Hammered In The Hammer

The image to the left is supposed to be of Mjölnir, the hammer carried by Norse god Thor. According to Norse legend, Thor, the god of thunder, used Mjölnir to defeat the enemies of Asgard and in ceremonies such as weddings and births. If you're a Marvel fan, you know that the hammer was only wielded by those who were deemed "worthy" as only select Avengers were able to lift the hammer from where it rested. In short, the marketing options would have been endless for a hockey team who wanted to call themselves "Hammers", but it seems these eay wins aren't even in consideration for the city of Hamilton.

With the Islanders and the city of Hamilton coming together for their press conference yesterday to introduce the world to the Hamilton Hammers while promoting this logo to the right, I was left wondering who approved this logo and name and why it needed to be rushed. It's been known for a couple of weeks that "Hammers" was one of the names that the AHL Hamilton franchise had applied to trademark, and I wasn't fond of it then. Seeing this "clipart" logo they introduced yesterday only makes me hate the name more. It's total garbage.

The explanation of the logo is nothing more than marketing rhetoric.

"Rooted in Hamilton's history as a resilient steel town, the team's logo features crossed hammers symbolizing the strength, grit and togetherness of the community, embodying both the city's steel-working heritage and the spirit of the game. The design reflects Hamilton's pride and determination, showcasing the unique character that defines the city, while bold, angular lettering evokes the spirit of Steel Town."

Nothing in that logo above shows any of Hamilton's characteristics or traits regarding the city's background. If it didn't say the word "Hamilton" in the logo, the image could be used for any other city and sport on the planet. Whoever designed this and whoever approved this should be fired immediately because this has to be one of the worst logos in the history sports. And an AHL team will wear it.

Ready for some more marketing garbage? Here's a second serving!

"Subtle hockey puck details on the hammer knobs pay homage to the iconic puck in the New York Islanders logo, linking the sport's identity with the craftsmanship of the tools and nodding to the franchise's origins, including the fisherman logo era. The orange-and-blue color palette is also drawn from the Islanders' classic team colors, reinforcing the connection to the club's history and evolution. The logo was created by the New York Islanders, while the broader brand identity was developed by Canadian creative agency Recess Creative."

If you had told me the knobs on the hammer's handles were pucks, I would have called you a "knob". Those look nothing like pucks, and this verbal diarrhea about linking identity and craftsmanship and the Fisherman logo is the biggest pile of manure I have seen. The only good thing in that entire paragraph was the information about the Islanders creating the logo because now I know exactly who to hate moving forward after unveiling and hyping this train wreck of a logo.

The only positive I see that came with the logo unveiling today is that the team won't have any issues rebranding for its new city after it relocates from Hamilton sometime over the next decade. As much as I dislike teams moving, Hamilton's track record with AHL franchises is terrible, and there's no reason to believe this time will be any better for the AHL in Hamilton as most Hamiltonians cannot name a single player who suited up for the Bridgeport Islanders last season.

Will the Hammers have time to grow on Hamiltonians? Absolutely. After all, the franchise signed a lease agreement to play in the newly-renovated TD Coliseum for a handful of years, so they'll be part of the winter sports scene in Hamilton for a while. Whether or not they succeed will be completely on the New York Islanders because they won't have many fans attending games if they're perennial underachievers. In five years in Bridgeport, the AHL Islanders made the playoffs only twice, bowing out in the first round both times.

What won't grow on my is this calamity of a logo that the Hamilton Hammers will wear. Good luck to the Hammers marketing team in selling the Hammers to The Hammer. It might be "Hammer time" in Hamilton, but selling this team as a winner will be tough as nails.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 713

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, sets everyone up for more exit interviews tonight as three of the four teams and Survivor: NHL Playoffs entrants will deliver their thoughts on what happened with those teams! It's always fun to chat with the people who participate in the contest about hockey, so our hosts will have a little fun doing that tonight. Of course, there will be some hockey chatter as well so get yourself settled in for The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason will chat with Derek (Philadelphia), Dave (Minnesota), and Colin (Anaheim) tonight as those three are available for their interviews. Fiona already had the evening booked, but we will bring her on a future show because we have Fort Wayne Komets playoff chatter to discuss with her as well! Beyond that, our hosts will talk about the WHL situation in Chilliwack, the new AHL Hamilton team name and logo, the Golden Knights fine and penalty for being dumb, and both Montreal and Niverville bringing home championships! It should be a fun show chatting with three great people and about some crazy news, so tune in tonight 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 send Derek, Dave, and Colin back to the mainland before talking arena deals, new names, complete stupidity, winning teams, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

La Coupe Walter

It's been a long time coming, but the Montreal PWHL franchise lived up to its name tonight, claiming victoire over the Ottawa Charge in Game Four of the Walter Cup Final to capture the PWHL's most coveted prize! It's the first time that the Walter Cup will call Canada home after tonight's win by the Victoire as they become the second PWHL team to have their name on the trophy while the Ottawa Charge came up short for the second time in their history. When Marie-Philip Poulin raised the Walter Cup above her head, this was the conclusion many coaches, players, and people wanted to see for a very long time!

For nine long years, Marie-Philip Poulin had not won a league championship in either the PWHL or the CWHL. There were many sacrifices that she made over that decade of misses and falling short that saw the CWHL fold, the PWHL finally come to be, financial decisions that were difficult, and personal decisions that challenged her, but the end result of all of those sacrifices and challenges was tonight's celebration where she was finally crowned a champion after being named as the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP for her efforts.

"She's been our leader the whole year," defender Erin Ambrose told CBC's Karissa Donkin about Poulin. "She's the most unbelievable hockey player and the best hockey player to ever play this game. She deserves this more than anybody in the world."

As Donkin wrote, "[l]ast summer, Poulin, Laura Stacey and goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens renegotiated heir contracts to take less money, all so their GM could bring in the pieces they needed to complete the puzzle". They added some very good pieces with the extra salary cap room including Abby Roque, Hayley Scamurra, and Maggie Flaherty who were huge for Montreal in the playoffs. That's how much a Walter Cup meant to Poulin - she sacrificed to win. Again.

Poulin's drought without a championship wasn't the only one that was cured on this night. I've written about how Kaitlin Willoughby's long road led to her first PWHL goal this season, but what many don't realize is that she didn't play in the 2018-19 CWHL Playoffs when the Calgary Inferno captured the last Clarkson Cup. While she's could technically be considered a champion, I'm not sure she would feel the same way in knowing how much she loves playing the game.

She was unable to win a championship with the University of Saskatchewan. She wasn't dressed or on the ice for the Calgary Inferno's 2019 victory. She played through the PWHPA and eventually landed with the Toronto Sceptres. She was traded to Montreal last season, and she's been working towards a championship with her teammates this season. Kaitin Willoughby can now she she's a champion at the highest level of professional women's hockey!

I wanted to see Ottawa head coach Carla MacLeod win after all she's been through this season, but it was hard not to be emotional watching the weight of the hockey world lifted off Poulin when she was handed the Walter Cup. The tears that flowed from her eyes represented the years of sacrifices she made to reach that pinnacle. I imagine there was an emotional outburst from Willoughby as well once she was able to hoist the trophy. Again, it was well-earned.

In both cases, I am happy for Poulin and Willoughby after seeing all they've been through in their careers. For most people, no one will notice the sacrifices that they made to reach their goals, but these two women have sacrificed so much to be deservedly called "champion". They earned it, and their sacrifices should be known.

Congratulations to the Montreal Victoire on their championship tonight, and here's a nod to every member of the Victoire for earning the title of champion. Not just in hockey, but champions in life.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Next Six Days

The image of the screen to the left likely isn't something that people will recongize instantaneously, but that will be what I'll be looking it for the next six days. It won't be continuous over those days, but there will be a serious chunk taken out of the time I can watch hockey as the home schedule get underway for the professional baseball season. The image to the left is from a program called Trackman that tracks every ball put in play from the moment it leaves the pitcher's hand to the moment the play is concluded in the field. For stats people, what you're looking at are the stats from a fairly generic change-up that broke down and in from a slightly-elevated three-quarters delivery for a strike.

All that aside, that's what I'll be doing tonight through Sunday as the professional ball team has its home opener tonight as part of a six-game homestand. With the Western Conference Final starting tomorrow, this is going to make watching hockey a little difficult. I guess I'm relying on hightlight shows, online coverage, and game recaps for the next week in order for me to stay informed.

I fully understand that there is always some overlap when it comes to the various professional sports seasons, but the NHL has decided to add two more games next season to its schedule. Yes, they lose the three-week break that was needed for the Olympics this season and the preseason is being reduced to just four games, but do I really need to see an extra game between the Jets and Stars next year?

Frankly, the NHL season is too long as it is when it starts mid-September with preseason games and doesn't finish until mid-June when the Stanley Cup Final is concluded. I understand that some people enjoy every second of it, but I watch other leagues because the NHL season seems to drag on forever. This has allowed me to appreciate other leagues like the ECHL, the AIHL, the EIHL, and the DEL more. They do things a little differently which is needed.

I have zero ability to change anything despite my grumbling, but the tail has been wagging the dog for a while now. I understand the NHL is a business, but I'm close to just wanting the season to end. I'd love to see the NHL carve a month of mean-nothing games out of their schedule, and have the playoff start in mid-March rather than mid-April. We'd end up awarding the Stanley Cup in May rather than June. Give me a May long weekend Stanley Cup celebration, please!

All that aside, I'm off to the ballpark tonight for my first of six-straight shifts where I track 300-or-more plays. I'll be checking the ECHL website for updates on the Fort Wayne-Toledo series, and I'll likely be keeping an eye on the NHL website for updates of both conference finals later this week. SportsCentre, Sportsnet Central, and the NHL Network will have to be my TV choices in the morning to get caught up on what's happening in and around the NHL!

Unfortunately for me due to my scheduling conflicts this week, it'll be one, two, three games I'll miss due to the ol' ballgame!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice and PLAY BALL!

Another Roadside Attraction: The Channel Cat

Being that it's the Victoria Day long weekend, I had some extra time to get some errands done this weekend as Monday is a holiday. Normally, this would be a weekend where I would be planting vegetables in my garden, but the near-freezing temperatures that have settled over Manitoba have made that nearly impossble. Instead, I got a few things done around the yard, and I was up early enough to visit another well-known gigantic statue in the province!

Today's adventure took me north to Selkirk, Manitoba which sits about 40 minutes north of downtown Winnipeg. As per the 2021 census, Selkirk had 10,500 residents at that time, but the city feels like it has grown in the five years since those numbers were recorded. The city was incorporated in 1882 and named after Scotsman Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk, who was granted the right to establish a colony in the region. Among the attractions found in the city are the vertical lift bridge that connects Selkirk and East Selkirk, the Marine Museum of Manitoba, and a Canadian Coast Guard base. But Selkirk is getting its credit today for another attraction that's hard to miss.

What About The Statue?

We'll start with the sign affixed to the statue's base that explains how this statue came to be known as "Chuck". As you can see, it honours Chuck Norquay, a local fisherman, who helped Selkirk earn the reputation of being the "Catfish Capital of the World", and it was thought that his efforts should be recognized. While the original plaque just had some generic info about "Chuck the Channel Cat", the new plaque seen to the right was added after Chuck Norquay tragically drowned in 1993. This new plaque honours Chuck Norquay nicely, and the old plaque was moved to another side.

Officially, "Chuck the Channel Cat" sits at 168 Main Street in Selkirk, directly in front of a Smitty's restaurant. The fibreglass statue was erected on May 23, 1986, but it was originally slated to be placed in Selkirk Park. A petition featuring 900 signatures along with feedback from community surveys had Selkirk city councillors reconsider the location, eventually landing on placing it downtown in the business district for all to see. Depending on which website you check, the statue is one of 25-feet, 33-feet, or 36-feet tall, but the City of Selkirk maintains that it's 11 meters (36 feet) tall from the bottom to the tip of Chuck's tail. In 2024, Chuck was restored after years of weathering as he was repaired and got a new coat of paint to make him look stately once more. Five days from today, Chuck will officially celebrate his 40th birthday by standing proudly in downtown Selkirk!

What's The Hockey Connection?

I could speak about how proud Selkirk is of the MJHL's Selkirk Steelers or the CRJHL's Selkirk Fisherman. I could point out how Selkirk was one of the locations used for games during the 2007 IIHF Women's World Hockey Championship, and how the city hosted the Telus Cup in 2009. Historically, the original Selkirk Fishermen competed for the Memorial Cup, former NHLers Andrew Murray and Neil Wilkinson both called the city home, or how Selkirk's first indoor arena, the Alexandra Rink, was built in 1907 until it was demolished in 1955.

Instead, I want to focus on one individual who made a world of difference in the NHL. Jimmy Skinner was born on January 12, 1917 in Selkirk, Manitoba where he learned to play and coach hockey. Skinner played with the Indianapolis Capitals before breaking into coaching, and a 1950 incident in Barrie, Ontario saw the fiery Windsor Spitfires coach suspended for a month and fined $50 after he was convicted of assaulting an usher! I'm not sure of the details of that event, but we'll leave the criminal assaults involving Skinner for another future article on HBIC.

In 1954, Skinner was reportedly the choice of Jack Adams to replace the departing Tommy Ivan as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings. With ownership having approved Skinner's hiring, Adams made it clear that the decision hung on Skinner who seemingly could not decided whether to take the job or not. However, he would accept the position eight days later at the age of 37, seven years after retiring as a player. His hiring saw him take over the defending Stanley Cup champions' coaching role as well as coaching against the NHL All-Stars to open the 1954-55 season. It ended as a 2-2 tie.

The end of the season would see the Red Wings qualify for the playoffs as the NHL's top team for the seventh season in a row. They knocked off the Boston Bruins in the opening round, and met the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final. In the seventh game of the series played at the Detroit Olympia, Skinner coached the Red Wings to a 3-1 in for their second-straight Stanley Cup championship!

Midway through the 1957-58 season, Skinner surprised everyone when he resigned from his position, forcing the Red Wings to name Sid Abel as the head coach for the remainder of the season. It would be revealed that he had an illness that forced him to step away from his duties, but he would return to the Red Wings in a front office capacity where he would work as their head scout and general manager among his various titles until he retired in 1983!

For those that may not know, Jimmy Skinner also worked at his father's business which is now a Manitoba landmark in Skinner's Restaurant! Skinner's Restaurant is located in Lockport, Manitoba and is 15 minutes south of Selkirk and 25 minutes north of Winnipeg. It started out as a hot dog stand where people could purchase "[h]ot dogs for a dime" and "french fries for a nickle" in 1929, and Jimmy Jr. would return in the summer to help his father run the restaurant while bringing some of the Detroit Red Wings players with him where they made some money serving and cooking food! How cool is that?

Selkirk has a solid hockey history, but Jimmy Skinner should be the name that comes to mind when Selkirk, Manitoba is mentioned. Perhaps Skinner is only overshadowed by Chuck the Channel Cat when it comes to famous icons from the Manitoba city, but there are some cool things to see if you're interested in visiting Selkirk, Manitoba!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

TBC: Tales From The Dressing Room

If you know anything about the weather that Winnipeg seems to always get on this May long weekend, it's that the weather is usually cold with intermittent spells of rain. Not surprisingly, this weekend has followed that trend, but that has allowed me to crack the spine on another book that I've been wanting to read. In saying that, Teebz's Book Club is proud to review Pierre Gervais: Tales From The Dressing Room, written by Mathais Brunet and published by Ovation Medias. Mathias spoke with the Montreal Canadiens' former equipment manager about everything he saw and experienced while working for the Canadiens, compiling them into this book. If you're looking for a unique perspective on a hockey club's culture, front office, and players, Tales From The Dressing Room is a book you want to read!

From the cover of Tales From The Dressing Room, "After a 35-year career in the Canadiens’ dressing room, Pierre Gervais has seen first-hand many moments that punctuated the history of the Habs. From his beginnings alongside Eddy Palchak to the Stanley Cup victories of 1986 and 1993, not to mention his participation in the 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 Olympic Games, Pierre Gervais has had the pleasure of rubbing shoulders with several NHL stars and executives in the course of his career. But beyond all that, he has developed special relationships with many of them and allows us, through these pages, to get to know the inner workings of the National Hockey League by giving us unpublished and unexpected stories from behind the scenes of professional hockey." Gervais retired on on April 29, 2022.

Also from Tales From The Dressing Room, "Mathias Brunet has been a journalist at La Presse since 1994. This is his thirteenth book, ten of which are about the world of hockey. He has also written a dozen documentaries, two of which were nominated for the Gémeaux awards. He is also a collaborator at BPM 91.9 Sports since 2015." He continues to cover hockey for La Presse after covering the Montreal Canadiens for ten years, and has a podcast with Simon Boisvert called Mathias and the Serpent. He has also written hockey books about Michel Bergeron, Dave Morissette, Mario Tremblay, and a year behind the scenes with the Canadiens.

Tales From The Dressing Room isn't going to be a tell-all of things that the Montreal Canadiens never wanted published, but Pierre Gervais does have moments where he shares his opinion on certain players and people involved with the Montreal Canadiens. A lot of what was written isn't going to shock or surprise anyone, but he did provide a few facts about the team and certain players that may not be known.

I found Gervais' perspectives in Tales From The Dressing Room to be rather unique because it was almost entirely through his equipment manager lens. His interactions with other teams and players, specifically when working with Team Canada, were almost exclusively through other equipment managers rather than with the players. It was neat to see how these equipment managers trade information about players in order to ensure everything goes smoothly!

One of the things that one will discover in reading Tales From The Dressing Room is that Pierre Gervais is an educated wine connoisseur! He and a handful of Canadiens players became very interested in wine during their careers, and Gervais became the person that many players consulted when it came to wine. In one passage, he writes,

"The guys would look to me to make their choices. José (Théodore) would even call me when he was at the restaurant. He'd read the wine list and ask me which one to choose! I helped him build his cellar. When the 2000 Bordeaux - a great vintage - came out, I had found some for him as far away as Vancouver."

Who would have guessed that the guy in charge of order sticks, jerseys, and supplies for the Montreal Canadiens was also ordering wine for players like Théodore, Saku Koivu, and Mark Recchi, helping them build their wine cellars? That's one of the interesting things you'll learn about Pierre Gervais in Tales From The Dressing Room!

I will say that the release of Tales From The Dressing Room caused a bit of an uproar with the Montreal Canadiens as they tried to walk back some of the statements made by Pierre Gervais in the book after it was released. I want to be clear that not everything he stated may be true, but it is a retelling of his perceptions and interactions with various people involved with Montreal Canadiens over his years as an equipment manager. One can argue that how he framed certain people may not be accurate, but these are his experiences.

Overall, I found Tales From The Dressing Room an interesting read that gave some insight into a job that I always thought I could do. Pierre Gervais has 35 years of experience with the Canadiens and 45 years of experience in total, so he certainly is a subject matter expert. His experiences with personnel who worked and played for the Montreal Canadiens and Team Canada was interesting to read, and the short chapters curated by Mathias Brunet made Tales From The Dressing Room easy to read. Because of Gervais' stories and experiences and Brunet's writing, Pierre Gervais: Tales From The Dressing Room deserves the Teebz's Book Club Seal of Approval!

Tales From The Dressing Room was first printed in French and released on November 11, 2022 before being translated to English by the start of 2023. In saying this, copies of the book in either or both languages may be available at libraries and local bookstores. The book is easy to read without crass language for parents of younger hockey fans to consider, but there are references to alcohol. In saying that, Pierre Gervais: Tales From The Dressing Room is recommended reading for all hockey fans, especially Montreal Canadiens fans!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Whatcha Gonna Do?

People don't talk about them enough, but Canadian rock band Chilliwack had a pile of hits in their career that put them on the music map for a while. One of those songs that gained them both commercial and critical success was "Whatcha Gonna Do (When I'm Gone)" off their tenth studio album, Opus X, in 1982. The song hit #41 on the Billboard charts in the US, and producers Bill Henderson and Brian MacLeod received the Juno Award for "Producer of the Year" for their work on the song. This article isn't about the band named Chilliwack, though, but it is about the city and the potential WHL expansion team that's supposed to begin play in the 2027-28 season.

The WHL announced in March 2025 that it was adding a team in Chilliwack, BC and accepting applications for owners of the new club. The original plan was to have the franchise up and running for play in the 2026-27 season, but that was pushed back by a year after problems began surfacing with the Vancouver-based entertainment company MRG Group which was awarded ownership of the franchise.

The problem that seems to be holding up the proceedings is that the MRG Group wants to take over operations of the Chilliwack Coliseum from the City of Chilliwack, but the city has no interest in doing that. According to a report in The Province by Steve Ewen, the two sides appear to have broken off talks with both sides accusing the other of not communicating, bringing any and all negotiations to a halt.

"We're hopeful the city and MRG can work through an agreement for the WHL franchise to play in the Coliseum," a WHL spokesperson stated via a text message to Ewen. "If that ultimately breaks down, we will assess the matter and consider all options. We see MRG and its leadership as a strong candidate for a WHL franchise in the near term, be it in Chilliwack or elsewhere."

Obviously, it's hard to own a hockey team if there isn't a hockey arena in which the team can play. According to Matthew Gibbons, MRG Group President, they had approached the city with a plan to manage the Chilliwack Coliseum while having the WHL team play there as well as attracting as many as ten events per year to the facility.

"What we were equally clear about was that we would not proceed with a WHL franchise without a venue management agreement," Gibbons wrote to Ewan in an email. "That was not a hidden condition. It is the only model that makes sustainable sense, and both parties understood that from the beginning."

The issue, from everything I've read, is that the city has pledged to invest $3.7 million to bring the Chilliwack Coliseum up to WHL standards, and they seem to have zero interest in turning operation of the arena over to another group. The Chiefs Development Group had worked in partnership with the city to build the rink in 2003 with the Chiefs Development Group managing and running daily operations for the rink, but the arena has reportedly fallen into disrepair and requires major investments to bring it back up to modern standards.

With the city taking over management and operations on May 1, it seems they're aiming to get a return on their $4 million investment in the city-owned facility by having the new WHL team leasing the facility while they capture parking, concessions, and other revenue streams. Frankly, taxpayers should be in favour of the city managing and operating the publicly-owned facility to refill the coffers.

WHL Commissioner Dan Near laid it out pretty clearly to Ewen, saying, "People think these deals are easy, but it's us, the franchisee and the facility trying to triangulate a deal structure that meets everyone's expectations. The city is putting nearly $4 million of renovations into the building. They want to ensure the tenant has a deal that's structured well for them. We are similar. If these deals were easy to do, someone involved would be losing badly."

Maybe that's the clearest explanation in all of this because no one wants to lose when an expansion franchise is placed in a city. Yes, it would be easy for the City of Chilliwack to turn over management of the arena to the MRG Group, but would the city see a return on the $4 million investment they're making to attract a WHL team?

Yes, it would be easy for the MRG Group to simply move into the city-run Chilliwack Coliseum, but we know that all hockey teams rely heavily on those revenue streams that bolster their bottom lines like concessions, parking, and merchandise. How badly would this WHL Chilliwack team suffer if they didn't have those revenue streams?

If there's a bonus for the city, Moray B. Keith, one of the owners of the BCHL's Chilliwack Chiefs who was managing the arena, wants no part of the current WHL expansion franchise and he says the Chiefs will continue to play out of the Coliseum next season and beyond whether the WHL team moves in or not. If the WHL looks to pivot away from MRG Group as owners, you can scratch Keith's name off the list as a potential owner for this new WHL franchise as well.

I'm not here to drop any negativity on Chilliwack, but having the WHL award an expansion franchise to a city with no ownership group and no arena agreement seems like a hasty decision. I get that the WHL wanted to find a way back into Chilliwack after the Bruins left in 2016, but this whole situation is a mess right now. THe WHL needs both the City of Chilliwack and the MRG Group to figure this out as soon as possible in order to get this expansion back on the right path.

Right now, it feels like this expansion opportunity is closer to failing than succeeding. Perhaps Chilliwack had it right when they sang, "There's no time for changing plans/I must leave, it's in your hands/I know you'll wait for how long/Whatcha gonna do when I'm gone?"

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Paying For Stupidity

There is zero obligation for anyone to like the Vegas Golden Knights or John Tortorella when it comes to one's hockey allegiances. I get that Tortorella's antics often rub people the wrong way, and there are a lot of hockey fans who simply don't like how the Golden Knights conduct business in general. They seem to enjoy embracing the villain role when it comes to a lot of what they do, and maybe that's because they aren't afraid to push the envelope in a lot of situations. With the Golden Knights not being happy about Brayden McNabb's one-game suspension, you have to figure that they were going to respond after the game with comments or statements about how they overcame unfair rulings, but that didn't happen because the Golden Knights decided they weren't speaking to the media after their Game Six victory that eliminated Anaheim.

The NHL mandates that each team has to make coaches and players available after each game which allows the media to ask questions and obtain quotations for stories they're writing about the game and, in this case, the series. It's not a matter of choice because the NHL requires it as part of their media practices. Opting out isn't an option even if one doesn't feel up to it. The NHL says teams have to do it.

Cue the Golden Knights for their brand of chaos as head coach John Tortorella refused to speak to reporters after the game while, as a team, the Golden Knights didn't provide access to their locker room in accordance with NHL and Players' Association-negotiated media regulations in the CBA. Needless to say, people at the NHL's head office were not going to be happy about this development.

Today, the NHL made it very clear not to mess with their kingdom as the league removed a 2026 second-round pick from the Vegas Golden Knights and fined John Tortorella a hefty $100,000 for violating media access rules. The Golden Knights can appeal their draft-pick penalty if they choose, s0 expect the Golden Knights to demand that second-round pick back since they don't have many to give away.

The thing that kills me in all this is that all they had to do was show up after the game, give a few comments, and this wouldn't even be a thing today. Sure, the team and coach can be angry that one of their regular defencemen is out of the lineup for what they believe wasn't anything suspendable, but was it worth sacrificing a second-round pick and $100,000 over when they simply could have said, "We disagree with the league's assessment" and gone back to celebrating their series-clinching win? That's a heavy price to pay for stupidity.

I've listened to hockey pundits talk about how John Tortorella has let his sideshow upstage his coaching over his entire career, and I'm not saying that I disagree with that. Tortorella gets results in the immediate honeymoon phase of his hiring, but there's almost always some sort of non-coaching problem that begins to develop in that time. Whether he's alienating players, trying to pick fights with opposing coaches, or clashing with management, it seems that John Tortorella doesn't conform to accepted NHL norms and traditions.

In summary, it seems he fits perfectly with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Jokes aside, one has to wonder how long the Golden Knights will tolerate this kind of behaviour from Tortorella assuming that they weren't part of the planning that went into this stunt. Losing valuable draft picks isn't something any team wants, and it's safe to assume that the NHL will hit the Golden Knights with harsher penalties if they were to do this again. And all of this happened because someone had their knickers in a knot over the NHL ruling that Brayden McNabb's interference in Game Five was suspension-worthy. That's so dumb.

I expect the Golden Knights to get their pick back because the NHL came down so harshly, but let this be a warning to all NHL teams: if you do stupid things, you're going to pay dearly. That's a lesson the Vegas Golden Knights and John Tortorella learned the hard way today.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 712

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, returns tonight with a lot of hockey chatter from the last couple of weeks as exit interviews took up a chunk of time last week. We're going to push the exit interviews to next week so we can get everyone caught up on the big news stories from the hockey world, so Derek (Philadelphia) and Dave (Minnesota) can have a week to prepare their statements on their teams. Out hosts have all sorts of information to cover so this show will move quickly. Be ready to roll tonight for The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason look at the PWHL Final series that will be played by the Ottawa Charge and the Montreal Victoire as there are several U SPORTS, Canada West, and Manitoba tie-ins regarding who will win the first Walter Cup in Canada. Beyond that, there will be a serious discussion about the four new expansion locations that the PWHL chose, we have some Team Manitoba parahockey updates from Nationals to go over, Edmonton and Toronto are making changes, the USHL and SPHL are expanding, we'll finally get to a Spengler Cup discussion, and we'll tackle anything else that may come up. It's a big day of expansion and results 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 about the Walter Cup, expansion, medals, coaches, management, bad decisions, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: May 14, 2026: Episode 712

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Canada's New Look?

It should be no secret that Hockey Canada has changed their jersey designs repeatedly over the last number of years. Hockey Canada essentially has made their market when it comes to hockey jerseys because there seems to be a new design every couple of years based on emerging fashion trends and shrinking jersey sales. The jerseys to left, which cannot be worn in the Olympics due to Hockey Canada's logo, were fairly iconic for most of the IIHF tournaments, but Canada has changed that design that was last seen in 2022 a few times since it was worn. Not surprisingly, they've designed and are looking to trademark another iteration for future use on the ice.

Before we look at the new design, I just want to reiterate that the black Canada jersey seen above and any black colouring on any other jersey is completely unnecessary. I get that black is part of Hockey Canada's colour palette, but Canada is red and white in terms of national colours. I hate when Canada wears black at tournaments, and those black jerseys in the past and any future jerseys that are black should be scrubbed from Hockey Canada's design options.

That being said, here's Canada's new "eleven point maple leaf" jersey.

You may be wondering about that "eleven point maple leaf" name, and it seems that it comes from the Hockey Canada logo itself which has eleven distinct points and the three small maple leaves in gold on the rear neckline. The design itself leaves a lot of wanting for additional colours splashes despite four colours - red, white, black, and gold - being shown on the above jersey. According to the trademark filing, there's a "middle arm band pattern on each sleeve that consists of maple leaves and stylized maple leaf designs with a hockey player with the word Canada underneath is in white."

If I'm being honest, the design shown above has 2018 vibes all over again as seen with Finland. The shoulder yokes are sublimated into some design while the rest of the jersey is the base colour, allowing the logo to be the main focal point. Hockey Canada's logo shouldn't necessarily be the main focal point, though, as the players are representing their country, not Hockey Canada exclusively. In theory, there's nothing wrong with this design, but seeing how it looks on the ice and in graphics leaves Canada looking a little barren. A hem stripe would add that spalsh of colour and adding one more stripe of colour below that middle arm band pattern would be ideal.

I'm still puzzled by the three gold maple leaves on the rear neckline. If it's to represent the men's, women's, and parahockey programs overseen by Hockey Canada, I can live with that, but that designation seems to ignore the Canadian women's parahockey team that participated at the first Women's World Championship last season. The national women's parahockey team doesn't fall under Hockey Canada's umbrella at this time, but they have approached Hockey Canada about future funding and support. I'm hoping that happens.

Because of the Hockey Canada logo, though, this jersey can't be worn at the Olympics nor the Paralympics, so having the three stars representing the men's, women's, and parahockey programs doesn't make a lot of sense. While the jerseys can be worn annually at each program's World Championship, the Olympics are the big tournament where everyone wants to play. Why would Hockey Canada create a jersey that they can't wear at the most-watched tournaments on the planet? That seems short-sighted from a merchandise standpoint.

It's becoming harder and harder to understand the decisions being made at the Hockey Canada offices. Combined with their idiotic decision to not participate in the Spengler Cup this season, this is the second complete and total miss they've had in the last two weeks. I'm not saying that anyone needs to be fired over this new jersey design, but it should have never been submitted for a trademark application.

2026 is proving to be a rough year for Hockey Canada as the World Junior team was eliminated in the quarterfinals, they brought home three silver medals from Milano-Cortina, they got dropped from the Spengler Cup, and now they've proposed a terrible jersey trademark. I can't remember the last time that Hockey Canada piled up this many losses in one year, but 2026 is fast becoming forgettable.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

No One Cares. Season's Over.

I'm not here to point out the embarrassing act that the Barrie Colts pulled following their OHL semifinal win. It was all over sports highlight shows, and Colts head coach Dylan Smoskowitz apologized for the behaviour that he said he encouraged. What makes that look even worse in hindsight at this point, though, is that the Colts' season came to an end tonight as they were swept in the OHL Final by the Kitchener Rangers. Again, I'm not here to rip on the Colts for what they did, but karma seems to have responded to the behaviour shown with tonight's result.

I'll credit Smoskowitz for accepting responsibility for what happened in that press conference. It doesn't mean I have to like how they acted, but Smoskowitz deserves a nod for taking the heat, apologizing to the media, and accepting that he cost the Colts $15,000 after the OHL issued the team a fine for that behaviour. He messed up, he admitted he did and was the ringleader, and he didn't shy away from the scrutiny. At the very least, I can respect that.

The Colts ran into an unstoppable force in the Kitchener Rangers in the final, and they gave the Rangers everything they had. Two games went to overtime, but the Rangers prevailed in each of the four games to complete the sweep. Tonight's 4-2 game was, at one point, a 2-2 contest with twelve minutes to play, but the Rangers found the lead when Christian Humphreys tipped Carson Campbell's shot past Colts' netminder Ben Hrebik, and it was all defence after that.

The Colts worked hard in the final. The Colts gave it their everything when it came to trying to topple the Rangers. The Colts came up short, though, and their season has come to an end tonight.

I'm not one to lend credence to things like superstitions or 'hockey gods". They're fun little aspects that people can talk about, but I do believe that luck favours the prepared, hard work gets rewarded, and there is balance in the universe when it comes to everything. Yes, weird things happen and coincidences are real, but I don't have a deep belief in the "supernatural" of hockey. It's just not real.

In saying that, it's hard not to have a smirk and suggest that the "hockey gods" weren't happy with the Colts' press conference after the Colts knocked off the favoured Brampton Bulldogs. One might call it karma after the Colts disrespected the game with their behaviour, but, no matter how you slice it, the end result was that the Colts ran into a talented Rangers team that lost two games in these playoffs and are now on a six-game winning streak entering the Memorial Cup.

The Barrie Colts will likely take a few days to process this loss before coming back to clean out their lockers, and I suspect there will be a handful of interviews with reporters at that time. A handful of players will clean out their lockers for the last time in their OHL careers, and there likely will be some reflecting on the years spent battling through Ontario. It might be the last time some of these players see one another as their paths go in different directions.

One thing I doubt any coach or player will utter is their team motto. That lesson was learned in the week after the press conference, and it was reinforced by the Kitchener Rangers' sweep of the Colts. All of Barries's returning players will go into the summer knowing that "no one cares" about their second-place finish in the OHL, and they'll need to find another gear and "work harder" next season.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Another Roadside Attraction: The Fish

As stated back on April 20, HBIC will be using the summer to visit various cities and towns in Manitoba to document all the interesting, weird, and fun statues found in these communities while seeking out some local hockey stories as well. With me needing to head south down Highway 75 towards the Canada-US border, I thought I'd make a little detour and begin this fun project with a quick stop in Dominion City, Manitoba where we'll discover our first roadside attraction!

Dominion City sits on Provincial Highway 201 just east of Letellier, Manitoba. The total travel time from Winnipeg is approximately one hour as it sits 93 kilometers away from the Manitoba capital. It also sits about 20 kilometers north of the Canada-US border with the 2021 Canadian Census showing the town holding a population of 320 people. Maybe Dominion City should be classified as a village?

Jokes aside, you may be wondering how Dominion City came to be, and it's mostly due to the railway. As per the plaque to the right posted by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Dominion City is where the final spike for the first railway line built in western Canada was driven into the ground on December 3, 1878. The railway ran from St. Boniface in Winnipeg south to Emerson at the Canada-US border and connected western Canada to the eastern Canada and the United States. Rather than building a railway that ran through Canada at a much higher cost, linking western Canada to the US rail lines was a much more cost-effective option. The railway brought prosperity to the region, making Dominion City an important piece of that route.

What About The Statue?

We'll start with the sign because, as it says, the statue is called "The Fish". The description, however, is far more interesting as the statue is a recreation of a 15.5-foot, 406lbs sturgeon that was caught in the nearby Roseau River by Sandy Waddell on October 27, 1903. The female sturgeon was estimated to be 150 years-old and was full of caviar. The sturgeon was hauled by horse-and-buggy back to town. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the lake sturgeon is Manitoba's largest freshwater fish, and is currently being monitored by several groups to ensure their long-term viability in Manitoba's rivers.

As a side note, fish eggs are usually called "roe", but "caviar" specifically refers to salted, cured roe from the sturgeon family. While the eggs weren't salted or cured prior to "The Fish" being caught, I imagine they became caviar once the fishing party arrived in Dominion City with their catch. Celebrations were to be had!

So what does this stature look like, you ask? Here's "The Fish"!

If I do have one tiny complaint, it's that there was no notation anywhere around "The Fish" as to when the statue was erected. It would be interesting to know when the town decided to memorialize the sturgeon, but that info was nowhere to be found at the site.

What's The Hockey Connection?

You might be wondering how a town with 320 people would have a big hockey connection, but current Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Denton Mateychuk hails from Dominion City! Mateychuk has played 120 games with the Blue Jackets, but he showed up in a big way this season as the Blue Jackets pushed for a playoff spot. In total, he has amassed 17 goals and 27 assists after being selected 12th-overall in 2022, but he scored 13 goals and 18 assists in 75 games this season. He's also a former Moose Jaw Warriors captain, he played with the Eastman Selects in Manitoba, and spent time with the Cleveland Monsters as he worked to earn a Blue Jackets roster spot.

Mateychuk will get a second chance to wear the maple leaf this May as he was selected to join Team Canada for the IIHF World Championship in Zurich and Fribourg. He played for Canada at the 2024 World Junior Championship where he recorded four assists in five games, and Canada will be looking for another solid performance when Mateychuk hits the ice on the blue line in Switzerland!

There's our first look at one of the roadside attractions you'll find in Manitoba if you plan on touring the province. "The Fish" isn't the most picturesque statue I'll feature here, but the history behind that sturgeon and the town of Dominion City is pretty interesting. And having an up-and-coming NHL defenceman born in the town adds another layer if you're interested in visiting Dominion City, Manitoba!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Bringing Home Hardware?

While the tournament hasn't likely been on anyone's radar outside of the teams, families, and organizations playing, I have been watching the 2026 Canadian National Para Hockey Championship all week. One of the things we pledged to do on The Hockey Show was to give sledge hockey in Manitoba and, by proxy, in Canada a bigger stage, and there is no bigger tournament in Canada than the National Championship! Team Manitoba packed their gear, hopped onto an airplane, and headed for Boucherville, Quebec on the south side of Montreal where they were hunting for medals against the six teams who rounded out the competition! They battled hard all week, played with pride, and represented Manitoba extremely well as the faced some excellent provincial teams in their quest for hardware.

The six other teams making up the tournament included Quebec, Atlantic, British Columbia, Ontario, a Quebec development team, and Saskatchewan which was actually made up of players from both Saskatchewan and Alberta. It should be noted that Saskatchewan was making their first appearance at the National Championship, so this is a huge step forward for the players from Alberta and Saskatchewan. No one expected them to win, but the experience in seeing some of Canada's best provincial teams should help them in the long run.

Quebec came into the tournament as the reigning four-time champion, so they were looking to add to their dynasty. Quebec funds their parahockey teams and leagues very well, so it should be no surprise that they are the team to beat every year. They were going to have to earn their fifth-straight championship, however, as a number of strong provincial teams made their way to Boucherville for the competition, so let's see how Manitoba did at the tournament!

Manitoba met Ontario in the morning game on Thursday, and we were witness to a tight-checking game. Manitoba, though, found a few breaks and got pucks to the net, allowing them to take the morning game over Ontario by a 3-1 score with Cohen Klassen earning Player-of-the-Game honours. With Quebec defeating Team Atlantic, Manitoba began to prepare for the 0-1 Atlantic team in the evening.

Without dropping too much foreshadowing, Manitoba met Atlantic at 7:00pm ET in what was one of the best games of the opening day. It was clear that the two teams matched up very well as this game went back and forth, but it would be Atlantic who prevailed in the end by a 4-3 overtime score over Manitoba to send both teams into Friday with 1-1 records. Rainey Delaurier was named as the Player-of-the-Game, and the team began to prepare for Team Saskatchewan.

Before we discuss the Saskatchewan-Manitoba game, I would like to editorialize a little by saying that goal differential as a tie-breaker is always a bad idea. I understand the reason for it, but no team likes delivering a blowout score and no team likes being on the receiving end of a blowout. With Manitoba, BC, and Atlantic all entering Day Two at 1-1, Manitoba needed to put some space between them and the other teams when it came to goal differential. No one should like it, but Manitoba beat Saskatchewan by an 18-0 final score in the early Friday draw. Chris Frank earned Manitoba's Player-of-the-Game.

Manitoba's biggest test would come on Friday evening as they met the defending champions in Quebec. I watched this game in its entirety, and it's pretty easy to see why Quebec has won four-straight championships: they're fast, they're well-organized, and they can shoot. It wasn't a case of Manitoba wasn't ready to play, but moreso a case of Quebec just being on another level as they won virtually every race to loose pucks, they backchecked like demons, and they tore down the ice in transition. In the end, Quebec looked unstoppable in a 7-0 drubbing of Manitoba where goaltender Logan Bilodeau was named Player-of-the-Game after making a pile of stops.

Manitoba's 2-2 record earned them a date with Ontario on Saturday morning to advance to the semifinals, so they needed to come out and play strong again. This game was a back-and-forth affair as both sides showed some good jump in the offensive zone while making plays in their respective defensive ends. Despite both teams having chances, it would be Manitoba who found a little extra as they came out of this game with a 4-3 victory! Elijah Armbruster took Player-of-the-Game honours as Team Manitoba earned the unenviable semifinal against Team Quebec. Would we see Canada's juggernaut slayed?

The answer to that question was a resounding "no" as Quebec scored early and often in the semifinal to earn a berth in the gold medal final for the fifth-straight year. Again, it's not that Manitoba played poorly or missed assignments against Quebec. It's simply a matter of Quebec being that much better than everyone else. The final score in this one-sided affair was 14-0, and Manitoba would aim for a bronze medal in the final game of their tournament on Sunday. Goaltender Paul Hamm was Manitoba's Player-of-the-Game in this contest!

It was a 10:00am ET draw for the bronze medal game, and Manitoba would square off against Team Atlantic after they fell 3-1 to British Columbia on Saturday night. After the Atlantic took a 1-0 lead into the intermission, Manitoba would answer back early in the second period when Elijah Armbruster went high on the blocker side to tie the game. That seem to light a fire undr Team Atlantic as they scored three-straight goals to take a 4-1 lead into the second intermission, and this forecasting of two evenly-matched teams seems like a lie.

However, Manitoba scored two goals midway through the third period to narrow the gap to 4-3, and it seemed like we were in for a heckuva finish. That's where Isaac Armbruster made his impact on the game as he notched a goal with three minutes to play to tie the game at 4-4! No one else would dent twine over those last three minutes, so we were off to overtime with a medal hanging in the balance!

Overtime would be a ten-minute period played at three-on-three which makes no sense, but I don't make the rules. If no goals were scored, we'd see a shootout to decide the medal, and no one wanted that. The good news? We didn't have to worry about the shootout. The bad news, however, is that Team Atlantic would replicate the same result we saw on Thursday as they struck in overtime to win the bronze medal by a 5-4 score! It's not how Manitoba wanted to finish, but they should hold their heads high as this was an excellent game! Cole Maydanuk earned Manitoba's Player-of-the-Game honours.

Quebec and British Columbia would battle for gold, and it would be Quebec who earned their fifth-consecutive championship after defeating BC by a 2-0 score. What might be scarier is that Quebec, in their six games, outscored their opponents by a 39-0 count, so clearly they will wear that juggernaut title for another year with another gold medal. In the end, though, this was an incredible tournament for all seven teams when it came to how entertaining and exciting the hockey action was all week! Every team should be proud!

The final standings for the 2026 Canadian National Para Hockey Championship are as follows after the dust settled today:

1. Quebec
2. British Columbia
3. Atlantic
4. Manitoba
5. Ontario
6. Quebec development team
7. Saskatchewan

We need to get caught up with Team Manitoba at some point, so expect an episode of The Hockey Show dedicated to them in the near future. I know they probably don't want to talk about missing out medals, but they represented Manitoba well and we're still proud of their efforts. I was hoping and expecting Hockey Manitoba to post something about the team this weekend, but that didn't happen. At what point does Hockey Manitoba support this program and team?

What I do know is that Manitoba's parahockey team is made up of some of the best people in hockey that Manitoba has to offer, and every Manitoban should be trying to see these amazing athletes in action. They may not have brought home a medal from Nationals this year, but the athletes and coaches of Team Manitoba have the competitive sledge hockey scene trending in the right direction.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Stormy Night In Philly

Never are there meteorologists talking about hurricane season in the middle of May, but the Carolina Hurricanes swept through Philadelphia tonight, destroying the hopes and dreams of the Flyers and their fans. It's been a long time since a team has opened the playoffs with two-straight playoff series wins by sweeps, but the Hurricanes have written their names alongside the handful of teams who have. The scary part is that this dominance may continue as the Hurricanes now have a pile of time to rest up, reload, and prepare for the Eastern Connference Final against either Buffalo or Montreal.

Whatever the process is in Carolina under head coach Rod Brind'Amour, it's hard to argue that this Hurricanes team isn't fully committed to every aspect of their game. All four lines are dangerous when they come over the boards, goaltender Freddie Andersen looks like a Conn Smythe candidate, and the Hurricanes will now have a minimum of ten days to prepare for their next game. To say they've been dominant doesn't begin to give them the credit they're due.

Take nothing away from Philadelphia who will gain invaluable experience from this run, but they should benefit from seeing how the Hurricanes play the game. As a younger team, the Flyers have lots of room to grow and get better, so learning from an experienced team like Hurricanes about preparation, commitment to the system, and execution on the ice will make the Flyers better too.

For now, though, the Hurricanes will head home to Raleigh, take a few days to lightly practice while healing and resting, and they'll begin to ramp up as they watch the Sabres and Canadiens battle for the right to meet the Eastern Conference's best team. I made mention six days ago about the NHL's dumb scheduling potentially causing Carolina to be done before Montreal and Buffalo play Game Three, and that's exactly what happened in this sweep.

The NHL doesn't even have a schedule for Round Three published yet, but the earliest that Montreal and Buffalo could be done is Thursday while Game Seven won't be played until Monday, May 18. Obviously, longer series are good for everyone's bottom line, but do either of Buffalo or Montreal stand a chance against Carolina if their series goes the distance? I'm going to go with a very strong "no way".

I suppose that's a lesson that one can learn here: if the NHL can't figure out how to set a fair and equitable schedule, those teams who have the opportunity to take advantage of the unbalanced schedule should do so. Carolina will be well-rested, nearly healed from all their bumps and bruises, and ready to pounce on their next opponent who doesn't have this same advantage. We know NHL teams love loopholes, and this scheduling issue has created the perfect storm for the Hurricanes. No one foretold two sweeps, but here we are.

For the third time in the last four years, Carolina will be an Eastern Conference Finalist. Carolina had five days off between the second and third series last season, and lost to Florida in five games. In 2023, they had seven days off between series, and the Panthers swept the Hurricanes in that Eastern Conference Final. I'm not saying that the rest-vs-rust factor has crept in to disrupt the Hurricanes in the past, but this is one trend they certainly will try to end this season.

As of tonight, it's Hurricanes season on the east coast. Carolina swept through Ottawa into Pennsylvania, continuing its path of destruction with a couple of stormy nights in Phildelphia. The "Storm Surge" will head north once again with either Buffalo or Montreal being the next city on its path, and there may not be much hope for either fanbase if the Hurricanes roll into town at unstoppable force levels.

Based on what we saw in Ottawa and Phildelphia, sound the alarms, folks. There's a powerful storm coming to ruin hopes and dreams.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Exactly As Designed

Winnipeg's last remaining professional hockey team was facing elimination in Game Four on the road tonight, so the Manitoba Moose needed a big effort to keep their season going. Twice they had fought off elimination against the Milwaukee Admirals, but the Grand Rapids Griffins were an entirely different monster. The Moose took advantage of the Griffins not having played for a week in Game One, but Games Two and Three looked very much like the Western Conference's best team was ready to roll. Could the Moose hand the Griffins their tenth loss at home all season and force a Game Five in this series?

The Moose certainly were never out of the game in any of their three-straight losses, but it was evident that the Griffins were playing at a different level in those games including tonight's 5-2 win over the Moose. Perhaps the most telling statistic from those three losses was that Grand Rapids was 4-for-7 on the power-play despite have no power-play opportunities in Game Three. The team that wins the special teams battle usually finds itself on the right side of the ledger, and this was the case with Grand Rapids advancing tonight.

If defence truly wins championships, the Griffins certainly showed why they should be a favorite for the Calder Cup. Despite losing Game One, the Griffins outscored the Moose 11-5 in four games that saw them score nine goals over their last two games. The Griffins seemingly got stronger as the series went on while the Moose couldn't find another gear. If the Griffins carry that Game Four effort into the next series against Chicago, the Wolves will be in for a tough series.

There will need to be some evaluation done by Jets and Moose management now, and one of the statistics that has to worry them is that goaltender Thomas Milic has yet to win an AHL playoff game. There's no denying that the 23 year-old Milic has the necessary talent and drive to get to the next level, but his 0-4-0 record, 3.70 GAA, and .846 save percentage in AHL playoff games suggest that he's not quite ready despite solid regular season numbers. If he's aiming for Eric Comrie's job or, potentially, Connor Hellebuyck's job, Milic has yet to win a game when it mattered most at the AHL level.

One can argue that losing Nikita Chibrikov and Elias Salomonsson before this series started hurt the Moose's chances, and that's not wrong. However, Salomonsson's shoulder injury likely would have kept him out of this series even if he hadn't opted for surgery while Chibrikov had his core muscle surgery done once the Jets' season ended, so he hadn't been available for the Moose since the Calder Cup Playoffs began. Would they have helped if they were healthy? Absolutely, but these absences were known going into this series.

Since 2022, the Moose are 7-12 in playoff games. They missed the playoffs in 2025, but have only won the play-in series with Milwaukee this season in terms of playoff series wins. If we eliminate that play-in series, the Moose are 5-11 at the big dance with zero series wins over the last five seasons which, quite frankly, isn't indicative of a "draft and develop" model in any way. It's not like the Jets are flush with talent they developed, and the Moose are proving that whatever coaching Mark Morrison claims he's doing isn't delivering NHL or AHL results as he's been the guy in charge of the Moose since 2021.

One can argue that Winnipeg is Jets-obsessed which isn't entirely wrong, but it would certainly benefit True North Sports and Entertainment to have two successful hockey teams playing in their barn. While the Jets will always be the marquee attraction, the Moose could be the fun, affordable option for hockey fans and families who aren't willing to buy the NHL's outrageous ticket prices. With neither the Jets nor the Moose making deep playoff runs in recent memory, it seems like the entire system needs an overhaul.

If you're tracing the line as to where the Jets' and Moose's paths converge, it would be at the general manager's office. I know I'm not the owner of the Jets nor am I related to him in any way, but if I were Mark Chipman I'd be asking some very tough questions of Kevin Cheveldayoff before this year's draft. With the Jets poised to be a bubble team again next season and with the Moose being first-round exits every season, Cheveldayoff's draft-and-develop strategy has proven to be entirely mediocre at best over the last five years.

I enjoyed the five home games that Moose fans were able to see this season, but it's evident that "make the playoffs" is the pinnacle for both the Jets and Moose under True North Sports and Entertainment's current regime. Winning is not a priority despite all the lip service that's been spewed about it. If either team were to win, that's a bonus for management and a credit to the players because both coaching and management haven't set either team up for long-term success. If they had, we'd be seeing some sort of payoff of that effort put in over the last five seasons. Clearly, that hasn't happened.

Congratulations to the Grand Rapids Griffins on their four-game victory, and good luck to them as they prepare for another IHL battle with the Chicago Wolves. The Moose will return home, clear out their lockers, and disperse to wherever those players spend the summer. Their season didn't end the way they likely wanted it to end, but it finished exactly how every other season under Mark Morrison and Kevin Cheveldaoff did: an early playoff exit. Almost as if by design.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!