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!

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 704

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is back tonight with one of our favourite people talking about one of our favourite topics! Our guest is well-versed in the game of hockey, and her experiences with both the ECHL's Fort Wayne Komets and ACHA's Indiana Tech Warriors has led to her going to school to get even more knowledge on the game. Tonight, it's excited to welcome back Fiona Quinn who will give us some insight on ECHL news, Komets news, Warriors news, and more stories from her spot in the pressbox tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason are proud to have the always-fantastic woman to the left on the show as Fiona Quinn will give us all the details on the roster moves being made with the Komets, the playoff race the Komets are currently in as they challenge for first-place, some of the players who helped them achieve that lofty standing, the promotions they run, the Iowa Heartlanders' news, ECHL expansion and relocation, Indiana Tech women's hockey's "rebuilding" season and how they almost shocked everyone, the CBA pause in the ECHL, some of the bigger hockey stories, and much more! And yes, we ask about the sweater she's wearing in the photo as well because, frankly, that's AWESOME! Make sure you've got your radio on internet-connected device set as we get down to business with Fiona Quinn 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 our ECHL MVP in Fiona Quinn about the Komets' roster, the playoff race, promotional nights, the CBA, losing a team, gaining teams, moving teams, ACHA hockey, her sweater, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: March 19, 2026: Episode 704

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 703

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, hits the UMFM airwaves tonight once again as we settle in for some more hockey talk. With the weekend we just had and the Paralympics coming to an end this weekend, it's been an outstanding week of sledge hockey from all over the globe, and our hosts will chat about some of that tonight among the many topics they'll cover. Want in on the chat? Get your radios and internet-connected devices ready tonight for The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason offer their thanks to Sledge Hockey Manitoba and Team Manitoba for allowing them to be part of the Cross Border Classic last weekend that was an incredible exhibition of hockey! From there, the two hosts discuss the Paralympics and Canada's chances at a para ice hockey gold medal, Matthew Tkachuk being the dumbest hockey player alive, the PWHL's struggles in Ottawa, the Ottawa Senators earning a draft pick back, the DEL with great numbers, players going pro, and more! It's another busy show with a lot to go over from all variations of hockey being played across the globe, so make sure you 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 express their gratitude before chatting about medal chances, stupid comments, moving arenas, playing politics, full rinks, big opportunities, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: March 12, 2026: Episode 703

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

A Lack Of Heart Next Season

After a busy weekend of sledge hockey, the last thing I thought I'd be writing about today is the suspension of a professional hockey franchise. With all three top North American leagues pushing to get to 32 teams so that each NHL team had its own AHL and ECHL affiliates, one of those pillars crumbled today with the news that the Iowa Heartlanders had informed the ECHL that they were suspending operations for the 2026-27 season after a difficult campaign on the ice and at the box office this year. For a league that has rapidly been expanding to meet that 32-team goal, the Minnesota Wild and Iowa Wild will be without an ECHL affiliate next season, so is Iowa the first chip to fall?

The news of the team's suspension was posted on the ECHL website today with the release stating that "the League's Board of Governors has approved the request of the Iowa Heartlanders' Membership for a Voluntary Suspension for the 2026-27 Season". The team will review its position in the community with respect to building a stronger fanbase and a deeper sponsorship roster, and they haven't ruled out other investors who can help keep the team in Coralville, Iowa.

Through 28 games this season, the Heartlanders have drawn the fewest fans at 42,457 - an average of just 1516 fans per game. That's nearly 650 less fans per game than Trois-Rivières averages, and they're not even close to the most recent ECHL expansion teams in Bloomington, Tahoe, and Greensboro. The Utah Grizzlies, who are moving their franchise to Trenton, New Jersey after this season, are averaging 4504 fans, so it's pretty clear that the Heartlanders have a ton of work to do to make Xtream Arena a fun place to be.

Of course, having a 19-30-3 record this season while sitting as the 28th team in a 30-team ECHL doesn't point to a lot of fun despite some unique promotional nights. In five seasons, they made the playoffs just once, and that happened for the first time last season after winning 36 games, eventually falling in the opening round to the Fort Wayne Komets. Iowa looked to build on that success, but they've struggled since the puck was dropped this season.

"This was an incredibly difficult decision that followed months of careful evaluation," majority owner Michael Devlin said in a written statement. "Despite significant efforts to stabilize and strengthen the organization, we concluded that stepping back for a season is the most responsible course while we review long-term solutions."

Iowa won't be the first team to have voluntarily suspended their operations as all of the Columbus Chill (1999), Pee Dee Pride (2005), Augusta Lynx (2008), Columbia Inferno (2008), Fresno Falcons (2009), and the Las Vegas Wranglers (2014) suspended their operations, and all of the franchises ended up relinquishing their ECHL memberships within a year of doing so. I'm not saying that the Heartlanders are headed for the same fate as those six teams, but coming back from taking a year off is like starting up as an expansion team again.

It would be interesting to see what the ECHL brass thinks of Coralville, Iowa. For those who don't know the city, its population was 22,318 people in 2020, making it the 23rd most populous city in Iowa. To fill the 5100-seat Xtream Arena, the Heartlanders would need more than 20% of their total population to attend games regularly. If the Heartlanders are going to be successful, attracting more people from Cedar Rapids would be extremely helpful with that city's population sitting near 138,000 people just 30 minutes away.

Being that I don't own any part of the Heartlanders, the easiest way to get people to come to Coralville's Xtream Arena would be to ice a winning team. Ownership would need to spend wisely with the ECHL salary cap, but putting a winning team on the ice would be something that Heartlanders fans have only seen once in their five seasons of existence. Icing a winning team wouldn't solve all their problems, but fans are more willing to travel for winning squads. That should be a priority if or when the Heartlanders plan to return to the ECHL.

As it stands, the ECHL will jump back up to 30 teams next season with the New Mexico Goatheads joining the circuit, and we already know the Utah Grizzlies are heading to the east coast to become the Trenton Ironhawks. 2027-28 will see another team put down stakes in Augusta, Georgia, pushing the number of teams in the ECHL to 31. With the Heartlanders on the sidelines and the NHL holding onto the dream of 32 affiliated pro hockey franchises, there will need to be some tough decisions made about their viability moving forward.

When it comes to the 2026-27 ECHL season, it seems there will be a distinct lack of Heart(landers) in it compared to this season.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 699

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is back with the second week of Olympic hockey chatter as the Milano-Cortina Olympiad continues. We saw the Canadian women stumble in their quest for gold, the Canadian men start their quest for gold, and a few other storylines that have emerged in hockey and other sports that are worthy of discussion. What shouldn't be forgotten is that even small mistakes in a competition can effect the outcome of the event, and that's why the Olympics are about the best athletes being the most prepared for these events. We'll jump into the stories, news, and chatter from Italy tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

All of those images to the left happened once upon a tine, and Teebz and Jason will look at why the Americans may win again after throttling Canada on Tuesday. Beyond that, they'll also discuss the injury to Marie-Philip Poulin, Team Canada's start at the men's hockey event, why trying to find highlights and clips of the game is next to impossible, an athlete who was sent home despite some hypocrisy, how Olympic goalies are dealing with new equipment, and a cool moment from one US team on the ice. It should be a full sixty-minutes of Olympic chatter, so get settled in 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 dominant performances, bad team-building, good starts, impossible tasks, new gear, idiotic decisions, classy moves, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: February 12, 2026: Episode 699

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

A League-Imposed Break

I'll be fully honest in saying that I don't follow the CHL or its respective leagues likely as much as I did when the Winnipeg Ice were still a team. The Ice gave a reason to check in on the WHL and the other leagues under the CHL's umbrella, but I admittedly have not being doing that since they relocated to Wenatchee. Having spent the day in Brandon, it got me thinking that I should do more, and then social media got into the act tonight as several accounts posted the same clip from the OHL that will likely give one player a league-imposed break from hockey. The player pictured above is that player, and his name is Adam Levac who is a second-year centerman for the OHL's Peterborough Petes.

Levac is having himself a solid season this year. He skated in 57 games last year as 16 year-old where he had six goals and ten points, and he's shown solid improvement this season with 14 goals and 36 points in 48 games. Being a solid scorer at the OHL level is always encouraging to see because younger players can be overwhelmed by the league and its older players who often get the scoring chances.

In saying that, there is one thing that Levac doesn't do at this point in his career, and that's being an enforcer for the Petes. Levac has just one career fight in the OHL so far, but has been known to a throw a big hit every now and then as he has a physical side. Tonight, though, he used a move during a skirmish that will force him to miss games.

Let's go to the video from tonight's contest between the Petes and the Ottawa 67's where a melee broke out on the ice where Levac was paired up with Ottawa defender Kaleb Dietsch for some dancing.

I'm not sure what was going through Levac's mind when he swept the leg out from under Dietsch, but that move earned him a five-minute major penalty and a match penalty. I can understand Levac likely wasn't appreciating Dietsch's jabs despite him wearing his gloves, but that's what can happen when a player stands three inches shorter in a fight. What Levac did was completely uncalled for and rightfully deserves supplemental discipline, so he should expect a call from the OHL as early as tomorrow before the Petes arrive in Kingston.

I believe it should be a heavy suspension based on Levac's actions. As we know, the slew-foot alone will like get him a game or two, so that's a given. However, the fact that Levac landed on top of Dietsch and then started throwing punches will likely get him the longer suspension that he deserves. Had Dietsch been injured by the slew-foot move, this could have been much worse. Thankfully, it wasn't, but Levac doesn't get rewarded because Dietsch avoided injury.

Secondly, Dietsch has six total fights in his career. The jabs he threw with a gloved hand are done to keep Levac at a distance rather than trying to hurt him. I'm not saying that Diestch wasn't prepared to drop the gloves, but the fact that he still had his gloves on as Levac engaged him suggests he wasn't looking for a fight. In using his longer reach, he kept Levac where he could avoid damage, and that's when Levac pulled out the slew-foot to put Dietsch on his back.

Based on all of this evidence, this has to be a ten-game suspension. The slew-foot alone has to be worth two or three games just for safety reasons, but Levac landing on top of him and throwing punches will add another six-to-eight games for me. I'm not saying that Levac and Dietsch weren't going to fight had this played out normally, but the fact that Levac decided to commit two egregious acts - slew-footing an opponent and punching a player whil he's down - means that a message must be sent so this doesn't happen again.

No one is saying that Adam Levac is a bad player. He simply made bad decisions that could have resulted in terrible things happening to another player. I'm glad that Kaleb Dietsch is alright and will likely play against Sudbury on Sunday, but Levac should probably be prepared to watch a lot of game film over the next two weeks because he won't soon be on the ice for the Peterborough Petes.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 685

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, jumps back into the studio tonight after an incredible interview with Pittsburgh's Dave Molinari last week. It's always fun speaking with people who are far more knowledgeable about subjects than we are, and that will only continue this month as we have more interviews coming up! Tonight, however, our hosts are back to chatting about hockey news stories from the last week and a bit, so get ready for a pile of hockey noise, laughter, and opinions from the UMFM studios tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason are going to follow the money for the big story they discuss as Ottawa Senators forward Arthur Kaliyev has come under fire for his specific spending habits that got himself and his former girlfriend in trouble. This is a crazy story of how money corrupts, but it's a good example of why young players need financial guidance. Beyond that story, our hosts will chat about Dallas getting another outdoor game in 2027, ESPN and Sports Illustrated failing to read the room, Alexander Ovechkin setting a new milestone, the KHL banning a referee for life, the two PWHL expansion teams get names, a new painting will remind Winnipeggers of its hockey history, and there's a big announcment about next week's show! It should be a busy hour with lots of 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. It's a solid app.

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 big money, bad decisions, financial ruin, outdoor games, media stupidity, new records, lifetime bans, new names, new artwork, big guests, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: November 6, 2025: Episode 685

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 683

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is back on the UMFM frequency tonight with a lot of stuff to go over from the hockey world. It's pretty remarkable that there's always something going on in hockey around the globe that is significantly news-worthy, but that's how the sport goes. Whether it be Canada, the US, overseas, the NHL, the AHL, or anywhere else, there are stories - both good and not-so-good - that should be brought forth for greater discussion. We have a pile of those stories tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason will take a look at a new jersey that was unveiled this week by the Colorado Avalanche while asking a question that might make people uncomfortable. Beyond that, they'll examine the new jerseys for both PWHL Vancouver and Seattle, the Vancouver Canucks do something awesome, a Canadian Olympic hopeful was suspended in the NCAA, there was a big moment in Greensboro, our favorite ECHL team is on a roll, the Saskatchewan Huskies were adding notes to history books, we have a Hall-of-Fame guest joining us next week, and a Hall-of-Fame player finally got onto the ice this past week. In short, it was a busy week in the hockey world, so we'll break down all those stories and teasers 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. It's a solid app.

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 new jerseys, bad ideas, great efforts, unexpected fighting, big goals, good starts, busy goalies, big guests, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: October 23, 2025: Episode 683

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Toss The Rulebook

The fallout from the game between the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning was imposed today by the NHL, and I have to say that I'm shocked. It's not because of the fines or the suspensions that were given to either side, but it's because there was a significant suspension not given for what was a clear rule violation on Saturday night. I get that the NHL wasn't thrilled with the in-state rivals played the game on Saturday, specifically singling out one team for the roster that was dressed, but to ignore an obvious suspension for what went down on that evening seems absolutely baffling. However, I neither work for nor advise the NHL's Department of Player Safety on they should go about their business, so what I think at this point is moot despite the rule being as clear as day. Let's get into this ruling.

The NHL announced today that Tampa Bay Lightning forward Scott Sabourin and Lightning defenceman JJ Moser would both be suspended with Sabourin getting a four-game break while Moser will be forced to sit for two games. Sabourin played all of 19 seconds on Saturday before being given a match penalty for his aggressive hit on Panthers defenceman Aaron Ekblad, and Moser was given a game misconduct after committing a boarding major on Jesper Boqvist.

Dangerous plays should warrant stiff punishments, so I have no issue with the NHL sending a message that the type of plays employed by both Sabourin and Moser were unacceptable. As a result of their indiscretions, Sabourin will forfeit $16,145.84 while Moser will give up $35,156.26 to the NHL for the amount of time for which they're suspended. If one does dumb things, one loses a chunk of money.

The NHL also sent a strong message to the Tampa Bay Lightning and to head coach Jon Cooper after the Lightning recalled six players from Syracuse prior to the game. Five of the six players in the game received penalties of ten minutes or longer, and those six totalled 77 penalty minutes in the game. As a result, the Lightning were fined $100,000 and Cooper took a $25,000 hit to the wallet for the roster that was iced on Saturday. Again, do dumb things, lose money.

In total, the back-to-back games between the Panthers and Lightning on Friday and Saturday saw a total of 114 penalties called, resulting in 498 penalty minutes. Talk all you want about rivalries, but those numbers are ridiculous and the NHL wasn't having any of it.

And that brings us to Niko Mikkola who came back to the bench and back on the ice on Saturday after being assessed a game misconduct. As I wrote in the linked article, the NHL Rulebook is very clear about players who return to the bench or ice after being sent to the dressing room in Rule 70-10 and the punishment for breaking said rule should any player violate it. Florida's Niko Mikkola broke that rule.

Somehow, the NHL's announcement today saw the Florida Panthers and Niko Mikkola escape all punishment despite Mikkola breaking Rule 70-10! I am baffled how this can happen, but it appears that the NHL believes there was a miscommunication between the officials and the Florida Panthers' bench over the penalties that were handed out at the 4:01 mark of the third period which is hard to believe when you see this clip of the penalty announcements by referee Jean Hebert.

It was clear that the Tampa Bay players heard the announcement as Bjorkstrand went down the tunnel, but the Panthers and Mikkola both missed Hebert calling his number for the game misconduct? That is hard to believe, but it seems the NHL is going with that justification.

I've been wrong before, I'll definitely be wrong again, but I'm struggling how I got this one wrong when it's so obvious that Mikkola should be suspended for returning to the ice. Whatever the reasons are for the NHL not enforcing this rule are up to the league's brass, but it's inexplicable to me how Mikkola avoided a suspension. I guess that's why I'm not part of the Department of Player Safety.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

From Ineligible To Suspended?

I'll be honest when I say that I didn't think that Niko Mikkola, pictured to the left, was a player who deserved an eight-year contract. Normally, you see players who are extremely valuable signed to contracts of that length, but the Florida Panthers apparently see him as that type of player on their team after they agreed to terms on an eight-year, $40 million deal on Thursday. However, that's not what I'm here to discuss, though, because Niko Mikkola might be getting a call from the NHL about his involvement and being excused against the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight. If he's not suspended, I'm not sure why the NHL even has a rulebook.

As Florida was laying a beating on Tampa Bay tonight, frustrations grew between the two in-state rivals. Penalties started to turn uglier, skirmishes began to result in fights, and the referees began dismissing players from the game. There's nothing overly surprising about any of that description other than the 7-0 final score that Florida recorded, but the third period saw something that I can't recall ever happening.

At 4:01 of the third period, one of the many skirmishes seen in this game erupted. Oliver Bjorkstrand was given a match penalty before Mackie Samoskevich and Max Crozier were tossed from the game for fighting, and both Connor Geekie and Niko Mikkola were both given game misconducts for their parts in the brouhaha. As I said above, the referees were simply trying to maintain some sort of order in this game that got out of hand, so these misconducts shouldn't surprise anyone at this point with the clearly lopsided score in favour of Florida.

What did suprise everyone, though, was Florida's eighth goal when Jesper Boqvist scored at 8:52 with an assist going to Niko Mikkola - the same Niko Mikkola who had been assessed a game misconduct nearly five minutes earlier. Apparently. no one noticed that Florida's #77 should have been in the locker room and not on the bench or ice until 14:55, a full six minutes after Boqvist's goal and more than ten minutes after he had been excused from the game!

I'm not sure who caught the error, but one has to think the official scorers would have noticed as they were documenting all the penalties and the scoring plays. Again, I can't speak for what was happening behind the scenes, but allowing 10:54 to elapse where a player removed from the game assists on a goal scored is a huge error on the officials' parts. That simply can't happen in any hockey game at any level, so we'll see what the NHL does when they review this.

Here is how the Boqvist goal involving Mikkola was eliminated.

It seems the officials got it right, albeit ten minutes too late, when they removed the goal from Florida's total after discovering that Mikkola had been on the ice after he was tossed from the game as per Rule 5-2. And I am quite sure the Commissioner and a number of other league officials will be reading the officials' reports on how this whole ordeal unfolded. Again, I expect the NHL to be busy on Monday when it comes to calling the front offices of both the Panthers and Lightning over the total violence exhibited along with this matter.

Where there may be more concern is what becomes of Mikkola.

Rule 70-10 clearly states that Mikkola should be suspended for ten regular season games for returning to the bench and ice after being assessed a game misconduct. I'm not sure how the NHL will handle this due to this game being a preseason contest, but that shouldn't matter in the grand scope of what Mikkola did. He broke a clear rule, and he should start the season in the pressbox for the first ten games. If the NHL doesn't enforce this, why have the rule at all?

Look, I understand that this game was chaos. The Panthers and Lightning clearly have an intense rivalry with one another, and the work done by referees Michael Markovic and Jean Hebert and linesmen Jonny Murray and Jonathan Deschamps isn't in question here. You cna make the case that someone should have noticed that Mikkola was still on the bench and taking regular shifts, but it's also on the Panthers to ensure they have the right personnel on the bench at all times. If there was any uncertainty, head coach Paul Maurice should have waved an official over and asked more questions.

As it stands, Niko Mikkola should be suspended for ten games to start the season. There is absolutely no way that he can be allowed to avoid punishment for breaking Rule 70-10 despite him avoiding further penalties, but this is one of those moments where the rulebook is clear. Does it suck for Mikkola? It absolutely does, but this entire debacle over an ineligible player could have been avoided had the Panthers simply asked for clarification. They did not, though, so Mikkola should suspended for breaking a clearly-defined rule.

You don't have to like the rule, but rules are made to avoid chaos and there was enough chaos tonight between the Panthers and Lightning.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

New League, Same Tatar

Tomas Tatar's career has seen a number of ups and downs throughout his 34 years on the planet. Drafted by the Red Wings with the 60th-overall pick in 2009, Tatar left Zvolen HKm in Slovakia to join the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins where he immediately showed that he could be an offensive force in 2009-10. He'd crack the Red Wings roster for good in 2013-14, posting the first of four-straight seasons with 19 goals or more. He'd hit the 20-goal mark twice with Montreal and once more with New Jersey, but his ability to remain healthy always seemed to cost him productivity on the scoresheet. After scoring just 41 points with Colorado, Seattle, and New Jersey over two seasons, Tatar accepted a contract with EV Zug in Switzerland's National League A this season where he could potentially rediscover that scoring touch from earlier NHL years.

Things seemed to start pretty well for Tatar as he recorded a goal and an assist in his first three Swiss league games, so it seems he's still got the scoring touch. I don't think anyone doubted that Tatar couldn't score - he is the 2013 Jack A. Butterfield Trophy winner as the AHL's Calder Cup MVP - so Zug's investment seems like a good one. If Tatar can continue to score at his current pace, Zug fans should have a new favorite whenever he comes over the boards.

The purpose of this article, though, isn't to remind you that Tomas Tatar can score. Instead, it's a reminder that even good players do dumb things. Case in point was May 7, 2023. Here's the video.
Tatar was fined $5000, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for that high-sticking incident against Carolina's Sebastian Aho, and he should be counting his lucky stars that he wasn't suspended for that dangerous stick swing. Aho, thankfully, wasn't hurt on the play, but Tatar's reaction could have cost him and the Devils much more.

Why is this reference important? Well, Tatar's reaction in a game on Friday against the SCL Tigers had all the same signs of frustration that Tatar showed against the Hurricanes. According to that linked report, the National League suspended Tatar one game and fined him 2500 Swiss Francs (just less than $3200 USD) for crosschecking Hannes Bjorninen in the head and neck area while Bjorninen was "down on the ice and in a defenseless position". This came after Bjorninen won a faceoff against Tatar at the 1:33 mark of overtime.

Tatar was assessed a five-minute major for the crosscheck along with a game misconduct, and that would allow the SCL Tigers to capitalize as Harri Pesonen scored on the power-play at the 3:44 mark to give the Tigers a 4-3 victory. The National League officials would review the crosscheck, and they determined that "the action is reckless and unnecessary" and "[c]ontact as such has to be avoided and cannot be tolerated." As such, Tatar was suspended and fined for his actions.

In short, EV Zug lost the game in overtime on a power-play goal for whose penalty was assessed to Tatar for an unnecessary penalty, Tatar ends up lighter in the pocketbook, and he also gets to sit and watch his team play on Monday from the stands. I'm not sure that the extra physicality on Bjorninen was worth it in the bigger picture.

Take nothing away from Tatar as he's going to be a good player for Zug this season. He's always been a fairly clean player as he's never had more than 34 penalty minutes in any NHL season, and these first 25 minutes in his National League debut are the only penalty minutes he's recorded this season. I'm betting he'll be among the top scorers for Zug this season, but this is a reminder that even good players do dumb things that cost their teams points in the standings.

I suspect that Tatar will play a fairly clean game moving forward.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Maybe Sit This One Out

If you're a reader of this blog, you know that I rarely celebrate the NHL in anything that it does. The billion-dollar money machine just keeps churning out new ways to bleed more money from fans which, at this point, is entirely grotesque, so this will be one of those articles where I'll surprise everyone by giving the NHL its kudos after releasing its statement about the five men involved in the 2018 Hockey Canada trial. It's also the point where the NHLPA showed its character with its statement, and let's just say that no one should be surprised that the NHLPA took the horrific stance that they chose.

We'll start with the NHL's statement who released the following statement on Friday following Thursday's verdict in London:

Whatever you may feel about this case or towards these players and the verdict handed down by Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia, this was the right call by the NHL. Yes, you read that correctly: the NHL made the right call with their statement.

These men are not innocent; rather, they were found not guilty. A "not guilty" ruling by a judge by definition and by Canadian law, means that the Crown failed to prove the accused's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, resulting in an acquittal. Let me restate that the five men in this case were and are not innocent as all five men were in the room and each committed some of the graphic acts in question. The Judge's verdict means the Crown failed in its attempt to prove, without doubt, that the men were guilty of those acts.

Like the men involved in the Chicago Blackhawks scandal, these five men should not be allowed to participate in the NHL or with any of its affiliated teams until there is some serious soul-searching and work done by each of these men. Their lawyers can argue any detail they like until they're blue in the face, but playing in the NHL is a privilege, not a right. With the acts described during the trial that these men allegedly committed, the NHL has every right to deny them access to their league. Actions have consequences, right?

And that's where the NHLPA decided to play the advocate for these five players by putting its metaphorical foot inside its metaphorical mouth. Their statement read that the five players...,

Look, the NHLPA can grieve this all they want, but every single NHL contract contains a morals clause that basically says if a player "engages in criminal or unseemly behavior," the team and/or league can punish a player as it sees fit including terminating the player's contract. The team and/or league holds this right to protect its image, standing, and reputation in the event of the player's poor behaviour causing negative impact towards both entities.

The NHLPA will likely argue that none of these players are currently under contract, making them free agents who can seek employment with whatever team(s) wants to sign them, but, as I stated above, playing in the NHL is a privilege, not a right. If the NHLPA wants to grieve this, they can, but the NHL can simply turn to any team that signs any of the five players and invoke the moral clause in that contract to suspend the player once more for the same reason.

In short, the players are damned if they do because they did bad.

It shocked me to see the NHLPA coming out with a bold statement like they made when it came to five players who haven't played in the league since 2022. I understand why they did it, but this should have been done quietly without being a big press release. The public already is trying to make sense how five men, plus a few others, could be in one room with an alleged intoxicated woman, record two consent videos after everything went down, and still have none of them found guilty for sexual assault. For the record, I'm still struggling with the outcome myself as heard on The Hockey Show.

I know the NHLPA doesn't care much for public opinion, so any negativity cast towards them likely won't matter to them. In this case, though, it might have been a better look to simply say, "The NHLPA is working with the NHL to determine the next steps for the five players named in the trial". By keeping their business behind closed doors, the very least the NHLPA could achieve is not looking like a soulless entity devoid of any empathy for the victim.

Leave that for the defence lawyers, NHLPA. They were so good at it.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 646

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, returns to the cozy confines of the UMFM studio tonight as our hosts get set for another discussion about all things hockey. After a phenonenal weekend at the Hockey For All Centre, our hosts will wrap-up the Female World Sports School Challenge chatter for another year among the topics tonight as we're always grateful to be part of the amazing event. Beyond that, there will be some business talk, some hockey talk, and some laughter to be had as they get into the stories. There will certainly be some opinions given tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

Tonight on the program, Teebz and Jason will wrap up the Female World Sport School Challenge before taking a look at the IIHF continuing to keep Russia and Belarus out of international hockey action, the potential $113-million salary cap in two years, Ryan Hartman's ten-game suspension and why it's likely going to an arbitrator, the Jets pushing for eight wins in a row prior to the Four Nations event, the politics that seems to be behind Logan Thompson not playing for Canada, the Vancouver Canucks' madness that continues, and anything else we can squeeze into the hour. It should be a lively chat with some strong opinions on these matters, so get yourself ready 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 new UMFM website's online 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. It's a solid app.

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 great tournaments, smart decisions, dumb decisions, big money, extended breaks, win streaks, West Coast insanity, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: February 6, 2025: Episode 646

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 637

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, finally makes it back into the studio tonight as Teebz is back in snowy Winnipeg, Jason is set for another night of hockey chatter, and the sport gets ready for another set of thoughts and discussion about what happened over the last week. Honestly, with almost every league in the northern hemisphere running at maximum overdrive before the holiday break kicks in, there's a lot to discuss as we'll take a look across the oceans at some of the news there too. In short, get settled in with your radio or internet-connected device tonight for The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

Tonight on the program, Teebz and Jason will look at the Four Nations rosters briefly and discuss why this tournament likely will miss the mark when it comes to being "must-watch hockey", the World Junior Championship roster was released by Canada and there were some surprises and omissions, the PWHL is back and Sarah Fillier is living up to her hype, and there was a suspension for a teddy bear toss that needs to be mentioned. Beyond that, Teebz and Jason will update everyone on what's happening in Europe with a focus on former U SPORTS players, and we'll squeeze in anything else we can within the hour we're given! It's another busy show as we jump across the globe, so make sure you're ready to travel 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 new UMFM website's online 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. It's a solid app.

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 international rosters, women's hockey, weird suspensions, European hockey, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: December 5, 2024: Episode 637

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 615

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is back to our pandemic setup as we record from home. There's no pandemic at the radio station, thankfully, but there is some construction that requires asbestos removal so the station is currently unoccupied while this work happens. As such, our hosts are recording from home as they did when the pandemic had the world shut down. This doesn't change the show in any way, and there's lots of hockey stories for them to discuss tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

As stated, Teebz and Jason are recording from the comforts of their individual homes, but they get into some hockey chatter as they discuss the 2024 Hockey Hall of Fame members that were elected, chat a little about the new MFHL team, celebrate a new coach in the NHL, dive into the Melbourne Mustangs "Team Canada" game, mention the curious signing of a player in the KHL, dissect the NHL reinstating the Blackhawks' three former bosses, and examine the poor messaging from the Winnipeg Jets over one of their newly-selected players. It's a full hour without free agent signings or trades since you can find that anywhere as Teebz and Jason get into the bigger hockey stories 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 new UMFM website's online 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. It's a solid app.

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!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason put the spotlight on Hockey Hall of Fame members, new teams, new coaches, AIHL games, curious signings, terrible decisions, bad messaging, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: July 4, 2024: Episode 615

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Has Any Work Been Done?

Hidden amongst the signings and trades yesterday was a small announcement from the NHL that they had decided to allow all three of former Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman and former Blackhawks coaches Joel Quenneville and Al MacIssac to return to the NHL if they so choose to do so beginning on July 10. The fact that this decision was announced on a day when most people were seeking information on who their teams signed is one thing, but I'm wondering how the NHL came to this decision after all three showed zero regard for a player who was sexually assaulted. What has changed?

Back in October 2021, the three men mentioned above - Bowman, Quenneville, and MacIsaac - were banished from the NHL over the findings in the Jenner and Block report regarding how the Chicago Blackhawks handled the sexual assault allegation that came from former Blackhawks player Kyle Beach. Based on what was contained within the report, it was fairly clear that a number of people were indirectly responsible for allowing former video coach Brad Aldrich to commit his heinous crimes, and I honestly believe these men should never work in the NHL again. By doing nothing, they made it clear they didn't want nor respect that privilege.

Yesterday, though, the NHL had a change of heart and reinstated the three men for employment. In their release, the NHL wrote,

"For more than the last two and a half years, these individuals have been ineligible to work for any NHL team as a result of their inadequate response upon being informed in 2010 of allegations that Blackhawks' Player, Kyle Beach, had been assaulted by the Club's video coach. While it is clear that, at the time, their responses were unacceptable, each of these three individuals has acknowledged that and used his time away from the game to engage in activities which not only demonstrate sincere remorse for what happened, but also evidence greater awareness of the responsibilities that all NHL personnel have, particularly personnel who are in positions of leadership.

"Moreover, each has made significant strides in personal improvement by participating in myriad programs, many of which focused on the imperative of responding in effective and meaningful ways to address alleged acts of abuse. The League expects that they will continue this commitment in any future capacity with the NHL and/or one of our Clubs."

That's a lot of words to say that the NHL is convinced that these men have changed, but it's time to produce receipts to show that these men have done the necessary work as cited by the NHL to prove that they've learned how to be better. The NHL can spin this story however it likes, but without the necessary proof of the changes mentioned in the statement above there's zero credit given by me based on how poorly these men acted in the past.

"But what about second chances, Teebz?" you ask.

Look, I'm all for people EARNING a second chance. It's not simply given, though. No one gets that benefit after allowing something as horrific as the sexual assault of a player to happen under their watch and then turning a blind eye to it because it may disrupt a Stanley Cup run. In what world would anyone be ok with that?

If the NHL or these three men can produce the receipts showing that they've put in the time, effort, and learning required to be better people as part of society, I'd have no problem allowing them back into the hockey world which, as I've stated many times, is a microcosm of our society. There is no credit in these circumstances for saying one did something without hard evidence of that being the case. Either these men did the work required to be a part of the hockey world and can return or they didn't and can watch from the sidelines like the rest of us. There is no middle ground here.

For the NHL to bury this announcement on one of its busiest days on the calendar is simply ignorant from a number of angles, but it really shows that the NHL hasn't learned anything over the years nor does it listen to its fans about the meaningful changes they want to see in the game. It was pretty clear that fans from all teams came together to support Kyle Beach, and the demand for a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to any domestic, sexual, or physical assault away from the rink should be a pretty easy target for the league to hit.

Yet it missed that target by a country mile once again.

A two-year banishment for allowing sexual assault to go on within the Blackhawks' walls is punishment that simply doesn't fit the crime after Kyle Beach's career came to an end following the assault he endured. In no way should these men be allowed to return without some very clear receipts on the changes they made, and any team that employs them in the near future without full disclosure about the steps they took in becoming better deserves to be cursed until that employment ends. There was a serious sex crime that was committed, and these three men decided it was in their best interest to do nothing about it until they got caught.

Sometimes, it's easy to hate the NHL. This is one of those times.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Cost Of Addiction

I don't think anyone would deny that Valeri Nichushkin was having himself a heckuva postseason. After terrorizing the Jets for five games, it seemed the big Russian winger was set to give his former team, the Dallas Stars, nightmares as well. With Colorado trailing 2-1 in the series, they needed all their best players to step up, but Valeri Nichushkin was, instead, forced to step away by the NHL and NHLPA Player Assistance Program as he entered Stage 3 of the program this morning, starting a six-month suspension without pay. Clearly, he won't be in the lineup tonight for Game Four, but this latest lapse of judgment and intelligence may have just cost him his job with the Avalanche. That's the cost of addiction.

For a guy who signed an eight-year, $49 million deal on July 11, 2022 that would likely guarantee the majority of his career in Colorado, it seemed like he had everything. He was a Stanley Cup champion in 2022. He was playing alongside Nathan MacKinnon on the top line. He had that massive, long-term contract that would see him live comfortably. And with the Avalanche built as they are, it seemed he could add more rings to his jewelry box while being one of the key cogs in Colorado's success.

Today's removal from the team likely calls all of that into question as this is now the second time that Nichushkin was removed from the team during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Last season, he was removed from the team after a strange incident in Seattle during the first round of the 2023 playoffs, allowing Seattle to upset the Avalanche in seven games. It was later revealed that a nearly unconscious, intoxicated woman was found in his hotel room needing medical attention. The young woman repeatedly stated "he's crazy" during the incident without ever identifying who "he" is, and, for the record, Nichushkin was cleared of all wrongdoing after an investigations by both the Seattle Police Department and the NHL.

Midway through this season, Nichushkin voluntarily entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program in January, stating that his goal was to "address my issues and prevent any negative outcomes once and for all". When he returned in March, it seemed that Nichushkin had gotten the help he needed as he seemingly played the game like a changed man. He used his 6'3" frame to cause chaos around the net, and the hands that made him tenth-overall pick in 2013 looked like they had returned as Colorado prepared for the playoffs.

We watched Nichushkin cave the roof in on the Jets as he was everywhere in the offensive zone, and he was a big reason why the Avalanche are playing against Dallas right now. His removal from the team today, though, makes this the third time he's been away from his team at a critical time in their season with no explanation other than he's seeking help. And while I get that his privacy should be protected, one has to wonder how he is continually finding ways to put his attendance on the roster in jeopardy.

"Val is obviously struggling with something," Colorado coach Jared Bednar told reporters after their Monday loss matter-of-factly. Bednar is clearly correct as Nichushkin's reason for his absence would be kept private from even his coach, but you have to think that Bednar might be seething with anger over Nichushkin's selfishness on the inside. His next words to reports, though, seemed to be more reflective than angry.

"I've gotten to know Val as a person and I've gotten to know him as one of our teammates" Bednar continued, "and I want what's best for him. I want him to be happy and I want him to be content in his life, whether that is with our team or not with our team. I want the best for him and his family. I think all of our guys are the same. We hope that he can find some peace and get help. That's the other side of it. Hockey is not life and death, even though we treat it like it is. Val is a big priority, and our team is another one. Now they are separated. They're not together."

Bednar's tone was far better than teammate Jack Johnson's tone when he told Denver Post's Cory Masisak, "He made his decisions. That's all I'm going to say on that. He made his decisions," while Masisak also noted that Nichushkin's nameplate above his usual locker had been removed.

I'll be honest: Nichushkin does need help with whatever addiction or vice he's battling. And Nichushkin also made a selfish decision that may cost his team a chance at a Stanley Cup. The Colorado Avalanche will need to address this once he's reinstated by the NHL, but caring for the person, as Bednar said, is not the same as one man making a decision that sees him abandon 25 other people. I want Nichushkin to overcome his demons, but Jack Johnson's statements are entirely correct: he made his decisions.

I have no idea what the Avalanche will do with Nichushkin, but it seems like there are few people in the locker room who aren't willing to give him a third or fourth chance. I can't blame them because the old "fool me once" adage holds true here. There will be some tough conversations over the next few months in Denver as to what to do with Nichushkin, and I'm not sure there's a right answer when it comes to his future. What seems clear, though, is that everyone would prefer him on the ice rather than being in the Player Assistance Program.

Despite this being Valeri Nichushkin's demons to deal with, it's affecting his teammates, his employment with the team, and potentially his employment elsewhere in the league. I do hope he can finally bury these demons, but losing the support of his teammates, coaches, management, and fans while potentially making himself radioactive to 31 other teams is, unfortunately, the potential cost of his addiction.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!