to giving Sledge Hockey Manitoba and Team Manitoba parahockey more coverage than they've ever received, and we'll continue that effort tonight by welcoming two players to the studio to talk about recent events with their team and the Sledge Hockey Manitoba teams in general! We'll get the news, info, and results of the tournaments for all the Sledge Hockey Manitoba teams tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!
Tonight, Teebz and Jason are... proud, honoured, privileged, humbled, and pleased to welcome two of Team Manitoba's dynamic youth core to the show as Isaac Vint and Henry Bergen will join us! Both players took part in the recent Cross Border Classic that UMFM had the honour of calling, and both Isaac and Henry were in Montreal and Calgary for recent tournaments as Team Manitoba gears up for Nationals!... going at it alone tonight as Isaac and Henry battle colds! Our hosts have updates about and results from the Manitoba Express junior and intermediate teams in their recent tournaments, and they discuss we'll get Isaac's and Henry's thoughts on the Jets battling for their playoff lives, talk about Survivor: NHL Playoffs which starts next week, and more! It's going to be a busy show down at the UMFM studio tonight, so get settled in for some hockey chatter tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via UMFM.com!
If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The UMFM website's streaming player works well if you want to listen online. We also recommend Radio Garden if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you use the TuneIn app found on the App Store or Google Play Store.
If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to hockeyshow@umfm.com! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard! And because both Teebz and Jason are on the butterfly app where things are less noisy, you can find Teebz here and Jason here on Bluesky!
Tonight, Teebz and Jason chat with Isaac Vint and Henry Bergen about Team Manitoba, recent results, going to Nationals, scoring goals, throwing hits, having fun, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!
If anyone wanted a job working in hockey, this might be the year that jobs can be had. We already know the Nashville Predators are hunting for a general manager to replace the outgoing Barry Trotz, the Toronto Maple Leafs need someone for their general manager position, and the New Jersey Devils are looking for someone for their GM office as well. As of today after another somewhat shocking announcement, there's another high-ranking hockey job that will be available at the end of the season, so let's go back to the job board to see who is hiring.
According to the announcement today, Seattle Kraken president Ron Francis has decided to step down from his position after the season concludes next week as the 63 year-old leaves the organization after seven seasons in Seattle. Francis started his Kraken career as the general manager in July 2019, overseeing all of the early franchise decisions including the expansion draft, hiring the first coaches, and helping the Kraken reach the playoffs in their second season.
Francis was promoted to hockey operations president last April after four seasons as the general manager, helping the Kraken to a 142-153-33 record over those five seasons. In just one of the four completed seasons did Seattle post a record better than .500, and they only made the playoffs once. Not surprisingly, both of those happened in 2022-23 when they made the playoffs as the first wild card team, shocking the Colorado Avalanche in seven games before falling to the Dallas Stars in seven games in Round Two.
"Ron and I agreed that this is the right moment to make a thoughtful transition for both Ron and the organization, and move in a new direction," Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke said in a release highlighting Francis' contributions. He added, "We are grateful for his dedication and professionalism, and we wish Ron and his family the very best."
I'm not here to rain on Ron Francis, but he seemed to trade away more talent than he acquired as the GM of the Seattle Kraken. Outside of Kaapo Kaako, every player he traded for between 2021 and 2025 no longer plays for the Kraken. He acquired 21 draft picks in 13 trades, and none of the players selected with those picks have skated in the NHL. Seattle does have seven picks in the first two rounds over the next two drafts, so perhaps there will be better picks and an injection of youth into the Kraken lineup in the future.
The catch on this job vacancy, however, is that it seemingly has been filled as current GM Jason Botterill will remain in his role as general manager while adding the "executive vice president" title as he takes over the hockey operations for the Kraken. if you were prepping the résumé, the Kraken may not have the "Help Wanted" sign out.
I don't know if Francis will land with another franchise, and he may just want to take some time away from the game. He went from the Carolina Hurricanes to the Seattle Kraken in fairly quick fashion, so it might be time to recharge the batteries. Perhaps the Kraken were looking to make a change while seeking Francis's input, but it sounds like both sides determined that him stepping down was the right path for the franchise. The Kraken will move forward without him.
"It has been an honor to help launch and lead the Seattle Kraken over the past seven years," Francis stated in the Kraken press release today. "I am proud of the culture we built, the people we brought together, and the milestones we achieved, including our historic first playoff run. I want to thank our entire ownership group, everyone throughout the organization, and our incredible fans for their unwavering support. This organization has a bright future, and I'm grateful to have been part of its beginning."
That bright future will now be carried forward by someone else as Ron Francis's vision for the Kraken has come to an end. Where he goes after cleaning out his office next week will be up to him, but his future certainly is wide open for anything he wants to do.
I will fully admit that I don't watch enough Bob's Burgers to be an subject matter expert about the show, but I have seen episodes here and there that had some funny moments. One of those episodes is titled "An Incon-wheelie-ent Truth" from Season Eleven of the Fox Television animated series where the character to the left, known as "Wheelie Mammoth", was introduced. In the episode, the Belcher family visits a flea market where Bob and Linda are haunted by a lie they told the kids about what happened to their beloved stuffed animal, Wheelie Mammoth, as the comedy ensues. Again, the episode had its moments where there were chuckles, but I admit that I didn't expect to see a mammoth on wheels today. This is where Utah emerges from the shadows.
The Utah Mammoth are always looking for ways to draw new fans to their form of entertainment, and it appears they're going to be a popular ticket in April as they seem poised to make the playoffs for the first time since arriving in Salt Lake City. Winning hockey usually is the best way to draw a crowd, but the Mammoth went ahead and did something that I'm not sure had to be done, unveiling this today.
Ladies and gentleman, that is the their new Zammoth ice resurfacing machine! Yes, I already hate the name when Mamboni would have been infinitely better, but I get there are trademarks to respect despite the trademark conflicts the Mammoth have had thus far.
If you're wondering, the Zammoth is built from the same Zamboni that was used in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. You may be thinking about how the team plans to resurface the ice with those massive tusks sticking out of the front of the Zammoth, but you needn't worry as the Zammoth is there for fun only, taking up to eight fans on a lap before each home game and at the beginning of every intermission. The ice resurfacing will then be done by the new, modern ice resurfacing machines once the Zammoth gets off the ice.
"It's an opportunity for our fans to engage with the crowd," Chris Barney, president of revenue and commercial strategy for Smith Entertainment Group, said to Brogan Houston of Deseret News. "It puts them down on the ice where their heroes are playing. A lot of people don't get the opportunity to be down there on the ice. It's one more example of us trying to do that."
At the time of publishing, the Mammoth had yet to release information on how fans can sign up to ride the Zammoth, but those details will reportedly come shortly. The Zammoth joins the ice resurfacers in Florida and Columbus as those who drive fans around the ice, but those two machines actually resurface the ice. The Zammoth is just for fun, so we'll have to see how big the hit to the pocketbook will be if one wants to climb aboard the prehistoric pachyderm on wheels. For now, the Zammoth will be on display on the plaza at the Delta Center for fans to see it up close at no cost.
"I don't think it’s something that somebody shows up to a hockey game expecting (to see), but our goal has been to continue to surprise and delight our fans and give them ways to interact with the brand and the team," Barney said to Houston.
Count me in as not expecting to see that. Ever. Anywhere. But at least the Zammoth isn't on roller skates like the Wheelie Mammoth.
I spent the weekend looking for some fun stories after a couple of newsworthy firings last week, and it seems that the whole hockey world is now either terminating people or having people step away from the game. Four significant hockey people over the last two days will be absent for the future, and it's hard to understand why the terminations had to happen as they did. I get there are likely reasons for the two men being fired, but the loss of the man and woman who have decided to take a step back are, in my view, bigger losses for the game. Let's get into hockey employment news tonight!
We'll start on Long Island where a four-game losing streak might have been the catalyst for the change that GM Mathieu Darche made as he fired head coach Patrick Roy, replacing him with Pete DeBoer. Roy has two years left on his contract, so it seems like this move was made out of necessity, and DeBoer signed a three-year deal that will also include the rest of this season as he and Darche will see their contracts expire at the same time. With the Islanders falling out of a playoff spot this weekend during this losing skid, it appears that Darche had seen enough to know that a change was needed.
Will DeBoer make the Islanders better? In the long-term, there's a chance that he can. I'm not sure they're going to reach third-place in the Atlantic as they likely need to win three of their four games while getting help to overtake Philadelphia, but they can jump into a wild card spot by Saturday if they beat both Toronto and Ottawa. From there, they'll have to play well to beat Montreal and Carolina, but an improved focus on the defensive side of the game - something DeBoer can bring - would go a long way for the Islanders' playoff hopes.
With the New Jersey Devils on the verge of missing the playoffs as they sit seven point back of the second wild card with five games to play, the architect of the Devils' roster was fired today. Tom Fitzgerald had held the general manager's position since 2020, but Devils managing partner David Blitzer felt that "it was time to move in a new direction". Twice in Fitzgerald's six seasons at the helm have the Devils made the playoffs, losing both appearances to the Carolina Hurricanes. While both sides agreed to part ways, the Devils will begin their GM search immediately to begin preparing for the NHL Entry Draft. Fitzgerald, meanwhile, could be a likely candidate for the GM role in Nashville if he wants other immediate options.
After losing Vic Rauter earlier in the week, I'm not sure sports broadcasting was prepared for Scott Oake's announcement yesterday. The longtime Hockey Night in Canada interviewer and broadcaster made the announcement that he would be retiring from broadcasting following the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year, and it's hard to deny that the 74 year-old hasn't earned the right to walk away. Scott Oake is one of the people I tried to emulate with my interviews as he was factual, fair, and funny no matter who he was speaking with during his few minutes of questions. I don't know if Sportsnet will be able to replace him because he was so good at what he did. On top of that, he was simply an incredibly generous man both with his time and his graciousness. Scott Oake will be missed for his interviews, but he absolutely deserves a happy retirement!
And if there weren't enough hits taken by the hockey world today, the Ottawa Charge announced that head coach Carla MacLeod would be stepping away from the team to continue her medical treatments as she looks to emerge victorious against breast cancer. Assistant coach Haley Irwin will assume the role of interim head coach effective immediately, but it's pretty clear that everyone's thoughts will be with Carla as she undergoes another round of treatments. I have zero doubt that she's going to overcome this, so I want to wish her all the best as she continues to kick cancer's butt! If you know Carla, that's her attitude in this fight!
This is a woman whose presence in and around the game is second-to-none with her knowledge, her quips, and her smile. I'd go to the ends of the earth if she asked just because of how much fun I had in speaking with her on The Hockey Show, so I'm hoping that she's back sooner than later after these treatments. She's a gem, and hockey needs more people like her. We're all pulling for you, Carla!
Obviously, the last 36 hours have seen a whirlwind of change in the hockey world, and that's not even counting what happened on the ice. We saw a head coach fired, a head coach hired, a general manager and a team part ways, a broadcasting icon retire, and a head coach take a leave so she can be stronger. With seasons coming to a close, you expect these changes in the summer, not two weeks before the end of the season. However, that's hockey this year.
I'm not here to celebrate the two men who lost their jobs. That sucks, and there's no other way to say it. I am happy for Scott Oake, and my thoughts are with Carla MacLeod. These four people will likely find their way either back into the game or into a new chapter of life where they can be just as effective. I doubt this is the last we'll hear from any of them, but it's certainly been a crazy 36 hours of changes to say the least with all the announcements from teams.
As a person who follows Canada West women's hockey very closely, it's always great to see a player get rewarded for the hard work she puts in playing the game. Earning a professional contract somewhere across the planet is a big accomplishment for any player, but keeping a roster spot year after year takes dedication and hard work to continue to be an asset to a team. The player pictured with the Montreal Victoire has done that since she decided to make the jump into the professional ranks, and Friday night may saw the culmination of a lot of hard work finally pay off for her. Having watched forward Kailtin Willoughby score a pile of goals for the Saskatchewan Huskies, she finally got one with the Victoire after years of hard work!
I really wanted to see Kaitlin score during the Victoire's stop in Winnipeg after all the big goals she scored in Winnipeg while playing against the Manitoba Bisons, but the Victoire could only light the lamp once last weekend. On Friday night, though, Willoughby broke out of her goal drought with two goals against the Ottawa Charge at Canadian Tire Centre, removing any doubt as to whether she belongs among the world's best. However, it's all the hard work that you don't know about that made this moment even better for what it means.
Before we go any further, let's get Willoughby's goal posted from TSN.
What you didn't see when Willoughby scored for the first time in 75 PWHL games were all the overnight shifts at hospitals and early morning training sessions after a long night of work as a nurse. In her final year at the University of Saskatchewan where she was earning her degree, Willoughby shuttled between Calgary and Saskatoon often as she was playing for the CWHL's Calgary Inferno, working at Calgary Foothills hospital, and attending classes in Saskatchewan!
"I was living in Saskatchewan, living in Calgary, finishing my nursing degree and flying back and forth," she told Kerry Gillespie of the Toronto Star in 2024. That was the reality for players in the CWHL.
She'd continue to work as a nurse as the CWHL folded into history while training alongside the players from the Inferno. That would turn into an opportunity to play in the PWHPA where she couldn't play every weekend, but she squeezed in as many games as she could to keep her professional hockey dreams alive. After all, paying the bills that come with life and hockey means she had to keep working.
"Life is definitely expensive... so just trying to be financially in a good spot once hockey's done," she told Gillespie.
A new path opened up for women's hockey, though, and it has changed how Willoughby has approached the game. No longer does she need to work to play, but she can now focus on working on her play as her full-time career. Finding a roster spot with the Toronto Sceptres in 2023 allowed her to move into a more casual nursing role in the offseason while she continues to chase a Walter Cup.
"Looking back, it was some crazy long days and hard work and sacrifice, but I wouldn't have it any other way to get to where I am right now," she said to Gillespie about playing with the Sceptres in 2024. "Living this dream life, like, it's still a job, but it doesn’t feel like it because it's the best job in the world."
Being a professional hockey player doesn't come without some hardships, though, as Willoughby would need to pack up her life and head east on March 13, 2025 when the Sceptres traded her to the Montreal Victoire at the PWHL trade deadline for defender Anna Kjellbin. After 43 games in Toronto with one assist to her name, she was on the move as Montreal added her as forward depth.
In seven games with the Victoire, she doubled her assist and point total with another assist, and she was an addition that Victoire general manager Danièle Sauvageau was happy to have made as the Victoire re-signed Willoughby in the offseason to a new deal.
"Upon her arrival last season, Kaitlin quickly developed chemistry with our existing players, both on and off the ice. She played valuable minutes with us at the end of the season and during the playoffs," Sauvageau told The Canadian Press.
Without having to work overnights at the hospital or squeeze in shifts between games thanks to her PWHL contract, Willoughby circled back and began to put the work in to focus on improving her game.
"You're now pouring all of your energy into the sport and the training, so you can give 100 per cent every day," she told Gillespie in 2024. "I'm turning 30 next year and I still feel like I haven't reached a plateau. I'm still seeing myself get better."
Clearly, she knows what she's talking about as Willoughby had three assists this season before Friday night to eclipse her career total in one season. Her play alongside Catherine Dubois and Alexandra Labelle on Montreal's "U SPORTS line" has been excellent as a checking unit, but these three women have been showing some jump in recent weeks as they push the offensive side of their talents.
Of course, Friday night saw Willoughby toss the 800-pound gorilla off her back as she scored her first PWHL goal against Ottawa before doubling her output with an empty-netter late in the game! That night saw Ottawa play in front of its largest crowd at 17,114 fans while the win marked Montreal's 50th PWHL win in franchise history and the 39-save shutout for Sandra Abstreiter was also the first of her career on what was a big night for the Victoire in Ottawa!
Upon returning to the bench, Willoughby got hugs from both head coach Kori Cheverie and assistant coach Caroline Ouellette as they've been witness to just how hard Willoughby works everyday at practice.
"It's not for lack of chances I've had throughout the years; but my teammates, my coaching staff, everyone has just continued to believe in me and keep my confidence up," Willoughby said to habseyesontheprize.com's Jared Book about her big night after the game. "The support I've had from my teammates just keeps me going. They're like – 'it's going to come Willow'. And eventually it did, and now the floodgates might be open for me."
My hope is that it does exactly that - open the floodgates for a woman whose U SPORTS career saw her dent twine 50 times in 132 games. She's an incredible player to watch, and seeing that smile after she scored her first PWHL goal felt like the old Kaitlin Willoughby that terrorized Canada West goalies was back again.
I've heard from several professional hockey players that making the roster isn't where the hard work ends, but that the hardest work comes in keeping that roster spot. Kaitlin Willoughby has travelled between cities to practice and play hockey, work as a nurse, and take classes, so it was clear that she knew how to work hard before ever being signed by the Sceptres and re-signed by the Victoire.
It may have taken 75 PWHL games, but the hours put into reaching that pinnacle for Kailtin Willoughby are countless. Her ear-to-ear smile during the celebration says that all of the hard work, hours away from family, and sacrifices that she made were worth it. It may have been the hardest goal she's ever had to work for, but that's the effort that Kaitlin Willloughby brings to the rink everyday.
Congratulations, Kaitlin, on your first and second PWHL goals!
It became official today: the Buffalo Sabres will break their streak of fourteen seasons without appearing the playoffs thanks to the Pittsburgh Penguins defeating the Florida Panthers, officially eliminating the two-time defending champions from the playoffs. The last time that Buffalo was in the playoffs was 2011 where the Lindy Ruff-led Sabres qualified as the seventh-seeded team and fell in the opening round in seven games to the Philadelphia Flyers.
They won't see the Flyers this year, but the Lindy Ruff-led Sabres could meet the Montreal Canadiens or Boston Bruins depending on where Buffalo finishes. Regardless of who they face, expect the city of Buffalo to be foaming at the mouth for the Sabres' first games at Keybank Center when the playoffs begin on April 18, 2026!
If fifteen years seems like a long time, consider all of the following when it comes to the last time the Sabres were in the playoffs:
Amazon had not yet released the Kindle tablet.
Neither Windows 10 nor Windows 11 had been developed.
Steve Jobs, Dick Clark, and Roger Ebert were alive.
Barbara Walters and Oprah Winfrey were still on TV.
Steven Harper was the Prime Minister of Canada.
Crimea was still part of Ukraine.
England was still part of the European Union.
No one had heard of "Gangnam Style".
No one had heard of Bitcoin or cryptocurrency.
COVID-19 was eight years away.
Lance Armstrong was still an elite cyclist.
The Chicago Cubs hadn't won a World Series since 1908.
Russia was still at the Olympics and IIHF events.
The Atlanta Thrashers still existed.
The Phoenix Coyotes still existed.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was still a Red Deer Rebels forward.
Alexander Ovechkin only had 301 goals.
Jaromir Jagr finished his third season in the KHL.
The Hockey Show had not yet debuted on UMFM.
Hockey Night in Canada was still owned by CBC.
Only four Marvel movies had been released in theatres.
Game of Thrones had yet to premiere.
Keanu Reeves had not yet become John Wick.
Tom Cruise had been in three Mission: Impossible films.
The Hunger Games had yet to debut in theatres.
There were a pile of other major world events that happened during the fifteen years between playoff appearances for the Buffalo Sabres, but those listed above were some of the more fun ones that I found. What can't be overlooked is how much fun the Sabres seem to be having this year when it comes to playing hockey. Josh Norris told Elliotte Friedman that he and Tage Thompson were sitting beside one another on the bench in their first game after the Olympics, and "[t]he crowd was so loud they couldn't have a conversation. They started laughing, marvelling at the enthusiasm." That's important.
Buffalo has always been a good playoff city, but the fans there may blow the roof off the Keybank Center this year. They've been waiting for so long for this moment, so it's plausible that scene experienced by Norris and Thompson will happen again. If the Sabres end up facing the Canadiens, it will feel like the old Adams Division rivalry between these two teams come April. If they were to face Boston as the Atlantic Division champions, the recordings of the "May Day" call with Rick Jeanneret will be played over and over again this spring!
You can talk about Gilbert Perreault and Danny Gare as legends. People will mention the likes of Pat Lafontaine, Alexander Mogilny, and Dave Andreychuk from the "good ol' days". Names like Stu Barnes, Chris Drury, Maxim Afinogenov, and Danny Briere are mentioned as part of unforgettable tomes. No one will question anyone if they bring up Dominik Hasek's or Ryan Miller's brilliance. But it's been fifteen years since fans have had those undeniable playoff moments, and this Sabres team is looking to make more of those memories.
Welcome back, Buffalo. Keep having fun, and bring the loud. You've been gone for far too long, but it's good to have you back!
I know there likely aren't a lot of people across Canada who keep up with ECHL signings, but it's always cool to see a former U SPORTS player getting his shot with a professional team. For some, they've gone to the ECHL before landing in U SPORTS, but former Golden Bears defender Aidan De La Gorgendiere went full circle with a stop in the ECHL before playing with the University of Alberta followed by a jump to the NCAA with the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks. He signed with the ECHL's Tahoe Knight Monsters this week which is awesome, but I have a more serious question: what will his name look like on his jersey once he gets into a game?
I ask this because there seems to be different fonts and capitalization used depending on the team for whoch De La Gorgendiere has played. Obviously, that's a heckuva last name, but it's the "De La" that seems to be changed whenever he moves to a new team. With what seems like zero consistency in the capitalization of his last name's surname particle, let's take a look at how Aidan De La Gorgendiere's name has appeared over the span of his hockey career so far.
Aidan played prep hockey at Yale Hockey Academy in his hometown of Abbotsford, BC. I didn't read every scouting report, but everything I could find online suggested he was a smart player who looked for offensive opportunities while not shying away from the defensive side of the game. What was harder to find was an image of how his name was spelled on his jersey, but the good news is that I did find a video where I grabbed a screenshot.
Team Surname Particle: DE LA
As shown, Yale Academy went with standard block lettering all of the same size across De La Gorgendiere's shoulders. There's absolutely nothing wrong with how the name is displayed, and the name looks uniform above his #22. If this was how his name is displayed moving forward, I wouldn't be writing this article so be ready for some changes to how the surname particle looks.
Aidan's work at Yale Academy got him noticed by WHL scouts, and the Saskatoon Blades wanted him as part of their team as they chose him fifth-overall in the 2017 CHL Bantam Draft. His parents are both from Saskatoon so he was excited to head to the Blades despite growing up in British Columbia.
Team Surname Particle: DE LA
Saskatoon introduced De La Gorgendiere at a press conference in their locker room, and you can see the name on the back of his jersey has the surname particle with a half-sized "E" and "A" compared to the rest of the letters. What makes this weird is that Saskatoon appears again below.
Aidan's play got him noticed by Team Canada as he was invited to Canada's U17 camp where he would eventually be placed on Team Black for the 2018 U17 World Challenge. In five games at the tournament, he had two helpers as Team Black finished in fifth-place with a 5-3 win over Team White.
Team Surname Particle: DE LA
This is standard Team Canada block font, so I didn't expect there to be any variations on how De La Gorgendiere's name would be displayed. Yes, this was the best photo I could find, and that's certainly him as there were no other "De La" players on the Team Black roster. In fact, Canada didn't have any "Dela" players either, so this made narrowing down De La Gorgendiere in photos easier.
Aidan's time with the Blades lasted five years plus one game as an underager in 2017-18, but he was a solid player in the WHL. Over those five seasons, he scored 22 goals and 133 assists in 248 games while adding three goals and 18 points in 28 playoff games. However, he would go undrafted by NHL teams.
Team Surname Particle: DE LA
I don't know if this was a team decision with respect to how names were displayed on jerseys or if De La Gorgendiere made the request himself, but you can see he was back to standard block lettering as a player. Again, there's nothing wrong with a uniform name in an easy-to-read font across the back of one's jersey, but we're not close to being done with this examination of Aidan's name.
Having not been selected by any NHL teams in the entry drafts, Aidan decided to make the jump to the professional ranks by signing with the ECHL's Atlanta Gladiators in 2023! He didn't play a lot as he dressed in ten games where he scored one goal and added four helpers, but he got a taste of pro hockey!
Team Surname Particle: DE LA
We're back to the half-sized "E" and "A" with respect to how Atlanta displayed De La Gorgendiere's name on his jersey. Being that he was only with Atlanta for ten games, the sample size is very limited, but it appears there was no change to capitalize his name like we saw with Saskatoon above.
After parting ways with Atlanta midway through the 2023-24 season, Aidan would land at the University of Alberta where he suited up for the Golden Bears! In 38 games in Canada West, he'd score eight goals and 37 assists as he was part of a solid Golden Bears team, but they fell in the Canada West playoffs in both seasons, not qualifying for Nationals in both seasons.
Team Surname Particle: DE LA
The Golden Bears went with the uniform block letters for De La Gorgendiere's name. What's funny about Alberta's uniforms is that De La Gorgendiere's name almost covers the entire shoulder yoke stripe on the back of the jersey. I often joke about long player names stretching from elbow to elbow, but this example was almost shoulder to shoulder!
With the NCAA opening its doors to former CHL players, Aidan made the jump to the University of Nebraska-Omaha where he joined the Mavericks in Division-1 hockey. In 33 games, he had three goals and ten assists as the Mavericks skated to a 12-24-0 record before falling to North Dakota.
Team Surname Particle: de la
Omaha presented the only lower-case surname particle of the bunch to date, but it's clearly noticeable on the back of De La Gorgendiere's jersey. I've looked at this image a number of times, and I almost feel like, at the very least, the "D" and "L" should be capitalized based on what we've seen with other teams. The lower-case "E" and "A" can stay if that's Omaha's preference, but having lower-case letters for a name is pretty rare.
In my research on De La Gorgendiere's various surname particles, I came across a handful of articles by reputable news outlets that also seemed to put their own spin on his name. WOWT's Clayton Collier wrote a great piece on Aidan honouring his mom, Marla, through a hockey ritual he started after she passed away from lung cancer in 2019. In his article, though, he spelled De La Gorgendiere's surname particle as "de La" which completely threw me for a loop, but then capitalized the "D" and "L" later in the article! Mass confusion!
That last capitalization could have simply been his word processing software formatting De La Gorgendiere's name with a capital "D" as the first letter in a sentence, but Collier started other sentences with Aidan's last name showing the "de La" surname particle. In short, nothing makes sense, there is no consistency to Aidan's last name on jerseys or in print, and I still don't know what Tahoe will do!
The Tahoe Knight Monsters host the Cincinnati Cyclones tonight on "Star Wars Night" at the Tahoe Blue Event Center, so this could be a pretty awesome debut for De La Gorgendiere if he's in the lineup this evening. Tahoe hosts Cincinnati tomorrow as well before visiting the Allen Americans next weekend and the Rapid City Rush to finish the season, so we'll see if De La Gorgendiere plays in any of those games and how his name looks on the back of his jersey when he does.
Might we see a new spin on his surname particle? It could happen! To date, we've had four "DE LA", two "DE LA", one "de la", and a print version of "de La" and "De La". What name chaos will Tahoe bring us?
The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, returns to the UMFM radio frequency and internet streams tonight with a show that will wrap-up a number of things. If you listened last week, our hosts got part-way through one interview while not having enough time to play the second, so they'll clear those off the docket tonight. There's also leagues that are wrapping up which need some discussion and some news from other leagues that will generate chatter. There will be lots of wrapping up tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!
Tonight, Teebz and Jason will finish off the second-half of the interview with Ottawa Charge netminder Kendra Woodland before playing the interview with Charge insurance goalie Kaitlyn Ross to wrap up the chatter about the PWHL in Winnipeg as both were in the city for the Charge's victory over the Victoire. From there, they discuss John Tortorella replacing Bruce Cassidy in Las Vegas, the Toronto Maple Leafs dismissing GM Brad Treliving, the Montreal Canadiens being in a weird broadcasting situation, and they'll go over all the results from Europe where professional seasons are wrapping up this month. There's even announcements for the next two shows! It's going to be a busy hour on the program tonight, so get your ears perked up for The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via UMFM.com!
If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The UMFM website's streaming player works well if you want to listen online. We also recommend Radio Garden if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you use the TuneIn app found on the App Store or Google Play Store.
If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to hockeyshow@umfm.com! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at @TeebzHBIC on Twitter! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard! And because both Teebz and Jason are on the butterfly app where things are less noisy, you can find Teebz here and Jason here on Bluesky!
Tonight, Teebz and Jason chat more PWHL, coaching changes, management changes, broadcasting changes, European leagues, future shows, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!
Today might be a big day for some, but you won't find any jokes or pranks here! This time of year is where the grass starts to turn green, the leaves start budding on trees, the ice and snow recede to places no one needs to think about until October, but it's also the month where the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs begin. With the latter event about to settle into life on April 18, The Hockey Show is preparing for another postseason of fun where 16 listeners get a shot at claiming the title of "champion"!
We've been teasing and promoting Survivor: NHL Playoffs on The Hockey Show, so we'll re-plant the flag on the beach that says Survivor's NHL Island is open for business once again this year! As we've been talking about on the radio show over the last couple of weeks, our take on a Survivor contest is returning to the airwaves again as we look to crown a winner, award prizes to worthy competitors, and bestow fame and glory on the final entrant standing as The Hockey Show's 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs survivor!
It's pretty clear that UMFM owns no island in a tropical climate nor a boat that will get you there, and our annual show budget of $0.00 says Jason and I will never get to broadcast from an island in the south Pacific. However, if you're aware of the Survivor pools that are run, our contest is based on the same idea where you randomly pick a name of one of the contestants, and that person on Survivor is your person for the run of the show. If he or she is voted off the island, the game for you is over. In our contest, though, we put our own twist on the game so it becomes much more hockey-centric.
Jason and I are seeking sixteen people to call The Hockey Show on April 16, 2025 where each of those callers will choose a number from 1 to 16. Each of those sixteen numbers will have a corresponding NHL playoff team assigned to it randomly. Whatever number you've chosen will reveal your team for the playoffs, and that team becomes YOUR team in a similar random fashion to Survivor pools. All you have to do is be near your phone that evening between 5:30pm and 6:30pm Central Time, call us, and choose one of the numbers on the board to find out what playoff team you'll be rooting for in the playoffs!
If you need a real-world example of how this works, let's say that Jason were to call in and choose #6. We'll flip that card over to reveal that #6 has the Dallas Stars under it. Officially, Jason's team becomes the Stars until they're eliminated or they win, and card #6 is no longer available as a choice for the next callers. Jason will hopefully be cheering as a Stars fan this spring until they're done playing.
Following Jason's call, let's say that I call in next and select #13 as my number, revealing the Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina would become my team until they're eliminated or they win, and card #13 is no longer available as a choice for the next callers. Wash, rinse, repeat until there are no numbers and teams remaining. Easy, right?
If you think you're up for this, you'll need to have your radio tuned to The Hockey Show on April 16 and have your phone close to you. Before you commit, though, what we haven't told you yet is that there's a twist in all of this radio fun. And this twist is where things get crazy fun for everyone involved because you participate!
Just when you think you're out, you're still in the contest until "Tribal Council". You may be wondering how a radio show does "Tribal Council", but we already know your team was eliminated so you've technically been voted off Survivor's NHL Island. However, every episode of Survivor ends with the contestant voted off doing their exit interview, and that's precisely what you will do: you'll deliver an exit interview for your team! We'll call you, set up the quick two- or three-minute chat about your team, and then you're officially done with the contest and sent off the island. Easy-peasy, right?
Some of you may worry about talking on the radio, but I assure you it's just like talking on the phone. In other words, don't think we're going to make it sound weird or anything. But knowing that this is going to happen, what might you say? You're free to talk about how you're disappointed that a specific player didn't show up in the playoffs or how you never thought there would be an upset this early or how you're just lucky that your chosen team made the playoffs. Or you can be like Jacob and talk about your team embarrassed you.
While the CBS version of Survivor promises a big cash prize and whole bunch of prizes from sponsors - both of which The Hockey Show doesn't have - we will be offering up some prizing that aligns with our lack of CBS's budget. There will be some smaller prizes handed out as "challenge prizes" much like the network reality show does, and those challenges that all teams can win in the contest are as follows:
First shutout recorded in the playoffs.
First hat trick recorded in the playoffs.
First goaltender point recorded in the playoffs.
First team eliminated from the playoffs.
First to advance from the second round to the third round.
First team to score seven goals in one game in the playoffs.
First upset of the playoffs.
The first team that accomplishes any of these challenge goals will earn their Survivor player a corresponding prize! We have various hockey books and other assorted smaller prizes to be won this year, but you'll need to earn them through the challenges above. Any prizes won through these challenges will be handed out chronologically while supplies last in the order they were completed! Teams can also earn more than one prize in this challenge part of the contest, so choose wisely when it comes to the randomly-distributed teams! Or choose your favorite number. Either strategy works in this contest!
Just like the TV show, we do offer prizes for the finalists! The grand prize winner who captures the Survivor crown will take home their choice of an NHL jersey plus a few additional prizes! The finalist will get a jersey not chosen by the winner as a runner-up prize, so you're going home with a prize as long as your team makes it through three rounds which is pretty awesome! This year's two jerseys are a 2018-21 Pittsburgh Penguins alternate jersey and a 2021-24 Washington Capitals alternate jersey, so the winner may have a difficult choice to make when it comes to which jersey he/she takes home!
As a new wrinkle to this year's contest, The Hockey Show will also be asking if you plan on supporting UMFM's Pledge-O-Rama event that runs between April 24 at 6:30pm until 8:00pm on May 1. For anyone who enters the Survivor: NHL Playoffs contest AND donates to Pledge-O-Rama, we'll put you into an additional draw for even more prizes! You help us, we'll reward you - it's that simple.
I should also be upfront and inform you that we have some requirements that need to be met before you can participate. The good news is we won't need a medical team available like CBS does for their version of Survivor, but we do have a few must-have REQUIREMENTS for anyone to participate. They include:
You must call into the show on Thursday, April 16 between 5:30pm and whenever we fill all the spots in the contest. If all 16 spots aren't filled within the hour, Jason and I will get creative to fill the empty spots. Don't complain - you had an hour to make one phone call!
You must have a phone number and an email address. If you're calling us, I'm pretty sure you have at least one of these already. If you have neither, are you even alive?
A desire to watch your chosen team's progress in the NHL Playoffs. You don't need to follow them religiously, but it's better to know something if/when your team is eliminated.
Beyond that, this is a fun contest meant for laughter with a few rewards for those who get lucky. It's not to be taken seriously in any way, and it's a nice way for us to reward our loyal listeners with some free gear. If this has enticed you to listen for the first time or come back to the show after not listening, welcome to the show and here's hoping you get into the contest! Just remember, though, that if your team gets bounced, we're calling you for that exit interview. If that scares you in any way, work through that fear... or just win!
Be ready, folks, because this contest always is fun for everyone involved. Like CBS' Survivor, only one person can be crowned as "survivor" in this contest, and we're ready to kick things off on April 16! Here's hoping you'll call in for the best radio contest in hockey!
It seemed like the only thing holding up the decision by the New York Islanders to move the Bridgeport Islanders to Hamilton, Ontario was the AHL Board of Governors. It was rumoured for a while before the announcement finally came that this would be the reality for 2026-27, but it still needed the rubber stamp from the league's membership. That vote took place today, and AHL President and CEO Scott Howson made it official by announcing that the Islanders would move into the renovated TD Coliseum in Hamilton where they would shift from the Atlantic Division to the North Division next season.
This feels like the wrong move by the Islanders' franchise to make considering that the Bridgeport Sound Tigers had a solid following in Bridgeport for years since they began play in 2001-02 as an expansion team. Head coach Steve Stirling took them to the Calder Cup Final in their first season of existence before falling in the second round one year later, but Stirling was promoted to head coach of the New York Islanders in June 2003 after Peter Laviolette was fired.
From that point on, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers never won a playoff round again, missing the playoffs in nine of sixteen seasons prior to the pandemic. After the AHL returned to play a full season in 2021, the Islanders had decided to rename the team in its own image where it has continued to struggle. In four seasons, the Islanders missed the playoffs three times. They're in a battle with four teams this season for play-in game berths in the Atlantic Division standings.
In short, the Islanders are leaving Bridgeport, Connecticut without having seen a ton of success for their 25 seasons. Perhaps a fresh start with a clean slate in Hamilton, Ontario is what they need?
The last time that the AHL was in Hamilton, that franchise found success. The Hamilton Bulldogs called the southern Ontario city home from 1996 until 2015 where they won the 2007 Calder Cup, lost in the Calder Cup Final in 1997, and lost in the third round of the playoffs three times. They averaged slightly more fans that what Bridgeport has seen over the years, but moving into a renovated building within a hockey-ready market should be good for the franchise's health.
What may hurt the Islanders is the fact that they're not very good. With their current point total, they'd be in sixth-place in the North Division and would sit one point back of Rochester who has two games in-hand and holds the final play-in game berth in the division. Needless to say, moving into a more competitive division will mean that the Islanders need to improve their roster. Putting a winner on the ice would help both walk-up and season ticket sales immediately.
The other thing that could really get the people of Hamilton interested is the name chosen for the team. Despite the branding strategy used by the Islanders, the team moving to Hamilton needs to abandon the "Islanders" moniker as soon as possible for something better. If you recall, this franchise used to be the Bridgeport Sound Tigers while the city of Hamilton had an NHL team named the Hamilton Tigers from 1920-25. Might we see the return of the Tigers?
What sucks in this whole situation is that there are hockey fans in Bridgeport who are losing their team with no way of preventing it. These fans did nothing to deserve this fate, but it seems that a fresh coat of paint and some new luxury suites were all that the Islanders needed to pull their AHL franchise from Bridgeport. My hope is that hockey fans in Bridgeport can get another team shortly. They have shown they'll support hockey even if the team on the ice is bad.
Roadtrips for AHL teams can now flow through Belleville-Toronto-Hamilton or teams can play the corner of Lake Ontario with games in Toronto and Hamilton. It's a longer commute for AHL Islanders to get to the big club when recalled, but the New York Islanders won't complain if their AHL affiliate is playing winning hockey. I don't think Hamilton hockey fans will complain about that either.
Please, I beg you, just don't call them the Hamilton Islanders.
Posts
