Truth And Reconciliation Day

Today is a stat holiday in the province of Manitoba. It's an important day in Canadian history when it comes to the past and improving the future for everyone, and I spent the morning reading about the gravesites that contained the bodies of children who never returned home. It was and is a sobering and heartbreaking thought to know that children who were simply being children were punished and abused so brutally by people who claimed to be imposing those punitive measure for good. My hope is that Canadians work to understand the atrocities that were suffered by our Indigenous neighbours regarding the legacy of the residential schools.

I am always impressed when I see sports teams acknowledging the land on which they compete as part of The Canadian Numbered Treaties. Winnipeg lies within Treaty 1 Territory which contains the Treaty Territories and ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Anishininewuk, Dakota Oyate, Denesuline and Nehethowuk Nations. Manitoba is also located on the Homeland of the Red River Métis while northern Manitoba includes lands that were and are ancestral lands of the Inuit. If you visit the Grant Park location of McNally Robinson for any of their events, you'll also hear them acknowledge their location standing on lands that were once occupied by Rooster Town as well. All of these acknowledgements are vitally important.

In Manitoba, there were a number of residential schools that were operated by Roman Catholic, Anglican, United Church, Presbyterian, and non-denominational leadership in locations across the province. Despite records being incomplete, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission identified at least 338 student deaths during attendance or shortly after discharge from residential schools. To me, that's an incomprehensible and horrific number of children who died.

Fourteen schools have been officially recognized under the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement. All of Manitoba's largest centers are included as places where these schools were located, and a number of smaller communities near Indigenous communities also were identified as school locations where the Canadian government looked to "educate and assimilate Indigenous children into mainstream Canadian society, and to convert them to Christianity."

Again, it's hard to stomach the atrocities that were committed against these Indigenous children, but, on June 11, 2008, the Canadian government issued a formal apology for the damage done by the Indian Residential School System and, on September 1, 2020, "it was officially announced 'the residential school system will be designated as an event of national historic significance, which will help to educate all Canadians on the system and its consequences, and ensure that this part of our history is never forgotten or repeated.'" This is where reconciliation and remuneration began.

Let me be clear: there is no dollar amount that can account for the lives that were lost. There is no cheque that can be written nor monetary amount that will fix this. There is no apology in any language that can erase the losses and pain and suffering that have been felt by Indigenous communities across Canada.

But we can do better by acknowledging that the Treaties signed on these lands are a lifelong, enduring relationship and that we can uphold the spirit and intent of these Treaties. We can do better by ensuring that the horrors and tragedies that took place in residential schools never happen again. We can do better by acknowledging and owning the harms and events of the past and the present. We can do better by asking for understanding and committing to support our Indigenous Canadian neighbours through active reconciliation, meaningful change, and the creation of spaces that are grounded in respect and reciprocity where everyone can thrive equally.

I have no power to enforce anything on anyone, but I will make it my pledge to deliver the Traditional Territories Acknowledgements before all of the hockey games that we call at the Female World Sport School Challenge in November that recognizes the Indigenous land upon which the arena and the sixteen teams compete. Being that all sixteen teams are Canadian, it's something that I hope will be received positively by listeners from those respective communities.

As much as this is a hockey blog, it's important not to forget that hockey is a microcosm of society. Players like Fred Sasakamoose, Kelly Bull, Chris Cromarty, David Wesley, and Willie Littlechild along with entire teams of Indigenous players suffered the horrors imposed upon them by school leaders. Their stories show the dichotomy these residential schools operated in as these amazing athletes were often abused mercilessly for simply being. And they were the survivors.

Despite the unspeakable acts committed long ago, it's encouraging to know that Indigenous hockey players have become household names with players like Carey Price, Brigette Lacquette, Abby Roque, and Jordin Tootoo being known across North America. Seeing people like Wes Studi, Adam Beach, and Lily Gladstone breaking through in Hollywood with high-profile roles should also be celebrated. It means that dreams for Indigenous youth aren't just dying as they get older because society, as a whole, is changing for the better albeit slowly.

This is the importance of acknowledging and embracing Truth And Reconciliation Day. It's about owning what happened and vowing to never let those horrific acts happen again so all kids get every opportunity to pursue their dreams regardless of creed, colour, race, or religion. That's not an unreasonable ask for anyone to support.

We can accept that the past can't be erased, but the future can be written better for everyone. Let's make sure we do that together.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Give Me A Little Journalism

It was opening night for the NHL this evening with five games on the schedule, but I really didn't care to watch any of them. However, getting an invitation to head out with friends for some socializing over good food and beverages is something I won't turn down, and we landed at a lounge where the TVs all had NHL hockey on. Discussions and debates were had throughout the night, but there was one where I sat quietly and listened as my party on this night discussed the return of Hockey Night in Canada to CBC carrying PWHL games.

Make no mistake that there was nothing overly disrespectful said in this discussion as everyone agreed that having Hockey Night in Canada on CBC felt like hockey season was indeed back. No one really had a problem if here was no Ron MacLean nor Bob Cole on the women's hockey broadcasts, but there was concern over how the CBC would approach subjects where the PWHL seemingly gives no clear answers. As one person at the table made clear, "This can't just be another network that smooths over the potholes they created."

That line hit home for me because there are still topics that the PWHL does its best to avoid and journalists seemingly never press them on when it comes to the operation of the league. We saw Ron MacLean and Gary Bettman clash a handful of times during interviews about topics where the NHL was trying to control the narrative, and we've seen the PWHL begin to use this method when temperatures rise surrounding certain subjects. Transparency would be better.

When Jason and I spoke to Karissa Donkin on The Hockey Show, we made it a point to ask Miss Donkin if she had heard any news about the PWHL's gender policy with respect to transgender players. Karissa confirmed at that time that there had been no new developments on that front, but that she would ask more questions when she could. With the NWHL having had Harrison Browne and the CWHL having had Jessica Platt on their rosters of players, you'd think that the PWHL would have already crafted some sort of policy to help transgender players understand where they fit or don't fit into the PWHL.

That policy still hasn't materialized despite the league preparing for Season Four of play. How much longer will they avoid this topic?

Perhaps the PWHL is avoiding the topic altogether due to the current legal battles going in the United States where eight of their twelve teams play. It even reached the highest levels of the US government, but that shouldn't allow the PWHL to just fade into the background over this topic. Why not say they're awaiting a clear decision from US government amidst the current political debate on the topic?

That's just one of the topics that the PWHL needs to address along with ownership questions and investments made, Mark Walter's future support of the league with the US government investigating him, and the constant talk of future expansion, and this is where the CBC and Hockey Night in Canada could really emerge as the leader in women's hockey if they push their interviewers to dig into stories, not shy away from potential league criticism of coverage, and hold people accountable in similar fashion to how Hockey Night in Canada did.

It seems pretty obvious that Andi Petrillo will be joined by The Athletic's Hailey Salvian who has asked tougher questions of the league at times, and my hope is that they bring Karissa Donkin in for her work in covering the game. I don't know if Jennifer Botterill will have time, but any combination of her, Sami Jo Small, and Christine Simpson would be good people to really push PWHL executives for answers as they know about the gaps the league needs to address.

It's the journalism done by Hockey Night in Canada that made it the institution that Canadians relied upon for hockey news. The Satellite Hotstove component with some the brightsest women's hockey reporters - Emily Kaplan, Saira Peesker, Jacinthe Taillon - could be an incredible place to break stories, discuss topics, and inform viewers on more of the inside stuff happening arounf the league. The CBC simply cannot shy away from hard questions when it comes to interviews. The journalism is what set CBC's Hockey Night in Canada apart from its competitiors, and that effort needs to continue.

Am I happy that Hockey Night in Canada is back? Absolutely. As stated, it's a Canadian institution, and I'm happy that the CBC is moulding to be something more. However, if it's just going to another facade for the PWHL where everything is rainbows and butterflies, expect me to sour quickly on it. Journalism was one of the best parts of Hockey Night in Canada in the past, and my hope is this new venture will uphold that standard set in the progra's coverage of the NHL. Journalism is about finding transparency and accountability, and Hockey Night in Canada set that standard with its hockey coverage.

Maybe my expectations won't be met with this new iteration of Hockey Night in Canada. Maybe I'll continue to be frustrated by the lack of transparency and accountability shown by the PWHL when it comes to long-term strategies and policies. What I can't be disappointed in, however, is CBC finding a way to resurrect the Hockey Night in Canada brand where, I hope, its journalistic efforts will be identical or better than what we saw with their NHL coverage.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

I Hate It So Much

Hockey is a fairly simple game where the winning team is the one who outscores the opponent. Normally, goals happen as a result of mistakes make by players, so human error is needed in the game if we want offence. I enjoy watching hockey to see good players exploit those errors and light the lamp, so here's hoping there are many for players this season. What I don't need to see nor will I ever care about are the "pregame fits" that seem to have invaded hockey at every level. Wins and losses matter; clothes do not.

If you're thinking this is a "you kids get off my lawn" moment from me, you're probably correct in that assumption. I was always taught to let your play on the ice speak for you, so coming out and being ready to play was vital. What didn't matter to me was what I wore to the rink to put me in a mental state to win. People have held onto the idea of "look good, play good", but would it matter if the NHL's best player showed up in sweatpants if he scored 60 goals?

Across social media sites, though, teams and their social media administrators are posting images of the walk-ins done by players to show of their fashion senses. And while I'm sure they deserve a nod for looking like they just stepped out of Milan or Paris, I could not care less if players from my favorite team showed up to the rink wearing the latest Armani suit or the world's comfiest hoodie as long as they win games. What they wear to the rink prior to suiting up does not matter and yet these "fits" images are everywhere.

As you likely know, the current CBA has eliminated the mandatory suit and tie that teams wore to the rink for decades. Players wanted the same options to wear what they wanted just as athletes in other leagues aren't restricted to a formal dress code. With the NHL going that route, my hope was I'd see less walk-in images and videos of players who were arriving at arenas for games. Instead, it feels like there may actually be more of those posts on teams' social media.

What's worse is that these posts literally add nothing to the story of the game. At what point do teams get back to talking about specific plays and posting images and video of tactics being used on the ice? Social media has the ability to be a place of learning by breaking down plays seen on the ice, but teams are instead using it to celebrate the clothes that players wear. And we wonder why Nikita Kucherov described the game as "faster, but it's very dumb. Low IQ"?

Maybe I'm in a very small minority here, but it might be part of my hatred for all things done by influencers to try to convince younger people that what they say and do is important and will improve one's social status. Having kids wear expensive suits to the rinks is simply ridiculous, and showing millionaires wearing top-of-the-line suits that cost more than some people make in two weeks is completely unnecessary and dumb. As long as they win hockey games, why does it matter what they're wearing when they show up to rink?

The NHL and NHLPA don't care if players wear suits and ties after they agreed to remove that language from the Collective Bargaining Agreement, so why do teams keep doing this? I hate it so much and it's truly one of the things I want to see eliminated from social media, so let me make this even easier to understand by posing this question: do you know what looks good on any and every player?

Championship rings. And winning always is en vogue at any level.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Pushed Aside By Size

THe old way of thinking in the NHL never seems to go away. No matter which general manager is running a team, the idea that size and experience are better than youth and speed always seems to be prevalent in the NHL. That became more evident today when the New York Islanders signed former Jets and Sabres defender Logan Stanley to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million, far less than most pundits had predicted he'd get on the open market after last season's explosion of goals. That's not to say that Stanley didn't have a good season, but that his time in Buffalo may have been more telling than what he showed in protected minutes on the blue line with the Jets.

It seemed like the Islanders were content to have either 2025 first-round pick Kashawn Aitcheson or 22-year-old Isaiah George start the season on the team's third pairing alongside Scott Mayfield, but somewhere that dream died as the team went to the free agent market to find Stanley. As a result, both Aitcheson and George were sent to AHL Hamilton where they'll start the season with the Hammers. While there's nothing wrong with giving these two a chance to play top minutes in the AHL, one has to wonder if the Islanders would get better results with either of them over Stanley.

All of Stanley's advanced stats point to a defenceman whose offensive abilities are limited by his biggest weakness: skating. Yes, he's got a big shot thanks to his size, but 90 of his 260 shot attempts last season were blocked (34.6%) as per MoneyPuck. 74 of his 260 shot attempts also missed the net (29.2%), meaning that 63.8% of his shots never reached the intended target. It's not like these shots were being deflected by teammates; these were shots that were blocked or missed the net entirely. Despite taking 80 more shots than he did in 2021, his percentage of shots that didn't hit the net actually went up!

Maybe the Islanders wanted him for his size and defensive play, but I'm going to pump the brakes once more. In no season was Logan Stanley's expected goals-against worse and high-danger chances against worse. It became much more obvious in Buffalo where he was exploited a handful of times before being relegated to the pressbox by head coach Lindy Ruff, but the fact is that his team's defensive play got worse in both cities when Logan Stanley was on the ice. For a bubble team like the Islanders may be, that doesn't help.

I have no idea why a poor-skating, defensively-challenged defender is something that Mathieu Darche wanted on his team, but Logan Stanley will start the season patrolling the blue line on Long Island. I get that he has experience at the NHL level which is something that should help him and his team, but getting Kashawn Aitcheson or Isaiah George that experience would also be beneficial for the Islanders. In fact, it may be better that they get it in a season where the Islanders aren't considered as Stanley Cup contenders because mistakes made by Aitcheson and George won't be as glaring.

If Aitcheson and George are ready to play at a high level in a year or two, they'll have one of the most young, dynamic blue lines in all of hockey with Matthew Schaefer, Alexander Romanov, Aitcheson, and George all under the age of 29. Every NHL GM would be salivating over the possibility of keeping that defensive core intact for a number of playoff runs in similar fashion to how Montreal's blue line currently has them on the precipice of something big. Of course, there are a number of factors that go into winning a Stanley Cup, but having a four-man unit of Schaefer, Romanov, Aitcheson, and George would make the Islanders a formidable foe in the Atlantic Division.

Instead, Islanders fans will get a season of Logan Stanley on the blue line. Maybe Stanley will impress and play a sound defensive game while chipping in on the offence where he can, but that never materialized in Winnipeg nor in Buffalo. There will be games where he looks and plays like the Boston Bruins' Zdeno Chara for a number of shifts, but he's far too often the New York Islanders' version of Chara where he was big, prone to mistakes, and not very good on his skates. Like Chara, Stanley will throw hits and get into fights, but I'm assuming most Islanders fans don't need that memory again.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

No Formal Announcements, But...

Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying that there are two certainties in life: death and taxes. And while that may be true for most people on the planet, hockey fans always had a third certainty that they could rely on every September as Jaromir Jagr took the ice for a professional hockey team somewhere on the planet. The 54 year-old only played six games for the Kladno Knights last season, and it would mark the first time he hasn't skated in a professional league in 38 years if he didn't sign with a team for this season. As it stands right now, that hasn't happened.

Jagr's season last year didn't go as planned as he was injured to start the season and never really found his stride. He didn't dress for any of Kladno's playoff games, and he often was bumped from the lineup in favour of younger, faster players who would skate more than eight minutes per night. Jagr's one assist may have been his last professional point after he didn't sign with Kladno this season nor did he skate in training camp or any of the team's preseason games.

Of course, no one really knows what Jagr may be planning regarding his hockey future after commenting in February that "[i]t would have to be a miracle" for him to play this season, but he has yet to make any formal announcement about stepping away from the game. We know he sold the majority stake in the Kladno Knights in 2025, and new owner Tomáš Drastil began to overhaul and upgrade the players he had on his roster. While Jagr still sold tickets, Drastil was looking to trasform the Kladno Knights into the powerhouse they once were.

At 54, Jagr literally owes no one anything when it comes to his hockey career. He won Stanley Cups, an Olympic gold medal, World Championship gold medals, and a myriad of personal awards that would fill a wing at the Hockey Hall of Fame. He played in the NHL, the KHL, the Czech Extraliga, the Italian-A League, and the first-division German league in his career, representing 14 different teams. He is, and likely always will be, the highest scoring Czech player in NHL history and sits second all-time in NHL scoring. Sidney Crosby is the closest active player, and he's still 160 points back of Jagr!

I mention this today because the NHL preseason is ending for most teams, and it's hard to imagine a hockey world where Jaromir Jagr isn't playing after skating for 38 seasons. He did tell The Associated Press's Karel Janicek in February, "I don’t train to be ready to play, but I try to go skating every day if I have time," but it's not like he's preparing his body for another season of professional hockey.

As of right now, the Kladno Knights don't have Jagr on their roster page nor am I expecting him to appear there unless there's a rash of injuries in a short period of time. It's kind of crazy to think that Jagr, who skated for Kladno in parts of 13 seasons, has never skated in the playoffs for his hometown team, but that may be how his career ends if he's not on the roster this season. For the record, Kladno isn't expected to win the Extraliga, but it would have been nice to see Jagr skate once in those playoffs for the team he grew up watching.

I think, at this point, it's safe to say that Jaromir Jagr has retired from hockey. That's an unofficial stance by this writer, but telling Janicek in February that "I do nothing else but eat and watch TV" would indicate that the hockey legend's career might have come to a close. Hockey will press on without one of the game's most notable legends, but it's hard to believe that the Jaromir Jagr era is over.

Like that picture of him in the bubble bath, though, he's earned all the time to relax that he wants as long as he doesn't change his mind!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!