The Hockey Show - Episode 653

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is excited to welcome back another guest whose hockey knowledge is second-to-none! As we know, it's getting close to playoff season across a number of leagues, and that means teams are gearing up for the best time of their individual seasons! In saying that, we'll talk to a guest, barring any unforeseen changes to the schedule, who has more information than both our hosts do about the ECHL, but we'll also get a pile of updates about other hockey topics tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason are excited to welcome back a guest who will give us all the details we need to know about our favorite ECHL teams as Fiona Quinn returns! Fiona's knowledge of all things Fort Wayne Komets is unparalleled, so we're getting her back on the show tonight as the Komets settle into their playoff stretch run. We'll chat with her about the Komets' chances when it comes to a deep playoff run, get updates on how some of their key players are doing, hear about some other ECHL news, get an update on the Indiana Tech Warriors women's hockey program, chat about PWHL issues and solutions, and and anything else we can fit into the hour! Fiona's one of the best with her insight and analysis, and we're always honoured and grateful that she gives us a little time so make sure you're listening to UMFM 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 welcome back Fiona Quinn as we get caught up on Komets hockey, Komets playoff chances, key players, university hockey, women's hockey, and and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Holy Paddle Save, Batman!

If you've listened to The Hockey Show over the last few months, you may have heard Jason and I waxing poetic about Sheffield Steelers goaltender Matt Greenfield. Greenfield has been a big reason why the Steelers have found success both in the EIHL and in the Champions Hockey League, but the former Calgary Dinos netminder did something on Friday that seems nearly unbelievable if I told you. We know how good he's been this season, but Greenfield may have redefined what an incredible save looks like after seeing what he did at Braehead Arena.

Sheffield has qualified for the EIHL playoffs already, but they're in a battle for the top of the standings board with the Belfast Giants and the Nottingham Panthers. Three points separate the three teams as of today, and both Sheffield and Belfast have four games remaining while Nottingham has three games left. Greenfield currently boasts the most wins in the EIHL with a 33-12-3 record, he is third with a 2.23 GAA for goalies who have played 20+ games, and he's second in save percentage at .929 for goalies with 20+ games played on the season. The Florida-born Greenfield has been a wall this season!

For as celebrated as he is in Sheffield, England this season, he may have ratcheted the legend up another few notches against the Glasgow Clan on Friday night. Check out this incredible save!
Matthew Greenfield absolutely robs Glasgow's Mitchell Heard on the doorstep with the paddle! You might be thinking that Heard hasn't done much, but he's lit the lamp 21 times for Glasgow so he knows how to find the back of the net. And yet Greenfield pulled off absolute highway larceny on Heard that paddle save! Wow!

I can't say whether or not Greenfield is going to backstop the Steelers to an EIHL championship, but it seems he'll give them a better-than-good chance to do that. As you heard the broadcaster say, Greenfield is the best goalie in the EIHL in his view, and that's certainly something to boast when people start talking about how defence wins championships. With Greenfield in the top-three in the three major statistical categories, the Steelers are primed for a playoff run!

I've watched that clip a dozen times, and it's still baffling how Heard didn't score. Just add that highlight to the long list of highlights that Matthew Greenfield has compiled this season. The former Dinos goalie may soon have the hardware that proves he was the top goaltender in the EIHL if the Steelers can win it all!

With Logan Thompson having a whale of a season with Washington and Greenfield stonewalling the English league, it might not be bad idea for teams needing a stopper to take a flyer on U SPORTS goalies.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Long-Term Extension, Please

I had a number of thoughts as Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers struck the pose in the image after scoring the overtime game-winning goal against the Washington Capitals. The first was that he was doing the same move as Russell Crowe's character Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 drama Gladiator as he exclaimed, "Are you not entertained?" to the gladiatorial arena crowd. But as I watched the video of Ehlers scoring a couple more times, I started to see another message: "my next contract should be this big". The Jets would be wise to act on that message sooner than later because it's clear that Nikolaj Ehlers is an important factor in this team's success.

Make no mistake that the Jets have a number of players who can break open a game at any point, but Ehlers seems to find a way to elevate his game at times to new heights despite playing less minutes than some of the other snipers on the roster. Advanced stats aside, the 29 year-old Dane has already matched his point total from one year ago, sits three back of his career-high in points, and is five goals shy of his career-high in that statistic as well.

Watching this goal again and again, you see how well he reads the play, how his explosive speed is an absolute asset to this team, and how his shot is both accurate and lethal. Here's the game-winner.
For a guy who averages 23 goals and 53 points per season, you might wonder why he'd be deserving of a big pay day, but plays like the one above are why he's vitally important to this team. Nikolaj Ehlers does what only a handful of other players in the NHL can do.

In the three seasons where Ehlers has played more than 80 games, he's scored more than 60 points. In 2020-21, he skated in 47 games and posted 46 points, and, in 2022-23, Ehlers dressed for 45 games and had 38 points. He's a consistent scorer for the Jets while playing alongside Vladislav Namestnikov and Cole Perfetti who have had their struggles with consistency, so his totals are even more impressive in that regard. He's third in team scoring despite playing the least number of games of all of the top-nine forwards, so that has to count for something, right? It would in my books if I were the GM.

Some of those who feel that Ehlers isn't as important to the Jets as other players will say, "He's only scored four goals in 37 playoff games" while smirking proudly about that statistic. That number isn't wrong, but one has to ask if this team is better with or without Ehlers? Can the Jets find someone on the open market who would cost less to do what Ehlers does? The answer to that is no, and we can look at players like Jake DeBrusk, Tyler Toffoli, and Teuvo Teravainen as comparables when it comes to Ehlers' new contract.

Jake DeBrusk has scored 27 goals and 50 points as career-highs. He got $5,500,000 per year from the Vancouver Canucks.

Tyler Toffoli has 34 goals and 73 points as career-highs. He got $6,000,000 per campaign from the San Jose Sharks.

Teuvo Teravainen has 25 goals and 76 points as career-highs. He got $5,400,000 per season from the Chicago Blackhawks.

Ehlers is earning $6 million annually, but it's hard to look at any of those three players who have comparable statistics and ages and think the Jets would be better with them over Nikolaj Ehlers. They wouldn't be, and it's clearly evident based on this season.

That being said, I'm also not saying that I believe Ehlers is more valuable than Connor Hellebuyck, and it's debatable that he's more valuable than Mark Scheifele. Those two are the highest-earning Jets, but it seems pretty clear that a small bump in Ehlers' annual salary shouldn't be anything to prevent the Jets from signing another long-term extension. Nikolaj Ehlers has earned that bump.

After watching him turn on the jets down the wing and snap that puck home with authority, it's hard not to like what Nikolaj Ehlers brings to the ice every time he comes over the boards. He doesn't have to be the most physical player if he's scoring goals as often as he this season, but when he's locked in and focused on his task, the man is pure excitement when he touches the puck. Hockey is an expensive form of entertainment, but Nikolaj Ehlers gives Jets fans a legitimate reason to stand and cheer whenever he's on the ice.

Please sign Nikolaj Ehlers to an extension, Kevin Cheveldayoff. When the Great Dane is flying down the wing and denting twine, it's hard not to ask the famous question, "Are you not entertained?"

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

A Solid Partnership

Having a solid affiliation deal can benefit NHL teams in a big way. You can't deny the success that the Hershey Bears have had in sending players to the Washington Capitals, and that affiliation seems rock-solid in every way. Having independent franchises at the AHL and ECHL levels could cause issues for some franchises, but it seems that the Nashville Predators have been seeing a lot of benefits in their affiliations with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals and the ECHL's Atlanta Gladiators. Thanks to the news today, those affiliations will continue for the next few seasons!

This story actually starts back on March 13 when the Nashville Predators and Atlanta Gladiators announced a two-year affiliation extension between the clubs beginning next season. While some may shrug their shoulders on this one, having the Gladiators as one of their development stages should prove beneficial for the Predators. Goaltender Ethan Haider is one of those players getting experience at the ECHL after being drafted in 2019, and he looks like he could factor into future netminding plans for the Predators.

Atlanta is seeing some benefit as well as the Gladiators have "had 11 players join the club under either an American Hockey League or National Hockey League contract" since the affiliation agreement began in 2022-23. Being a solid partner in the development of Nashville's players is something in which the Gladiators take pride.

"We're extremely excited to be extending our affiliation with the Nashville Predators organization," Executive Vice President of the Atlanta Gladiators Jared Youngman said. "This decision solidifies our commitment to long-term success, and strengthens our collaboration with our NHL and AHL partners, ensuring we stay focused on excellence both on and off the ice."

With one affiliation in their pocket, the Nashville Predators secured the step between them and the Gladiators today as the Milwaukee Admirals and Nashville Predators have announced a four-year extension agreement through the 2028-29 season. This long-standing affiliation goes back to 1998, and it has been extremely fruitful for the Predators when one considers that Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg, Pekka Rinne, Mattias Ekholm, and Juuse Saros all spent time with the Admirals. In short, the Predators and Admirals have forged a fantastic partnership over the years that has helped both clubs.

"We are thrilled to extend this very successful partnership between our two organizations for another four seasons," said Milwaukee Admirals owner and CEO Harris Turer. "The Predators staff is committed to putting a winning team on the ice in Milwaukee while also developing players for the next level."

As stated in the linked release above, "the Admirals have accumulated 1,058 wins and a .594 points percentage" since 1998 while winning "seven division titles, two Western Conference championships and the 2004 Calder Cup". Add in that "[b]etween 2003-04 and 2012-13, the Admirals became the first team in AHL history to record 10 consecutive 40-win seasons," and you can see that the Admirals are run as one of the AHL's very best franchises while working extremely well with the Predators.

I don't normally congratulate teams for conducting business, but this one needs a pat on the back thanks to the agreement that will take the Predators and Admirals through three decades of working together. Atlanta is the new blood in this partnership, but it seems like the bridge between the ECHL, AHL, and NHL is strong when it comes to Nashville's affiliations. If you want an example of how to draft and develop, this affiliation between these three teams might be one of the better instances of that process in all of hockey.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Rundown - Championship Sunday

It's the final day of hockey for the Canadian university league. Both the men's and women's finals will be played today, and we'll crown champions on both sides of the coin. Of course, The Rundown only focuses on U SPORTS women's hockey thanks to that level of hockey receiving almost zero coverage from anyone not inside the game, so let's dive into the final three games here on Championship Sunday as the consolation final, the bronze medal game, and gold medal game were all decided today! Who is coming home with hardware?

A Quick Note

As stated yesterday, I was going to continue doing the Headline Sports-style recaps as you saw in the Canada West playoffs, but I highlighted the lack of effort from U SPORTS when it came to highlights this weekend. Again, I can't change anything from where I sit so, with no highlights, we're reverting back to the scoring summaries only. I know it sucks, but that's what happens when people don't do their jobs promoting the athletes on the ice.

Let's get into the game action!

Consolation Final

This game had an oddly-familiar feeling to it as the two Canada West finalists met for a fifth and deciding time this season. UBC had won the series with two victories way back in October when the season opened, and Alberta roared back by winning the Canada West banner earlier this month. This would be the fifth time these two teams played this season, and they both wanted to finish in fifth-place. We know the important players for both sides, so all that was left to decide was which team would capture fifth-place!

Pandas goals: Natalie Kieser (1)
Pandas assists: Abby Soyko (1), Taylor Anker (1)
Pandas netminders: Grace Glover (17/21) in 40:00; Mackenzie Dojahn (14/15) in 20:00

Thunderbirds goals: Jacquelyn Fleming (1), Mackenzie Kordic (1), Makenzie McCallum (2), Mackenzie Kordic (2), Grace Elliott (2)
Thunderbirds assists: Annalise Wong (3), Karine Sandilands (1), Ashton Thorpe (1), Meadow Carman (1), Jacquelyn Fleming (1), Mackenzie Kordic (4), Sierra Laplante (2)
Thunderbirds netminder: Elise Hugens (20/21)

Result: 5-1 victory for UBC over Alberta.

UBC will finish in fifth-place, and Alberta will finish in sixth-place. This game also determined seventh-place, and, thanks to UBC's win, the UNB Reds will finish in seventh-place while the StFX X-Women will finish in eighth-place. The non-medal placements are now set!

Bronze Medal Final

The bronse medal game featured last year's U SPORTS finalists in the Concordia Stingers and the Toronto Varsity Blues. Concordia came into the game holding a 5-1 record all-time against Toronto at Nationals, and they were looking to claim a second medal against the Varsity Blues. The last and only time that Toronto was successful against Concordia was back in 2002 when they won 2-1, so it's not like they could draw on recent history to help them. Both teams wanted to bring home their second-straight medal from Nationals, though, so this game had all the makings for great hockey!

Blues goals: Sophie Grawbarger (1), Abby Whitworth (1), Scout Southward (2)
Blues assists: Kaitlyn McKnight (1), Emma Elders (1), Aili McKeown (2), Emma Potter (1)
Blues netminder: Lyla McKinnon (9/10) in 32:47; Sarah-Lynn Gauthier (9/9) in 27:13

Stingers goals: Jessymaude Drapeau (4)
Stingers assists: Emilie Lussier (2), Emilie Lavoie (2)
Stingers netminder: Arianne Leblanc (24/26)

Result: 3-1 victory for Toronto over Concordia.

Toronto is the 2025 U SPORTS bronze medallists while Concordia is the fourth-place team. Of note, Sarah-Lynn Gauthier earned the win after replacing Lyla McKinnon in the Toronto net following an injury suffered by McKinnon. Concordia's Leonie Philbert was assessed a five-minute major and given a game misconduct for the goaltender interference that caused McKinnon's injury. McKinnon did not return.

Gold Medal Final

The gold medal game featured the two "new kids" to the Nationals scene as Waterloo was in their second appearance at this year's tournament while Bishop's was in their first-ever appearance. The Warriors had used a balanced attack, solid defence, and excellent goaltending to reach this pinnacle while the Gaiters were capitalizing on offensive opportunities, holding the fort defensively, and getting solid netminding. Waterloo would have the home crowd on their side, but the Bishop's faithful had been loud all weekend. It came down to one game for all the marbles as one of these two highly-talented squads would claim the 2025 U SPORTS National Championship!

Gaiters goals: Gabrielle Santerre (3), Gabrielle Rousseau (1), Maude Pepin (2)
Gaiters assists: Daphne Boutin (2), Angelique Page (1), Gabrielle Santerre (3), Gabrielle Santerre (4)
Gaiters netminder: Ericka Gagnon (27/27)

Warriors goals: none
Warriors assists: none
Warriors netminder: Kara Mark (26/28)

Result: 3-0 victory for Bishop's over Waterloo.

Officially, the Bishop's Gaiters are your 2025 U SPORTS National Champions while the Waterloo Warriors are the 2025 U SPORTS silver medallists. The scoring summary doesn't give you all the details, though, as Waterloo had a number of chances that were either missed or denied by Gagnon and the Gaiters' defence. This game was far closer than the score states, but it was a heckuva battle between two teams that earned the right to play for Canadian university's biggest prize by being so good all season long.

To The Victors

Congratulations to the Bishop's Gaiters as they had been building all season towards this ultimate ending. One could argue that they were robbed of this chance last season when a missed offside call allowed Montreal to eliminate the Gaiters from the RSEQ playoffs, but none of that matters now. The Gaiters stand atop the mountain and no one can take that from them! It's a huge accomplishment for a program that joined the RSEQ and U SPORTS in 2020-21, and it goes to show what can be accomplishment with support and leadership.

The Gaiters are one of the best feel-good stories in Canadian university hockey in some time, and I'm glad they've shown everyone that dreams can be achieved in a short time with the right amounts of talent, hard work, leadership, and support from all levels. For as expensive as hockey is for U SPORTS schools, this is one of those times where you can truly say it was worth the investment.

Be like Bishop's University. Support women's sports at all levels!

The All-Stars

As we always see at these tournaments, players raise their games to another level after wowing us all season with their talents. This year's tournament All-Star selections are no different as they stood out over the weekend as the games progressed. They include:

• Goaltender Ericka Gagnon - Bishop's Gaiters
• Defender Lyndsey Acheson - Waterloo Warriors
• Defender Regan Garreau - Bishop's Gaiters
• Forward Jessymaude Drapeau - Concordia Stingers
• Forward Kassidy McCarthy - Waterloo Warriors
• Forward Gabrielle Santerre - Bishop's Gaiters

One could make the case that Kara Mark in the Waterloo net was just as good as Gagnon in this tournament, but there's no denying that Gagnon won the battle between the goalies in the gold medal final. The last award was the tournament MVP, and it should surprise no one that Bishop's Gaiters forward Gabrielle Santerre was named the most valuable player at the tournament. She was dynamite all weekend!

Over At The Other Rink...

The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees men's hockey team made good on their second chance after failing to qualify for Nationals as a champion, finaist, or third-place team in the OUA by winning the whole thing! The Gee-Gees beat the seemingly-invincible UNB Reds in overtime in what was an incredible game before dispatching OUA foes TMU and Concordia to win the U Cup as the eighth-seeded team. Add in the fact that they were hosting the tournament, and this story had all the necessary elements of a storybook ending!

For those that don't know the backstory, the University of Ottawa suspended the team in 2014-15 following sexual assault allegations against the team. The head coach at that time, Réal Paiement, was fired, and it seemed like the program was headed for demise. The University of Ottawa did reinstate the program in 2015-16, but with major changes to how the program was run and who was running it.

Patrick Grandmaître was hired to lead the program out of the darkness, and I'd say he's done a masterful job with the conclusion of this season after some lean years. Solid recruiting, a commitment to principles, and hard work has Ottawa standing above all others this season! It's taken a decade, but the Ottawa Gee-Gees are back to being a highly-respect hockey program, and that's a credit to the decade of hard work this program has put into finding good, quality people who want to do better and be better in all they do.

We Should Go And Watch

Yes, you should go and watch if you have the means. The entrance costs to the tournament are fairly low, and the action is so good. While I don't have attendance for the tournament, the gold medal game at the Woolwich Memorial Centre was a solid 1482. It looked sold out on the CBC stream, and it helps that the local team was playing in the final. Either way, the crowds were pretty solid all weekend in Elmira, Ontario, so well done to the Waterloo Warriors for hosting a great tournament for teams and fans alike!

If you're wondering where the next tournaments will be held, you can start making plans for next season and beyond:

• 2026 - Elmira, Ontario with the Waterloo Warriors hosting.
• 2027 - Fredericton, New Brunswick with the UNB Reds hosting.
• 2028 - Halifax, Nova Scotia with the StFX X-Women hosting.

The bidding process hasn't opened for the 2029 tournament yet, but there are several schools and communities interested in hosting the event. I'm sure we'll hear more about this as we get closer to that year, but the next three tournaments have homes and hosts! Get down to one of those rinks if you can and cheer on the ladies who make this game so great! They appreciate the support!

The Very Last Word

Today's finals will bring the 2024-25 season to a close, and what a season it was. Congratulations to the Alberta Pandas, the Toronto Varsity Blues, the Bishop's Gaiters, and the StFX X-Women for winning their conferences! All four showed that it's not have one starts the season, but how one ends the season. To that degree, all will have a new tapestry hanging in their respective arenas next season!

35 teams started the season before that number was pared down to eight who would represent the four conferences at Nationals. From there, it was reduced to four, and then reduced against to two. On March 23, 2025, we found the one team who rose above all others this season as the Bishop's Gaiters claimed their first U SPORTS National Championship banner. It wasn't won easily as they rallied from being down in their opening game of Nationals and defeated the top-two teams in the country en route to victory, so credit where credit is due: the Gaiters earned this championship!

Most teams are near being done or are done recruiting, so there will be a new wave of talent joining the U SPORTS ranks next season. While the senior and graduating students leave their programs as icons, leaders, and stars both on and off the ice, the new generation brings with it hope and talent for each of the 35 teams when it comes to their future championship aspirations. It starts again in October.

To the players, study hard, crush your exams, work hard in the summer if you choose to, and we'll see you on the ice in the fall! For all the coaches, equipment managers, training staff, support staff, and officials, have a great summer, enjoy your well-deserved breaks, and we'll see everyone in the fall as well! You gave us five months of incredible hockey that was so much fun to watch and discuss, and I'm already looking forward to next season!

To all the fans who watched a game via a webstream, attended a rink to catch a game, cheered loudly when your team scored and won, offered encouragement during setbacks, and to anyone who stopped in here to read The Rundown, thank you for believing in these women and supporting them on their journeys that involve getting a top-notch education, making life-long friends, and playing a little stick-and-puck. As much as we cheer for them every weekend, they are student-athletes with the more important part coming first in that hyphenated word. We need to reminded of this every now and then.

It was a heckuva season, everyone. Deep breath. Exhale. Go enjoy your summer, and we'll see everyone again in October!

Until then, keep your sticks on the ice!