It's Been A Year

2025 is coming to a close today, and there have been lots of news stories and analyses done on players and leagues by a myriad of people this year. I want to end this year with two simple messages for the readers of this blog. There's nothing introspective nor profound about these two messages, but I think there's a significant shift that needs to happen when it comes to hockey. I say that because no matter what article from what year I read on this blog, the changes needed to make hockey better are happening at glacial speeds. In thinking about that, here are the two messages I'm taking into 2026 to try and make hockey better.

Be Present

The only way this sport gets better is through better communication, more transparency, more accountability, and an understanding that this game has miles to grow. It can be better if we make it better.

As I sit in the stands, I've heard lots of parents wonder aloud why their kid isn't playing more minutes. That's a question that parents have every right to ask, and coaches should give those parents the honest truth. Don't sugar-coat anything in the answer because clear communication and transparency builds trust. Parents need to understand that coaches set standards for their teams, and it's up to players and parents to meet those standards. All of this needs to be clearly communicated so that all players and parents understand what is expected, and parents need to hold the coaches accountable by demanding that transparency. The "why" should be obvious.

This goes up the chain through league organizers and officials as well. I'm not advocating for people to accuse organizers of having some sort of ulterior motive, but, if something seems off or is unclear, there should be questions asked. In a day and age where social media was supposed to bring people closer together, talking to one another civilly is now the biggest obstacle in communication. For teams and leagues to work better, communication is the key ingredient.

Again, if you get an answer you don't like or is unclear, ask for clarification. Coaches should be able to provide that effectively. They are coaches, after all, so instructions should be clear.

Coaches, if you get a question that you don't like, don't just shut down the person asking and walk away in a huff. Ask for clarification. Give direct, honest answers. You need that support to be successful!

I know it's easy to text people with everyone having a cell phone, but communication improves with face-to-face contact. Let's make that the norm for 2026 when it comes to interactions between people.

Go Explore

On December 31, 1995, Bill Watterson published his last new Calvin & Hobbes comic strip before retiring. He owns all the rights to the strip below, but I wanted to post if for the important message he wrote.

The crux of Calvin's message to Hobbes is that this is a new year with all sort of possibilities. Sure, it's likely that Calvin and Hobbes will still be having the same adventures, but the point is that the slate is wiped clean. I'm hoping hockey fans of all ages will do the same.

There's no doubt that the NHL gets the majority of TV time when it comes to hockey on television in North America, but there are so many good leagues and players that people aren't watching that really deserve some additional attention. I'm not just talking about professional hockey either, but amateur hockey and minor hockey in and around the cities in which we live. It's time to explore!

In 2024, I had my first opportunities to attend both an OHL game and an ECHL game, and I would go again if there was a team in either league near me. Lots of hockey fans lamented the loss of the WHL's Winnipeg Ice when they left, and I get that because it was fun hockey that one could go see for a relatively low price. Most major cities across Canada have U SPORTS men's and women's hockey teams, but virtually no one attends those games. Even some of the major minor-hockey tournaments often have up-and-coming stars playing in them. Why aren't we embracing these more? We should be doing that!

Just through the Female World Sport School Challenge alone, I've had the privilege of seeing Aerin Frankel, Jade Iginla, Sarah Potomak, Halli Krzyzaniak, Hannah Miller, Alexis Paddington, and Logan Angers all skate for their respective high school teams before they moved on to the NCAA and to the professional ranks. Seeing these women play as teenagers before fans were wearing their names on jerseys is something I cherish, and I feel fortunate that I got to see them play in that developmental era of their careers before they were stars.

I sat beside a woman in Sudbury who told me how important the Wolves were to her because she doesn't "need to be a millionaire to have season tickets to watch good hockey". In crossing paths with Fiona Quinn, you can tell how important Indiana Tech hockey and the Fort Wayne Komets are to her when it comes to fueling her passion for the game. In speaking with Courtney Kollman, it's easy to see that her talent has taken her places like Switzerland and Spain, but she's not pursuing a PWHL career because she loves all the benefits that come with playing in Europe. None of these women spoke of the NHL.

What I'm getting at is that there's more passion and less cutthroat business as you move further away from the NHL. Don't get me wrong in that the NHL will always be there as it's a billion-dollar industry on its own, but I think a lot of hockey fans and people would benefit from a perspective change once in a while to understand why the game of hockey matters more than the business of hockey. Amateur, minor, and European hockey are the former. The NHL is the latter.

In giving these two simple messages, they work hand-in-hand: be present and go explore. Far too often, I find myself in a routine that feels more like a rut when it comes to life, and I need a break from that monotony to restore my sanity. This is why HBIC doesn't sit here and analyze advanced stats and NHL games on a daily basis - I'd go completely insane. Or, according to some, just a little crazier.

Instead, I like to get out to events, games, and tournaments, and 2026 will hold a number of opportunities for me to do that. The Female World Sport School Challenge is back, and I'll be at those games. There's an exciting sledge hockey showdown happening in March where I'll be attending. There may even be a bigger opportunity in April that comes about if all the stars align right.

What I'm saying is that 2026 is a year where I plan on being more present and exploring more. And when it comes to being present, maybe that means a conversation with you at an event after you go exploring too. Thanks for reading all year, folks, and have a safe, fun, memorable New Year's Eve as we get set for fun in 2026!

Until next year, keep your sticks on the ice!

A Second Chance To Walk Away

The entire saga surrounding former hockey player Ben Johnson seems to have come to its predictable conclusion today after the ECHL's Allen Americans released him from the contract he signed yesterday. Thanks to the intense swell of public backlash, the Americans seem to have reconsidered their statements on "second chances" for Johnson who is a convicted rapist that spent time in jail in Canada for his crimes as he's one again a free agent. I have taken great care on this blog to explain why some people seem to get them, but the pictured Ben Johnson and his wife, Kate, are quickly erasing any chance of him having a professional hockey career again.

First, we'll jump back to 2013 where then-Windsor Spitfires player Ben Johnson was accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old and a 20-year-old in two separate alleged incidents. According to reports, "Windsor police say the 16-year-old victim identified the accused and says the alleged assault took place during St. Patrick's Day celebrations at a downtown establishment inside the women's washroom." Johnson denied the allegations levied against him, and the trial was set to take place in 2016 in Windsor, Ontario.

At that 2016 trial, "[t]he complainant testified she did not consent and the Crown argued she was so intoxicated that she wasn't capable of consent" while Justice Kirk Munroe, prior to handing down his conviction and sentence, told the then-22 year-old Johnson that "he found Johnson's testimony 'unbelievable' based on evidence provided by a sexual-assault nurse and multiple witnesses in the bar." Johnson is alleged to have forced oral and vaginal sex on the woman, leaving the girl bruised and vaginally bleeding after the encounter.

"You violated her. You injured her both physically and mentally," Justice Kirk Munroe told the former Windsor Spitfire during his sentencing. It was "forcible and criminal."

Judge Munroe ultimately sentenced Ben Johnson to three years in prison, noting in his sentencing that despite "all the things Johnson has going for him" - citing his age, this crime being his first conviction, his work ethic, and the support he had from his family and community, "[t]he weight to be given to this is diminished by the nature of the crime.” Just for balance the scales of justice, Judge Munroe also added, "This sentence is not to exact revenge."

Johnson appealed the ruling as "prominent Toronto lawyer James Lockyer" stated that "[t]he trial judge erred ... by improperly making a finding of fabrication," but the appeal was dismissed. As a result, Johnson was forced to serve his conviction, spennding one month in jail in Windsor and 12 months in prison in Kingston, Ontario.

To recap the above, Johnson committed a violent crime on a non-consenting woman, was charged and found guilty of that crime, appealed that crime and had that appeal dismissed by a court, and, ultimately, spent 13 months in Canadian jails for his crime. He also had to register as a sex offender in Canada, but I'll note that Canada and the United States don't share sex offender registries which is convenient for Johnson since he's living in his native USA once again.

He's tried to restart his career a few times over the last number of years. He spent 104 games with the ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones, 53 games with the Kansas City Monarchs, and the past three seasons with teams in Slovakia as he attempts to find some sort of hockey career once more. The ECHL's Adirondack Thunder signed him on November 18, took a metric ton of public backlash, and released him less than 24 hours later. He then proceeded told Mark Falkner of The Detroit News on December 19 that he had "learned lessons the hard way" and was seeking a second chance to play in the National Hockey League which, oddly, has teams on both sides of the border.

Johnson claims that he rediscovered his faith while sitting in a Windsor jail cell. He told Falkner about his experience, stating,

"I was weeping uncontrollably and I thought, 'What's going on in my life?' That's when I saw a book on the floor and on the cover it said, 'Redemption.' I started reading Genesis 37 and all of a sudden, I really understood that this book is alive and powerful. ... I know that God is speaking directly to my soul in this book."

Allow me to editorialize a little here, but part of my disbelief in this entire story is that usually there's some act of confession and repenting one's sins, and it seems like Johnson missed that part. This is a man who is still denying the conviction he was given, calling the events from the night of his crime "things that were alleged to have happened" in his story to Falkner. At some point, if he's seeking a second chance, he has to be accountable for his actions.

I talk a lot about earning second chances, and I truly believe this is applicable in life. One never gets a second chance to make a good first impression, and the public became aware of Ben Johnson through the details of his crimes during his count trial where he was convicted of raping a woman. That's the first impression the public has of him, and he's going to have wear that label forever until he takes accountability for his actions, shows growth through tangible learning and genuine change, and by keeping his mouth shut about the opportunities he feels he deserves. You don't any second chances, Ben, if you don't earn them. It's really that simple.

This entire ordeal now has me questioning the vetting that Americans General Manager Steve Martinson did when it came to signing Johnson. Martinson spoke about giving second chances, saying,

"Since Ben's incident when he was 18 years old, he has become a man of faith, a husband, and a father of two," Martinson had said in a statement.

"The easy thing for us to do would be to not sign this player, but we believe in second chances, and we believe Ben is a man committed to using his situation as a learning opportunity for others.

"In his time with both the Kansas City Mavericks and Cincinnati Cyclones in our league, Ben was regarded as a good teammate and someone that has reformed his life."

Using hearsay as justification for a second chance is hardly the evidence that Martinson should be seeking in this case. Yes, Johnson is married and has kids, but he was also married during the trial when he was convicted. How does that change anything when it comes to accountability, showing change, and being a better human being?

Of course, his chances of ever being contacted by an NHL team likely took a serious hit when he he wrote on Instagram last week, "When I look at the NHL, I see a league that has the image of unity and all inclusive but when I take a peek underneath the surface, what I really see is a league that is pro cancel and pro silencing."

Before getting too pious, I'd like to remind Mr. Johnson that all five men in the 2018 Hockey Canada trial are playing professional hockey somewhere right now. I'd like to remind him that all of Dino Ciccarelli, Geoff Courtnall, Neil Sheehy, and Scott Stevens played long careers in the NHL after they were accused of raping a 17 year-old in a limo. I'd like to remind him that Reid Boucher is still playing in the KHL after he assaulted a 12-year-old girl as a 17 year-old. I'd like to remind him that Evander Kane is still playing in the NHL after being accused of sexual assault. Twice. And there are more.

The NHL doesn't have "pro cancel and pro silencing" problem - it has a "do anything to win" problem. If Johnson was doing the work by educating himself about the crime he committed and being accountable for his actions, I'd give him an inch of leeway and say that the NHL does have a cancel culture when it comes to inclusivity. The NHL cancelled Pride Nights because of a few players speaking out. Now, there are no Pride Nights. There is no rainbow tape.

Those were cancelled despite the NHL trying to grasp every molecule of momentum off the TV show Heated Rivalry which features two gay hockey players. The NHL won't come right out and tell you that this show is helping to potentially bring in fans that they alienated with their short-sightedness, but this "image of unity and all inclusive" that Johnson sees is about as far from the truth as one can get.

Frankly, the Allen Americans stepped into a deep vat of manure when they signed Johnson because the backlash that the Adirondack Thunder took once month earlier should have been all the reasons why they needed to steer clear of signing Johnson. For whatever reason he can try to rationalize, Americans GM Steve Martinson wore his hip waders into that vat of manure, and they deserved all the backlash they took. Terminating the contract 24 hours later was the right move to make, but it won't wash the stink off the Americans or off Martinson. That will now take some significant time.

As for Johnson, take your baggage and your whining about cancel culture elsewhere. You're a 31 year-old convicted rapist. You're not some pariah that the hockey world is targeting. Any efforts to change that impression just got a lot harder with the whining about cancel culture when many men who have been accused of rape and/or sexual assault are playing professional hockey.

The difference between those players and yourself? You were convicted, Ben Johnson. Your appeal in that case was denied. Now, second chances will have all but dried up with this last outburst on social media, and you only have one person to blame for that.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

First Out Of The Tournament Again

If you look at the picture to the left, there's something significant about that image. That picture was taken with 5:18 to play after Sparta Praha went up 2-1 on Canada when Filip Chlapík scored from former Winnipeg Jets forward Kristian Vesalainen, and you may notice that there's only one white jersey in the entire picture. Far be it for me to suggest that's how Canada played this entire Spengler Cup tournament, but scoring just two goals in two losses when they had a chance to earn the bye pretty much sums up the entire problem with Canada's player selection process for the Spengler Cup. Canada's first out at the tournament for the second-straight year, and it might be time to start asking the hard questions about why Canada has become also-rans in Davos, Switzerland.

I'm not here to question heart or passion from the men who pulled the Canada jerseys on in Davos, but the roster didn't leave me much hope when it came to scoring goals in bunches. San Diego's Nikolas Brouillard pushed the offence from the blue line and Rockford's Brett Seney looked good for most shifts, but what this team had for effort was lost in speed up and down the ice. As we see in most hockey games, speed creates scoring opportunities. Team Canada had none.

This team played 180 minutes of hockey. Outside of a ten-minute span against the US Collegiate Selects where they scored three times, Canada looked like it was back on its heels most shifts. Canada never led again in the tournament, being outscored by HC Davos and HC Sparta Praha by a combined 9-2 score, surrendering eight of those goals in the third periods against those two teams when games were tied. Those results suggest a bigger problem with this team, and history will show Canada going home earlier than they wanted. Again.

I'm not sure why Canada asked Michel Therrien to coach this team either. The last time he was a head coach was in 2016-17 with the Montreal Canadiens. He worked as an assistant coach in Philadelphia for three seasons before being fired, but he had spent more time out of hockey than in it when he was announced as Team Canada's head coach. Giving him a roster that was already thin on scoring didn't look good, but Canada scoring just five times in three games while giving up 11 goals reinforces how his systems aren't suited for the big ice.

General Manager Marc Bergevin should likely be dismissed as well since this roster and the coaching staff never really found their game. Bergevin had lots of options for coaches that could have produced, at worst, the same results, but he desperately needed a coach who could squeeze every last bit of talent and effort out of the Canadian roster for at least three games. Names like Pete DeBoer and Gardiner MacDougall would have been better choices while coaches like Dave Tippett, Jay Woodcroft, and Bruce Boudreau likely would have accepted the opportunity. I'm not sure if any were asked.

One has to wonder why Canada wasn't more aggressive in bringing in younger and higher-scoring players like Gregor McLeod who is fourth in DEL in scoring, defender Alex Breton who leads all DEL defenders in scoring, or forward Samuel Dove-Falls who has a ton of speed and 14 goals in the DEL. Maxime Fortier is third in scoring in Finland's Liiga for SaiPa while Alex Beaucage is tied for sixth in scoring with Lukko. Defender David Quenneville is tied for seventh in SHL scoring while former Canadiens forward Charles Hudon has 22 points in 29 games in the SHL. There were lots of good players who could have been asked to play for Canada, but we'll never know if they were or not.

Look, some of this is written out of frustration after watching Canada implode today, but today's game was tied at 1-1 with 6:53 to play before Canada lost 5-1. Canada and Davos were tied 1-1 with 15 minutes to play before Davos scored three goals to win 4-1. Maybe it was the altitude where some players just lost their legs. Maybe it was bigger ice than on what the AHL guys were used to playing. Whatever the case, Canada scored two goals in 150 minutes of action while giving up 11 in the same span, and their tournament is officially over.

The Spengler Cup used to be a tournament in which Canadian players wanted to play and took pride in being asked to play for their country. Make no mistake that every single player and coach in the Canadian room today likely had that pride as well, but I'm wondering what kind of work is being done to bring the best Canadian players from across Europe to Davos for one week of hockey fun. Some of the guys who played this year likely should be included on that list, but the players mentioned above either not being released, opting not to play, or simply not being asked is proving that something is broken with how Canada builds its annual team for the Spengler Cup.

Do we need some sort of major change? Possibly, but perhaps Jason was right on The Hockey Show when it suggested that a U SPORTS team should go over and play as Team Canada. Send the top-ranked team in men's hockey over as a reward for their solid season thus far, and let's see how they play. If that was to happen, the UBC Thunderbirds men's team would be in Davos right now, and dare I say they probably would have scored more than five goals in three games.

I'll still be watching the remainder of the 2025 Spengler Cup, but there's less to cheer for now with Canada out. For those needing some sort of carrot to chase, we can still see one of Davos try to capture it's 17th championship, Fribourg-Gottéron defend its championship, Sparta Praha try to win a third Spengler Cup, or the US Collegiate Selects shock the world with a Spengler Cup title. Having Canada eliminated first today really sucks, and it will be 52 more weeks before we'll know if Canada's going to be a contender again.

The semifinals go tomorrow before the final is played on Wednesday. It will still be a fun finish this year, but with less national pride.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Rundown - The Playoff Picture

We are firmly entrenched in the holiday season, exams are over, players are preparing for the second half of the season, and teams will be looking at their schedules when it comes to where they need to make up ground, win key games, and potentially lock up playoff spots. The Canada West season has given us just one team who already knows they'll be playing in late February, so there are opportunities for eight other teams to make a push in this second half. Today, we'll look at what each team needs to do to lock up a playoff spot, which teams need some help to make it to the playoffs, and the magic number needed by each team to claim a playoff spot. Not every team will have a magic number based on their standing, but we'll break out the advanced math here on The Rundown!

Standing: 1st-place West
Math: Zero (clinched)
Record: 16-1-1-0 (34 points)

UBC is the lone team who has already clinched a playoff spot, so they get the luxury of being able to rest players as they see fit. That might not be in their best interest, however, as they added an international star over the break by signing Russian forward Ilona Markova who was drafted by PWHL's Boston Fleet last season. The catch here will be finding players who complement Markova's playing style as she can be an aggressive goal scorer. Whether Markova is game-ready is also a question as she took a year off from hockey, but the Thunderbirds have the entire second half of the season to get her ready for a run at another Canada West banner. It's never a negative to add more scoring punch, and Markova could take pressure of Elliott's line.

Standing: 1st-place East
Math: Six games
Record: 9-3-5-1 (29 points)

You might be asking how the math is six games, but if both assuming all of Mount Royal, Saskatchewan, and Regina open their second half with wins, the Alberta cats will officially clinch with six wins as Regina will run short in games when it comes to catching Mount Royal. Any other combination of Mount Royal wins and Regina losses totalling six games will allow Mount Royal to clinch. Did I mentioned that Mount Royal and Regina play one another in the fifth and sixth games back after the break? Mount Royal could clinch a playoff spot on home ice depending on how each fares to open the second half of the season. Regina has Calgary, Alberta at home, and Mount Royal to deal with while Mount Royal hosts UBC, visits Saskatchewan, and welcomes Regina to their barn. Mount Royal still has work to do.

Standing: 2nd-place East
Math: Two wins plus six games
Record: 10-4-1-3 (25 points)

As stated above, the Calgary Dinos have work to do right in the opening games of the second half as they host the Regina Cougars. If they can earn the full four points on that weekend, all they need to do is find any other combination of wins and Regina losses totalling six games, and they clinch a playoff spot. If they were to lose or split those two games, things could get more complicated for the Dinos as they visit UBC, have a bye, and then play the Crowchild Classic against the Cougars. Those two games against Mount Royal could be must-win games depending on what other teams do, but they should already be must-win if the Dinos want to bump Mount Royal from first-place in the division. Like Mount Royal, the Dinos still have a lot of work to do in the second half if they want to host playoff games.

Standing: 2nd-place West
Math: Six games
Record: 7-6-0-5 (19 points)

First-place in the West is likely out of the question despite the math saying there's a chance. That being said, Alberta is playing for second-place and a chance to host the crossover team from the East. With MacEwan back eight points, any combination of Alberta wins and MacEwan losses totalling six games will give the Pandas entry into the Canada West playoffs. It seems as though the battle for second-place will come down to the wire with Trinity Western, but the Pandas and Spartans will not see each other again this season. Therefore, they'll need some help from the Spartans' opponents if they hope to claim second-place in the West. For the Pandas, it's all about winning.

Standing: 3rd-place East
Math: Four wins plus five games
Record: 5-6-3-2 (18 points)

The Huskies have two key divisional matchups they have to win if they want to clinch a playoff spot: they need to sweep Manitoba at home in the first week back, and they need to sweep the home-and-home on January 30 and 31 against Regina. Splitting either or both series isn't the end of the world, but they need help if those results are recorded. If they do sweep both series, any combination of Huskies wins and Cougars losses totalling five games will give push the Huskies into the playoffs. Saskatchewan does play in Calgary against the Dinos and at home against Mount Royal to finish the season, so winning as many games before February starts should be the goal for the Huskies. If they do that, they're playoff bound.

Standing: 3rd-place West
Math: Four wins over MacEwan
Record: 3-9-5-1 (17 points)

The Spartans can do themselves a huge favour by sweeping the MacEwan Griffins in the first weekend back on the ice. They can lock up a playoff spot if they do the same in the first week of February as the Griffins won't have enough games left to make up the point difference. The Spartans struggled going into the December break with five-straight losses, so jumping into the win column in January against the team chasing them would do a world of good. Of course, the remaining games against Manitoba, UBC, and Regina could very well determine if the Spartans will host playoff games. However, focusing on beating MacEwan four times puts them in the playoffs.

Standing: 4th-place East
Math: Two key sweeps plus help
Record: 3-8-2-3 (13 points)

The only way that the Regina Cougars make the playoffs at this rate is to sweep both the Huskies and Bisons in their second-half series, and to grab as many points off of Calgary, Alberta, Mount Royal, and Trinity Western. Even then, they may still need help from other teams. Regina entered the December break on a six-game slide where they were shutout three times and scored just six goals - five of which came against Manitoba. The Cougars need to simplify their game, get pucks and bodies to the net, and start denting twine if they want to play into late February. Sweeping those series against Saskatchewan and Manitoba would put them right back into the thick of the race. Anything less might result in a longer offseason.

Standing: 5th-place East
Math: Three key sweeps plus help
Record: 2-8-2-4 (12 points)

It's hard to play from behind all season and expect to win many games, so the Bisons need to prove that they belong in the playoffs by scoring first, scoring more, and winning key games. They can do that with a sweep in Saskatoon to start the second half, earning a sweep against MacEwan, and sweeping Regina on the road. Those twelve points would put them back in the race, but the wins over the Huskies and Griffins are vital for the wins against the Cougars to even matter. Taking points off the Spartans, the Pandas, and the Dinos would also help, but sweeping the teams that the Bisons should beat are key to their postseason hopes. Otherwise, see you next season.

Standing: 4th-place West
Math: Four wins over TWU plus help
Record: 2-12-2-2 (10 points)

No team is out of the race at this point, and MacEwan has a chance to earn eight points against a team that has a seven-point edge on them. That alone should be enough motivation for the Griffins to throw everything they have at this second half, but sweeping the Bisons would put all sorts of pressure on both Alberta and Trinity Western. Like Manitoba, MacEwan has to start scoring first more often and score a pile more goals for insurance in those games, but they have shown they can defend well and have solid netminding to earn wins. It's still a longshot for them to make the playoffs, but if they can put it all together in the second half we may have our first Griffins sighting in the Canada West playoffs! It's still possible!

The Three-Point World

In a perfect world, Canada West would be using the three-point system for regulation wins while playing as one conference, so let's take a look at how the standings would look if they had implemented that system this season. Note the differences in point totals.

CANADA WEST WOMEN'S HOCKEY

School	Record	Points	3pt Points	Div. Rank
UBC	16-1-1-0	34	50	1st in West
Mount Royal	9-3-5-1	29	38	1st in East
Calgary	10-4-1-3	25	35	2nd in East
Alberta	7-6-0-5	19	26	2nd in West
Saskatchewan	5-6-3-2	18	23	3rd in East
Trinity Western	3-9-5-1	17	20	3rd in East
Regina	3-8-2-3	13	16	4th in East
Manitoba	2-8-2-4	12	14	5th in East
MacEwan	2-12-2-2	10	12	4th in East

There's zero change in the standings as you can see, but the reward for winning in regulation time is significant in a number of occasions. Note that Mount Royal and Calgary are currently separated by four points (two wins), but Calgary only trails by three points (one regulation win) when the standings shift to the three-point system. Additionally, Alberta has a mere two-point lead on Trinity Western currently, but it jumps to a six-point lead (two regulation wins) in the three-point system. This is significant for two reasons.

Rewarding teams for losing means nothing once a team hits the playoffs. Trinity Western has gathered 11 of its 17 points this season in overtime or the skills competition (3-1 in OT; 2-0 in the shootout), but they sit two points back of Alberta who have seven regulation wins. While no one is faulting the Spartans for battling to a conclusion, Alberta should be rewarded for winning in regulation more than Trinity Western who recorded five wins in extra time.

The same goes true for Saskatchewan who would boast a seven-point margin over Regina thanks to winning more games in regulation time. It also closes the gap between Mount Royal and Calgary as Calgary has more wins in regulation time. Winning in sixty minutes should mean something more if the losing team gains a point in an extra time loss.

Secondly, it's time to abolish the shootout entirely because it means nothing. If neither team earns a victory in regulation time, both get a point. If both sides fail to score after a ten-minute overtime period, they both LOSE the opportunity for an extra point. Extra time losses and ties would be worth the same amount in the standings, but no team would take home that key third point in the game. Hockey games are won and lost by teams, not breakaway competitions.

At some point, common sense will make the Canada West standings make better sense. These are easy fixes that should be implemented sooner than later so that good teams are rewarded for hard work.

The Last Word

We're four days from starting a new calendar. With 2025 coming to an end, we're leaving behind the Alberta Pandas hanging another banner in Clare Drake Arena, the Bishop's Gaiters winning their first U SPORTS National Championship, Grace Elliott's assault on the UBC and Canada West record books, and Elise Hugens setting new goaltending records. 2026 will see another banner awarded to the Canada West champions, another Golden Path Trophy awarded to the best team in Canadian university women's hockey, and a reset in the fall when all nine teams begin their quests for glory and championships again.

Happy New Year, folks. Canada West hockey's back in two weeks!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

An Alleged Felon Or A Cry For Help?

I have spent the last couple of days reading up on all the happenings in the ECHL's current labour battle with games having been postponed as of yesterday afternoon. Admittedly, I think Jason and I hit on all the topics on The Hockey Show on Thursday, and I know I wrote a lot about what seemed to be the major points of contention on Monday. Today, though, a new wrinkle emerged in the ownership ranks as it seems one team owner might be in a lot of hot water legally, and this could certainly affect the operation of one franchise named the Allen Americans. You may notice some additions to their logo above.

In 2023, former NFL linebacker Myles Jack became the new majority owner of the Allen Americans after retiring in August of 2023. This was a big moment as Jack became the first African-American owner of a professional hockey team, so it appeared he was working towards building a successful second career as he also bought minority stakes in the the Jacksonville Icemen and Savannah Ghost Pirates with the Zawyer Sports and Entertainment Group.

However, eight days ago, Myles Jack was arrested by the Frisco Police Department after officers responded to a Denton County, Texas residence for "a welfare concern". Upon arriving, the police officers heard gunshots from inside the residence, and Jack allegedly broke a second-story window and fell out of the residence through that broken window where he was taken into custody and transported to a neaby hospital for non-serious injuries related to his fall.

A search of the residence found no one else inside, so the police were forced to arrest Jack for "charges of deadly conduct, including the third-degree felony of discharge of a firearm and the Class-A misdemeanor of discharge of a firearm in certain municipalities." Jack posted the $100,000 bond to be released from jail, but the investigation by the Frisco Police Department continues.

What concerns me the most about this story is that Myles Jack was alone with a gun in his home early in the morning. This entire situation feels like the Junior Seau story where the former NFL linebacker took his own life after a gunshot wound to the chest. It was later found that Seau suffered from CTE according to "five brain specialists consulted by the National Institutes of Health".

I want to be clear that I'm not saying that Myles Jack is suffering from CTE, but the similarities between Seau's tragic ending and what Jack was doing last Friday are hard to ignore. The fact that both men played linebacker in the NFL is also a significant similarity.

Forget his ownership stakes in ECHL teams for a moment, but if Myles Jack is truly suffering from CTE he needs to seek help immediately. There would be other symptoms that may present about which we have no information - mood swings, memory fogginess, tremors or uncontrolled shaking - but it feels like the police's arrival at Jack's residence when they did may have averted a tragedy. After all, no one was in the house and he was discharging a weapon randomly - that alone raises suspicions on his mental state that morning.

My hope is that Myles Jack will have a thorough examination by a doctor with training in concussion treatments and CTE, but I suspect this won't even be considered by him or anyone in his immediate circle of advisors. It would seem that he's headed towards a felony conviction based on the evidence that the Frisco Police Department has shared, but I'll let the investigation conclude before issuing a ruling in the court of public opinion because it doesn't look good.

I may side with the players in this ECHL labour dispute, but it's hard not to have empathy for a guy who may be suffering quietly with CTE. I certainly could be wrong and he may have thought that playing with guns early on a Friday morning before the holidays was a good way to pass the time, but I'd rather be overcautious when it comes to CTE diagnoses. Getting checked is the only way to be sure.

Again, I hope that Myles Jack gets a thorough examination by a doctor because owning the ECHL's Allen Americans doesn't mean he needs to be part of the gun crime statistics that plague America.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Avoiding All The Malls

I've never understood the need to go shopping the day after Christmas. Boxing Day is normally when a lot of stuff, including boxes, makes its way out to the recycle bins and garbage bins, but the idea of going to get more stuff after receiving gifts the day before makes no sense to me. I would hope that there are no sales bigger than Rome considering how large that city is, but there are clearly those who enjoy the rush of getting that deal that my brain just doesn't comprehend. I found it funny when it was suggested that a larger TV might be needed through a Boxing Day sale with all the hockey that will be on this weekend because even that seems ludicrous when it comes the season of giving we just went through. Of course, if you're one of those people who need to engage in Boxing Day shopping, I wish the best, but I'll be at home watching international hockey all day!

The Spegler Cup's opening game between HC Fribourg-Gottéron and HC Sparta Praha was a solid start to the tournament as Fribourg-Gottéron began its title defence with a 5-2 win. Goaltender Rito Berra was sharp while Attilio Biasca was the surprise star of the game with a pair of goals through 38 minutes to stake Fribourg-Gottéron to a 2-0 lead. Biasca has nine goals through 29 games this season, so having him step up is a good sign for the Dragons. It was 4-0 before Praha found a goal with ten minutes to play by Pavel Kousal, but Fribourg-Gottéron earned three points in the 5-2 victory.

The first game at the IIHF World Junior Championship was far more entertaining that I thought it was going to be as Sweden and Slovakia met at the Grand Casino Arena (that's a terrible name, by the way). A scoreless first period where Slovakia started slow and looked better as the period went on led into the second period where Anton Frondell put the Swedes up 1-0 before Victor Eklund made it a 2-0 on the power-play. With five seconds to play in the middle frame, Slovakia would get on the board as Tomas Pobezal scored on the power-play to send it to the third period with Sweden up 2-1!

It seemed like the unlikely may happen when Slovakia tied the game at the 10:55 mark when Tobias Tomik scored, but Sweden would score with 3:57 to play when Ivar Stenberg found twine to make it 3-2 Sweden, and that's how this game would finish. Honestly, Slovakia deserved a better fate than zero points in this game after hanging with the Swedes who, on paper, should have won this game handily, but that's why the games are played. Slovakia showed that teams who are ready for the challenge have a shot in this tournament!

The Spengler Cup version of Team Canada took the ice this afternoon against the US Collegiate Selects, and I don't think anyone knew what to expect from the university-aged kids. I'll fully admit that I was wrong in watching this team because they impressed me despite not scoring enough today. Canada scored three times in 6:41 in the second period to take a 3-0 lead in this game, but everything after the midway point of this game felt like the US Collegiate Selects team was in control of this game as they looked, at times, dominant.

I'll fully admit that I was wrong about this US team not being able to generate enough offence against the professional players because after Jack Musa made it 3-2 with just oer ten minutes to play, it was tense every time the US team came down the ice. Once they settled into the game, their players were flying, attacking with speed and purpose, making good passes and decisions, and defended as tenaciously as any other team in the tournament. Canada would win this game by that 3-2 score, but no one should sleep on this US Collegiate Selects team because they are as deep and talented as the other five teams in the tournament. And they play Davos tomorrow.

Team USA is currently battling Germany at the World Junior Championship and Team Canada has a big challenge ahead of them in Czechia, so I'm going to watch those games. I didn't watch the Finland-Denmark game that Finland won 6-2, but it looked like the Finns were in control in that game. I was invested in Canada's Spengler Cup game at that point, so my allegiance to the flag won out over a Nordic hockey battle. Sorry, Finns and Danes.

It's the most wonderful time of the year, as Andy Williams told us, as hockey is seemingly on TV for more than 12 hours per day! Enjoy the Spengler Cup and the IIHF World Junior Championship, folks!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Hockey Show - Episode 692

The Hockey Show, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is back on the biggest day of the Christian calendar as we have a Christmas show! There are two major tournaments starting tomorrow, so there will need to be some discussion on those tournaments and some of the details baked into them. There's also a very good chance that a North American hockey league will pause games tomorrow due to CBA negotiations falling apart, so our hosts have lots to talk about on this Christmas Day. We don't expect you to cut out of family dinner, but if you're waiting for it to hit the table, turn the radio on, tune in, and listen to some hockey chatter tonight on The Hockey Show at 5:30pm CT!

Tonight, Teebz and Jason kick things off by talking about how focusing on Team Canada's goal song at the World Junior Championship is just dumb. Following that, they focus on the finances of the World Junior Championship when it comes to where the money goes, the Spengler Cup rosters and players you may recognize from the other teams, and they talk about the potential ECHL strike that seems almost certain to begin tomorrow on Boxing Day. For a fun and festive day, there are some serious topics to be discussed, so make sure you settle in around the radio or internet device 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 song importance, big money, shared profits, European hockey, familiar names, failing negotiations, potential strikes, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the UMFM.com web stream!

PODCAST: December 25, 2025: Episode 692

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

In Honour Of John Hughes

There's something special behind the movies of John Hughes when one considers how beloved his films are. Whether it's Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Uncle Buck, or The Breakfast Club, there's humanity in all of his movies that not many other writers have captured in their time. Losing Hughes in 2009 was a big loss for the film industry because he was so good at finding the human story in the comedies he wrote, and it might be a long time before we see a writer as good as him again. With it being Christmas eve today, I don't usually write baout filmmakers in any way, but something caught my attention today when Christmas Vacation was on TV, and that was the use of hockey jerseys in two of Hughes' most prominent films.

The scene in Christmas Vacation is the one to the right where Clark Griswold, played by Chevy Chase, is standing in his living room while wearing a customized Chicago Blackhawks jersey. It dawned on me that Hughes had also used a hockey jersey in another one of his more famous films, and that was on Cameron Frye, played by Alan Ruck, in Ferris Bueller's Day Off as he wore a Detroit Red Wings jersey with Howe on the back. With both of these John Hughes films set in Chicago, it seemed odd that Cameron would be wearing the colours of the Red Wings when Hughes seemingly had a soft spot for the Windy City in his heart. That led me down a rabbit hole tonight as I was wrapping gifts, but the answer was found with John Hughes' son, James, who spoke about the fascination with hockey that his dad had in a 2013 article he wrote for Grantland.

Unbeknownst to me, John Hughes developed a love of hockey during his childhood in Michigan. As James wrote in the Grantland article, "... it was his hometown Wings that first captured his imagination — intensified, as he often told us, by the fact that when he visited the dentist as a kid, he’d occasionally spot Red Wings in the waiting room. The work they were about to endure in the dentist’s chair most likely made a couple minutes in the Olympia Stadium penalty box feel like paradise. The encounters were a sobering reminder of the players’ sacrifice for the community. He was hooked."

That seems to explain the Gordie Howe jersey in Ferris Bueller's Day Off despite the Red Wings being an archrival in the NHL of the Chicago Blackhawks - it's a bit of an homage to his childhood. Being that Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a bit of a coming-of-age story for the characters in the film, I can accept Alan Ruck wearing the winged wheel throughout Chicago and not getting yelled at for his clothing.

For those that don't know, the story of Christmas Vacation came from a short story that Hughes had published in the National Lampoon magazine in 1980 that was titled “Christmas ‘59”. In reading the story, a lot of the elements from Christmas Vacation are baked into it despite needing a little massaging, but one has to wonder if Clark and, earlier in the movie, Rusty wearing the Blackhawks jerseys was a nod to John Hughes' sons who grew up as Blackhawks fans.

Again, James Hughes writes in the Grantland piece,

"My brother and I remain Hawks fans for life, though we were always mindful that our father could never quite shake the deep impression the Red Wings made on his childhood, the first 13 years of which were spent in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. The Blackhawks were the team he chose to follow as an Illinoisan, and his ratio of attendance between games in Chicago versus games in Detroit must have been at least a hundred to one — though that one time was Game 4 of the 1997 Stanley Cup finals. When Steve Yzerman skated a well-earned victory lap around Joe Louis Arena, my father was there, in the second row."

Being that the Blackhawks hadn't won a Stanley Cup since 1961, working Blackhawks jerseys into the 1989 film seems like a John Hughes thing as he shared in their anguish over the NHL team's struggles as his adopted team. Hughes had moved as a teenager with his family to Chicago in Grade Seven, and, with Hughes having two sons - James and John III - who were Blackhawks fans around that age in 1989, it seems only appropriate that Dad would add the Blackhawks jerseys into the movie just as he did with Cameron Frye.

Maybe that's a stretch in terms of how John Hughes' love of hockey and filmmaking intersected, but there was almost a second time the Blackhawks got into a John Hughes movie as James notes that Uncle Buck almost had a Chicago Blackhawks scene in that film. He writes,

"I recall my father explaining that a character was going to ask Buck what the greatest moment of his life was, and it would cut to him making a shot during the Blackhawks' 'Shoot the Puck' contest, held between periods at every home game. If Candy made the shot, perhaps they'd use the footage in the final cut. He didn't prevail, despite the overwhelming encouragement from the crowd. When I found an album of production photographs documenting that game, which I attended, it was like finding the blueprint to a dream."

Look, this was a long-winded article about hockey jerseys that appeared in movies, but today is a day for family which is the overall arc in every John Hughes film. Whether it be Christmas Vacation, Uncle Buck, or Ferris Bueller's Day Off, there's always an element of a family coming together when it seems like everything is falling apart, and that's what this festive season is all about: family coming together. It's Christmas Eve, after all, and everyone should be with the ones they love tonight and tomorrow. That's the Christmas spirit.

In saying that, I am going to finish wrapping presents tonight before getting to bed for what should be a fun-filled day with family tomorrow as good food is shared, great gifts are exchanged, and some new core memories are made. While Uncle Buck was the black sheep of the family, he proved his importance. While the Griswolds went through a pile of crises, that family came together. And when Ferris Bueller needed an assist, it was his sister, Jeanie, who helped him escape Principal Ed Rooney. That's the importance of family.

Find your family this season, be grateful for their love, share in their joy, and be warmed by their embrace. That's the true blessing of season! Merry Christmas from me and HBIC to you and yours if you celebrate, and Happy Holidays to those who may be celebrating one of many other holidays and observances this season. Joy to the world!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Canada's Spengler Roster

It's that magical time of year when hockey players from across Europe and North America come together in Switzerland under the Hockey Canada logo. With sponsor logos strewn across the jerseys, the Spengler Cup will begin on December 26 as Canada looks to win its 17th championship since 1984, and this year's roster has some interesting names on the roster. It's always fun to see who is playing where in Europe when it comes to the other teams' rosters, but today's article will focus solely on the Canadian roster that will compete in Davos next week. Who did Canadian management contact for a trip to the Swiss Alps? Let's find out.

I've broken down the positions into three tables for each of the groups of players. This will allow for better discussion on each of the strengths and weaknesses of those groups with a focus on certain players. In saying that, here is Team Canada's Spengle Cup roster!

Forwards

No.	Name	Team	G	A	GP	Highest Lvl
4	Jonathan Hazen	HC Ajoie	6	4	27	AHL
12	Graeme Clark	Hershey	6	4	25	AHL
16	Tanner Fritz	Rapperswil	5	15	35	NHL
18	Mason Shaw	Manitoba	6	12	28	NHL
19	Andy Andreoff	ZSC Lions	2	1	19	NHL
22	Jean-Luc Foudy	Iowa	2	7	29	AHL
27	Derek Grant	ZSC Lions	6	5	13	NHL
62	Brett Seney	Rockford	9	21	29	NHL
76	Nate Schnarr	Kölner Haie	11	18	29	AHL
90	Anthony Richard	Lehigh Valley	8	10	25	AHL
91	Tyler Morley	EHC Kloten	5	10	24	AHL
92	Michael Sgarbossa	Lugano	9	9	26	AHL
93	Matthew Peca	Springfield	4	14	26	NHL
96	Drake Caggiula	Lausanne	14	10	30	NHL

No one is going to look at Canada's roster and be able to circle one or two players who can be stopped when it comes to stopping Canada. This is a team that will score by committee and who should not struggle to find the back of the net if they do what this team appears to be built to do: work hard. Head coach Michel Therrien has always stressed a blue-collar approach to the game where hard work makes talent even better, and this squad appears to have their lunchboxes ready. I'll be very curious in seeing who plays with whom.

Defenders

No.	Name	Team	G	A	GP	Highest Lvl
2	Nolan Allan	Rockford	2	4	27	NHL
??	Joe Hicketts	Ontario	3	9	27	AHL
15	Nikolas Brouillard	San Diego	1	8	28	AHL
20	Calen Addison	Utica	2	7	21	NHL
21	Jake Livingstone	Charlotte	1	4	16	AHL
26	Gabriel Chicoine	Vlci Zilina	4	13	22	ECHL
63	Trent Bourque	JYP	2	9	30	AHL
64	Jesse Graham	HK Nitra	1	5	5	AHL

Again, this isn't going to be a flashy defence with all sorts of offensive punch against whom opposing coaches have to strategize. This group will move the puck, play solid defence, work hard to clear their zone, and add some punch from the blue line when possible. There's a lot of leadership on this unit, so I expect the defensive group to set the tone for work ethic on this Canadian team.

Goaltenders

No.	Name	Team	Record	GAA	sv%	Highest Lvl
31	Connor Hughes	Lausanne	12-5-0	2.31	.915	AHL
33	Taylor Gauthier	Wheeling	2-1-0	1.34	.941	ECHL
47	James Reimer	unsigned	n/a	n/a	n/a	NHL

Before anyone gets excited about a former NHL goalie being on this team, I want to be clear that Connor Hughes is likely the starter for good reason. Hughes is having a solid season in the Swiss League already, and he likely knows the Davos team well. James Reimer is an interesting selection to play for Canada because he's not playing anywhere right now since being released from his PTO with the Maple Leafs, but he should provide capable netminding when his number is called. Taylor Gauthier may not see much action, but this could be a chance for him to show Hockey Canada that he should be on their radar for the future. The crease, though, seems like Hughes' to lose.

There are some very good teams coming to Davos on December 26, so we'll see how Canada does. They play on Boxing Day against the US Collegiate Selects team made up of NCAA players, and you can catch that game at 2pm ET on TSN5. The winner will advance to Sunday's game against Davos while the losing team plays on Saturday against Davos. The Saturday game is at 2pm ET on TSN2 while the Sunday game is on TSN5 at 2pm ET. The other pool sees games played at 9am with Friday's game between Fribourg-Gottéron and Sparta Praha found on TSN5, Saturday's game for the losing team against Helsinki on TSN2, and the winning team and Helsinki play on TSN5 on Sunday.

The remainder of the tournament is played on TSN5 as the championship round gets started at 9am ET on Monday with the quarterfinals. Tuesday sees the semifinals played at the same 9am and 2pm times before the Spengler Cup Final goes on Wednesday, December 31 at 6am ET on both TSN4 and TSN5. I'm hoping we'll see Canada there as they chase their 17th trophy, but Davos is also looking for the 17th championship as well. HC Fribourg-Gottéron is looking to defend the title they won last season as they try to make it two championships in their history. The other three teams are looking for their first Spengler Cup championships this holiday season.

It should be another great tournament in Davos, Switzerland beginning on Friday. You're missing out on a great tournament if you're not watching, so catch the action if you can as Team Canada looks to capture their first Spengler Cup championship since 2019!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

An Extended ECHL Break

Normally at this time of year, I try to watch as many hockey games as I can, mainly because network television plays the same dozen Christmas movies over and over again. Hockey can offer up something less predictable than those movies can after watching them for the umpteenth time, but I find myself watching less hockey after hearing about the potential upcoming strike by ECHL players. If you haven't heard, the negotations between the ECHL and the Professional Hockey Players Association (PHPA) isn't going well, and the players have officially given their notice to the league that they're not playing as of Boxing Day aka December 26.

It's hard for me to take the side of management in any labour negotiation when it comes to collective bargaining because management isn't bargaining for everyone to be better off. Normally, if the employees gain anything, it comes at a cost to the business, so management is generally going to push back on giving anything up. With me being an employee, I want better for myself, so I'm apt to side with the players in their collective bargaining with the ECHL.

That being said, it's helpful to understand what the players are fighting for with their strike threat. According to the PHPA,

"The league's unlawful conduct dates back to late spring/early summer when the league made unilateral changes related to mandatory subjects of bargaining and began engaging in regressive bargaining. This prompted the PHPA to file an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board with the hope of remedying this conduct and restoring lawful bargaining."

Clearly, that's not good. If the employees are basically reporting the employers to the National Labor Relations Board, any collective bargaining is already starting at a low point. And while the players never specifically mentioned what it was that the ECHL changed, the line of "the league made unilateral changes related to mandatory subjects of bargaining and began engaging in regressive bargaining" suggests that the ECHL was trying to remove or eliminate specific topics that pertained to collective bargaining without so much as engaging with the PHPA on those topics. That's a significant problem.

The PHPA continued with their statement, citing that the ECHL...

"... has resisted basic player safety and working condition issues. It has taken almost a year to persuade the league that we should be entitled to choose helmets that properly fit us. We still have clubs supplying members with used equipment. The league shows no concern or regard for players' travel schedule and has said that the nine-hour bus trip home should be considered our day off. Until a few days ago, the league was not prepared to give us a day off per week, and they refused to negotiate a meaningful holiday break that allows players to be home with our families, which would be consistent with professional hockey in North America."

Look, I'm not a manager, an owner, or even a waterboy, but who denies anyone more time with family during the holidays? What kind of heartless heathen tells someone they don't get a holiday break?

More to the heart of the matter is safety and the idea that teams are giving helmets and used equipment to players that don't fit properly is asking for all sorts of trouble. How does this not make them liable for injuries if players can't get equipment that fits properly? I know that ECHL players don't make a lot of money, but the litigious nature in the US suggests that this is something that will hit a courtroom eventually. Why would the ECHL be against making the game safer?

Third, the issue of a nine-hour bus ride constituting a day off for players might be the most farcical thing I've ever heard. If anyone has rode a bus for more than a few hours, they'll tell you that it takes days off your life. While some buses can be confortable for longer travel, hockey players don't want to be stuffed into a cramped bus seat for hours on end. Calling a long bus ride "a day off" is total disrespect from the ECHL, and the players have a right to be angry.

Of course, in every contract negotiation, the subject of monetary increases always comes up, and this negotiation is no different as the players are seeking better compensation. The PHPA states,

"... the league's economic proposals to date put players below where inflation has taken us since the last collective agreement was signed prior to COVID. We also gave the league a two year, no cost extension, to assist them in recovery."

In short, the players made concessions to help the league and owners make it through the pandemic, and now they're looking to get back what they gave the league after not seeing pay increases since prior to the pandemic. That doesn't sound unreasonable, but it seems that the league is low-balling the players just as they do in every negotiation. In short, this one will likely take some discussion in a boardroom between the league and the union to sort out the money.

There was also an accusation made by the PHPA about the ECHL sending communications directly to the players rather than through the union which violates US labor law, but I'm not a lawyer so I can't really comment on whether that happened nor whether the ECHL broke the law. What I can say is that it seems like the ECHL only care about the bottom line without realizing that they have no bottom line without players. Keeping them on the ice should be a priority!

Some of you might be saying, "What is the league offering then?" which is a valid question. After all, every negotiaton has two sides, so it would be unfair just to post what the players' side is saying. Let's dig into the ECHL's stance and see what the league is offering. Before we jump into those details, though, we need to know a few things.

The ECHL salary cap is posted on the ECHL site, and it states that "[t]he weekly salary cap for 2024-25 is $15,130 per week for the first 30 days of the season and $14,600 per week for the balance of the season. The weekly salary floor is $11,100". Knowing where the salary cap sits will help to see what monetary gains are being offered. When it comes to players' salaries, "[t]eams are required in 2024-25 to pay rookie players a minimum salary of $530 per week and returning players a minimum salary of $575 per week". That's not a lot.

Secondly, the ECHL already offers coverage of 100% of all costs when it comes to fully-furnished housing for players, utility and internet costs, and medical and dental benefits. There is an asterisk, though, as I should note that these are covered in-season only, so players still need to budget accordingly for the offseason if they intend to stay in their hockey communities. I'll admit this is better than nothing, but I'm also pretty sure that $575 per week isn't going to go far with rent, utilities, and food costs if these weren't covered by the league.

The ECHL maintains that it proposed "an immediate 16.4% increase to the cap, with retroactive pay for this season, and a nearly 27% total increase in future years" to the above posted salaries. If you're doing the math, that means rookie weekly salaries go up to $617 per week while veteran salaries would be topped up to $670. An extra $100 per week sounds like the players are getting good value, but the US Bureau of Labor Statistics' data shows that inflation has increased by 27% since 2019. That 16.4% increase represents slightly more than half of the increased cost of goods in the US over that time.

If they are able to increase the rate to 27% in future years, why not start there and erase the inflation costs that players are paying altogether? The ECHL added on the note that they "offered annual increases to the per diem rate, raising it to $60 this year and 24.5% over the CBA term," but I don't think that increasing the pocket change that the players can use will make a significant difference in their lives. If they applied the 27% increase right off the bat, that would make a big difference to a pile of players immediately.

The ECHL has maintained that if the PHPA exhibits "a willingness to drop its most extreme offers, we are ready and willing to bargain" which is an absolutely insane demand from management considering that these are the demands of the players. If you want to negotiate for the moon, you have to ask for the sun. Starting in an "extreme position" allows the PHPA to alter its demands as they are addressed by management so that middle ground can be found. Asking the players just to abandon their demands is hilariously ludicrous.

As far as the player safety component, the ECHL maintains that is has made proposals for custom sticks and alternate helmet options for players that state that every team can provide custom sticks and any player can determine if an alternate five-star rated helmet is needed. It also maintains that it has proposed stricter requirements for mandated days off every week and extra non-physical activities days after three games in three days while reducing the mileage limits for travel between back-to-back games. I should note that no mention of holiday breaks nor clearly defined days off after three games in three nights were mentioned in the league's proposals.

Based on all of that evidence, I see no reason why the players shouldn't go on strike. From what it seems, the ECHL is offering very little in making the game better for players and the demand they made to have the players drop "extreme offers" is ridiculous. Both sides have identified what they want, and they now need to find common ground on which they forge an agreement. If one side is unwilling to come to the table, the other has every right to use all means they have at their disposal to force negotiations to resume.

According to all reports, it seems like the ECHL players will be going on strike on Boxing Day as the fight escalates between the ECHL and the PHPA. If the evidence above is true, I don't blame them.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Rundown - Extended Family

With it being the holiday season, there's likely a chance that you'll be at a family gathering where you'll encounter extended family. Most of these people you know, but there could be that odd aunt, uncle, or cousin whose attendance at those family functions isn't as regular. That's what today's edition of The Rundown is all about - catching up with those former U SPORTS players who are playing in faraway lands, but still helped to build the programs into what they are today.

I started this last season, but it seems appropriate for us to ask an obvious question: what happens after players graduate or leave programs? As we know, some will have earned degrees and can go off and work in those chosen fields, but a lot of women want to keep playing hockey as the competitive fires continue to burn. Where are they doing that? Who might be looking for talented hockey players to improve their standing in their respective leagues and capture a championship? We'll answer some of those questions today.

Once more, I spent time scouring all the leagues as I went looking at all the former U SPORTS players who are off playing professionally at some level across the planet. Some leagues have many former U SPORTS players playing while other leagues do not, but the coolest part, I think, is seeing how many women are still pursuing their hockey dreams while, in some cases, travelling to amazing places to play hockey. I won't lie when I say I'm envious of some of these players based on where they call home for this season, but that's the benefit of being an outstanding player whose talents are coveted.

Let's get into these leagues and see which U SPORTS players are playing, and we'll work through as many leagues as possible. What should be noted is that a number of the schools who once had these women playing for them have done very little to draw attention to the success they're having after these players left those respective campuses, so I'll once again fill that void as I normally do.

Without further adieu, let's take a look at who's playing where.

SWHL - Switzerland

This league is also named the PostFinance Women's Hockey League.

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Estelle Duvin	SC Bern	13	17	19	Montreal
Joelle Fiala	HC Davos	5	11	23	UBC
Lea MacLeod	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Langenthal‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	6	9	25	StFX
Lauren Dabrowski	Fribourg	5	14	23	StFX
Kaleigh Quennec	SC Bern	3	5	14	Montreal
Jessika Boulanger	Langenthal	3	2	24	Montreal
Dominique Scheurer	ZSC Lions	1	1	19	MacEwan

There are less former U SPORTS players playing in Switzerland than there was last season, but there are still good players who are scoring points for their teams. The only conference not represented in Switzerland is the OUA, and we may see both Kaleigh Quennec and Dominique Scheurer skating in Milano-Cortina for the Swiss team come February. French-born Estelle Duvin sits sixth-overall in scoring after winning the scoring title last season with 54 points.

EWHL - Central Europe

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Ashley Taciuk	SKN Sabres	12	15	16	Nipissing
Lauren Nicholson	Almaty	11	14	15	TMU
Jaime Magoffin	SKN Sabres	10	14	16	Guelph
Breanne Trotter	Almaty	9	12	17	Mount Royal
Léonie Philbert	EV Bozen	4	17	16	Concordia
Maggie Peterson	Kärnten	8	12	18	Windsor
Emily Baxter	Budapest	7	12	12	TMU
Katherine Birkby	Almaty	11	7	17	Ottawa
Emma Hall	Kärnten	7	7	18	UBC
Rebecca Clarke	Salzburg	4	10	18	Calgary
Megan Breen	Budapest	3	8	12	TMU
Majorie Bolduc	Kärnten	5	4	9	Bishop's
Meaghan Chittick‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	SKN Sabres	3	5	15	Guelph
Kate Wagner	Almaty	3	5	17	Calgary
Mariah Hinds	Almaty	1	4	13	TMU
Alex Gowie	SKN Sabres	2	2	8	Calgary/Alberta
Kate Gallant	Kärnten	0	0	7	Saint Mary's
Roxanne Rioux	Almaty	1	5	17	Ottawa

Goalies

Name	Team	Record	GAA	Sv%	GP	University
Alice Philbert	EV Bozen	n/a	1.55	.936	16	Concordia
Rachel Seeley	Almaty	n/a	2.25	.895	10	TMU

There's definitely a wider range of players skating in the EWHL when it comes to conferences. Ashley Taciuk sits in second-place for league scoring while Lauren Nicholson is third-overall. For the shortage of OUA players in Switzerland, the league that plays in Poland, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Italy, and Kazakhstan boasts the most U SPORTS players in Europe this season! And there's probably room for more!

SDHL - Sweden

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Jaycee Magwood‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Luleå‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	8	14	26	Regina
Mathea Fischer	SDE	8	12	27	UBC
Sarah Bujold	Luleå	8	8	25	StFX
Erica Rieder	Luleå	4	9	26	Manitoba
Emma Bergesen	Brynäs	0	1	5	Mount Royal
Sophie Lalor	HV71	0	0	3	Saskatchewan
Chanreet Bassi	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Linköping‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	0	0	3	UBC

Goalies

Name	Team	Record	GAA	Sv%	University
Camryn Drever	Skellefteå	8-8-0	2.29	.918	Saskatchewan

Five Canada West schools have players skating in the SDHL which is considered the second-best women's league on the planet. Sarah Bujold is a former U SPORTS Player of the Year, so she can clearly hold her own as well. Magwood is eighth-overall in league scoring, but she finds herself eleven points back of the leaders. Between the pipes, Camryn Drever is keeping Skellefteå in the hunt at sixth-overall, but it's a four-way race for first-place between Luleå, Brynäs, SDE, and Frölunda in the ten-team league. HV71 appears to be eliminated from the playoffs despite mathematically being alive.

DFEL - Germany

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Madelyn Walsh	Eisbären Berlin	2	7	18	Brock
Shani Rossignol	Mad Dogs Mannheim	6	1	18	Moncton
Lore Baudrit	ERC Ingolstadt	3	2	12	Montreal
Alix Yallowega	ERC Ingolstadt	2	4	18	Dalhousie

There are less U SPORTS players playing in Germany this season, but credit goes to the four players who are calling Germany home. Madelyn Walsh is having a solid campaign as she has nine points from the blueline for the Eisbären Berlin as the leading U SPORTS player, but Memmingen has a 14-point lead over Budapest and a 15-point lead over Berlin in the standings. Mannheim might be out of the race.

NDHL - Sweden

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Cassidy Maplethorpe	Rögle SK	21	28	12	BRK/ALB
Hunter Mosher	Södertälje	7	13	12	Nipissing
Scout Southward	Almtuna IS	11	8	10	QUE/TOR
Sophie Lalor	Troja-Ljungby	10	6	9	Saskatchewan
Aimee O'Neill	Hammarby	8	6	12	Saint Mary's
Mackenzie Drake	Troja-Ljungby	7	2	11	Dalhousie
Jesse Jack	Troja-Ljungby	3	0	2	MacEwan

A handful of U SPORTS players are playing in Sweden's second-division professional league, and all of these teams are looking for promotion to the SDHL this season. Former Badgers and Pandas sniper Cassidy Maplethorpe is torching the league by leading in goals and assists, and has a nine-point lead over second-leading scorer Sara Boucher who plays with Maplethorpe for Rögle SK. Rögle SK, it should be noted, is 11-0-0-1 while Hunter Mosher's Södertälje squad is tied for first-overall with a 10-0-2-0 record. Keep an eye on those teams!

PWHL - North America

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Jade Downie-Landry	Montreal Victoire	0	0	0	McGill
Rylind MacKinnon	Boston Fleet	0	0	5	UBC
Emmy Fecteau	New York Sirens	0	0	6	Concordia
Catherine Dubois	Montreal Victoire	0	0	3	Montreal
Kaitlyn Willoughby	Montreal Victoire	0	1	5	Saskatchewan
Alexandra Labelle	Montreal Victoire	0	1	5	Montreal
Kelly-Ann Nadeau	Montreal Victoire	0	0	5	Montreal
Jade Downie-Landry	Montreal Victoire	0	0	0	McGill

When Montreal has 75% of the U SPORTS players in the league and they're the only Canadian team to boast Canadian university-trained players, it would appear that selling the PWHL dream to Canadian university players might be a pipe dream. That being said, good on Danièle Sauvageau for believing in these players. As you can see, none of them have exploded out of the gates when it comes to filling the net, but they're all contributing in their own various ways.

IHLW - Italy

Goalies

Name	Team	Record	GAA	Sv%	University
Gabriella Durante	Real Torino	n/a	1.69	.947	Calgary

Gabriella Durante has played in just four games this season, but she's continuing her strong play that we saw in Canada West and last season in Italy. It would be ridiculous for me to suggest she'll be a starter for the Italian team when they have Martina Fedel, Elisa Biondi, and Margherita Ostoni competing for spots, but the two U SPORTS netminders - Fedel and Durante - should have the inside track on an Olympic roster spot when it comes to Milano-Cortina!

Naisten Suomi-Sarja - Finland

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Miressa Mäkelä‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎HIFK Challenger‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	1	1	2	Manitoba

Mäkelä is playing her second season in Finland's Division-II level of hockey, but "playing" might be more of a fill-in role when she's needed as she has five games in just over a season to her name. She was injured in her only season of Canada West hockey, and she didn't make it until the end of the season. She returned home and rejoined her old team prior to the Canada West season ending.

Women's Extraliga - Czechia

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Martina Maskova‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎HC Banik Pribram‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	2	1	2	Regina

Maskova has barely played this year, but she's back with Banik Pribram for another season. Like Mäkelä above, she seems to be playing either on a part-time basis. Maskova has been playing with Banik Pribram since leaving the University of Regina in 2021. She does not play on the Czechia national team so no Olympics for her.

FFHG Féminin Élite - France

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Emmanuelle Passard	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Jets d’Evry-Viry‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	12	9	6	Montreal

There are no Canadians playing in France this year, but the Université de Montréal does have a player skating in her home country. Passard is third-overall in league scoring, and three points back of the leader. It seems that playing for les Carabins may have paid off for her!

LIHH - Spain

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Courtney Kollman‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎CG Puigcerdà‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	21	18	10	MRU/CAL
Annaliese Meier‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎CG Puigcerdà‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	7	6	9	Calgary

Kollman and Meier have helped CG Puigcerdà to a tie for second-place in the Liga Nacional de Hockey Hielo femenina while Kollman sits in second-place for league scoring behind a 20 year-old named Eva Aizpurua who has a 13-point lead on Kollman. Both have sat a few games here and there, but I don't think Puigcerdà will complain about either's production considering the team is 9-2-0 on the season with games in-hand. Spain has been good to these two former Dinos.

AWIHL - Australia

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Jordan Kulbida‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Adelaide‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	8	7	10	Regina
Danielle Butler‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Melbourne‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	10	2	10	Windsor
Katherine Bailey‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Perth‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	2	5	10	Guelph
Kelsie Lang‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Sydney‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	1	10	10	Calgary
Madison LaPlante‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Brisbane‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	3	4	6	Windsor
Alison Carlisle‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Brisbane‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	1	0	6	Trinity Western

It's actually pretty impressive to see this many former U SPORTS players continuing to play the game in Australia. With the growth of men's hockey in that country, the women's game has followed with most of the Australian women's national team playing at home. Jordan Kulbida leads the Rush in scoring, and she's tied for sixth-overall in league scoring. She was a big part of the Rush offence last season, and she continues to carry that offensive load this year!

NZWIHL - New Zealand

Skaters

Name	Team	G	A	GP	University
Brooke Patron‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	‎ ‎ ‎ ‎Auckland Steel‎ ‎ ‎ ‎	8	5	8	Saskatchewan

Goalies

Name	Team	Record	GAA	Sv%	University
Alexa Gibson	Auckland Steel	4-0-0	1.61	.939	Ottawa

It should be noted that these numbers are from the 2024-25 season that concluded in the summer as the NZWIHL plays during the southern hemisphere's winter as opposed to the summer which is happening now. Regardless, I wanted to make sure these two players got the recognition they deserve because Patron was third-overall in league scoring this past season while Gibson had the top GAA and save percentage. Auckland won the NZWIHL championship this season with Patron being named the top defender! Congratulations to her!

There's the list of players I could find who are playing professionally in some corner of the globe. There are 68 total players who represent 25 U SPORTS schools out of the 35 schools that have varsity hockey teams! That's a heckuva testament to the skill level being produced across this country when 71% of the schools have someone playing professionally! Will there be more players in new homes next season?

More locally, all nine teams in Canada West are represented by at least one player, and 29 former Canada West athletes are playing professional hockey. That's an amazing achievement that's only equalled by the four-team RSEQ conference, so Canada West certainly deserves some kudos. The Calgary Dinos have seven players skating professionally, UBC has five players, Saskatchewan has four players, Regina and Mount Royal have three each while each of Manitoba, Alberta, and MacEwan have two skaters, and Trinity Western has one player who is playing professionally. Again, well done, Canada West, on developing these outstanding athletes!

To all the players who opted to either take a season off or move on to another chapter of life, you're not forgotten either. As stated above, you laid the bricks for the path that future generations will follow, and those efforts will not be ignored by this writer. Your circumstances may have changed for any number of reasons, but your contributions at the university hockey level and beyond will always be appreciated. Thank you for laying the path for the next stars!

The Last Word

This was a long entry that took a lot of time to compile and write, so I hope you enjoyed the look at all the players who are skating professionally somewhere this season. These women still are, in this writer's view, some of the best to have ever played the game at any level, and I wish them all the best this season and beyond, even if that beyond takes them away from the game at some point.

For all players, coaches, staff, fans, parents, and former players who make this game so good, I hope everyone has a very merry holiday season, that health and happiness find you in whatever form you desire, and that everyone is surrounded by friends, family, and loved ones during this season. It's the most wonderful time of year, and then we get the rush of playoff races before the big dance starts!

Happy holidays, everyone! All the best to you and yours including extended family no matter where they find themselves this year!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!